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Three Pesky Words After the attacks on the World Trade Center, New York City mayor Rudy Giulliani sponsored a Prayer for America, where representatives of various faith groups could offer prayers in this wake of this tragedy. Pastor David Benke, a district president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, was invited as the Lutheran representative. Using poetic images drawn from Christian tradition, he prayed to our "Tower of Strength...our Mighty Fortress...who...stood so tall when when You stooped down to send a Son through death and life to bring us back together", declaring "we lean on You today." Some members of David Benke's branch of Lutheranism were very upset. They aver that he should have been there at all: when those outside their group participate, then they should stay away. While this belief is only found on the fringes of Lutheranism and of Christianity, it is prevalent enough in Dave Benke's denomination that it gets discussed at meetings and conventions. Shortly before the attacks--perhaps one can see the hand of God preparing people--the national convention passed a statement touching on these matters. One section seems to speak to the matter. "These occasions may provide opportunity to witness to the Gospel. Pastors may have honest differences of opinion about whether or to what extent it is appropriate or helpful to participate in these or similar civic events. In these cases charity must prevail." "Charity must prevail." One might think that there would be no need to explicitly state this precept in a Christian church. One might think this especially true of Lutherans, whose confession of faith requires them to "apologize for[their neighbor], speak well of him, and interpret charitably all that he does." One would think wrongly. A small number of pastors want David Benke out of their denomination. Although the denomination president approved of his actions, in the byzantine world of church politics, the second vice president had the responsibility for ruling, and has suspended (pending appeal) Dave Benke from office. The president, flabbergasted, has ordered that the suspension be reconsidered, noting that the convention voted that "charity must prevail." Such charity does not sit well with those who want David Benke out. They have spent innumerable hours arguing that, no, charity is not required here, the convention vote on charity does not apply to this case, that they think that Dave Benke dissed God so much that there is no need to interpret what he did charitably. That many others see Dave Benke's actions as good does not matter. That yet others who disagree with the actions are willing to be charitable is of no consequence. Those three pesky words, "charity must prevail", must be subdued, buried, forgotten. In their view, there is no need for charity here--charity would be wrong. So they would argue. But they keep hitting those three little words: charity must prevail. Three very pesky words. Charity must prevail. James K. Gruetzner |
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