I quickly get
lost, however, in discussions about abstract concepts from philosophy and systematic
theology. Instead, as a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, I
feel better able to grasp how the church as the Body of Christ is a tangible,
physical thing. The spiritual dimension is still true and important to me, but it’s
the physical dimension of the church where we experience the church as minds,
hearts, hands, and legs . . . doing God’s work with our bodies in the world.
On its website,
the ELCA calls itself a “publicly engaged church” as it presents itself to the
world [
When we in the
ELCA call ourselves a “publicly engaged” church, does it mean that we make our
service to neighbors visible to the community instead of doing it more quietly
and anonymously? Is it a statement about being better servants of justice when helping
our neighbors with their needs? How deeply woven into our Lutheran identity is
our public engagement, especially if it can be seen in a more political way, as
working for justice in society?
And then there’s
this: anyone ordained into rostered ministry in the ELCA, either as a Deacon or
a Pastor, finds the “public ministry” of the church among the responsibilities
we promise to undertake faithfully in our work. But what does this use of
“public” mean? How is it defined or understood in that phrase? Is it the same
as when we talk about ourselves as “publicly engaged” in our communities?
In other
Lutheran denominations, the phrase “public ministry” is said to refer to the
“proper” administration of the sacraments and the preaching of God’s Word.
There is often no elaboration beyond that, but the definition seems to indicate
that, at least in those churches, public ministry isn’t really public at all,
in that it’s not about serving neighbors without placing strict boundaries around
the ministry. Public ministry in those churches is visible to anyone who looks
into the open door of the sanctuary, but it’s doctrinal and internal to the church
itself.
I actually like
the ELCA’s self-identification of itself as a publicly engaged church, but that
“like” feels subjective and personal, because it describes what I think the
church needs to be in the world right now. It feels like I’m basing my beliefs
on a kind of eisegesis, i.e. selectively using scripture and other basics of
the Christian faith to support my own claims about doing God’s work – instead
of exegesis – discovering what God is saying about justice and neighbors first,
independent of what I believe personally.
And right now is
the time for us to take this seriously, in the midst of so many troubles: As we witness how inadequate the response
to COVID-19 has been in our capitalist, individualist society. As we face a difficult and divisive national election. As we work
through the implications of becoming a sanctuary denomination. As we address
the inequities and racism in our church and in our society.
We need to dig deep
into understanding how the words of the prophets, the radical nature of the
gospel, and the teachings of Paul guide a church and a society that needs to
respond with empathy and not judgement to the needs of millions of marginalized
and powerless people in our own country and around the world.
It's time for a comprehensive
understanding of “public” engagement and “public” ministry that doesn’t feel
subjective, personal, or partisan. We need a Biblically based statement that guides
the practices and policies of this church as a spiritual AND tangible expression
of the Body of Christ. We need to discover whether we truly are a church in
which God’s work is done with our hands every day.
Are we ready for
that work?
Deacon David Rask Behling
Hunger and Justice Advocate,
NW Synod of Wisconsin [ELCA]
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