Reception of
Women with Word Alone focus to the ELCM Ministerium Roster
In Mid September not long after the September
7, 1999 formation of ELCM it became clear that ELCM needed to address the issue of Women
in Ministry. It was thus proposed to the member congregations and pastors that at the very
least ELCM consider approval of an emergency policy to provide help and refuge for Women
Pastors and Women Seminarians who had either been ordained or matriculated prior to the
September 7, 1999 constituting of ELCM.
This recommendation for consideration and
reflection was termed the "grand-parenting" or "grand-mothering"
approach.
ELCM is organized to operate on the
principle of "consensus in light of Scripture and in light of the Lutheran
Confessions" among the voting member congregations and pastors. Thus in order
to arrive at any official ELCM position on the matter "consensus in light of
Scripture and in light of the Lutheran Confessions" was needed. All member
congregations and pastors needed to be convinced. Each congregation was entitled to one
vote on each issue and each pastor was entitled to one vote.
The discussion of "grand-parenting"
was clearly about whether Pastor's who are female are fully legitimate and on an equal par
with Pastors who are male. Thus the further area for decision was whether ELCM should
approve Women for the Office of Word and Sacrament Ministry. The underlying issue was and
is: "What constitutes and authenticates Word and Sacrament Ministry; the personal
characteristics or "The Word Alone" (Sola Scriptura)?
It was hoped that a consensus in
light of Scripture and in light of the Confessions decision on at least the
"grand-parenting" emergency refuge proposal could be reached by Wednesday
November 10. A "consensus in light of Scripture and in light of the
Confessions" decision was indeed reached on November 8 & 9 by a specially
called "General Conference" . The decision dealt with more than
was expected and appears below.
|
Concerning reception of Women to the Ministerium of ELCM. |
|
.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
After considerable reflection, prayer, study of the Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, and discussion the member congregations, pastors and respective boards of ELCM were of unanimous consensus to :
- 1)Based upon reflections in Scripture and in the Lutheran Confessions acted to preclude the reception of Women Pastors to the Ministerium or ELCM..
- 2) Based upon reflections in Scripture and in the Lutheran Confessions acted to preclude the endorsement of Women Seminary Students .
The consensus developed that while the issue of women's ordination may be an "open question" with Various Texts of Scripture seeming to support one view or another that there should be no allowance for the ordination of women in ELCM based upon an "open question" matter. Doctrine and Praxis in ELCM is understood to be based upon clear consensus of Scripture.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with all who read this our Official ELCM position. Amen.
Adopted by unanimous consensus in light of Holy Scripture and in light of the Lutheran Confessions Summer of 2005 by the General Triennial Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium General Conference ( member congregations represented through their official Boards/Councils and member pastors). This 2005 consensus can only be changed upon consensus action by all Pastors and Congregations in ELCM. It is the current Consensus position of ELCM. The other various positions and reflection items that were part of the reflection process follow below.
|
A History of ELCM deliberation and actions follow:
The 1999 Official Position of The Evangelical Lutheran
Conference & Ministerium
Concerning reception
of Women to the Ministerium of ELCM. |
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
After considerable reflection, prayer,
study of the Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, and discussion the member
congregations, pastors and respective boards of ELCM were of unanimous consensus to :
- 1) REJECT the reception of Ordained Women
Pastors according to any "grand-parenting" approach, who were ordained prior to
the September 7, 1999 formation of ELCM.
- 2) REJECT the reception of Woman Seminary
Students according to any "grand-parenting" approach, who were matriculated
prior to the September 7, 1999 formation of ELCM.
- 3) APPROVE and AUTHORIZE reception into ELCM
of any "Word Alone" focused Pastor, Male or Female, who might make
application and be approved by ELCM.
- 4) APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the reception,
supervision, and eventual ordination of "Word Alone" focused
Lutheran Seminary students, Male or Female, who might make application and be approved by
ELCM; and
- 5) REAFFIRM, as stipulated in the
Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium that
each ELCM member congregation has the final and unbridgeable right to choose the Pastor to
whom it desires to extend an "Official Call". It is REAFFIRMED that no pastor,
Male or Female, shall be imposed, pressured, or forced upon a congregation.
THEREFORE it is resolved that the Evangelical
Lutheran Conference & Ministerium shall allow for the Ordination of Candidates
to the Office of Word and Sacrament, Male and Female, who are "Word Alone"
in focus and it is further resolved that the Evangelical Lutheran Conference &
Ministerium, shall allow for the reception of Ordained Pastors who are Word alone
in focus, Male and Female, to be full members of ELCM and as such members of the ELCM
Ministerium Roster.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with all who read this our
Official ELCM position. Amen.
Adopted by unanimous consensus in light
of Holy Scripture and in light of the Lutheran Confessions on November 8 & 9, 1999 by
a special session of the Evangelical Lutheran Conference & Ministerium General
Conference (member congregations represented through their official Boards/Councils and
member pastors).
Posted on the 10th day of November, 1999. |
Developments of 2001 and 2002:
The perceived period of "emergency
need" for safe harbor or safe haven for "Word Alone (Sola Scriptura)
focused" women pastors serving congregations and "Word Alone (Sola Scriptura)
focused" Women Seminarian students appeared to be coming to a conclusion with the
March 2001 Constituting Convention of the "Lutheran Congregations in Mission for
Christ (LCMC)".
In light of the fact that No "Word
Alone (Sola Scriptura) focused Woman pastor or Female Seminary Student" had made
application to be received onto the ELCM clergy roster since 1999 General Conference
action the matter was then placed on the agenda for the September 2002 Triennial General
Conference/Synod of ELCM. At that time ELCM proceeded to reconsider the position of
regarding the Ordination of Women to the Office of Word and Sacrament.
