ELCA Hosts Consultation on 'Book of Faith' Initiative

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) gathered a diverse group of 88 members "engaged in
scholarly work in the field" of biblical education from Vacation
Bible School to doctoral seminary programs. The consultation,
"Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible," used two keynote
addresses, four personal reflections, two Bible studies, and work-
group and panel discussions here Jan. 18-20 to give shape to a
proposed initiative of the church.
"We tried to invite, from across the churchwide organization
and the synods, people who one way or another are engaged already
in getting people into the Bible," said the Rev. Stanley N.
Olson, executive director, ELCA Vocation and Education. "We
deliberately looked for a variety of ages, so we have some
younger scholars here."
"We have an energized, creative, idea machine for how the
church might both work at this double goal of deeper and broader
use of the Scripture and greater appreciation and use of the
historic Lutheran approaches and insights to Scripture reading,"
Olson said.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, told the
gathering he hoped that, as the church enters its third decade,
its 4.85 million members would use the initiative to "be fluent
in the first language of faith -- Scripture." He said he left
the consultation with high expectations for the ELCA to find its
calling in reading and hearing the Bible.
Lutherans in North Carolina proposed the initiative in a
resolution to the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The assembly
referred the resolution on "foundational issues of the authority
of Scripture and principles of biblical interpretation" to ELCA
staff "for development of a report and possible recommendations."
The ELCA Church Council assigned direction of the initiative
to the Office of the Presiding Bishop with program implementation
to be carried out by ELCA Vocation and Education. The council is
the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative
authority of the church between churchwide assemblies.
A planning team of ELCA staff and seminary faculty assembled
the consultation from nominations and volunteers to develop the
report and recommendations. The team will present its report
March 1-6 to the ELCA Conference of Bishops in Galveston, Texas,
and April 13-16 to the council here.
"The ELCA must extend the theology of the cross into the
area of biblical interpretation," Dr. Erik M. Heen, professor of
New Testament and Greek, Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Philadelphia, said in the first keynote address. He said the
"Confession of Faith" in the ELCA Constitution could serve as a
starting point for discussions about how to read the Bible.
"The Bible is the Word of God for Lutherans," Heen said. It
is "the authoritative source and norm" for the church, he said,
but the challenge for the church is to determine that "norm."
The theological work of Lutheran churches prior to ordaining
women in 1970 and the ELCA's current study of human sexuality are
good examples of the church meeting that challenge, he said.
Heen said the ELCA Confession of Faith respects other
interpretations of the Bible. The theology of the cross led the
church to say "our understanding need not come at anyone else's
expense," he said.
"Jesus knew the value of a good story," said Diane L.
Jacobson, ELCA associate in ministry and professor of Old
Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in the second
keynote address. She stressed teaching the Bible for the sake of
learning and to build relationships with God and with one
another.
The ELCA Confession of Faith says the Word of God is Jesus
Christ, the Bible and the proclamation of law and gospel,
Jacobson said. "Proclamation is the work of all the baptized,"
she said. That's why Martin Luther translated the Bible into
German and why the Lutheran church places the Bible into hands of
its members, she said.
"Christ is the living Word of God; Scripture is the cradle
which holds that Word," Jacobson said. When Lutherans read the
Bible, they understand "the center and aim of Scripture to be
'what shows forth Christ,'" she said.
Jacobson agreed with Heen's assessment that the theology of
the cross will aid the initiative. "Somehow we must find a way
to convey this breadth and depth, if our project is to help our
people get to the heart of the gospel," she said.
Jacobson emphasized that the teaching goal of the initiative
will best be measured by what is learned. "The goal is learning
not teaching," she said, urging the group to "find language of
engagement rather than instruction."
"We must start where our people are, or where the people are
who are not in our churches," Hanson said in agreement.
The Rev. Stephanie J. Coltvet, Lutheran Church of the
Transfiguration, Bloomington, Minn.; the Rev. Roy A. Harrisville
III, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Menomonie, Wis.; the Rev.
Eliseo Perez-Alvarez, associate professor of Latino theology and
mission, Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest, Austin,
Texas; and Dr. Mary Streufert, director for justice for women,
ELCA Church in Society, reflected on the effect the Bible has had
on their lives.
The Rev. Mark Allan Powell, assistant professor of New
Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, and Dr.
Elna K. Solvang, assistant professor of religion, Concordia
College, Moorhead, Minn., led Bible studies.
Consultation participants worked in eight small groups
according to their interests and expertise: Adult Studies;
Children and the Bible; Ethics, Daily Life and Contemporary
Issues; Evangelizing and Outreach; Hermeneutics; Theological
Education; Worship and Preaching; and Youth and Young Adult
Ministries.
Each working group had the assignment to discuss "the most
significant opportunities and challenges we have as Lutherans
reading the Bible together," the various contexts of Lutherans,
and the best ways of addressing those opportunities, challenges
and contexts. The working groups reported to the whole group and
presented their notes to the consultation's planning team.
In a closing panel discussion, Heen said he hoped the
project would provide a safe place for Lutherans to "generously
receive" their different interpretations of Scripture.
"What we are about is the vocation of the church," Jacobson
said. "My wish is that everyone who wants to participate in this
project has a way," she said.
"This will not solve the problems of the church. It may not
solve any problems, but it will be good," Olson said. "I believe
this is of the Spirit."
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The ELCA Confession of Faith is on page 19 of a PDF file at http://www.elca.org/secretary/constitutions/ConstitutionsBylawsandContinuingResolutions2005.pdf on the ELCA Web site.

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