Speak Up

In an address following his installation as president of the LCMS, Gerald Kieschnick referred to the reality of divisions within the synod. He stated the case for open discussion among those of different persuasions.

Within days of President Kieschnick's installation, terrorists caused thousands of civilian deaths in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and New York City. United in its grief, the country responded by joining together in support of victims and government leadership. The nation witnessed the incredible bond among firefighters as they mourned the loss of 300 "brothers" who perished in a matter of moments.

When residents of New York City gathered at Yankee Stadium to remember those who died at the World Trade Center, Atlantic District president David Benke spoke a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. A week earlier, President Kieschnick had come to NYC and, after touring Ground Zero, met with LCMS and ELCA pastors at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where the assembled group joined in prayer.    

As a result of the actions of President Benke and President Kieschnick, fellow LCMS pastors are seeking their removal from office. The manner in which two LCMS pastors responded to a tragedy that united the nation exposed how truly divided the synod is. While the country unites in support of our nation's president, some in the LCMS seek the ouster of the synodical president. Among the questions now confronting the LCMS is whether Benke and Kieschnick are responsible for polarizing the synod or whether the division now in the open existed prior to September 11th.

Voices/Vision concerns itself with the service of women in the church, another issue threatening to divide the LCMS. The 2001 synodical convention opted for silence on that issue, acting as if it didn't even exist. Six years have elapsed since the 1995 convention asked the CTCR to issue a report dealing with the Trinity and the Image of God as it relates to the service of women. The exegetical and systematic consideration of pastors who dissent from the 1985 CTCR report are filed away without their work ever being addressed. Silence is the order of the day.

While there are exceptions, the majority of LCMS women have, for various reasons, remained silent. Some fear being perceived as "liberal feminists" under the influence of postmodern thinking. Others fear being categorized as women who do not accept what the Bible says. An oft-heard fear is that by speaking up women will divide the church to which they feel a sense of loyalty. But if the division exists, what is to be gained by silence? Would the LCMS be more united if President Kieschnick, in a time of national crisis, had not gone to NYC to meet and pray with members of the ELCA?

I am persuaded that it is time for LCMS women to gather their collective wisdom and apply what we have learned from years of faithfully studying God's Word. By using our voices we cannot possible further divide the LCMS. The division exists. Speaking up will take time and energy, but speak we must. There will be those who prefer our silence, but it is not to them that we are accountable.

Luther has a word for LCMS women: "You see, Christ does not here give the judgment to prophets and teachers but to pupils or sheep...That is why all teachers and their teaching must be subject to the judgment of the listeners." Luther understood the prophets and apostles to "take the right and power to judge all doctrine away from the teachers and with a stern degree impose it on the listeners instead, on pain of losing their soul." (LW, vol. 39, pp. 307-306)

Sisters in Christ, women of the LCMS, what is your judgment of the claim that God's Word teaches the subordination of woman to man?   Do you understand Genesis 2 to teach that men have natural precedence by birth? In your judgment, does the Word of God teach that unity and order in the church is dependent upon an external immutable structure or the inner unity of persons who are of one mind and heart?

Whatever your questions may be or however you judge what the synod teaches, the challenge before LCMS women is to begin the process of speaking to what we have been taught about what it means to be women of God. Think about the most important idea that you, given the opportunity, would voice to a synodical president who encourages the open discussion of issues that divide the LCMS. Together we can work toward leadership. Write it down and send it to V/V. Together we can work toward consensus on what we as LCMS women are willing to say to our church.