Any change of the formerly adopted position
allowing for "Word Alone (Sola Scriptura) focused Women Pastors/Seminarians"
requiree a consensus by all rostered pastors and rostered congregations.
Prior to the Triennial General Conference
it appeared that The ELCM pastors might be in Consensus in light of Scripture and the
Confessions to encourage that ELCM move in the more conservative direction and adopt a
"Grand mothering policy" as first proposed and thereby allowing for a safe haven
should a congregation served by a "Word Alone in focus Woman pastor" desire to
join ELCM. We would not ordain Women to the Office of Word and Sacrament but would allow
the reception of women pastors as an Exception were this approach to achieve consensus.
Since, in the view of many, the Biblical Norm appears to be the Ordination of Men to the
Office of Word and Sacrament that would then be our stance and orientation.
As of the date of this update (December 26,
2002) a very lively and cordial debate was held on this matter at the September 21 &
22 Triennial General Conference. There was no consensus to adopt the proposed
"Grandmothering stance" and so both sides in the debate were in unanimous
consensus to refer the matter for further examination of all Scriptural texts pertaining
to the subject and for the development of a recommendation to the ELCM Ministerium.
Thus the policy adopted in November of 1999
continues as the official Policy of ELCM and has not been changed. "Word Alone in
focus" means "Sola Scriptura" in focus.
Eventually we will have transcribed the
words of the debate that took place at the Triennial General Conference on September 21
and 22, 2002 and will have these posted here along with the information which follows. All
of the following information preceeded the decision of the special general conference in
November of 1999 to allow for "Word Alone (Sola Scriptura) in focus women to be
Pastors within ELCM"
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Our
General Encounters Viz a Viz Ordination of
Women
The information that
follows, now, is a general sharing concerning some of what our founding core of laity
& clergy encountered in reference to Ordained Women Clergy from the time of leaving
the ELCA in January 1992 until our ELCM formation in September 1999. We wanted to examine
our own pejoratives as prior to our wrestling with the Scripture and the Confessions. We
also wanted folk following our reflections to be aware of some of the different things
that went into the mix of reflection and study for us. Our decision taken above is the end
result of almost 7 years of having the issue squarely before us. At any rate, here now
follows some of the information of what we encountered as well as our thoughts and
reflections. As we find the time we will add other items that were raised in our very
intensive discussions.
The
experience and learning of our search for a Centrist Lutheran Grouping relating to women
in Ministry. |
| It was good for we,
ourselves, to review what we encountered as we reflected and moved toward making our
decision on the matter of Women in Ordained Ministry. Hindsight is always pretty
clear. With a few years behind us, we believe that helped us to be clear
seeing on this matter. |
| It is also helpful for others
to know some of our background concerning what we went through in arriving at our consensus
in light of Scripture and in light of the Lutheran Confessions position will be
regarding reception of Word Alone focused Women to our ELCM Ministerium Roster. |
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Somewhat virulent attacks upon us
at our leaving of ELCA by women ELCA Pastors |
We left ELCA
on January 4, 1992 and from the moment of our leaving, It seemed to us that we were
especially under fire, by two ELCA Pastors who were women.
We have a copy of a letter by
the one pastor who sent the letter to her congregation and mailing list. We of course have
friends on the various mailing lists who forwarded a copy of the letter to us. Needless to
say that letter and the virulent attacks of the two women pastors did not leave a very
good impression with us. It left us with a bit of a pejorative disposition. Some of the
men clergy were critical of our leaving, too, but most simply shunned any contact with us
perhaps fearing they would be the next ones to receive the attention of the hierarch if
they had any association with us. Even in 1992 the HE pattern was being set in concrete.
Indeed much of the reason for our leaving had to do precisely with the supererogation or
arrogation of increasing power and control by the office of Bishop at the expense of the
local congregation and pastor.
In an attempt to be fair and
put the best construction on the actions and words of the Women Pastors, who were so
antagonistic toward us,we think now that it was very likely they were so virulent because
we had decided to seek a trial membership with TAALC. TAALC, though made up of very good
congregations and pastors, was and is totally opposed to the ordination of women. The
reality of where we were looking for association, in and of itself, may have been the real
reasoning behind the attacks on us by our friends the ELCA women pastors in our area?
The Bishop had sent a letter
to all congregations to be read from the pulpits describing us a 'cult like' group. The
Female pastors for the most part read the letter in their worship services but many of the
Male pastors would not do so. And so we were smeared and caricatured and our women pastor
friends seemed to be shouting such the loudest. Perhaps they saw our formation of a new
congregation as somehow a threat to their authenticity because there truly was no one else
to whom to go who did not prohibit the ordination of women ?
Interestingly, we had welcomed
the one Female Pastor, into the membership of our ELCA congregation after she was forced
out of her previous parish about a year and a half prior to our leave taking of the ELCA.
So it was a bit surprising to encounter the somewhat virulent caricature from her
direction.
We share all this here because
it left an imprint in many of our minds, rightly or wrongly, regarding women in Ministry.
However, that imprint was qualified a bit as we did have the sense that these women
pastors were of a somewhat "radical feminist" disposition. We do make a
distinction between the Men and Women clergy who are Word Alone focused and those
who are caught up in some other "ism". |
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TAALC entry and trial membership time |
Upon leaving
ELCA we immediately began a search for others of a "Centrist" Lutheran
orientation to unite with. We did not want to be alone and independent. We looked at quite
a number of the other existing Lutheran options and finally zeroed in on the Free
Lutherans (AFLC) and The group composed primarily of former ALC Lutherans who had left
just prior to ELCA's formation or shortly thereafter, TAALC or AALC as it is often
referenced.
