Letter from a Christian in Exile
I am writing to the Church (baptized members and institutions) from a metaphorical Patmos, exiled by benign neglect and the inertia of the status quo. I am writing to you not of my own accord but, like Jeremiah, I am compelled:
“If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more his name,’ then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9
The urgency of NOW:
We are amid a turning point, a 500-year mark, parallel to Luther’s time of great upheaval and change. At Luther’s time nation states were emerging and hierarchal institutions failing. The world was no longer flat, and the new world had just been discovered. The printing press enabled broader communication and spreading of the news of events more quickly. Theology was under scrutiny and being rewritten. It was indeed a time of transition and revolt (The Peasant’s Revolt – 1524 CE).
We are living through such a time as this: climate change is creating severe weather events and ignored will bring an end to habitable places on our globe leading to massive migration; outdated institutions use old paradigms that no longer address the needs of nations (USA Congress unable to function with a majority rule due to arcane procedures); the Church, too, is so structured and attached to buildings that it is no longer able to use the majority of its assets to help people and shows an unwillingness to make any substantive changes (i.e. consolidation of buildings, merging of faith communities, sharing staff).
Our Democracy is under siege right now and we are well into autocracy taking over: lies of voting fraud is fueling unauthorized audits in many states, voting rights are being taken away; the January 6 Insurrection is a mere prelude to further action to reinstall a defeated, twice impeached corrupt former president and continue to undermine trust in the legal outcome of elections.
Our social fabric is teetering between justice for the marginalized and continued power for the white and wealthy privileged. Congress does not reflect the age and diversity of our population but reflects an aged wealthy class clinging to power. People of color are denied justice. There is an arbitrary and unfounded divide between ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and “Back the Blue.’ White supremacist groups are now sanctioned by the political leaders.
Our churches are aging and in decline and unable to pay off mortgages from years of building. Our worship still propagates a three-story universe with Creeds and liturgies that are no longer relevant. Our theology ignores the science that is telling us that there are multi-verses – not just our universe. Yet we continue to preach an anthropocentric theology.
Ten years from now many of our congregations will be forced to close unable to support a pastor and building much less an aggressive outreach mission. From my experience and what I have observed, too many of us are living by default and sliding into the status quo of institutional inertia. Rather than have an honest and forthright dialog with our people we keep on, keeping on. I sense that we prefer being nice to being faithful mid-wives for the rebirthing of the church.
In times of great upheaval and transition it is natural to cling to what we know and ride it through hoping that we can return to normal. With the pandemic continuing and the current unrest we see the rise of autocracy and fascist tendencies which meet the desire for certainty and quick action in the face of great turmoil.
That is a prognosis of the current historical times we are living in.
What is God up to and how can we participate in the Divine action?
First, acknowledge where we are – affirm an honest prognosis of the situation. Then like Jeremiah, remain in Jerusalem, send our sidekick Baruch, to purchase downtown property while the city is being seized. Be ready to go into exile.
What is the ‘property’ our Baruch can purchase during our current seize?
Lutheranism is a confessional movement within the Church Catholic. What does that mean? We are not a denomination, but a Gospel-centered movement. As such institutional frameworks can and should be set aside when and if they are not useful for the propagation of the Gospel.
As a movement we are not confined to buildings or even denominationally constructed strictures that inhibit the free flow of the Gospel.
How can we best be this Gospel-centered movement in the 21st Century?
Teach one another to recognize and participate in God’s incoming kingdom in daily life. How we treat one another and neighbor in everyday interactions will bring about local change and renewal. Engaging in our local political structures and giving voice to the needs in our community. Charity is one thing, seeking justice in our city is another. We seek justice by boldly and with one voice speaking out and standing in solidarity with the least of these.
Congregational leaders and pastors publicly speaking out to the community through newspapers and social media calling to repentance leaders who support autocracy and the continued suppression of the marginalize. Our places of worship then become voices of hope not just for the inbred privileged, but for the marginalized.
Make advocacy central to the mission of each of our congregations. Bread for the World – a national advocacy group that lobbies congress to end hunger by 2030 is available for every congregation to participate in. Bread for the World came out of our Lutheran tradition and was led by Lutheran pastors in its more that 40 years of service. Check it out at www.bread.org.
Be open to dialog and re-birthing communities of faith through creating new fresh congregations by consolidation. Create ministries less centered on buildings and more centered on mission – storefronts, cell groups meeting in homes.
Take bold and intentional stances regarding being inclusive. Consider using the Reconciled in Christ process in our congregations and Synod to become transparent and intentional about outreach to the marginalized.
Do not underestimate or be dismissive of an autocratic takeover. It is happening now in local jurisdictions and coming together by 2022 and 2024. This is a prophetic observation, not paranoia. As autocracy threatens our democracy, we may need to create a Confessing Church which is outspoken against any fascist takeover.
There is no magic wand and I have no perfect or proven answers to where we find ourselves. All I know is that we urgently need immediate and sustainable change as we hospice a dying church and mid-wife it into new birth.
Respectfully submitted
Reformation Sunday, October 31, 2021
Rev. Kenneth R. Storck
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