As I write this, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Pittsburgh. I am here as a voting member to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The theme of our assembly is "always being made new" based on 2 Corinthians 5:17. Yesterday we made history. That was the day we elected Rev. Elizabeth Eaton as our new presiding bishop. She is the first female to serve in that capacity. I have to tell you that the best part about her election in my mind was that fact that her gender had no role in her election. This was all about who we felt would be the best leader for us in the coming six years as we seek to live out the call to always be made new. I am thrilled by her with the energy and voice that she brings.
But her election was not all sunshine and lollipops. Bishop Mark Hanson, our presiding bishop for the last 12 years also ran for re-election. He is a man who has done marvelous things. He is a steady and faithful leader, who led our church through a tumultuous 12 years. He leads with grace and mercy. He is as good of a leader as we could have asked for. No, he's better than we could have asked for. He is universally respected and rightfully so. He is a man that coming into this assembly, most (I assume) figured would breeze to an easy re-election. This was not the case.
So Bishop Eaton's election comes at the cost of losing a familiar, dear, and wonderful leader. This is a painful loss, and one that I know personally I need time to grieve. And as I reflect on the events of the last 24 hours, I am struck with the fact that our call to always be made new is not an easy one. Being made new is a scary and often painful process. Our God calls us to new things in new places all the time, and that call doesn't come with the promise that we won't get hurt. In 2 weeks, I begin my internship in southwest Minnesota. Moving my family, moving away from my family, and my beloved community to a place and a people I don't know is an exciting move, but also a really painful and scary thing. But in the end, it is also the thing that God calls me to do. I have to believe this is the case with my church as well. The call of our new bishop gives us new life and energy, but also comes at great cost.
I am learning that this path of following God's call is not the easy one, nor is it intended to be. It is simply the path I need to walk.
Hey Nate,
ReplyDeleteI was in between feedings with my new twin girls and saw that you've begun a blog. You invited challenges, so here comes your first one my friend :). I know this wasn't the thrust of your post, but I'd be curious to here from someone who comes from a different conviction than me.
In regards to a female bishop, or even a female pastor for that matter: What has been the most convincing argument and/or Scripture passages to convince you that this is a good thing and not going against the long-held belief that the main offices of teaching, leadership, and authority in the church (elder, pastor, bishop, etc.) are to be held exclusively by men?
Happy blogging!
Hey nick, I added a response for you. I'd love to chat about this more when I have more time! Congratulations on the twins, I hope all is well with you and thank you for willing to engage in conversation with me.
DeleteHey Nick!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I can adequately answer your question on here, but I'll give you a quick response. It appears to me that most of the dissension of women in leadership roles comes from 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. However, that text is somewhat problematic in light of a few things. First is that it is clear that women were already active in the early church in praying and prophecy. This can be seen 3 chapters earlier in the same book. The second issue comes in the in the interpretation of 14. The chapter as a whole talks about good order in the church, and yes does say that women should not speak. However, we must remember that women in that time and culture were typically uneducated. Given that, their speaking in church would be raising an uneducated voice in the midst of worship. This would be disruptive, which makes sense as to why they would be encouraged to ask their husbands at home. Given that women no longer are uneducated, and equal to men with plenty of God given talents and abilities, I believe they are just as able to lead as a man is. True that it may not be the history, but history can also be viewed as part of an evolving world. Given that, I don't know that history's proper function is to handicap the possibilities of the future.