TAALC looked to us more a bit
more in the direction of what we were looking for and so we made application for
membership for pastor, retired pastor with us, and congregation as a unit.
There was no problem with the
congregation from the TAALC standpoint. They would be received!
There was no problem in
Colloquy with the retired pastor (who was much more liberal in orientation than our
Pastor) he would be received!
But when it came to Colloquy
approval for our pastor he was grilled on his views concerning the "Ordination of
Women". Evidently this was with the view that he had a lot of active years of
ministry left, Lord willing, if approved and TAALC didn't want any clergy who might end up
supporting the ordination of women. Our pastor defended the ordination of women in the
Colloquy based upon the Apostle Paul's words that in Christ "there is neither
Jew nor Greek, male nor female".
The outcome of the Colloquy
was that our pastor was not approved for membership in TAALC and of course that meant that
our new congregation would not join TAALC either. Pastor was crushed but at the request of
the TAALC President and Seminary President consented to meet a second time with the
Colloquy Committee. At that time he indicated that he was open to studying the issue of
Women's ordination from a conservative dogmatics perspective and the Colloquy Committee
recommended him for approval to the TAALC roster with a one year probationary membership.
We nonetheless felt very much
a sense of 2nd class membership though we viewed the TAALC as very good people. Our sense
was that if we were on probationary trial membership that TAALC was likewise on trial
probationary status from our viewpoint. And as the Charismatic issue came into the mix
with our sense of 2nd class membership we then became a founding part of the LMS-USA which
from its inception was to be a span of views from Moderate (us) to Middle Conservative. By
the formation of LMS-USA we had successfully planted and established a second
congregation.
At any rate the information in
this segment is shared so that all may know that the issue of "Women's
Ordination" was very much a part of our Angst and Anfechtung in our entry into TAALC.
We did a good bit of reflection on this from the Conservative dogmatics direction and
suffered a great deal for our decision to unite with TAALC. In fact almost 1/3 of our
membership forming our new congregation left us when we decided to join TAALC because of
their stance on not ordaining women pastors. That was a very painful time for us even
though the numbers of those who left were quickly replaced as others joined our little
effort.
We hasten to say we have good
friendship with many in TAALC and especially have a high regard for the TAALC president,
Pastor Tom Aadland but their Middle Conservative to Conservative orientation is not what
we understand to be "Centrist". |
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LMS-USA formation and trial membership time |
| Thus it was that we then
found ourselves as the largest portion numerically in the formation of the LMS-USA. In
fact our pastor and our two congregations were the first to subscribe to the LMS-USA
Constitution and foundation documents. Our pastor presented several papers at LMS-USA
annual conferences and served as the Chairman of the LMS-USA Synod. However, a number of issues developed making it
clear that the majority on the Ministerium of LMS-USA were not open to a range of views
from "Moderate to Middle Conservative" but would only accept the very narrow
band of "Middle Conservative" understandings.
One of the issues to arise was the issue of
the reception of conservative Women Pastors onto the roster of LMS-USA. We had received
contacts from several folks where the husband and wife were both pastors. It was clear to
our pastor who was LMS-USA Synod Chairman at the time that there were some Female Lutheran
Pastors who were indeed very much Word Alone in focus and orientation and that they had no
place to go other than ELCA; they had no alternative options.
And so it came to pass that an ELCA
colleague recommended that consideration be given to establishing a "Grand
mothering approach" until a final consensus on the issue of ordaining women
could be arrived at. This approach would mean that those who had already been ordained
could be received onto the roster as full Ministerium members but that it would be made
clear that until there would be full consensus that their would not be any authorization
for women to enter Seminary training leading to ordination.
This seemed like an excellent possibility
for study and reflection and our pastor as the Chairman of the Synod of LMS placed the
topic on the agenda for the next Annual Synod meeting of LMS. It was clear immediately
that the majority of the Ministerium along with a minority of the Synod laity did not want
even a study of the issue to occur and the caricaturing began with ourselves being
referred to as "Liberals" for even suggesting the subject be given
further study.
And so it became clear to us on this and
other issues that LMS-USA was really of a "Middle Conservative" stance and not
of a "Centrist stance" and we then voted out of LMS and remained independent
with our General Parish configuration for several years following. We viewed LMS-USA folk
as good people but of a decidedly rather narrow "Middle Conservative
orientation". During that time we began to put together the principles and
constitutions for what might be a genuinely "Centrist" Lutheran church body but
held off implementing any of these out of a desire to see what would be developing with
the ELCA Philadelphia CWA and the Denver CWA.
Here again, as with TAALC, so also with
LMS-USA, and now with our time of Independence with our little General Parish, the issue
of the ordination and the reception of women pastors to a Ministerium roster was very much
on our minds in in our discussion. During the Independent General parish years that
followed we have continued to study and discuss the issue. We have discussed it on the
Internet and sought the Biblical justification from ELCA message posters and the Biblical
reasoning for opposing the Ordination from the LCMS, WELS, et. al. message posters.
At times we have been a bit drawn to the
more conservative direction as those willing to talk with us have been mainly from the
more Conservative orientation but then we have been a bit put off by what we see as
legalism creeping in and have pulled back to our more centrist orientation hoping against
hope that others of a genuinely centrist orientation would join us or provide an option we
could join.
Thus to some it will appear as though we
have been "waffling" but in the end we have returned consistently
to a "Centrist" stance. The trouble with being in the center of
the highway is that the traffic comes at you pretty fast from both directions at the same
time. Uff da! as is said in the mid west or in our PA Dutch phrasing - "It
really makes one rutsche!" |
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Discussions with Missouri & WELS folk |
| The amazing media of the
Internet allowed us to keep from being totally isolated. It was from the Internet that we
were able to check out the various positions of both LC-MS and of WELS. Pastors and Lay leaders of these Church bodies were
very willing to debate and discuss with us. There is much that we have learned from them.
