Watch with Whom You Pray!
I read this morning some February news about the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s leadership reaction to December’s tragic massacre of the innocents in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. Their president, The Rev. Matthew Harrison, responded to criticism of the local Lutheran pastor for participating in a community prayer vigil in Sandy Hook, along with the leaders of other local faiths.
Why was this an issue? Common sense is for any Christian to grieve with the victims and the community, to demonstrate compassion and offer consolation.
No. As the nation wept inconsolably, some in the LCMS managed to dust off its rulebook to cite an ancient rule that their leaders are not to participate in interfaith prayer. All the grieving participants might get the idea that Lutherans agree with Muslims, Jews and Catholics, or perhaps—and heaven-forbid—love them. The grief of today does not measure in importance against eternal damnation for praying with those who believe differently.
Surely, interfaith dialog was the first thing on the minds of those attending.
At least one attendant would have understood. President Obama deals with the same progress-blocking thinking in politics. Party first! Denomination first!
In politics, elected representatives easily become alienated from the people they serve as soon as they are surrounded daily by those with party interests. Clergy, too, surround themselves with colleagues with denominational self-interest. The air is thin in their lofty headquarters.
But all is well, the offending pastor got the message. He humbly apologized, pointing out that he had taken steps to assure everyone present in Sandy Hook that he wasn’t endorsing the religious beliefs of other participating clergy.
The disclaimer before the benediction he delivered must have been a great comfort.
President Harrison, smugly acknowledges that the local pastor was in a difficult position and admonishes anyone from criticizing the repentant pastor too harshly. That falls a bit short of support.
Aren’t we, who live in multicultural society, often in this position? Lay people live and work every day with people of many faiths. Are we always to check the religious credentials of our neighbors before we address their needs—or our common needs—in prayer?
One of the objections seems to have been that the pastors were in their regalia. Perhaps they all should dress as Jesus did—just like everyone else!
While accepting the apology, President Harrison boasted of his leadership skills. He had taken the “unprecedented” step of contacting “the most prominent blogs in the synod and asking them to refrain from commenting on the issue.” He asked them to pull down any critical comments they had already posted.
“He [the pastor] didn’t need to be attacked,” Harrison said. He quickly turned his concern for the pastor and the traumatized community he serves back to concern for the denomination. “We don’t need a public airing of our pent-up grievances.”
The incident is so denominationally self-centered and so typical of the thinking of church leadership. In the wake of tragedies large and small, we tend to focus on denominational tenets and ignore all the teachings of the Lord we serve.
There are no atheists in a foxhole, they say. There are also no denominations. (Click to tweet.)
Meanwhile, we wonder. How long will it be before church leaders replicate President Harrison’s “unprecedented” step and make the monitoring of church bloggers a routine part of their perceived power?