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COUGHING IN THE DUST. . . ?

Dr. Carl Heinrich A. Schmutzler

I seem to recall it was the Iron Chancellor, Bismarck, who quipped: "There are two things you don't really want to know too much about–the making of sausages, and the making of politics." He might well have added "... and the making of church revolutions." Sigh. On the Announcements board in our Fellowship Hall there still sits, albeit somewhat faded and with a few fly-specks on it, the nice blue poster from the Word Alone conference in Roseville MN. 'Twas only in 1999, but it seems almost like an eternity since, and the pale cast of thought has set in: where has all the enthusiasm of those days gone, the warmth of like-minded ones banding together and striving towards a common goal, the fellowship of shared faith and confession, the will to move on in unison and get something done? True: already then you could see a whole lot of waffling, of trying to limp on both legs, scared souls fleeing into the folds of synod instead of into the arms of Jesus. But, honestly, I did expect more to come out of it than what actually has happened. So, I guess, I am kind of sitting and discreetly coughing in the dust whirled up by events since then, and trying to get my bearings. One thing I clearly did underestimate was the problem of inter-personal relationships and tensions: psychology seems to have been at work almost as much as theology. In fact, I did not figure it in at all, and may have been a bit naive not so to do. But I notice that of that legal-size paper filled with names and e-mail addresses that I needed three years ago, now just two or three entries still are in use. It does sadden me a bit, that I must confess.

So where are we now, and whereto is our heading?

The WordAlone Network seems to have retreated into itself, turning into just another one of the loyal opposition groups within the ELCA. As far as I could see it is marginalized and largely ignored: a paper-tiger, as the Chinese would have it. Loyal opposition certainly is needed if not appreciated (you are covered by "inclusiveness" only as long as you march in step)–however, there were several such groups already in existence, and it appears to me it would have been much better strengthening their ranks and increasing their momentum instead of creating something entirely new. Already now WAN is complaining bitterly of not being taken seriously, or being written off as "conservative," "fundamentalist," or whatever the standard ELCA term of depreciation might be at this time. Weeeell, what did you expect ?! Honor, laud and glory?! To judge from the listing of congregations claiming membership, the WAN seems to have stagnated very much. I do not doubt its leadership is well-meaning, but I do doubt that well-meaning really is the right medicine at this time.

LCMC stands at an important intersection, trying to figure out which way to move ahead. The Grand Temptation, of course, is becoming a full-fledged synod, with its staff, leadership and bureaucracy, a mini-ELCA–not necessarily by conscious choice but by simple inertia, thinking thoughts and doing things along lines that are since long engraved and comfortable, habits not easily shaken off, quite as one could notice that the gross ELCA terminology and nomenclature ("exciting," "lift up," "vision," etc., etc.) continues in use amongst those that claim actually not to share the ideology behind these words. But words, my friends, do run thoughts, and thoughts beget action (at least that's the expectation). I think our original concept was that LCMC is to be a "big umbrella," a confession-based confederation of Districts, each with its own distinct profile but all subscribing to that same Christian Book of Concord. It is not an entirely new idea (I think Lutheran Churches of the Reformation/LCR tries to operate in a similar manner), but one of which we really do not have many practical models to go by. They first have to be created, meaning experimentation is needed with forms and methods–and people are needed willing and able to handle confederation duties in much like grey eminences: actively involved, pushing and shoving, but mainly out of sight. Maybe "facilitators" best describes their function.  Will it work?  We do not know.  I do hope human frailty and folly will not be an insurmountable obstacle.  Another important and interesting area of activity for LCMC would be to create contacts and venues of communication to the many other small (and perhaps not-so-small) Lutheran church bodies in existence. Some kind of Synodical Conference, however loosely organized, would be good to have. "Getrennt marschieren, vereint schlagen!" marching separately, doing battle together (I think it was old field-marshal von Blücher who coined this motto) might be a policy worth trying. 

Clearly also some kind of (benevolent but still!) doctrinal supervision will be needed, lest the confession be great on paper and vapor in real life. In other words: the Districts will have to be responsible to LCMC for their acting in accordance with the doctrine to which we subscribe.

In its turn this means that e.g., ALD will need–let's say– two "doctrinal eyes," experts in doctrine, that routinely check whatever is being proposed and done, and will lift a warning finger whenever something looks somewhat less than kosher. Yes, that too has to do with the direction towards which we hope to move, lest in our eagerness to get something done we end up in the ELCA trap: if it looks good it must be good. The devil, remember?, likes to dress up as an angel of light.

Yet with all our concerns, practical and theological and organizational, and all the choking dust, we must keep in sight that which is our sole reason for being: we want to tell people about Jesus. Not, mind you, "our" Jesus but God's Jesus. Without His hand on the tiller our little boat will soon be sunk. Anxious as we are to get going, and eagerly as we may be studying the charts, we still need to give Him some time and space to steer the right course for us.

Dr. Carl Heinrich A. Schmutzler is the pastor of Old Zion Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, PA, the first congregation to join the Augsburg Lutheran District, and co-chair of the ALD Doctrine and Church Relations Committee.

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