TAALC, AFLC, and LMS-USA reflect an almost identical position to that held by LC-MS in the
CTCR documents on the ordination of women. WELS expands the issue and has a much stricter
application concerning even roles such as voting and teaching within a congregation.
All referencing to the Scripture, in our
various discussions, that would emphasize Paul's words of "In Christ
.....Neither male nor female", or "If anyone is In Christ he is a
new creation...." or "Phoebe" as a Deacon, or the
Prophet Joel's words used as the text for Peter's Pentecost Sermon were consistently
dismissed as not applicable to the issue of the ordination of Women. Perhaps they are
right but we really had thought that such references are not so easily or quickly to be
dismissed.
Was our thinking Zeitgeist motivated? Was
it based on our diminished Word Alone background from LCA/ ELCA days? Why did not Jesus as
God Incarnate appoint Women Apostles? etc. These were questions we wrestled and wrestle
with in our study and reflection ? The steady LC-MS response by those posting to the
message boards (we know there are a good many others in LC-MS who are not quite as
aggressive in message board posting who are open to the Ordination of women but who are
also a bit fearful of becoming targets from some of their brethren) has been "It
is not given to Guna to be Pastors!" and that the Amt of Ministry is
essentially to be "Re-presented in the Biological identity of the Office
Holder". |
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Internet Discussions with ELCA women
pastors. |
| Concurrent with our Internet
discussion with the LC-MS and WELS aggressive writers we requested that those in ELCA who
were strong advocates of the ordination of women please submit the Biblical and
Confessional basis for their stance.Primarilyy we heard only from those who were clearly
of thePrimarilye "Radical feminist persuasion". The best reference that these were able or willing to muster in
support was the reference to the Resurrected Savior telling Mary Magdalene to "go and
tell" but then when challenged by the Missouri folk there would be no answer as to
how that "go and tell" was any different from the "go and tell" by
Jesus to the Pharisees and Scribes. If Mary Magdalene was ordained by "go and
tell" in the garden, where the Pharisees ordained by our Lord's "go and tell to
them". In reply to the Primarily LC-MS message posters - no discussion of Scripture
or the Confessions but only pejorative name calling, etc. |
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Movement to the right because of
conversation mainly with those of the more conservative orientation. |
And so as we
read the response and got caught up in the discussion between the Radical Feminist
oriented Pastors on the one side and the pejorative LC-MS and WELS pastors and message
posters on the other we began to lean toward the LC-MS positions. They at least seemed to
be discussing the "Word Alone" but the legalism that came through
was a bit troubling. Our reflection on Women in Ministry was then brought back into a more
centrist focus by the debate over the Historic Episcopate (HE) and especially concerning:
what and who indeed it is that truly Connect's Holy Communion or any aspect of the means
of Grace (Word and sacrament)? |
Then
came HE and further reflection has returned us to a centrist stance. |
| As we looked at the various
Ecumenical documents foisted and imposed by the very clever Ecumaniacs upon ELCA we were
again and again brought back to Solus Christus! It is Christ alone and His Word Alone that is the esse of the Means of
Grace. His Word alone confect's the Communion and it is He himself giving of himself. The
physical and Biologically attributes of the distributor or pastor are not the esse of
things. The basis for wearing vestments stresses this - the person of the pastor is
covered over so that it is not the personal characteristics of the pastor that are
important but only the Word Alone that is spoke by the Pastor. And so "In
Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, Male nor Female" strikes us as indeed
most relevant to the discussion.
If we are to Re-present Christ according to
Genetic and Physical characteristics then it is of course impossible to perfectly
recriminate our Lord. However if it is understood that it is the Word Alone that confect's
and that in that Word Alone our Lord himself presents himself then that is quite a
different matter, or so it seems to us.
And so the HE discussion has called us back
to pretty close to where we started in 1992 albeit with much greater understanding of the
various aspects of the issue. All of these factors will enter in to our decision and
position on this issue. This gives a quick overview to our thoughts. |
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Some of our gleanings from The Lutheran Confessions |
 |
(From the SA Article X)
"Therefore, as the ancient examples of
the Church and the Fathers teach us, we ourselves will and ought to ordain suitable
persons to this office; and, even according to their own laws, they have not the right to
forbid or prevent us. For their laws say that those ordained even by heretics should be
declared [truly] ordained and stay ordained [and that such ordination must not be
changed], as St. Jerome writes of the Church at Alexandria, that at first it was governed
in common by priests and preachers, without bishops." Bente, F., Concordia Triglotta,
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Northwestern Publishing House) 1997.
If a Woman is ordained, even if wrongly,
does that mean that she is not truly ordained? |
|
Jurisdiction of Bishops
(Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope) 65] "But since by divine authority the grades of bishop and pastor
are not diverse, it is manifest that ordination administered by a pastor in his own church
is valid by divine law [if a pastor in his own church ordains certain suitable persons to
the ministry, such ordination is, according to divine law, undoubtedly effective and
right].
