Except for Pat Robertson and his 700 Club rant that suggested the Haitians deserved the hurricane that has devastated their country, the reaction of American religious communities has been swift and supportive, and this includes the ELCA. Bishop Mark Hanson, who is both the presiding bishop of the ELCA and also the current president of the Lutheran World Federation, reported on Lutheran relief efforts, according to an ELCA press release:
CHICAGO (ELCA) — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is responding to the earthquake in Haiti through the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), wrote the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, in a Jan. 13 letter to members. Hanson, who is also president of the LWF, noted that the ELCA has committed substantial funds to support relief efforts, and encouraged members to share information and provide financial gifts.
The Jan. 12 earthquake caused considerable structural damage around the capital city, Port-au-Prince, and may have killed “more than a hundred thousand people,” Hanson wrote, quoting Haitian officials. Relief agencies’ immediate concerns were for the safety of survivors, plus needs for water, sanitation and communication.
In a brief interview, Hanson told the ELCA News Service that “this is a time for the ELCA to come together as we have so often done in our history.” He said the church has the capacity to respond to human tragedy, and “members are called to bear witness to our faith by responding generously and working with partners” to provide relief.
The presiding bishop asked members to contribute financial gifts to the church’s relief efforts. Members can provide gifts online at http://www.ELCA.org/haitiearthquake or call 800-638-3522.
In his written message, Hanson noted that the ELCA already is responding through the LWF’s Haiti Program. “Given the devastation caused by this earthquake, the ELCA has committed an initial $250,000 from ELCA International Disaster Response for Haiti and has authorized an additional $500,000 as congregations respond both to the immediate needs and long-term rebuilding efforts,” he wrote.
Yet, when I scour the websites, press releases and blogs of Lutheran CORE, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), and the WordAlone network, I see nothing. I don’t infer that their members are uncaring, but organizations built on the negative, built upon being against something, seemingly have a hard time transitioning into the positive. The reality is their focus is on ELCA bashing, and they do not have the infrastructure to deal with non-political religious matters. Their whole focus is political and not mission or ministry.
Lutheran CORE spokesman Robert Benne’s touted article Why There Must Be New Beginnings itemized ten CORE goals (stated negatively as ELCA criticism, of course), and the one pertaining to foreign mission emphasized conversion of the heathens without mentioning medical, educational, disaster relief, or infrastructure development.
Even when WordAlone announces the formation of a chaplaincy corps, a closer look reveals more ELCA bashing, more political advice, more militancy.
The WordAlone Chaplain Corps is a new (launched January, 2010) program of the WordAlone Network through which pastors and laypersons alike may seek advice and counsel as regards the fallout from the positions taken by the ELCA pursuant to the church-wide assembly of that body held in August, 2009.
[From the booklet back cover] “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day and having done everything to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:13)
The question needs to be asked: will the CORE financial boycott of the ELCA hinder efforts to help Haiti? We know what these dissident organizations are against, what are they for? We know that Lutheran CORE knows how to inflict pain through financial boycott, does CORE know how to heal?
UPDATE:
Pastor Justin Johnson offers his take on the silence out of Lutheran CORE, WordAlone, and LCMC.
The ELCA announced that its initial $250,000 contribution has already been increased to $600,000 based upon “a strong and generous response” from ELCA members. If the rate of ELCA member giving continues, the ELCA contribution will soon exceed $1 million.
UPDATE TWO:
Please note my recent post about Lutheran CORE spokesperson, Pastor Erma Wolf, urging financial support of the ELCA, especially for Haiti disaster relief, but perhaps also as a critique of CORE’s financial boycott generally.
How is it Obie that you wrote exactly on the topic that I was about to write on this morning. I have a blog post started on exactly this same topic and then went out for the afternoon. Then I see it on your web site. I guess great minds think a like. I will post mine a little later.
I’ll look forward to reading your views.
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I think this is an essential point: that being anti-ELCA doesn’t mean you’re out there advocating anything, you’re just anti-ELCA. It’s quite galling that even in the electronic age, where putting out a news release online is relatively easy, that these organizations have yet to say anything about it. Not even “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti.” For shame.
For shame is right!
Yesterday when my congregation offered up the offering and a special one for Haiti, my prayer was that the ELCA disaster response would be OVERWHELMED with all the money and support flowing in. May it be so! And may situations like this continue to put life in perspective for all of us.
Pastor,
As a fellow ELCA pastor in of the largest ELCA churches that might be leaving, I find this post blatantly biased. I would hope you can post this to foster some conversation.
First of all, CORE is in the process of forming, and as such, is in a fluid situation. To expect them to have the same resources as a 4 million member denomination is a bit of a stretch.
You have a point about LCMC, but it is an association, not a denomination, so the individual congregations respond individually.
