Response to Charges
Filed Against Rev. Dr. David H. Benke
November 12, 2001 and November 28, 2001
David H. Benke
January 4, 2002

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(Continued from page 3)

Why? I believe it is because those who are bringing charges sincerely believe that I have committed "syncretism" by being at Yankee Stadium on September 23, by participating in a "worship service at which prayers were offered to other gods." I further believe that based on their definition of worship, there is no setting in which these people believe it would be right to offer a prayer with those of other religious beliefs present.

I differ with them seriously on both counts. First, the program at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001 was a civic event with religious participation. Just as the events in the 1980s in Brooklyn, it had interfaith religious speakers, prayers, invokers and benedictors surrounding politicians and other speakers. It cannot be said that a civic event is one in which there is only minimal religious presence. Many civic events have a variety of religious involvements. It certainly cannot be said that a civic event with religious presence could only involve the Missouri Synod Lutheran as the religious figure; the only potential for that might be in remote areas of the country or geographic areas where Lutherans are the predominant religious presence. Once a civic event uses religious figures or has religious input, other traditions and faiths may be involved - the freedom of religion clause in the Constitution guarantees that from the civic end of the spectrum. In New York that pluralism is at its maximum degree.

This event was organized and called by Mayor Rudolf Giuliani. I have described how he organized the event in my chronicle above. In his speech on September 23, he put it this way, after introducing the leadership of the public sector of New York City: "Today we are accompanied by religious leaders of every faith to offer a prayer for the families of those who have been lost, to offer a prayer for our city, to offer a prayer for America." I would contend that Mr. Giuliani is telling the world that this is his event - his people led the way to the stage and were accompanied by those of us from the religious community.

The event was carried on national television because it was a civic event and needed no other organizational approval. The Mayor designated the former Mayors and other local politicians as those he invited to the podium with him. These are simple facts. Yes, it was called "A Prayer for America." But civic speeches, patriotic music, and military presence celebrity hosts were all inserted at every available opportunity on the program. I've conducted hosts of prayer services at my own congregations - Bette Midler and James Earl Jones have never appeared. Placido Domingo stayed home. This was a "service" the way a civic leader would organize a "service," as a civic event.

Was this a civic event? Listen to James Earl Jones: "To people around the world our nation is a symbol of liberty, equal opportunity, democracy, and diversity. This attack was an attempt to undermine these four pillars of our civic faith. It has failed. Our spirit is unbroken. In fact it is stronger than ever. So today we reaffirm our faith in the essential dignity of every individual. We see more clearly than ever that what we share as Americans and human beings is far greater than that which divides us. Together we will face the future with hope, people of many faiths but one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." This is a textbook description of American civil righteousness. I was proud to hear it. Just as I was, admittedly, proud to stand and sing "Proud to be an American."

There may be a question in the minds of some as to whether the LCMS CTCR opinion commended for continued use and guidance by the 2001 Synodical Convention means to include interfaith events in its scope when it states "Some of these are civic events. Offering prayers, speaking and reading Scripture at events sponsored by governments, public schools and volunteer organizations would be a problem if the organization in charge restricted a Christian witness." Whatever the mindset of the CTCR in developing these sentences, it is plain that as soon as events are "sponsored by governments," there is the potential for interfaith context. And the point then made is well taken - what is a hindrance in these governmental settings, which may well be interfaith and pluralistic in nature, is if they "restrict a Christian witness." There was no such restriction on my witness, and whatever anyone thinks of it, by praying "in the precious Name of Jesus" it was to 99.9999% of the world a very overt Christian witness.

The second point, however, is also of interest to me. I am convinced that there are those in the Missouri Synod who believe there is no context in which an LCMS person should offer a prayer when a non-LCMS person is also praying. If another Christian prays, they believe that would be "unionism." If a non-Christian prays, they believe that would be "syncretism." I believe this attitude and its promulgation to be a tremendous hindrance to the effective spreading of the Gospel.

If I were not in attendance at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001, a prayer clearly "in the Name of Jesus" would not have been heard. Would that have been the BETTER option? How can this be?