66] Therefore, when the regular bishops
become enemies of the Church, or are unwilling to administer ordination, the churches
retain their own right. [Because the regular bishops persecute the Gospel and refuse to
ordain suitable persons, every church has in this case full authority to ordain its own
ministers.] 67] For wherever the Church is, there is the authority [command] to administer
the Gospel. Therefore it is necessary for the Church to retain the authority to call,
elect, and ordain ministers. And this authority is a gift which in reality is given to the
Church, which no human power can wrest from the Church, as Paul also testifies to the
Ephesians when he says, Eph 4, 8: He ascended, He gave gifts to men. And he enumerates
among the gifts specially belonging to the Church pastors and teachers, and adds that such
are given for the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Hence, wherever there
is a true church, the right to elect and ordain ministers necessarily exists. Just as in a
case of necessity even a layman absolves, and becomes the minister and pastor of another;
as Augustine narrates the story of two Christians in a ship, one of whom baptized the
catechumen, who after Baptism then absolved the baptizer.
68] Here belong the statements of Christ
which testify that the keys have been given to the Church, and not merely to certain
persons, Matt. 18, 20: Where two or three are gathered together in My name, etc. |
|
69] Lastly, the statement of
Peter also confirms this, 1 Pet. 2, 9: Ye are a royal priesthood. These words pertain to
the true Church, which certainly has the right to elect and ordain ministers since it
alone has the priesthood." Bente, F., Concordia Triglotta, (Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
Northwestern Publishing House) 1997. |
|
From Dr. Luther whom we think to be rolling over in
his grave since the October 31, 1999 Augsburg Germany JDDJ signing.
"All Christians are truly of the
spiritual estate [Standes], with no difference among them but that of office
[Amtes].....This is because we all have one baptism, oneGospel, one faith and are all
Christians alike; for baptism, Gospel, and faith alone make a spiritual Christian
people......We are all consecrated priests through baptism; as St. Peter says in 1 Peter
2:9, 'You are a royal priesthood and a priestly nation.'"
(LW 44:128)
Dr. Luther in other texts makes it clear
that he though he views women as truly being members of the spiritual priesthood that he
also felt that this prohibited them from holding the office of public preaching and
teaching. However, we believe that in good part his view on this matter like his views on
the Jews was influenced by his times and that had he approached the issue from the lense
of Paul's words in Galatians and the reality that none of the other New Testament writers
speak against women in ministry that he may have indeed taken a different approach.
He clearly makes reference to the Prophecy
by Joel and certainly had some thoughts of the fulfillment of this in the Pentecost
account. Dr. Luther also makes mention of Paul's awareness that Philip's daughters
prophesied. Likewise he would have been aware that the Prophetess Anna was one of the two
to offer up public blessings and thanksgivings for the Babe Jesus in the Temple and she
clearly publically spoke of Jesus to all who desired the salvation of Israel.
An ELS pastor supplied us with the other
passages by Dr. Luther which are negative to women and children and certain others holding
the Public office of Ministry. Those quotes follow a letter from this Pastor who also
serves as the rector of an Eastern European Seminary.
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Post ELCM Position
Adoption Thoughts and responses to
Critique. |
| Critique of our ELCM position
statement on Women in Ministry was quickly forthcoming. This came from a member of the LC-MS National Staff. It is
written in a very cordial tone and we hope to continue dialogue and discussion. We admire
and appreciate LC-MS very much for many of the stances taken and for their desire to base
fellowship on the basis of the Truth of Scripture and the exposition of the Scripture that
we call the Book of Concord. At any rate this comes from the National LC-MS staff member.
| I receive Word Alone posts
and noticed the one re: the ELCM's position on the ordination of women. |
| I was very sorry to see
that you folks have not been able to affirm the historic teaching and practice of the
church catholic and not accept women as pastors. |
| The issue of female clergy
goes to the heart of a church's understanding of the Word of God as divinely given. |
|
We had made a
brief response as follows: -
"We would hold that the consensus in
light of Scripture and in light of the Confessions that we arrived at is a bit more in
tune with the historic church catholic prior to the Constantinian era. In
arriving at such we have concluded that the "ordination of Women" or the issue
of "female clergy" is not inimical to understanding the Word of God as divinely
given. "
The LC-MS National Staff member
responds -
I am not really sure (in fact, I am
rather positive) that one would be hard pressed to describe a "church catholic"
prior to the Constantinian era. Or, at the very least, it would seem to me that we are on
very shaky ground trying to articulate church doctrine on the basis of the first two
centuries of the church's existence, by way of imitating what was or was not done during
the tumultuous years of the church's infancy. I am always just a bit leery of appealing to
the first two hundred years, for in the process I notice that the next 1,800 years is
somewhat slighted, if not even overlooked in an effort to repristinate what is perceived
to be some "more pure" era in the church's history. Sort of like LCMS Lutherans
thinking that church history went this way: Jesus-Paul-Luther-Walther.
It seems the issue is, was Paul right when
he said, "This is a command of the Lord?"
I have read just about everything you
probably have trying to explain how that does not mean Paul is denying the pastoral office
to women, but . . . . I think it finally comes to naught.
Paul's position clearly is based on his
claim that the order of creation is divinely mandated, established and a permanent order,
even after the Fall. I'm probably not repeating anything you have not already thought
about, but . . . .
For that matter, I am unaware of any church
body that has embraced the ordination of women and remained genuinely orthodox in its
Lutheranism. I wish you well on this point, but . . . since the ordination of women has
never been based on solid theological ground, but rather on sociological constructs
filtered through 20th century feminist thinking, I think it is a mighty tall order to
"retrofit" this into Lutheranism........
And that Word clearly does not affirm women
in the office of pastor and I would respectfully suggest that their is a false alternative
working here that seems to be skewing the perspective: mission v. purity of doctrine. The
NT Scriptures are clear that one is not possible without the other.
I wish you well in your effort, but I am
deeply concerned with the move toward embracing the ordination of female clergy. I think
it opens up a Pandora's box that may be very difficult to shut.
