Choosing Lutheran leadership in 2012
Lutherans have a unique church structure. While Roman Catholic church leadership is controlled by a hierarchy, Lutherans elect their church leaders. Congregations are pivotal to Lutheran governance more so than in either the Episcopal or Roman Catholic churches, our closest neighbors in liturgical and structural traditions.
This process can be — and is intended to be — a source of strength. Congregations can act with authority in the neighborhoods they know better than distant leadership. Lay people are empowered to be active participants in their faith communities.
There are, however, serious challenges. In controlling their little corner of Christendom, many congregations have little or no knowledge of their neighboring churches and ministries. Similarly, the names proposed for election to head their leadership are those of strangers. They send their clergy and lay representatives to Synod Assembly to vote for leaders (bishop and synod council) unaware of their skills, vision, history, or integrity. Delegate packets contain only a short bio — where they live, what church they attend and what they do for a living. Candidates for bishop emerge at the Assembly itself, known perhaps among clergy, but clergy make up only a third of the Assembly.
This can be dangerous. In recent years, particularly since the merger in the 1980s which created the ELCA, some bishops have been assuming more power than the traditions of the Lutheran church or its governing documents intend.
For example, the ELCA changed the title of its leaders from president to bishop, clearly stating that the change would not affect the relationship between the congregations and leadership. The change was approved for one purpose only — to raise the status of Lutherans in ecumenical dialogue. Other denominations, it seems, do not give the title of “president” the same authority as bishops.
Nevertheless, this change has affected the ELCA. Some bishops (not all) assumed powers given to bishops of other denominations, including the power to control congregational decisions and property ownership, miring the whole church in litigation. The church has been ill-equipped to “check and balance” its leadership.
Next spring, SEPA Synod will elect someone to the office of bishop. Will the people voting on that May day know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision? Start asking questions now.
What do you expect from your church leaders? What does your congregation hope to see as they build relationship with the greater Lutheran church? What qualities should your president or bishop have?
These questions are natural to the decision process. The problem is the church has no forum for getting answers in time to help delegates make good decisions. Poor decisions affect the entire Synod for six years!
You are not going to see these questions asked or answered on a synod’s web site, which is controlled by the existing bishop, who may be interested in reelection.
We propose that Lutherans start a dialog on an independent internet blog. Ask questions. Invite answers from those who are interested in serving. This wasn’t possible in the 1980s but today we can do something to help our church leaders make good decisions.
What do you think?