An email devotion sent to members of Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio on November 23, 2022

If you go into most any Lutheran, Catholic, Anglican, or other “mainline” Protestant church in North America in the month of December, you will notice an interesting furnishing in the sanctuary. This eye-catching decoration consists of four large candles attached to a wooden or metal circle, often adorned with holiday greenery. This is known as an Advent wreath. 

Traditions surrounding Advent wreaths are many and varied. Different churches use them differently in the four weeks of Advent leading to Christmas, but most often churches will light one candle on the first Sunday, two on the second, three on the third, and four on the last. Often, there is a candle in the middle that is lit on Christmas Eve, symbolizing the birth of Christ. And you will also notice that often one of the candles is pink or rose in color. This comes from a tradition that holds the third Sunday of Advent as “Gaudete Sunday,” meaning “rejoice.” As the season of Advent developed in the Middle Ages, it was common to view it as a somber time of penitence before the festival of Christmas. At times, Christians would fast during this time, as in the season of Lent, and so the third Sunday of Advent, which was called “Gaudete,” was meant as a short break in the fast.

If you do an internet search about the Advent wreath, its origin, and its significance, you will be bombarded with all kinds of conflicting information. People talk about its “ancient origins” and what each candle is supposed to represent. One model says that the candles are supposed to represent “hope,” “love,” “joy,” and “peace.” Another model claims that the candles represent “prophecy,” “Bethlehem,” “shepherds,” and “angels.” Yet another model says that the four candles represent the four hundred years between the time of the Prophet Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament) and the birth of Jesus Christ. This just scratches the surface of the various meanings people have attached to this sanctuary decoration.

What’s the real story behind the Advent wreath? While it is possible that wreaths with candles were used as decorations in pre-Christian civilizations in Europe and possibly during the Middle Ages, the Advent wreath in modern usage began as a children’s ministry tool in an orphanage in the northern German city of Hamburg. Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881) was a Lutheran pastor and leader in the German “Inner Mission” movement, which sought to unite the various social ministries around the country. In his time, especially in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, Wichern recognized the importance of Christian works of mercy, especially the need to care for displaced children.

At his orphanage, Wichern led the children in a daily devotion. He constructed such a wreath as a way for the children to count the days until Christmas. Four large white candles stood for the four Sundays before Christmas, and smaller red candles in between them represented individual days. Northern German winters are even longer, darker, and colder than in Ohio, and the candlelight provided him with a way to talk about Jesus’ coming as “the light of the world” (John 8:12). As he explained to the children, the circular shape of the wreath showed that God’s love has no beginning or end.

From that time, the Advent wreath gradually found its way into Lutheran homes in Germany. For many years, it remained primarily a home devotional decoration. In the early to mid-twentieth century, it found its way into some church sanctuaries. Christians of other types adopted it as well, and today churches that do not have an Advent wreath are rare exceptions. Though we might think they are ancient and have been around forever, Advent wreaths are in fact only ancient going back to the 1830s! Don’t misunderstand me. I have nothing against using Advent wreaths. They are a nice addition to this season, and I would miss the wreath if it were absent from our sanctuary. Lutherans have always recognized the importance of some freedom in our local practices, but it is important to remember that there is no single, standard meaning behind the four candles.  

​If the candles on the Advent wreath don’t stand for anything in particular, is there a purpose behind continuing to use the decoration? I believe there is, and knowing about the history of the wreath can help us with that. Wichern used his wreath as a way of helping his orphanage children know that they are valued and not forgotten, especially in this time of year. We often hear of this season as “merry and bright,” but for many it is not. But the joy of Advent lies in the knowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ has come into our world and continues to come with his healing and forgiving power. As we light the candles, we remember that we and the rest of the world are not forgotten by God, who in Jesus Christ has come to us, promises to come again, and graciously comes to us even now through the preaching of his good news and his sacraments. And as the candles are situated in a circle, we know that this good news has no end, but endures forever.

From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, October 2022.

Reboot

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. – Joel 2:13 ESV

One thing I like to do when teaching confirmation or otherwise interacting with today’s youth is joke about the archaic technology to which I had access when I was their age. I think they find it amusing, but at the very least, it makes me smile to talk about what life was like before smartphones and even cell phones, when we only had access to four television channels, when social media and streaming services were yet in the distant future, when we had to use paper maps and take trips without GPS navigation systems, and when we had to use rotary dial telephones attached to the wall. A few years ago, I asked a confirmation student if she remembered life before the internet, and she said “no,” but that she remembered having to use “dial up” internet. I remember when “dial up” internet was a new thing and a real treat to have in the house. These conversations make me feel rather old!