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Some
further ELCM points of reflection. |
| 1. Certainly there was a
great deal of turmoil in the first three centuries of Christian History. |
| 2. The Christian Church had a
great many challenges and there was great freedom for organization and response to those
challenges. |
| 3. The freedom in Christ and
the utilization of both men and women in ministry was in fact a very significant part of
the Mission results that led to a Constantine converting to Christianity. Some think it to
have been a genuine encounter but others think it to have had a good deal of the Political
dimension. |
| 4. There certainly was much
that was good that developed in the Post Constantinian history of the Church but there was
also a great deal which was not laudable. In fact the good was overcome by such abuse that
it needed Reformation in the early 1500's. |
| 5. The time leading to the
formation of the New Testament Canon and the Ecumenical Creeds seems a very appropriate
time to look long and hard at for lessons applying to the present time. Why else do we
read the Scripture in the Historical-grammatical sense ? |
| 6. Paul is a very strong
voice in the New Testament Cannon but his is not the only voice and he does include a
large number of passages, some of which we have referenced that indicate that the thrust
that emphasized "Men only in the Amt of Ministry" may not be what he was truly
addressing. |
| 7. It is clear from the
historical setting that men were not able to proclaim the Gospel everywhere and to
everyone and so Women would have been certainly in Office of Ministry to take the Gospel
to places where men Amt holders could not go. The Office of Ministry was exercised in
private settings as well as in or in addition to Public settings by
Jew/Greek/Male/Female/Free/ & Slave. There was not in those first formative years of
Christian Mission accessibility to central places of worship. |
| 8. Constantine declares
Christianity to be the religion of the empire and then it becomes the in thing and the
model adopted for worship goes strictly public in almost the Pagan sense. In comes Roman
Imperial modeling and lots of other imitatio. Many have argued that is precisely when
"inactive members and Match em, hatch em, & Dispatch em C & E
Christianity" makes a big entrance on the scene. |
| 9. Ante-Nicene (Constantine)
Christianity had those of course who were fearful of dying and thus denied the faith and
worshipped the Emperor with their fingers crossed, etc. It also had the influence of the
mystery cults and gnostics, etc. So there was lots that should not be repristinated. |
| 10. But the Office of
Ministry appears to have been utilized by Baptized and Believing Women as well as Baptized
and Believing Men. |
| 11. The Old Order (of
Creation and subsequently the order of the Fall) has passed away and the New Order has
come and is in-breaking already for all who are Ev Christw (In Christ). Paul talks that
way in apparent paradox with the references to Headship and the Order of Creation and John
talks that way too in his references to the one who sits and the throne and proclaims that
He makes all things New. |
| 12. The New Order though
not totally yet is already here in the Baptized believer who is In the world but not of
the World (not of the former created order). |
| 13. As to keeping the perfect
Orthodox word and the Created Order who among those of flesh and blood has done it, is
doing it and will do it on this side of the kingdom? Solus Christus is the answer. For
everyone else it is a matter of the "Good that I would I do not and that which I
would not that I do - and in Paul's rather forceful prefigured Luther and prefigured
Walther way of saying it "NONE is Righteous No not one, for all have fallen short of
the Glory of God " except Jesus that is and a Baptized Believer is now "Ev
Christw". There is the crux of the issue for us - What does it mean to be In Christ?
What does it mean to be Baptized into his death and into his Resurrection? Does it mean
one thing for little boy babies or big boys who are baptized and and something different
for little girls and big girls who are baptized? |
| 14. And if the Scripture
gives witness to women serving in Offices of Ministry, then Paul's words to the Corinthian
congregation need to be compared and contrasted and interpreted by thePrinciplee of Jesus
Alone. |
| 15. Jesus alone says to the
Women AFTER the Resurrection "Go and Tell the disciples" . etc. |
| 16. Luke, who is an associate
of Paul, makes reference to women serving in the office of Ministry. It may not have been
as Public as we now days emphasize but really this information shouldn't be explained
away. |
| 17. Paul himself commends the
women who have been assistants to him in Ministry. |
| 18. Jesus as already
mentioned sends the women as "Messengers" to proclaim the news to the Disciples
post Resurrection. |
| 19. Even when Jesus sends the
Pharisees to tell Herod, et. al. what they see and hear they are functioning in an
unofficial Office of Ministry and that illustrates the point that God can use the most
unlikely people to proclaim his Word. He can even turn Stones into Office of Ministry
holders if need be. |
| 20. A look at the words of
the Apostle John also reveal some interesting information. The letter of 2nd John begins
with an address to the "elect (eklektei kuria) lady and her children" 1:1. It is
apparent to us that this is referring to a congregation. Various footnotes try to explain
this away as a mere symbolism for a church "chosen lady" but such is an attempt
to avoid hearing the clear literal word. |
| 21. At any rate when all the
various references as well as the historical situation of the first several hundred years
of Christian witness are taken en toto it does not appear to us that Women in Ministry is
as weak a Theological argument as some suppose. |
| 22. Again and again we came
back to the "Ev Christw" (In Christ) understanding of Baptism. Luther bears us
out our thoughts on this as do the cited portions of the Confessions - In Baptism you are
a Royal Priesthood. Only the males baptized? NOT ! All who believe and are baptized are
made heirs with Christ in the Kingdom which is breaking in on the Old Order of things.
This is not merely salvific for the far distant future but is the Future present Now as
one book titles it. |
|
| We welcome
further critique and commentary! If you wish to have your comments posted with your name
let us know and we will endeavor to make it so. If any supporting the Ordination of Word
Alone women would like to contribute "Biblical exegesis" in response to the
positions of our friends from LC-MS (Which is only one letter different from ELCM :-)
please feel welcome to submit your thoughts and we will consider posting them. |
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A Letter to
our ELCM President in negative response to our position with Luther Quotes included from
an ELS Pastor/ Seminary Rector friend |
| Dear Roy, Greetings in the name of Christ our Lord.
