Letters

Lutheran, The, Aug 2004

Lessons from Texas

Readers want to see changes to candidacy system

Your story ("Texas suit raises more questions," June, page 48) made visible the complexity of the ELCA candidacy and call processes and the high risk for abuse that results from a breakdown in the system. Effective communication and hands-on getting-to-know the candidate among supervisors, seminaries and synods are critical during the candidate's theological training. The emphasis during the processes needs to be on screening out unhealthy individuals as well as on identifying gifts for ministry and the readiness of the candidate. Perhaps the processes might include: requiring background checks; restructuring official candidacy interviews to include people who can personally vouch for the integrity, moral character and readiness of the candidate-people who have personally known the candidate for an extended period of time; creating a database that includes software to note who has contributed to or changed data and when; maintaining clear and consistent guidelines for committees, advisers, supervisors and synods, including a process for reporting allegations of misconduct; establishing opportunities to name a concern and for the candidate to respond; maintaining ongoing communication between the candidate and church authority; and keeping transparency in the processes with information readily available to those who need it.

Peggy Niederer

Leonid, N.J.

Thank you for your report regarding the aftermath of the situation in Marshall, Texas. As the pastor who organized Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and served there from November 1962 to December 1965, I've been disturbed by the failure to take responsibility for the situation by the seminary and the synod with respect to keeping Gerald Thomas out of the ministry and out of Marshall. I'd be interested to know whether anyone from the seminary, synod or ELCA ever has offered an apology for the hurt their actions, or lack of them, caused the members of Good Shepherd.

Charles W. Pegg

Austin, Texas

You have boldly broken new ground in your remarkably forthcoming news article and accompanying editorial (June, page 58). I can't remember an instance where the judicatory's primary publication came clean in the manner you have done for us. I'm continually amazed that folks in government, the corporate world and even in the church try to cover up their mistakes and then are amazed that their credibility declines.

Luther Oelke

Seguin, Texas

More on May

I was puzzled that the ELCA leadership would dedicate an entire issue of The Lutheran (May) to what amounts to a shame game. Lacking any critical thinking, the majority of articles claimed that either we are sending money to the ELCA or we aren't doing anything for the poor, the hungry, the disaster-ridden worldwide who benefit from ELCA mission support. Nothing could be further from the truth. The mission of God is being carried out daily by individual people of God in the process of fulfilling their baptismal vocations. The mission of God is accomplished by assemblies of believers as they gather weekly in congregations. These are the primary foci of mission. Only arrogance would make the claim that the primary focus of mission is in some churchwide structure. There is a legitimate role for synods and churchwide structures that's limited to binding congregations together in ways that support the mission through baptized individuals and through congregations.

Scott Miller

Brookings, S.D.

If congregations more keenly felt the ELCA was supporting them in their mission, attitudes about wider support of ELCA causes would gain a growing hearing and response.

Lloyd E. Sheneman

Chesterbrook, Pa.

The May issue provided a helpful stewardship resource in our congregation. The cover photo, however, was not. One of the issues we pastors face is teaching the biblical concepts of firstfruit and percentage giving. If a picture speaks a thousand words, it will take many sermons to overcome the image of pocket change and a few measly bucks dropped in the collection plate.

George Bement

Houston, Texas

Palestinians and Israelis

Thank you for giving attention to Lutheran World Federation ministries in the occupied West Bank, where access to crucial health care is becoming almost impossible (July, page 42). There's value in including an Israeli perspective, but the comments of Israel's minister of public security shouldn't stand alone. Many Israelis are opposed to the wall based on their commitment to human rights; others believe its construction actually hurts Israel's security. Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan and many other Palestinians have said on the record that Israel has a right to build a wall, but that construction should be limited to Israel's territory. Instead, the wall of separation is being built well beyond the "green line" that marks Israel's border with the occupied Palestinian lands. For more information, see the ELCA Middle East Connections Web site: www.elca.org/middleeast.>Ann Hafften

Coordinator for Middle East Networking