Technology has come a long way in even the last fifteen to twenty years. There are many examples that can be cited, but one noticeable difference between then and now is computer technology. When I was in college, we still relied on external floppy disks to save our files. If the power went out or if the computer crashed for some reason, I could only hope that I had saved the file on my disk. The sinking feeling upon realizing that the file was lost is hard to describe.

Sometimes computers crash and reboot, and most often without warning. Today’s computers mostly save documents automatically and “restore” any unsaved documents, which is a welcome development for anyone who uses technology. In addition, “cloud” technology greatly reduces the likelihood of losing files.
As I think about the life of churches today, the old danger of a sudden reboot or computer crash comes to mind. Without being saved, those files and the ideas they contain can be lost. This is an image we as a church should bear in mind in this “post-COVID” era.

I remember reading an article shortly after COVID-19 came on the scene in March of 2020. It predicted that as many as twenty percent of churches in North America would not survive the pandemic due to the lockdowns, the difficulty of getting people to return to church after the crisis abated, and overall loss of participation and financial giving. I do not know if the twenty percent number was accurate; perhaps it is too early to say. But it is obvious that COVID has had an impact on a lot of things in our society, including our churches.

For churches, maybe the best way to think about COVID is as a computer crash or reboot from days gone by. With this disruption, a reboot is required. What will be lost, and what will remain when the power comes back on? What files were lost that need to be reconstructed? I remember as a college freshman that I had one day written a history essay that for some reason failed to save on my floppy disk. I was forced to remember what I had written as best I could, and in the end, I was able to reconstruct the content. Though it took some hard work, I handed in the essay and was able to pass the course.

COVID has changed and disrupted a lot of things, but I believe we are now at a point where we need to reboot and reconstruct files that might have been lost in congregational life. This is not easy. It requires commitment and dedication on the part of many people. Perhaps some files have been permanently “lost” in the crash and subsequent reboot. Not everything is meant to last forever. What I have also learned from computer crashes and reboots is that it can be an opportunity for new ideas. When I had to reconstruct my lost history essay after the computer crash described above, I discovered that I was able to incorporate some ideas I had previously forgotten to write about.

As Martin Luther describes in his Small Catechism, when we pray “Thy kingdom come” in the Lord’s Prayer, we are confident that God’s kingdom will indeed come, but we pray in that petition that it will also come among us. The Church of Jesus Christ will go on; God will accomplish His purpose. We pray in this post COVID era that we here at Grace Lutheran will be included in that kingdom.

God’s promises are sure. At the same time, God uses us to bring about His kingdom. Please look for ways that you can be a part of the reboot in this place. It is encouraging to see interest in things both new and old. For example, the Men of Grace are resuming their activity. The Women of the NALC organization will begin meeting again this month. We will be starting a new men’s breakfast meeting as well. KFC will begin again as well. We still need to restart the KFROGS group, and of course we can always use more Sunday School/Adventures in Faith teachers! Above all, commit yourselves to being nourished by the gifts of Jesus Christ in worship.

We are fortunate to have a God of new beginnings, who has a track record of rebooting His people after their crashes. The prophet Joel speaks: Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson

From the "Gracevine" newsletter article for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, September 2022.

Marketplace

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious…” - Acts 17:22 ESV

In our time and part of the world, we don’t have much experience with traditional marketplaces, where people show up in the town square to sell their goods or hawk their wares. About the closest thing we have to marketplaces are shopping malls, where people can find stores devoted to particular items, but even these are becoming a thing of the past in light of the convenience of online shopping. But the market lives on. Instead of disappearing, the marketplace has shifted platforms.

Whatever form it takes, the concept of a marketplace is helpful for thinking about religion in America. From the beginning, the “non-establishment clause” in the First Amendment of the US Constitution turned religion into a marketplace. In our country, there would be no established state church, as in the Church of England. Yet the Founding Fathers recognized the important role that religion plays in society, and so while the First Amendment prohibited Congress from establishing a particular religion, they also made sure to prohibit Congress from making laws “prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].”

This free market economy of religion in America is what has made our country religiously vital, which stands in contrast to many European countries with a history of state sponsored churches. Though we often hear of the increasing secularization of our country, the United States actually remains a very religious country, having contributed to the proliferation of religions, church denominations, and sects, many of which have been shipped abroad. Think, for example, of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, both of which have origins in our land.
The idea of a religious marketplace is not new. In the earliest days of the Christian faith, the Apostle Paul commented during his visit to the Greek city of Athens how religious the people of that city were, devoted to various gods. Noticing there was a monument to “An Unknown God,” he used that opportunity to introduce people to faith in Jesus Christ.

