Thank you verse baby gift

Letters

End-of-the-year potpourri

Letters to the editor during Christmas were sparse, varied

I support the recommendations and perspectives of The Lutheran advisory committee (December, page 50). I read a number of denominational general magazines and find The Lutheran to be the strongest of all I've seen and the most worthwhile to me and ELCA members. Especially in a time when there are important sharp divisions of opinion among ELCA members, it's important that a publication such as The Lutheran be at least somewhat independent of the control of the top administrators of the denomination. It's important that this relative independence be visible and credible for ELCA members so they can find it easier to believe that varying views are being given a fair hearing in articles, news reports and published letters to the editor. The perceived independence must not be appearance; it must be a reality. It is obvious to anyone paying attention that there's a trend in the ELCA these days toward greater centralization of decision-making power in the hands of the presiding bishop and the Chicago hierarchy. So it's really important that the magazine not be allowed to become merely "a house organ."

Vance L. Eckstrom

Lindsborg, Kan.

I've been touched, challenged and deeply impressed by the continued excellent content of the printed magazine and, recently, the online newsletter (see box, page 57). I lapsed from reading The Lutheran for nearly 20 years, but regular readers at a new parish reconnected me.

Rebecca Knox

Reading, Pa.

Nice job. I'm a Lutheran who's studying Christian meditation via the Roman Catholic Church and slowly introducing into my Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod church desert mysticism or the practice of silence to hear God. I'm glad to know your Web site exists. I'll check it often.

Kathy Ferguson

Gainesville, Fla.

Matthews on theodicy

My thanks to William R. Matthews for his 12-article series on theodicy, our experience of suffering, struggle and evil in light of God's mercy, love and omnipotence. His last article "The greatest gift of all" was a beautiful conclusion to set the tone for Christmas.

Jerry Petersen

West Bend, Wis.

Membership decline

Your readers who blame the decrease in ELCA membership on the denomination's leadership are mistaken (December, page 65). The fault plainly lies in the pews where lay people have long heard the challenge of the gospel and failed to act upon it. Lutherans prefer business-as-usual and decline to speak publicly about Jesus Christ. Don't ask them to pray aloud. Win souls for Christ? What's that? Expect the membership to drop a lot more, but don't look any further than the mirror for the reason.

Samuel Platts

Sylmar, Calif.

A new synod?

The proposal of the WordAlone Network ultimately to establish a nongeographic synod made up of congregations currently members of existing synods could be a healthy development (December, page 53). It provides an opportunity to ask whether after 13 years of experience, our church wishes to realize more fully or to repudiate effectively the action of the 1991 Church wide Assembly. That assembly affirmed that in being faithful to its scriptural and confessional foundations, the ELCA sees itself as a confessional church that is evangelical, catholic and ecumenical. We now need to ask whether that vision statement was merely intended to be rhetorical or was it an act of repentance and faith that commits us to the costly option of living forward into Christian unity?

Roy J. Enquist

Washington, D.C.

Once the young man Absalom appealed to all who were disaffected in Israel, asking them to follow after him. And he led them to disaster. I was reminded of this when I read about WordAlone's appeal. When will we learn that only in the kingdom to come will the church be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing? Here and now the church, just as we individually, is both saint and sinner (simul justus et peccator).We live together, worship together, serve together, accept and forgive one another, under the glorious rainbow of God's gracious love and mercy.

Otto J. Reitz

Nerstrand, Minn.

Christmas fare

I found the article "And suddenly angels" outstanding (December, page 24). Thank you.

Judi Stock

Wooster, Ohio

I read with interest "On our journey to the manger" (December, page 12). Although the article was beautifully written, it missed the main point of the role of Anna, the prophetess. It was Anna, a woman, who was the first person to publicly proclaim Jesus as the Messiah to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:28). There is no evidence that Simeon ever spoke publicly about the coming Messiah. His witness seems given privately to Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:25-35). Indeed, verse 33 says the child's father and mother marveled at what was said about their baby. There's no mention that the people in the area even heard Simeon. It was left to Anna to give the public witness.

David K. Voigts

Jesup, Iowa

Letters on Letters

I read "Letters" in December (page 64) and am amazed at the writers who complain that the sexuality study is too lengthy and costly, is divisive and is responsible for shrinking ELCA membership. Don't they realize how divisive it would be if we didn't do the study? They need to realize there are ELCA members such as me and many others I know whose consciences are so troubled by the ELCA's slowness in instituting full acceptance, on a basis of complete equality for people of all sexual orientations just as God made them, that we can scarcely bring ourselves to remain ELC A members. We are able to stay only because the study and the plan for a vote at the next Churchwide Assembly offer some hope that the ELCA will finally become the agent of justice, compassion and agape it always should have been. And if you are inclined to reply, "Good riddance," please think carefully about your real concerns. How would you feel if I were to say, "Good riddance" to you?

Randi Eldevik

Stillwater, Okla.

People in "Letters" often threaten to leave the ELCA if our church blesses homosexual couples. We can bless candles, houses (including bathrooms), infants at the communion rail, buildings, the shrimp fleets and many other things-but we can't bless couples of the same sex who choose to make commitments to one another in a church. I can't even name the number of heterosexual couples I've blessed in holy matrimony, and they've broken their vows countless times in my ministry of 40-plus years. Isn't it time to bless same-sex couples and give them a try? Perhaps they may have a better track record than heterosexual couples.

Paul R. Frerking

Spring, Texas

Assembly's two-thirds vote

The ELCA Church Council's decision to require a super-majority (two-thirds) vote of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly voting members to adopt any changes in policy resulting from the sexuality study (January, page 44) is a travesty of justice. It's changing the rules in the middle. None of the existing policies on blessing gay/lesbian relationships or gay ordination were adopted by a super-majority so we don't need it for change.

Raymond Voss

Edina, Minn.

I'm deeply disappointed and saddened with this decision. From my perspective this action effectively prevents any possibility for our church to be prophetic. Our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters will continue to have half-a-loaf of justice. Parents of gay and lesbian children will continue to see their church turn its back on their children's committed relationships. The Church Council's action may prevent church division. But is that our calling? Or is it to be faithful witnesses to the all-encompassing love of God?

Bob Scheuermann

Milwaukee, Wis.

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