The Bible passage list is invariably the same from those bringing charges against me:
The First Commandment
II Corinthians 6:14
Romans 16:17
John 14:6

Now I am a firm believer and follower of every one of those passages. I am furthermore, with all LCMS clergy, a "quia" subscriber to the Lutheran Confessions. And I am furthermore convinced that "syncretism" in terms of worshiping false gods is to be abhorred.

However, the above passages (and all scripture) must be understood through the heart of the Gospel and not viewed or used in an isogetical proof-texting manner. The doctrine on which the church stands and falls is justification by grace through faith because of Christ, and all scripture is understood as directed toward and from this evangelistic message. Many Lutheran theologians would wonder why the above passages (cited by those who accuse me) have been listed naked and isolated from the passages that truly exegetically apply in this case when dealing not with church fellowship discussions, but with an on-the-ground event in the public arena at a time of global crisis.

In point of fact, the fellowship guidelines prepared by the CTCR and commended by the Synod in convention are to assist in the accomplishing of moving doctrine from the page and onto the streets and into the churches through guidelines for pastoral practice. It is no accident that the mantra from the 1998 Synodical Convention became the short speech that went "It is a sad day in the LCMS when a pastor has to apologize for being pastoral." The conversion from doctrine on a page to practice in the world is composed of pastoral (and lay) judgment calls, difficult decisions made in the heat of the situation, and indeed once-in-a-lifetime challenges that must be connected to the most appropriate witnesses from Scripture and the church fathers. Ecclesiastical encouragement MUST be fostered to allow decisions to be made pastorally from the sanctuary, if you will, of an evangelical consortium promoting internal group trust and exportable mission activity in the world. The truncation and adumbration of those pastoral decisions into

• reaction to bylaws and/or numbered synodical convention "doctrinal" resolutions passed by majority vote or
• reactive eyes furtively glancing over the shoulder to guard the backside from barking bogus supervisors

represents not only a major mistake in ecclesiological practice but a major departure from the intentions and directions of our finest LCMS forefathers. At its worst the false binding of consciences due to bylaw and resolution is a hindrance to the proclamation of the Gospel.

What has happened to these passages in the laying of the charges of syncretism and false doctrine?
John 3:16
Romans 1:16
Romans 10:14-15
Matthew 10:32
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 19:10

Jesus said "Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) So they came. It wasn't a pretty sight, was it? They were

• the slimy little turncoat tax collectors and
• the Syro-Phoenician pagan woman and her unclean mess, and
• the Samaritan heterodox (to Jews) woman and her guy-of-the-month lifestyle, and
• the pagan Roman soldiers paid to put down Jews
• sinners all; outsiders.

They heard what they heard and saw what they saw and they found rest, for as Zaccheus the tax collector learned, "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Paul did not ask in a vacuum the powerful questions put forth in Romans 10 -
"But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in one in whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?"
He did not have in mind a man in a surplice and cassock at the front of a clapboard country church, either, as comforting as that image is to us. More than likely he was thinking at that time of his life about - himself -

• taking on all comers in the Temple of Diana, the Yankee Stadium of its day, in Ephesus, or
• declaiming with dignity on Mars Hill in Athens, the great capital of the world of ideas (Acts 17), or
• sharing a story about a carpenter's kid who died for the sins of the world as the Son of God and Son of Man on the streets of a hundred villages in Asia Minor, or
• receiving hospitality and refreshment in the homes of women of influence like Dorcas and Lydia, or
• rotting in jail, over and over again, or
• rolling in some boat headed to the bottom of the sea, or
• taking a major beatdown, lash after lash, the forty minus one, for praying and healing in public

These were market place, public, civil zones of influence where religious palaver including prayer and conversation, speech and song, happened in real time, no video included.

Indeed, the New Testament record predominantly concerns an outdoor witness, when you think about it. That is because the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth was peripatetic, as one walking among His Father's people. The life and ministry of the Apostle Paul was equally peripatetic, as one sent into the world to proclaim Good News in the person and work of Christ Jesus. Yankee Stadium is just a subway stop down the line.