What would Paul say if he were among us today? He might comment on the secularization of our society, but he might also make comments like at his speech at the Athenian Areopagus, described in the New Testament book of Acts. All around us are signs of the religiosity of our country, with churches and sects of various types on street corners and along highways. All these groups are looking for their market share.

Where do we stand in the American religious marketplace? By “we” I mean churches of our type. Unfortunately, the numerical trend is not in our favor. What has often been called “mainline” Protestantism, which includes groups like Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and others, has been in decline for some time. As of 1960, there were roughly 8 million Lutherans of all kinds in the United States. Today, there are roughly 7 million, and the population of the country has doubled in that time. “Mainline” Protestants not keeping pace with population growth is due to many factors, one of which is simply lower birthrates.

In a competitive religious market, it’s easy for churches to get nervous and to wonder how to remain vital and relevant. I have felt that pressure in the past. This is an issue that has been on my mind over the years, and that is the reason I am addressing it in this article. A fairly recent phenomenon around our country is what I and others often call the “box church,” so named because these churches often inhabit spaces of vacated “box stores,” such as Walmart, Target, and the like. Such “box churches” are most often labeled as “non-denominational” and often employ contemporary Christian praise music in their worship. For churches of a more traditional type, “box churches” provide market competition. In years gone by, denominational loyalty was much stronger than today. People who had been members of “mainline” churches automatically gravitated to other “mainline” churches if they relocated. Now, they join a church, if they bother joining one at all, for local and relational reasons. No doubt there are many decent and committed people who attend these “box churches,” but their perspectives on theology and worship are usually quite different than ours.  

What does our congregation of Grace Lutheran have to offer people in this religious marketplace? A lot, I think. We have many gifted and active members, and we engage in important service in our community. We have many friendly and welcoming people. But when it comes to worship, compared to the glitz that can be found in some “box churches,” it is easy for those of us of more traditional churches to feel inadequate, irrelevant, and behind the times.
It is important to remember that no church can be everything to everyone. Most likely, we will never be a church focused on “contemporary worship” trends. Such things do appeal to certain people in the religious marketplace. But there is a place in the market for more traditional styles of “doing church,” which are quieter, more meditative, more focused on ritual, more focused on teaching, and less focused on emotionalism. We would do well to continue to focus on doing well what it is that we do. There are indeed people to whom our “style” speaks. When I was a teenager, many adults assumed that because I was younger, I must have disliked my church’s traditional style. They were surprised when I told them that I actually liked it! I know that I was not alone in my preference. Inundated with modern pop music throughout the week, many people look for church to provide them with a different kind of experience, a change of pace.   

I am convinced that our congregation indeed has much to offer, and not just in terms of the good and committed people involved in the life of this church. Through our creeds, confessional writings, liturgy, and hymns, we stand on an ancient tradition that has endured for centuries. We continue to encounter God’s gospel (good news of Jesus). We do not reject everything that is new, but we also do not forget from where it is we have come. Our view of worship, which speaks of God serving us in Jesus Christ through His Word and sacraments, roots our lives in God’s grace. That is an important voice in today’s marketplace, however small it might be. Let us not be embarrassed or feel inadequate about our tradition, but embrace it proudly as our words and lives bear witness to the grace of Jesus Christ, who welcomes us sinners to his table and calls us as disciples to live repentant lives in response to his gifts!

​Pr. Tom Jacobson   

Note: This list includes Lutheran church organizations considered “sizeable,” meaning that they have more than a handful of congregations. There are a number of smaller groups in existence. Those described here are listed in descending order of size according to number of congregations. Though these brief sketches are admittedly superficial, I have attempted here to provide fair and accurate descriptions of the history and distinguishing characteristics of each group. Though no value judgments should be inferred from my descriptions, I must provide the disclaimer that I am a member of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). The numbers of congregations and members for each group are estimates and are based on information available as of June of 2022.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
ca. 8,500 congregations
ca. 3.2 million members
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois

The ELCA began in 1988 from a merger of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (TALC) and the much smaller Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). The LCA was a product of mergers that united older German immigrant congregations with a large Swedish Lutheran body, with smaller numbers of Finnish, Danish, Icelandic, and Slovak congregations included as well. TALC was a product of mergers that united later German immigrant congregations with a larger Norwegian Lutheran body and a much smaller Danish group. The LCA and TALC were joined in the 1988 merger by the AELC, a small group that had broken away from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in 1976. At the outset, the ELCA had roughly 5.2 million members and 11 thousand congregations. Controversies in the ELCA over the years led to the departure of many members and congregations and the formation of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) in 2001 and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) in 2010. Like its predecessor bodies did as of 1970, the ELCA permits the ordination of women, has focused on ecumenical cooperation with like-minded Protestant church bodies, and is often described as “liberal” in its understanding of faith and social values.    

Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS)
ca. 6,100 congregations
ca. 2.1 million members
Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri

The roots of the LCMS, often known simply as the “Missouri Synod,” are in the Saxon German immigration of the early nineteenth century, which settled in Perry County, Missouri. Organized officially in 1847, they have had a continuous history since their founding, avoiding mergers with other groups. The LCMS did, however, join a cooperative federation of like-minded Lutherans known as the Synodical Conference in 1872, which dissolved in the early 1960s. Over time, two smaller groups of Slovak and Finnish Lutherans were absorbed into the LCMS. Those who founded the LCMS expressed concern for maintaining a distinct Lutheran witness in the face of pressure to conform to non-Lutheran perspectives. They permit only the ordination of men, and though there is some diversity among the LCMS in practice, they are generally considered conservative in their doctrine, requiring what they regard as complete doctrinal agreement for “altar and pulpit fellowship,” meaning the exchange of pastors and the sharing of Holy Communion. They regard themselves as strongly rooted in the “inerrancy” of the Bible and in the theology of the Lutheran Confessional Writings.

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
ca. 1,200 congregations
ca. 375 thousand members
Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The roots of the WELS are also in the German immigration of the early nineteenth century, with special strength in the state of Wisconsin. Originally founded in 1850, the Michigan and Minnesota Synods joined with the Wisconsin Synod in 1892. With the LCMS, it was a member of the Synodical Conference, founded in 1872. The WELS eventually broke fellowship with the LCMS over certain points of doctrine and is generally considered more conservative than the LCMS, requiring complete doctrinal agreement not only for the sharing of pastors and Holy Communion, but also for joint prayer with other Christians. The WELS also prohibits the suffrage of women in congregational decisions. The WELS is currently in fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS; see below).

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)
ca. 800 congregations (in the USA)
ca. 300 thousand members
Note: LCMC also has international congregations in many different countries. Including these congregations, there are over 900 congregations in total. Additionally, over one hundred congregations of LCMC are dually affiliated with the North American Lutheran Church (NALC; see below)
Headquarters: Canton, Michigan

LCMC was founded in 2001 by 25 congregations from the ELCA. In 1999, the ELCA adopted an ecumenical agreement with the Episcopal Church USA, which required the ELCA to conform to the ordination standards of the Anglican Communion for the interchange of clergy. Within the ELCA, a group called the Word Alone Network opposed this move, viewing it as a violation of the Lutheran Confessional Writings. Some members of the Word Alone Network formed LCMC as an alternative organization. From the beginning, LCMC has understood itself as “post-denominational” and an “association” of congregations rather than a traditional denomination. As an association, LCMC generally does not make pronouncements on behalf of its member congregations. It did, however, produce an “admonition,” stating that marriage is between a man and a woman. Comprised mostly of small, rural congregations and large “megachurches,” LCMC is more socially and theologically conservative than the ELCA, though differs in character from the LCMS. It permits the ordination of women and contains a strong “strain” of “evangelical renewal,” which is focused on “contemporary style” worship practices. LCMC grew gradually since its founding, but much of its membership was added after the ELCA in 2009 changed its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships. LCMC has also started many mission congregations.

North American Lutheran Church (NALC)
ca. 460 congregations
ca. 150 thousand members
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas

The NALC was formed in 2010 by congregations dissatisfied with some positions taken by the ELCA and its general atmosphere. The ELCA’s decision in 2009 to change its policy concerning pastors in same-sex relationships, but more significantly underlying issues of biblical and theological authority, was the impetus for the creation of the NALC. Unlike those who founded LCMC nearly ten years earlier, however, the NALC was conceived as a more traditionally structured denomination rather than an association of congregations. In general, though not absolutely, NALC congregations exhibit more liturgical formality than is found in LCMC. However, over a hundred congregations of the NALC have dual affiliation with LCMC, and the two organizations together occupy more “centrist” ground in the American Lutheran field today. The NALC exists as a more theologically and socially conservative expression of the ecumenical Lutheran tradition than is found in the ELCA and is committed to its understanding of biblical, creedal, and confessional faithfulness. The NALC permits the ordination of women. Though not officially in fellowship with the LCMS, it has a history of positive conversations with the LCMS over issues of common interest.

Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC)
ca. 270 congregations
ca. 43 thousand members
Headquarters: Plymouth, Minnesota

The roots of the AFLC are in the complicated history of Norwegian-American Lutheranism. In 1890, a merger of three Norwegian-American Lutheran groups produced the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). In the interest of compromise between the two largest of the merging groups, the UNLC decided that Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota (from “The Conference”) would be the seminary of the new organization and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota (from “The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood”) would be the college of the new organization. This was unsatisfactory to many who came from “The Conference,” who desired a unified college and seminary program, and in 1897 they broke from the UNLC to form “The Lutheran Free Church” (LFC). The LFC existed independently for many years, but eventually took part in the merger negotiations to form The American Lutheran Church (TALC) in 1960. When the LFC finally succeeded in mustering enough votes to merge into TALC in 1963, around 20 percent of its congregations refused to join the merger, and they formed the AFLC as an alternative. Before the formation of LCMC and the NALC, the AFLC was for many years the fourth largest Lutheran group in the United States. Today, they value their heritage in the Scandinavian Lutheran revival tradition, tend toward liturgical simplicity in worship, and are theologically and socially conservative. They do not permit the ordination of women.    

Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS)
ca. 130 congregations
ca. 19 thousand members
Headquarters: Mankato, Minnesota

The ELS also has its roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition. Leading up to 1917, three Norwegian-American Lutheran bodies began merger negotiations the led to the formation of the “Norwegian Lutheran Church of America” (NLCA) that year. In 1918, a small group of pastors and elements of various congregations from one of the merging bodies called the “Norwegian Synod” rejected the theological compromise on the issue of predestination or “election,” which made the merger possible. This group was often known as the “Little Norwegians” to distinguish it from the much larger NLCA. Now known as the ELS, this group considers itself to be the genuine continuation of the “Norwegian Synod” and is in fellowship with the WELS, sharing its general outlook while also carrying forward its own Norwegian heritage.

Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA)
ca. 120 congregations
ca. 24 thousand members
Headquarters: Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Yet another group with roots in the Norwegian-American Lutheran tradition, the CLBA was formed in the year 1900 by congregations that came mostly from the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (UNLC). They were concerned about the existence of nominal membership and sought to maintain “pure” congregations through the implementation of church discipline. With roots in the Norwegian Haugean tradition, they have remained a small though active group, placing emphasis on foreign mission. Theologically and socially conservative, the CLBA also emphasizes liturgical informality.

Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)
ca. 80 congregations
ca. 9 thousand members (not including international membership)
Headquarters: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The CLC was founded in 1960 by congregations primarily from the WELS. Those who formed the CLC felt that the WELS and ELS did not follow Scriptural principles in severing ties with the LCMS over what they considered violation of rules of church fellowship on the part of the LCMS. The CLC strives to uphold the principles of the Synodical Conference, which was founded in 1872, placing emphasis on biblical “inerrancy,” Scripture as the basis of doctrine, and the Lutheran Confessional Writings as an accurate presentation of what Scripture teaches. It operates a high school, college, and seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC)
ca. 65 congregations
ca. 16 thousand members
Headquarters: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Prior to the formation of the ELCA in 1988, a group of around a hundred congregations, mostly from The American Lutheran Church (TALC), declined to join the new organization over concerns of biblical and theological faithfulness. Known as the AALC, this group has remained small throughout its existence and currently shares a fellowship arrangement with the LCMS. They seek to carry forward what they understand as the more conservative element of TALC and share most of the perspectives of the LCMS.
 

By Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Jacobson

Note: This article appeared in the July 2022 issue of the CORE Voice Newsletter of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) organization in response to statements from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton regarding the US Supreme Court's Dobb's decision, which overturned the earlier Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.

It is now old news that the issue of abortion in the United States, which has long simmered on medium heat in our national discourse, has recently boiled over. Because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned Roe (1973) and Casey (1992), individual states now possess increased ability to restrict abortion, including banning the practice outright. Though this is a significant victory for those who consider themselves prolife, the issue of the legality of abortion now simply shifts to a more local level. Even so, many abortion rights advocates are outraged, which has prompted commentary and statements from many, including church leadership.   

It had been over twenty years since I first read the ELCA social statement on abortion when I was recently asked to do so again. The first case was for a class as a college sophomore. The second, the result of which is this reflection, was in response to ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s references to this statement in response to shifting abortion policy in the United States. My reaction after both readings of this statement was the same: Though far from what I would consider a perfect document, the 1991 social statement on abortion is much more life-affirming than one might expect. The development of this statement involved input from people of different viewpoints who listened to each other and worked hard to produce a document that, while not satisfying everyone, incorporated various concerns in a balanced manner.

Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that the ELCA statement on abortion, one of the earliest such social statements considered and adopted,[1] has not been without controversy in the history of the ELCA and has been subject to controversial “interpretation.” The question of how or whether to harmonize the content of this statement with the health plan coverage provided by the ELCA Board of Pensions (now called Portico) was one issue that early on created for some a lack of trust in the leadership of the ELCA. Among these is Russell Saltzman, former ELCA pastor and now member of the Roman Catholic Church, who offered the following comments in 2010 in the wake of the ELCA’s policy change concerning pastors in same-sex relationships:

My real disaffection with the ELCA didn’t start with sex. It began in earnest over the ELCA abortion statement and the subsequent decision by the national council to treat elective abortion for pastors and dependents as a reimbursable medical expense under the church health plan. From the abortion statement, the church said to value my baptism as an infant regards my conception by step-siblings as a morally justifiable reason for terminating the pregnancy that became me at the baptismal font. From the schedule of benefits by the health plan, had my birth-parents in any way been covered under the ELCA health plan, my church would have paid to do it.[2]

Comments such as these, the recent Supreme Court decision, and Bishop Eaton’s communications invite us to explore more fully what the 1991 social statement on abortion really says in its fullness. In fairness, documents such as this touch on a variety of issues and make several assertions. Nevertheless, one must ask whether Bishop Eaton’s comments about the statement accurately reflect the spirit of the document.

Reviewing Bishop Eaton’s Communications

On May 30, 2019, Bishop Eaton issued a communication in response to various attempts by states “to restrict access to legal abortion,”[3] in which she invited her readers to revisit the ELCA social statement on abortion. In the first incarnation of this message, she stated that “this church seeks to travel a moderating path by supporting abortion as a last resort for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”[4] This is a fairly accurate summary of what the ELCA statement says. Not long after this communication went public, however, she issued a revised statement, nearly identical, but which omitted the words “for pregnancies that are unsafe or a result of rape or incest.”

In response to the leaked draft of Dobbs in May of 2022, she issued further comments about abortion, including many references to the 1991 social statement. She claimed that the content of the draft opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” and that the 1991 statement affirms that “abortion must be legal, regulated and accessible.”[5]
Finally, after the actual opinion, which does not differ significantly from the draft, was released in June of 2022, Bishop Eaton emphasized again that the ELCA’s position is that “the practice (of abortion) should be legal” in spite of “deep concern” over the number of induced abortions.[6] Further, she expressed her concern that “Overturning Roe v. Wade and placing decisions about abortion regulation at the state level encumbers and endangers the lives of all persons who need to make decisions about unexpected pregnancies.”[7]

What the Statement Says

How does one effectively summarize the content of a ten-page statement, especially one that seeks a nuanced approach to a difficult moral issue? This is a challenging task, to be sure, and Bishop Eaton does communicate some truth in the parts of the statement that she cites. In her communications, she quotes liberally from the 1991 social statement. Yet there are many things in this statement that she overlooks and in at least one case even misrepresents.

Before addressing the issue of the legality of abortion, it is important to note this statement’s expression of the value of unborn life: “Human life in all phases of its development is God-given and, therefore, has intrinsic value, worth, and dignity. Guided by God’s Law, which orders and preserves life, human beings are called to respect and care for the life that God gives.”[8] It goes on to state that “We mourn the loss of life (through abortion) that God has created” and that “The strong Christian presumption is to preserve and protect life. Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort.”[9] As a consequence of this commitment to preserve and protect life, the statement declares that the ELCA “in most circumstances, encourages women with unintended pregnancies to continue the pregnancy.”[10]

The social statement on abortion does speak of certain situations where it can be “morally responsible” for a woman to obtain an abortion, such as in cases of rape, incest, or extreme fetal abnormality.[11] Even so, however, the ELCA “opposes ending intrauterine life when a fetus is developed enough to live outside a uterus with the aid of reasonable and necessary technology.”[12]

While the social statement seeks to balance the importance of the life of an unborn child and the life of the woman bearing that child, it clearly states that “government has a legitimate role in regulating abortion.”[13] In fact, it states that the ELCA opposes “the total lack of regulation of abortion.”[14] To be sure, it also opposes “legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances” and laws that “deny access to safe and affordable services for morally justifiable abortions.”[15]

This all leads, however, to a concluding paragraph about the regulation of abortion, which reads as follows:

"The position of this church is that, in cases where the life of the mother is threatened, where pregnancy results from rape or incest, or where the embryo or fetus has lethal abnormalities incompatible with life, abortion prior to viability should not be prohibited by law or by lack of public funding of abortions for low income women. On the other hand, this church supports legislation that prohibits abortions that are performed after the fetus is determined to be viable, except when the mother’s life is threatened or when lethal abnormalities indicate the prospective newborn will die very soon.

