Epiphany 2005

Dear Colleagues in Ministry,

On this Feast of the Epiphany, I greet you in the name of Jesus, the Light of the World. In the midst of the horrific devastation from the South Asian tsunami, the continuing war in Iraq, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the often unnamed but not unknown struggles in our personal lives, we are bold to claim God’s promise: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5).

In recent weeks, I have thought a great deal about the question, "How shall we as the ELCA be church in 2005?" I have reflected on the question in the current issue of The Lutheran magazine. It is a question from my heart. I now write to you, pastors and rostered lay leaders, inviting you to ponder with me that question and those it evokes.

As I stated in The Lutheran, the question assumes that being church is a given. That is to say, the church is instituted by Jesus Christ. It exists for his sake and by his authority. The church is where the Gospel is proclaimed in its purity and the sacraments are rightly administered (Augsburg Confession, VII). Through the means of grace, the Holy Spirit is at work bringing us to faith and uniting us in Christ’s Body.

In a presentation to the ELCA Cabinet of Executives, Mark Allan Powell, professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, said: "We don’t have to strive to become the Body of Christ. We are the Body of Christ. We are all part of one body. . . . What happens to one of us affects the whole body whether we realize it or not. The mission of the church. . . is not to achieve unity, but to act as the united entity we are." In other words, how shall we be the church we already are?

How shall we be church in response to the South Asian tsunami?

One thing is clear: we are a generous church. The outpouring of gifts, prayers, and concern for the victims is truly remarkable. So too are the signs of hope amid the incredible suffering and destruction. Tamil Tiger fighters lay down their weapons to bring food to their enemies. Children offer precious pennies, nations mobilize military forces, economic competitors become humanitarian collaborators. How can we sustain this way of being a human community? In the midst of the chaos we hear the cry, “Where are you, God?” How shall we be church in the midst of such lament?

How shall we be church as we receive the report and recommendations of the task force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality?

Will we keep in mind the eight months of continued conversation ahead of us? Will we articulate our positions with clarity, conviction, and humility? When we disagree, will we trust that each of us is seeking to "serve in accordance with Holy Scriptures, the creeds and confessions"? Will we be a church that continues to pray for "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in [Christ’s] presence"? Will we proclaim with clarity the crucified and risen Christ as we recognize the complexity of the many questions we face?

How shall we be church in relationship to our neighbor?

Will we be an evangelizing church inviting colleagues, neighbors, and classmates to “come and see Jesus” or will we be turned in upon ourselves? We will be a church willing to be changed by the presence of those from other cultures, those who have felt excluded from this church because of race or different abilities, or young adults who have differing expectations of being church? Will we be a church committed to faith formation through worship and catechesis?

How shall we be church as we relate to one another?

Shall we be interdependent as one church in three expressions (that is, congregations, synods, and churchwide) or will we grow increasingly separate? Can we reaffirm our interrelatedness and generosity of support of this one church and also be open to new ways of being engaged together in God’s mission for the life of the world? Will continuity and change continue their lively but sometimes awkward dance?

How shall we be church?

Will we continue to build on the strong themes of the Lutheran Reformation even as we expand our relationships with global companions and ecumenical partners? Will we affirm the spiritual ecumenism of Christians praying and serving together, even as we work toward formal full communion agreements? Will our worship remain clearly centered around the means of grace, even as the rhythms of our songs and the language of our prayers reflect the growing diversity of our communities?

As we prepare for worship this Sunday, I find helpful Martin Luther’s reflections on the text from Matthew 3:13-17:

The text clearly says, 'John saw the heavens open,' but it continues to happen right down to today, although you and I cannot see it with our cow eyes but only with the eyes of the heart. The heavens opened themselves up and they will not again close down throughout the whole world until the Last Day when we are all inside. . . . If you see an infant baptized, or the Lord’s Supper, or the absolution, or the ministry and preaching, then say, 'The heavens are open, the dove hovers, the Father’s voice sounds, the Son of God stands in the water.' You dare not say, 'God shut up the heavens, we can do what we want.' If the heavens are closed, who dares baptize, preach, offer the Sacrament, absolve? (“Excerpts from Martin Luther’s Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17,” in Gordon W. Lathrop and Timothy J. Wengert, Christian Assembly: Marks of the Church in a Pluralistic Age [Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004], p. 153).

Friends, as we ponder what it means to be church, we have good news to share. The heavens are open! God continues to speak. Thanks be to God!

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Chicago
 

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