I’m sure it will come as no surprise
to you that I am deeply disappointed to learn of the ELCM’s decision to endorse the
ordination of women to the pastoral office. I’m also disappointed by your attempt to
enlist Luther as a kind of forerunner of what you are doing. Yes, Luther did teach the
priesthood of all believers, and yes, he therefore taught that women, as baptized
Christians, are spiritually equal to men as members of the body of Christ. But Luther also
recognized what the Bible teaches about the divinely-given and distinct role of Christian
men in the exercise of Christ-like spiritual authority in the church, and especially in
the public Ministry of Word and Sacrament. Several relevant statements from his writings
are appended to this message.
You are not really being fair to Luther
when you invoke his doctrine of the priesthood of all believers as a justification for
what you are doing. You should be willing to acknowledge that your practice is an
innovation, and that it would have been opposed, on exegetical and theological grounds,
not only by Luther, but also by Chemnitz, Muhlenberg, Krauth, Jacobs, Little, and a host
of others who lived and worked in the Lutheran Church before the days of
historical-criticism. Only when this “Enlightenment” methodology was introduced
into the seminaries did Lutheran theologians began toying with the idea of dismissing St.
Paul’s clear statements on the subject, and foisting the feminist ideology of the
Zeitgeist on the church in their place.
What you are saying, Roy, is that the
Lutheran Church was wrong in its reading of Scripture from the sixteenth century to the
twentieth century, and that the ELCM, in company with the ELCA and the state churches of
Europe, must now correct the mistakes of the Lutheran fathers. In a free society you
certainly have the right to believe and teach this, but please be honest in stating that
this is in fact what you are believing and teaching. Luther would definitely not be with
you on this, and you really shouldn't imply that he would be.
Again, I’m very disappointed, not only
professionally as your fellow pastor, but also personally, as your friend. Perhaps you can
reconsider this decision?
Cordially,
Jay |
| |
| QUOTATIONS FROM LUTHER ON THE
QUESTION OF WOMEN’S ORDINATION: As St. Paul says in Gal. 3:28, you must pay no attention to distinctions
when you want to look at Christians. You must not say: “This is a man or a woman;
this is a servant or a master; this person is old or young.” They are all alike and
only a spiritual people. Therefore they are all priests. All may proclaim God’s Word,
except that, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 14:34, women should not speak in the
congregation. They should let the men preach, because God commands them to be obedient to
their husbands. God does not interfere with the arrangement. (Sermons on the First Epistle
of St. Peter, Luther’s Works 30:55)
The keys are the pope’s as little as
Baptism, the Sacrament, and the Word of God are, for they belong to the people of Christ
and are called “the church’s keys” not “the pope’s keys.”
Fifth, the church is recognized externally by the fact that it consecrates or calls
ministers, or has offices that it is to administer. There must be bishops, pastors, or
preachers, who publicly and privately give, administer, and use the aforementioned four
things or holy possessions in behalf of and in the name of the church, or rather by reason
of their institution by Christ, as St. Paul states in Ephesians 4[:8], “He received
gifts among men...” -- his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets,
some evangelists, some teachers and governors, etc. The people as a whole cannot do these
things, but must entrust or have them entrusted to one person. Otherwise, what would
happen if everyone wanted to speak or administer, and no one wanted to give way to the
other? It must be entrusted to one person, and he alone should be allowed to preach, to
baptize, to absolve, and to administer the sacraments. The others should be content with
this arrangement and agree to it. Wherever you see this done, be assured that God’s
people, the holy Christian people, are present. It is, however, true that the Holy Spirit
has excepted women, children, and incompetent people from this function, but chooses
(except in emergencies) only competent males to fill this office, as one reads here and
there in the epistles of St. Paul that a bishop must be pious, able to teach, and the
husband of one wife -- and in I Corinthians 14[:34] he says, “The women should keep
silence in the churches.” In summary, it must be a competent and chosen man.
Children, women, and other persons are not qualified for this office, even though they are
able to hear God’s Word, to receive Baptism, the Sacrament, absolution, and are also
true, holy Christians, as St. Peter says [I Pet. 3:7]. Even nature and God’s creation
makes this distinction, implying that women (much less children or fools) cannot and shall
not occupy positions of sovereignty, as experience also suggests and as Moses says in
Genesis 3[:16], “You shall be subject to man.” The Gospel, however, does not
abrogate this natural law, but confirms it as the ordinance and creation of God. (On the
Councils and the Church, Luther’s Works 41:154-55)
But in the New Testament the Holy Spirit,
speaking through St. Paul, ordained that women should be silent in the churches and
assemblies [I Cor.14:34], and said that this is the Lord’s commandment. Yet he knew
that previously Joel [2:28 f.] had proclaimed that God would pour out his Spirit also on
handmaidens. Furthermore, the four daughters of Philip prophesied (Acts 21[:9]). But in
the congregations or churches where there is a ministry women are to be silent and not
preach [I Tim. 2:12]. Otherwise they may pray, sing, praise, and say “Amen,” and
read at home, teach one another, exhort, comfort, and interpret the Scriptures as best
they can. (Infiltrating and Clandestine Preachers, Luther’s Works 40:390-91)
[1 Tim.2:]11. Let a woman learn in silence
with all submissiveness. I believe that Paul is still speaking about public matters. I
also want it to refer to the public ministry, which occurs in the public assembly of the
church. There a woman must be completely quiet, because she should remain a hearer and not
become a teacher. She is not to be the spokesman among the people. She should refrain from
teaching, from praying [i.e., leading in prayer] in public. She has the command to speak
at home. This passage makes a woman subject. It takes from her all public office and
authority. ... Where men and women have been joined together, there the men, not the
women, ought to have authority. ... He [Paul] wants to save the order preserved by the
world -- that a man be the head of the woman, as 1 Cor. 11:3 tells us. Where there are
men, she should neither teach nor rule. (Lectures on 1 Timothy, Luther’s Works
28:276-77)
David Jay Webber, Rector St. Sophia
Ukrainian Lutheran Theological Seminary Ternopil', Ukraine |
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Our
President responds to Rector Webber's Letter and the Luther Quotes |
| Dear friend Jay ! Grace,
mercy and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen. Received your Email letter last evening when I
checked my Email. Decided to give it an evening and a morning before replying. Your
response was not a surprise and is very similar to those received from several LC-MS men
whom I continue to regard as friends. The one even charged that I am leading our ELCM folk
to hell because of our decision to allow for Word Alone oriented Women.