Beyond these situations, this church neither supports nor opposes laws prohibiting abortion."[16]

I suspect that many would be surprised to know that the ELCA social statement on abortion directly opposes abortion after viability and even supports legislation that prohibits abortion after viability, only considering abortion “morally responsible” in the difficult circumstances above. Bishop Eaton’s assertion that abortion must be “legal, regulated and accessible” can only be responsibly read to apply to these difficult circumstances of saving the life of the mother, rape, incest, and embryonic or fetal abnormalities incompatible with life. Similarly, if the Dobbs opinion “contradicts the church’s teaching” as she claims, it would only do so if individual states enact laws that prohibit abortion in these difficult circumstances.

Getting to the Root of the Matter

As mentioned, the 1991 social statement touches on many other important issues involved in the abortion debate, such as supporting pregnant women in their needs, encouraging adoption and foster care, the use of contraceptives, and encouraging congregations to be places of hospitality for women facing difficult circumstances. But the foundational issue for our society in its discussion of abortion is the very thing that leads to the perceived need for abortion: sexual intercourse and its appropriate context.

It might also surprise readers of the statement to learn that the ELCA states the following: “Marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. This continues to be the position of this church.”[17] Moreover, it affirms that congregations and church schools should emphasize values such as “abstinence from sexual intercourse outside marriage” and that “young men and young women be taught to exercise their sexuality responsibly.”[18]

Clearly, the authors of the 1991 ELCA social statement on abortion recognized the challenges posed by a society that had by then begun to face the shockwaves created by the sexual revolution. The over three decades since 1991 have seen even further movement away from the vision that marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. Sex is most often portrayed in entertainment media as an inevitable part of taking a relationship to another level and most always as purely a part of adult fulfillment and pleasure, detached from concern for procreation. Any life created by these sexual encounters is viewed as an inconvenience and unfortunate consequence.

I encourage ELCA leadership to study this social statement on abortion and to take seriously what it actually says. I also encourage other Lutherans to do so. There are some aspects of this statement with which I and others disagree, but there are many things in this statement worthy of our consideration and affirmation. Significantly, if our society is to address the crisis of abortion, we must not only address the desire for abortion as it arises. We must address the underlying issue and lift up the call of God for sex to be used responsibly, between a man and a woman who are married and committed to nurturing life created by that loving union. Regardless of what Lutheran church bodies we are members, the ELCA social statement on abortion can be an encouragement to us in lifting up that important vision.    

[1] According to the social statement itself, “…adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote at the second biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Orlando, Florida, August 28-September 4, 1991.”
[2] Russell E. Saltzman, “From the ELCA to the NALC,” First Things, https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/12/from-the-elca-to-the-nalc, Accessed 7/2/2022.
[3] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 30, 2019.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, May 17, 2022.
[6] Elizabeth Eaton, open letter, June 24, 2022.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “A Social Statement on Abortion,” 1991, p. 2-3.
[9] Ibid., p. 3-4.
[10] Ibid., p. 6.
[11] Ibid., p. 7.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid., p. 9.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid., p. 10. Emphasis added.
[17] Ibid., p. 4.
[18] Ibid., p. 5.

For the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, August 2022.

Judgment

Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. – 1 Chronicles 16:33 ESV (Monthly Watchword for August)

When I was younger, I used to laugh at the idea that lesser life forms could praise God. I would hear people say that chirping crickets and birds were really lifting their voices to the Creator of the universe, and I would proceed to roll my eyes. The idea seemed preposterous.

Then I began to read the Bible, and I discovered that the Bible talks often about all parts of creation being in relationship with God. Indeed, there are many places in the Bible that do speak of animal and plant life, not to mention other parts of creation, even inanimate objects, praising God. Such things do not possess the level of consciousness that humans do, but their presence in creation and their “voices” are the result and a reminder of God’s creative activity.

One such verse is this month’s Watchword, from 1 Chronicles 16:33. 1 Chronicles is one of those Old Testament books most often neglected. 1 and 2 Chronicles tell the story recounted in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, but from a different point of view.

Of all parts of 1 Chronicles, chapter 16 is probably the most famous. It recounts King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, into the city of Jerusalem. At that time, the Temple had not yet been constructed, so the Ark was placed in a tent. And David breaks forth into song, of which 16:33 is a part.

This verse is confusing to us, and not just because it speaks of trees singing for joy. We understand that the point of David’s song is that all creation is called to give thanks to God because of His faithfulness to His promises. What is really confusing is the reason behind the joy of the trees: [F]or [God] comes to judge the earth.
How can anyone be joyful about judgment? The answer to that question requires us to rethink the whole issue of judgment.

We typically hear of “judgment” in a negative sense. We are warned against “being judgmental,” and the thought of judgment from God can be terrifying. Judgment conjures images of destruction, as in “sulfur and fire” from God on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness (Genesis 18).  

But judgment is a much bigger concept. The Hebrew word shaphat, translated as “judgment,” is not only about retribution. It is about setting things right, making decisions, and settling disputes.

