A Lutheran Family Reunion—A Goodly Heritage

Last weekend there was a gathering of a Lutheran family with deep roots in American Lutheranism. Seated around the picnic tables were the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Franklin Clark Fry, the venerated leader of the Lutheran Church in America in the mid-twentieth century. The son of his immediate right hand on the national LCA staff was present. Across the table were the same generations descended from the Secretary of Foreign Mission of the National Council of Churches and a career Lutheran missionary to India. The families of five (or more) living Lutheran pastors were present. They were able to recall the past generations who taught at Lutheran Seminaries (Wittenburg and Gettysburg in the past and currently at Luther Seminary). Photographs of some seven generations of Lutheran pastors were on display as Lutheran heritage was discussed. Family trivia included trying to name the congregations planted by our ancestors.

Also present were three members of the beleaguered Redeemer, the church the ELCA has decided is expendable, not worth caring about, the individual members deserving five years of litigation at the hands of the church they served and for which they sacrificed for decades—all because they dared to challenge a bishop’s decision (a decision that two Pa Supreme Court judges also found worthy of challenge.)

You can bet a lot of the conversation was about the failings of the ELCA which have become apparent with only 24 years of history under its belt—leadership straying from its purpose as stated in the founding documents and hierarchy that has become more of an employment agency for pastors than a shepherd of congregations.

Also on display was Lutheran loyalty. Faith has a way of preserving loyalty even among the most frustrating circumstances.

It is likely that more church issues were discussed at this five-hour reunion than were discussed at many two-day, pre-programmed Synod Assemblies!