When I moved into the office of East Koshkonong Lutheran Church (in rural Wisconsin) in 2011, I inherited, among other documents, a collection of the works of E. Clifford Nelson, church historian of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America.
I learned a lot from his two volume history, made all the more existential because it was the history of the very prairie community I served.
One of the stories that might startle readers today was a debate that raged among Norwegian Lutherans in the 1880s. Caught up in their differences on how literally to interpret Scripture, a rather divisive controversy arose over slavery. Seemingly oblivious to the decisiveness of the Civil War and the establishment of the 14th amendment (a decade and a half prior!), these exegetes/theologians believed there was something worthwhile in still debating (perhaps even dividing the church) over the topic of whether or not Scripture condoned slavery.
So here we are now in 2023, almost eight years after the Oberfegell vs. Hodges decision establishing same-gender marriages as recognized in our country. Yet just this past week, a very large church in our town split into three groups over the topic of whether or not they will affirm same-gender marriages and more specifically, whether they will affirm and welcome clergy in same-gender marriages.
But that very public church split is simply a microcosm of a much larger issue: the majority of churches in our community and state are still committed to exclusion.
The longer this goes on, the more they all appear much like those Norwegian Lutherans of the 1880s, entirely out of touch with the actual moral framework of the nation, and more importantly, so caught up in their antiquated bigotry they cannot see the opportunities right in front of them to participate in the work of justice and restoration.
Notice: inasmuch as Norwegian Lutherans in the 1880s were caught up in abstract exegetical debates about the Scripture and slavery, it is quite unlikely they were organizing meetings on how best to conduct restorative practices to assist African-American communities in rebuilding and thriving after slavery. So distracted by their exegetical debates, they likely came across as out of touch and callous.
Similarly, when churches in 2023 host big “celebratory” church services proclaiming how three new churches now emerge out of one, two of them quite overtly NOT affirming queer clergy, this kind of celebration rings so very hollow because we all know it arises out of their apparent complete disregard for LGBTQIA+ neighbors in Arkansas.
No, not just disregard. Actual disdain. It’s like seeing posts about the “big beautiful body of Christ” but everyone knows the photos are really of a newly forming “bigoted body of Christ.”
I’d just like to make very clear: I know where I stand, and who I stand with. I stand with the queer community.
I’m so very sorry that somehow the majority of Christians in 2023, now eight years after Oberfegell, are comfortable still attending churches that do not recognize marriage equality. And entirely apart from marriage equality (because that is always simply a stand-in for the larger set of justice issues related to LGBTQIA+ inclusions), most if not all churches in our community are entirely silent on matters of justice for trans people–in a moment when they are under attack by “Christian” legislators.
This makes the formation of new churches (and the celebration of them), the gifting of hundreds of thousands of dollars and multi-million dollar buildings, all for church restructuring, appear quite like those debates of the Norwegian Lutherans in the 1880s over slavery.
On the wrong side of history, inattentive to the weightier matters of justice, frustratingly out of touch with how the church might actually love their neighbors.
We are no longer in a moment when we can in good faith say that we are simply of differing minds but one in Christ. We are no longer in a moment when we can say people just need time to adjust.
Our nation, our culture, the majority of Americans, all have recognized we got this one wrong. It’s time for the church to catch up, and also ask itself why it hasn’t been leading.
It’s time to stop celebrating mealy-mouthed unity and call it what it is: stubborn commitment to bigotry under the guise of religiosity.
Thank you so very much for this "Open Letter". I is thoughtful, compassionate and shows your heart for all of God's peoples'. WE need more like you in all the denominations. THANK YOU for still being active and seeing how God's people should be treated. Jesus said it all, but seems not very many are listening.