Missionaries bringing the Good News to those of other faiths, among whom I am one with a "learner's permit," have written words in support of my presence at Yankee Stadium (Attachments 17-20). Johnson Retinasammy, Dave Born, Marc Danzis, Farrukh Khan and so many others are dedicated to reaching the world for Christ. That's it and that's all. Lutheran theology and practice are absolutely and determinatively linked to the Means of Grace, which means that our words and deeds are incarnational - the practice of the Real Presence of Christ. Missionaries and missionary pastors know that. Why would Jesus NOT be present at Yankee Stadium?

Third, this was indeed a "once-in-a-lifetime" situation. The evening news leads regularly with "The Terrorist Attack on New York - the most heinous crime in the history of the United States." To us this has not been cold statistics, but real lives of friends, neighbors, parishioners and fellow New Yorkers. It was and is a unique event in the last two hundred years of American history, and in many ways in world history. My spiritual discipline was, until December 31, 2001, to read every day in the New York Times the brief life capsules of 10-20 individuals who were Trade Center victims at the end of a section titled "A Nation Challenged." Faces and names MUST be put on these statistics for us in New York. That is where the uniqueness lies for us here. Precious human lives were immolated. The Gospel of hope is what matters then, heart by heart and home by home.

5) Concluding Remarks

The opportunity presented on September 23, 2001 to be present on behalf of God's Lutheran people and to pray in Jesus' Name was one that could NOT BE MISSED when it was presented. This was President Gerald Kieschnick's crystal clear signal in granting me permission to be at Yankee Stadium. In my opinion he signaled first of all to the world a desire on the part of LCMS Lutherans to engage with the Gospel, and not absent themselves from the arena. Secondly, he signaled to the LCMS a direction and intention that I believe is most important for the future of the church body, because things have changed.

In that regard, on Monday, September 24, a man who had been present when I had sat before the Synodical Praesidium on October 22, 1998 stood up at a meeting and said, "I was harshly critical of President Benke then. BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT!" He then stated that he supported my presence at Yankee Stadium. His name is Dr. William Weinrich. Now what was different? That this was a civic event and not a worship service organized as such? That this was a once-in-a-lifetime situation? Yes, but there is more.

I believe that what is different is that there has been a fundamental shift in what has been called the "post-modern" frame of reference as a result of the events of September 11, 2001. It is no longer possible to live inside the surreal bubble of ironic detachment. The planes destroyed not only the center of world finance and the capitalist imperviousness to self-examination; they also destroyed the deconstructionist view of reality. No one is asking what really happened - did the buildings fall down or had they originally fallen up? The buildings were blown out of the air by the planes that hit them. People fell from the sky and disintegrated when they hit the ground. There is no room for "whatever" there. Young adults can speak earnestly without penalty again - there is a far greater opening in both the academic and workaday communities for earnest conversation.

Therefore, at least two things need to be seized, in my opinion. First, a pragmatic Christian apologetic must be developed for use in pastoral ministry and congregations, at seminaries, by our theologically trained leadership. This apologetic would operate with the understanding that

a) the exclusive claims of Christianity remain exclusive claims
b)the Biblical concept of "forbearance" is far more than the Christian equivalent of secular tolerance (a position articulated by Glenn Tinder in the magazine First Things), but also
c)interfaith contact and dialog are not to be abhorred for the sake of endless intramural monolog, because the stakes are too high for continued adolescent self-obsession. Honest evangelical speech leads to the opening not only of minds but hearts, and this is the territory of the Gospel.

The Missouri Synod could play a unique role in the development of that apologetic from the Christian ecumenical perspective and for its own desired dialogs because of our strong commitment to doctrine, a commitment that will not allow forbearance to be diluted into mere tolerance.

That ecumenical moment is upon us. But it cannot and will not happen for our denomination if we cannot be seen in the same room or, yes, pray in the same room as those different from us for fear of the "appearance of syncretism."

It cannot and will not happen if our response to a changed post-modernist perspective in a newly earnest world remains ridicule and castigation. These sophomoric and puerile inflammatory rhetorical devices are at best unhelpful now. At worst they add pain to pain, and are in fact evil. Let me give a pertinent example of this - I have seen many articles and evidences among LCMS Lutherans of ridicule, mockery and castigation as regards the Yankee Stadium event: The "Oprahfest" symposia, "The Errorist Attack," "Genuine Terrorism," etc., etc., etc. The list goes on an on, ad nauseum.