What I find disheartening is that those who favored the changes are falling prey to the same thing some on the extreme traditional side have done, which is paint with a broad brush. Most traditonalists who opposed the changes don’t hate gays or believe in discrimination, most simply interpret scripture differently, and most are compassionate people.
For the record, our congregation raised $11,000.00 (that is right, eleven thousand) for Haiti, which goes directly to LWR . Painting people as bigots or cold hearted is a bad as some painting others as heretics or unfaithful.
Let’s talk!
Thanks Jeff,
FYI, I’m a former trial lawyer and currently a writer but not a pastor. I confess to my biases.
I never meant to suggest that supporters of Lutheran CORE are uncaring (and the blog post said that); instead, my post intended to suggest that CORE currently functions on the basis of single issue negativity. It remains to be seen whether CORE will grow beyond that. My post also meant to convey the reality that CORE, as a separate denomination, cannot now or for the foreseeable future offer the advantages of a full-blown denomination such as the ELCA. See the post that just appeared on my blog about Pastor Erma Wolf, a key CORE spokesperson, who acknowledges the same–as indeed you do yourself. Finally, my post was meant to be harshly critical of the CORE financial boycott, and I stand by that criticism. I think it is mean-spirited, self-righteous, and manipulative.
You are correct that many of us ELCA types are grossly offended by the charges we are unchurched and unbiblical heretics. I’m not sure who you accuse of calling the traditionalists “bigots” or “cold hearted”, and I hope you don’t claim that of this blog.
Let’s talk, indeed.
I am accusing no one in particular and certainly not you or this blog, my point was that there is a diffuse reaction on the part of many who object to CWA, and while some are name calling or believe the ELCA is heretical or beyond hope, others of us will continue to support selected ministries, disaster relief, etc, and that even could continue if a a congregation withdraws from the ELCA.
In the redirection (it is not a boycott or witholding in all congregations), some churches, including my own, are supporting ELCA missions, hunger, disaster relief, but sending that DIRECTLY to those places or missions, and not necessarily through the ELCA. In this way, we don’t punish those in most need, but also make a clear statement that we believe the structure and polity of the ELCA is not deserving of support post-CWA. We sent $11,000.00 from one Sundays offerings to LWR in Baltimore, but did not route it through Chicago.
As always, the most strident voices are often heard-those who claim heretic, and those who call names like bigot, pharisee, self-righteous , etc. Had the ELCA and her leaders seen the last HS report which stated 60% of laity opposed these changes, maybe they would have thought twice. A parish pastor who keeps brining an issue up even though half of his or her church opposes it shouldn’t be surprised when it does pass that they leave or quit giving.
We can argue the support or non support, my point was that that not of all of us who object to these things, or who are members of CORE or LCMC, believe that all ties must be cut to ELCA or that ELCA mission and ministry is not valid. What we are saying is that the views of scripture are very different, and changing 2000 years of church history and views on marriage and clergy polity to join .1% of Christianity who agrees with CWA was ill advised, , and not devoid of poiltics.
It is a difference of opinion, but that should not allow us to descend into bearing false witness.
Thanks!
Jeff
@Jeff
Jeff, please attempt some consistency in your comments and refrain from “paint[ing] with a broad brush.” It is NOT a tenth of one percent (.1%) that “agrees with CWA” as your hyperbolic comment states. (“As always, the most strident voices are often heard-those who claim heretic, and those who call names like bigot, pharisee, self-righteous , etc.”) It is much, MUCH larger than that. Perhaps your friends are all in agreement with you, which is why you feel like denigrating those who don’t agree with you, e.g. “heretic.” But please remember that “2000 years of church history and views on marriage” includes acceptance of polygamy and arranged marriages where women were considered property. Not exactly sentiments people espouse today in the place where you live or in your own church.
@Jeff
Jeff,
I note that commenter “House of Brat” rejects your assertion that only .1% of Christians would agree with the LGBT resolutions of the ELCA. Please note the New Jersey poll of a few months ago that suggested the following religious attitudes regarding gay marriage:
The article elaborated on the Protestant number suggesting it was about the same as Catholics and Jews when evangelicals were removed from the calculations. Of course, this is just a small snapshop in one geographical location and not about the ELCA at all, but I think it suggests that your estimate of .1% of Christians is grossly understated. I think you need to seriously reconsider whether 99.9% of Christianity thinks as you do on this subject. It may surprise you to learn that you are in the minority, especially if evangelicals are not considered.
Obie,
Am I correct that this New Jersey poll is polling people from the United States only, and not the rest of the world?
@kg
Karol,
I think it’s even more limited than that–New Jersey folks only. Thus, one shouldn’t claim too much, but it is illustrative and interesting.