…but…Neil…you never LISTEN! .a blog by Neil Hart on the Lutheran Church of Australia. My spell checker has no idea what hermaneutics means. Im not surprised really. Neither , it seems, do many… Read More
Let’s open the windows man, coz i think someone farted in here!
Theology…God stuff…is not the reserve of the clergy. It does not sit well on the agendas of representative committees, officially appointed discussion groups, pastors’ conferences or commissions.
Theology, first and foremost is something that is done over bbqs, in living rooms, on long drives and in random internet random chat rooms. It is done by all of us as we talk argue agree fight listen reflect change teach and learn to with by and from each other.
Earlier this year, a working group was set up by the LCA. It began to consider the question of consensus. How can we find answers to controversial and difficult questions.
Consider this statement taken from the committee’s report.
Synod (the representative gathering of the church) should not vote on doctrinal change. It should await a statement from the pastors’ conference articulating the consensus of the pastors on the matter under dispute. Delegates should then, after due deliberation and discussion, either refer the matter back to the pastors’ conference, or give their assent to the recommended doctrinal change by rising.
Man! that statement sure has an optimistic view of what a conference of pastor’s is able to achieve. I have only been to one national pastor’s conference and it proved to be a sad gathering of angry men speaking from entrenched positions. I have no real desire to go to another.
Of course there is a place for the pastors and specialist commissions. But that place should never silence or disempower the whole people of God in the theological process, particularly on controversial issues. The statement above does exactly that. It is a recipe for alienation. Surely a healthier approach is one which attempts to engage as many people as possible in the process.
Well, im only one person, but i would like to be a part of a much wider (perhaps even church wide) discussion on theological issues. So….here it is….my start…my voice…my opinion. Have a read. agree, disagree but mostly, COMMENT! join the discussion. Maybe you can start your own blog, link with mine and lets see what happens. Lets open the windows a little.
Neil Hart. 27 October 2011. Finally…the churches unite.. Jesus prayer in John’s Gospel has been answered…”May they be one Father. As we are one… that the world may know that you sent me!”Im… Read More