We might not always like judgment, especially when judgment gets in the way of what we want at the moment. But how blessed we are to live in a world with judgment, with order! Judgment is necessary for us to live in true freedom and peace.

How much more are we blessed to have a God who cares about judgment, who seeks to make things right in creation, and who includes us in that! We believe both that God is a God of judgment and that God has a friendly heart toward us. By faith, we hold on to God’s good news that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God has given His judgment. It is the judgment that though we are sinners, Christ is a great Savior. For we who trust in God’s grace, we need not fear judgment from God. We can receive it with joy.

There are many things for which we can and should be joyful. We are blessed to have daily bread from God in many forms. We are blessed by our true friends and neighbors in this community and elsewhere. We are blessed by the gift of this congregation and our ability to be a part of it. As we are in these waning days of summer and the trees begin to change their color, we rejoice with the trees that God has come and is coming to judge the earth!
 
Pr. Tom Jacobson   

From the "Gracevine" newsletter for Grace Lutheran Church in Thornville, Ohio, July 2022.

Thirsty!

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. – Psalm 42:2 ESV (Monthly Watchword for July)

Summer has never been my favorite season. I don’t do well in the heat, and my skin burns easily from the power of the sun. I much prefer the cool of autumn and the cold of winter. Growing up in Minnesota, known for its cold weather, I felt at home there. But we had our share of hot days as well.

This July, I remember this time of year in 2007. I was a new pastor, not even a full year into my first year of ministry. Starting in September of 2006, that first year of my first call in northern Minnesota was intense. Doing everything for the first time, “learning the ropes,” and encountering lots of challenges was exhausting. That first year alone, I conducted seventeen funeral services, a heavy burden for a brand-new pastor to bear. I was also under stress because I knew my life would be changing soon; I planned on asking Theresa to marry me later that summer. With all this stress in varying forms, there were moments in that year when I was filled with doubt and wondered if I was cut out for the role of pastor. I needed to be renewed before entering my second year.

With my time off that summer, I connected with an old college friend. He and I wanted to spend some time in the wilderness. In the Bible, the wilderness represents both challenge and renewal. For a brief time of wilderness wandering, there is no better place in Minnesota than the North Shore of Lake Superior, what is jokingly called “the Scandinavian Riviera.” With its rocky shores, waterfalls, lighthouses, and many beautiful state parks, it is a popular vacation destination.

One of the hidden treasures of the North Shore of Lake Superior is a hiking trail that goes from the harbor city of Duluth, Minnesota all the way to the Canadian border. Similar to the ruggedness of the Appalachian Trail, the Superior Hiking Trail takes a few weeks for an experienced hiker to complete. My friend and I knew we couldn’t hike the whole trail, but we planned for a multi-day adventure on this trail, taking in the beauty of nature. But we soon faced a difficult reality.

That summer in Minnesota was hot and dry. Along this trail, one must obtain drinking water from various beaver ponds and creeks, treating it with iodine tablets or filters. It was so dry that summer that many of the water sources had disappeared. One day, with our water bottles empty, we searched in vain for a water source. We began to be concerned. On a wilderness trail with no water in the heat, it would not take long for dehydration to set in.

For our own safety, we had no choice but to cut our hike short. Our map indicated that the trail intersected with a county highway that led into the town of Silver Bay, Minnesota. Trudging along the trail and in need of water, I remembered the words of Psalm 42:2: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” We reached the highway, a sign of civilization in the wilderness, and we followed it into town. At the first gas station we passed, we quickly bought and consumed some Gatorade with thankful hearts!

This experience was meaningful for me. I came to see that the previous year was one small part of the trail of life, which happened to be especially challenging. But it was not the end. Though there were moments of dryness, God was not finished with me, and he provided me with what I needed. Having some time away gave me a new perspective, and I saw God at work in my life. I found the strength to carry on.

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” The Psalmist long ago had a similar experience, though he does not go into detail about it. If you read the entire Psalm 42, he recounts many challenges he faced from adversaries. In it all, he remembered God’s faithfulness and longed to experience joy in the presence of God once again. He walked a difficult trail in the dry season, and he longed for his thirst to be quenched.

There are moments when our thirst is obvious. But dehydration can easily set in unknowingly. This is why it is so dangerous. We must always remember our need for God to keep us hydrated with the spiritual water that leads to eternal life, even in this summer season. In John chapter four, Jesus reminds a woman at a well of her need to drink from a different kind of well, and those words call out to us in our time: “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Quench your thirst with the Word of God and the gifts of God in church this summer and always, and have a blessed rest of this summer season!
 
​Pr. Tom Jacobson