Here is a wonderful and reflective piece of writing on the recent vote in the Lutheran Church of Australia that retained its prohibitions against women serving in the pastoral office. Hat tip to Pastor Paul McCain for pointing this one out - you'll want to subscribe to Pastor Pearce's blog!
click here
4 comments:
I attended Concordia Extension classes with a DELTO student from Australia a few years ago. He said then that the LCA was on the brink of approving women's ordination. How absolutely frightening for them that over 50% of the synod (correct term?) now favor this.
I thought these words were particularly poignant:
But I can imagine someone saying something like this to me:
“Fraser, that you have qualms of conscience is perhaps understandable, but you are not interpreting Scripture correctly. You need to submit your conscience to the teaching of the church. Think about it: You didn’t make yourself a pastor, did you? You were called by God through the church, and ordained by the church. Now the same church has decided that women, too, may serve with you as pastors in the church. Be guided by the wisdom of the church; don’t be proud and hold on stubbornly to your own interpretation. Let the Spirit lead you in humility to accept the decision of your brothers and sisters, and take up your ministry with joy, knowing that now you are free to proclaim the gospel in a more inclusive way.”
Frankly this sort of talk could win me over. But for it to give me true peace in conscience I would have to believe that the doctrinal decisions of the LCA gathered in General Convention have authority to bind my conscience along with the conscience-binding words of the Lord. I would have to believe that I could stand before God and say: “Lord, it seems to me that your Word prohibits women from serving as pastors, but the LCA, speaking in your name, has declared that my interpretation is not correct. So I let the word of the LCA guide me, and I stand before you confident that I have your approval.” But at the moment I am not convinced that such a confidence would be well founded.
How difficult to find a foothold in such a situation.
Interesting though, Rose, that the vote actually was better than the last time it was tried. So while so many still favor it, it takes 2/3 to change it, and the tide appears to be turning. No doubt through fine work such as that demonstrated by Pr. Pearce.
I don't think you can really see it as "better", William. About the same, I would say. Last time the vote was slightly more against in the Pastors Conference, and slightly more in favour in Synod. Given the synod convention is not huge in numbers, I think the difference could be accounted for simply in the different make up of particular voters on each occasion. In otherwords, and I think this is the way the LCA's interpreting it, no discernable movement. I have heard, however, that the heat seems to have gone out of the discussion a bit.
Rose, you might want to see my comments on the paragraphs you highlight at the end of Fraser's article.
Paster Weedon,
I meant to get back here earlier but I am traveling again...:(
Schutz (sorry, don't know how to add the umlaut), you pointed out in part what I was going to say--although from a more knowledgable perspective. In my line of work, 2 points define a line but are insufficient data to determine a trend. Time will tell. (BTW, Schutz, I caught your blog link from your comments at Cheryl's Orthophile blog. I hope you plan on finishing the rest of the story! I plan to post there soon but now off to see your comments on the subject article.)
Au revoir!
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