Do me a favor. Sit with me for two hours on September 23, 2001, and make direct eye contact with 20,000 people holding aloft pictures of their loved ones, tears streaming down their faces, dealing with their grief. There is room for neither ridicule nor castigation from that seat. None. Go then about six seats over and ask Mayor Giuliani, our nation's "Person of the Year," if September 23 was an event to mock and ridicule. He'll let you know in no uncertain terms.

Do me another favor. Walk with me for two months, and then the next two years. Spend time with our missionaries, our human care coordinators, our Lutheran Disaster Response teams, our school counselors, our immigrant leaders and job hunters. See if your opportunities to witness in the public square don't multiply dramatically. See if you're not preaching and praying out on the streets with our missionaries within a couple weeks. See if you wouldn't take an opportunity to bring love and comfort in the Name of Jesus in a public place if you were asked. There is no room for hyped and hopped up castigation, or for hesitation, on that journey. None. Horizons need to broaden, in some cases dramatically, in all cases immediately.

Secondly, beyond apologetics, the "opening for earnest conversation" has to do with mission opportunity. And that involves opening up the pastoral office and parish doors into the communities surrounding our congregations. The office of the PUBLIC ministry is conducted not only and exclusively at the pulpit and altar as the holy things of God are proclaimed and administered in Word and Sacrament. I say, state, mentor, teach and have practiced for 30 years what I was taught in home and school and on the job - to be a warrior for the Gospel at all times and in all places. The results of the received Gospel are in public service of the same Gospel.

Commitment to ministry in the public arena demands that pastors take to the streets and the street corners of the community, and then descend into the decision chambers of the governmental and civic leadership, with Christ and Him crucified accompanying them and empowering them in word and deed. And remember, the pastor is only acting out of the same baptismal power given to all God's baptized. What if our seminaries and our districts and our every parish were hotbeds, seedbeds for that kind of reflection and action? Are they already? In some cases, the answer is certainly "yes." In the Atlantic District every pastor, every missionary, every preaching station and every congregation are engaging the world with the Gospel of hope. It can be no other way for us in the here and now. But the opportunities are going to grow exponentially in these times. That calls for exponential increases in both local and Synodical awareness and prioritization.

To me it has been difficult and painful to face doctrinal charges at a time of local crisis. My time and energies are demanded by God's people in Brooklyn and in New York City. It is difficult for me to understand how at this time in our church and society the pressing of official doctrinal charges adds to our Christian public witness, especially when conversation could have been the choice of action, and most especially when the denominational president has encouraged such dialog. Yet I hope and pray that I have answered the charges placed against me in an evangelical manner.

To me as the elected leader of a dynamic and diverse group of baptized Lutherans in New York dedicated to mission outreach and service in word and deed, I would continue the call initiated by President Gerald Kieschnick that "charity prevail" among us in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

To me in the end it is as simple as this - with all human frailty accounted for, if a man of the cloth prays in the Name of Jesus in public, he should not be removed from the roster of his Christian church body. Not now. Not ever.

I submit this response and its attachments, along with whatever additional materials come forward from our reflections in New York on the events of September 11, as public documents for the perusal of God's people in the LCMS and whoever else wants to look in. Whatever the outcome of the charges brought against me, the issues that have been raised are of critical importance.

On September 11, the world engaged us in New York with terror and devastation. From September 11 on, the church has been engaging the world with the Gospel of Hope. Yankee Stadium has been a small part of an ongoing engagement for me. My prayer is that the Lord of the Church grants us all incredible ongoing opportunities as pastors and baptized Christians to boldly proclaim the Good News about Jesus!

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Attachments 1-20 have been reproduced as Microsoft Word documents. Click on a link below to access these files. You can also save these attachments to your computer by right-clicking a link
(or holding down the mouse on a Mac) and selecting "Save Target As..."

Attachments 1-2, Microsoft Word format (76K)
Attachments 3-4, Microsoft Word format (1.5 Megs)
Attachments 5-10, Microsoft Word format (59K)
Attachment 11, Microsoft Word format (413K)
Attachments 12-14, Microsoft Word format (61K)
Attachments 15-20, Microsoft Word format (301K)

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