Upper- and lower-case questions

Christian Century, Feb 8, 2005

UPPER- AND LOWER-CASE QUESTIONS: Quoting Charles Miller, Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, makes a distinction between upper-case and lower-case questions. It is an upper-case question to ask: "To what mission does God call this church today?" Or "What kind of church serves God's mission in the world today?" A lower-case question is one that asks about the future of denominations.

The colonial organizer of American Lutheranism, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, said that the structure of the church is but "the external scaffolding of the spiritual edifice." Nevertheless, lower-case questions still matter: Will denominations like the ELCA persist in serving as preservers of a once immigrant tradition in an increasingly pluralistic context? Will they be defined by the issues that divide them rather than the gospel, faith and mission that bind them? Will denominations be responsive to the desire people have that faith makes a difference, not just in their personal lives but also in the world? And will denominational leaders be prophetic by calling their members away from self-preoccupation and out into a world in need of healing and hope? (Word & World, Winter).