Notice two things, please - We made two
qualifications regarding our position. I believe both qualifications have been picked up
by the ELCA folk.
First -
A) Any women making application must be Word Alone in orientation. That coupled with our
emphasis upon the Word as Inerrant and Infallible appears to be a very large barrier to
most of the ELCA Word Alone folk.
B) our second qualification emphasizes that the congregations shall each be the final
voice in deciding who to call and so no ordained man or ordained woman may be imposed or
pushed upon a congregation. My congregations for example pretty clearly would not extend a
call to a woman pastor.
Thank you for sending the Luther quotes. We
will discuss them and continue to review the subject and our earlier position. It is
curious that these Luther positions did not become included in the BOC and also that he
did allow for the exceptions in emergency as well as admit to the Joel passage and to the
evidence of Philip's daughters. He clearly attempts to harmonize the various different
positions of Scripture from the Corinthians teaching of Paul. But it is legitimate to do
so from the Galatians and 2 Peter texts as the lens.
Second
- note the emphasis upon "Our decision". The assumption is made, rather
incorrectly, that the ELCM decision was directed by the ELCM president. Such was not the
case. As mentioned in our materials we have had a very long and ongoing discussion of the
matter.
You and I of course have cordially
discussed and differed on the matter before, not just as it pertains to the ordination of
women but as it touches upon the entire role of women in the life of the church. While you
may emphasize that we are introducing something Novum into practice it in reality for us
is not something new and from our study it apparently was not something new in the early
Christian Church. We find it curious that even Tertullian and others railed on the subject
and that there were indeed obvious abuses [but] that it was not a subject raised to credal
emphasis in any of the Ecumenical Creeds. Yet to read some of the reactions - It is now a
creedal novum upon which the Church stands or falls of equal importance (it appears) to
Justitia.
The CChristian Book of Concord
indeed makes no pronouncement on the subject. And the emphasis upon acceptance of even
those who were wrongly ordained we believe does in fact apply. Luther's illustration of
what Baptism potentially conveys to each one Baptized does in fact speak to the situation
and is very much in harmony with the Apostle Paul's words that "In Christ there is
neither Jew nor Greek, Male nor Female" and "If any one is in Christ He is a new
Creation, etc."
Thank you for sending the Luther quotes. We
will discuss them and continue to review the subject and our earlier position. It is
curious that these Luther positions did not become included in the BOC and also that he
did allow for the exceptions in emergency as well as admit to the Joel passage and to the
evidence of Philip's daughters. He clearly attempts to harmonize the various different
positions of Scripture from the Corinthians teaching of Paul. But it is legitimate to do
so from the Galatians and 2 Peter texts as the lens.
Luther was wrong on some things and would
affirm that himself, I think. This doesn't take away or detract from his basic accuracy on
the heart of the truth - Justitia (Imputed). Not all of his works are included in the
Christian Book of Concord but only the Smalcald Articles, Large Catechism and Small
Catechism.
To what degree was Dr. Luther still caught
up in the influences of his day as he wrote (even though he was breaking free in amazing
ways) [?] [Certainly to some degree for] in his comments on the Jews [he] shows the hold
of the culture of the time[.] To what degree are we in ELCM captive to the Enlightenment
thinking that we have been immersed in all of our lives? The answer is: certainly to some
degree. To be sure we have tried to break free of much of that but like Dr. Luther before
us it likely is not possible for us to entirely break with all that has saturated our
development for 50 + years.
And so with the Apostle Paul we can only
acknowledge that we still "see in a mirror darkly (dimly)" AND "that the
Good that we would we do not and that which we would not that we do".
With The Apostle we ( I especially)
question, "Who will save me miserable wretch that I am?" It is of course of some
comfort to know that the Holy Apostle, caught up into the third heaven whether in the body
or out of the body he knew not but that even he who makes his proclamation and
pronouncements in the Name of His Lord and Savior can declare that the good that he would
he does not and that which he would not that he does and then ask rhetorically "Who
will save me?"
The same wonderful answer is ours Male and
Female, Jew and Greek. "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ !"
And so the message of this Holy Night and
tomorrow's Blessed Birth day!
"Christ was born to save ! Christ was
born to Save " (suffixed of course with the little words "Thee and Me")!
A blessed and Joyous Nativity of our Lord
celebration to you dear friend. And again we will certainly give consideration to your
words but would caution you and the other responders from the Lutherian right to lay off
on the expressions of "Professional disappointment" and stronger sentiments as
that does not encourage a rethink but often does little more than to get the hackles
raised. Our encounters west of the Alleghenies these past years, as you know, really have
turned us off toward moving in that direction of Theology and Praxis.
Again thanks for taking the time to write
me/us.
Blessings to you in Christ,
Roy |
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