"The Creator's Tapestry" Transitions into "Ordain Women Now"

A while back a website was formed in reaction to the LCMS's Commission on Theology and Church Relation's document "The Creator's Tapestry."  This document discussed the roles of women from a biblical point of view as understood in the Missouri Synod.  Predictably some disagreed with this document and established a site to address it, having been largely unsuccessful in getting the powers that be to seriously change their views or revise the document.  Although one could readily guess the underlying sentiment of the website and its author's, it appeared that the initial goal was simply to open the discussion about the role of women in the church.  That has now changed.  Although the address still lists the site as "www.thecreatorstapsetry.com," the new title proclaims: "Ordain Women Now in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod."   To their credit they are at least fully honest about their true intent.

Although it is no surprise to me, the site is now clearly linked with Dr. Matthew Becker and his blog, as well as the Daystar Journal, both of which have been reviewed by the Northwoods Seelsorger.  In the past such views were kept largely hidden from public view.  Now they are very much in the open.  Dr. Becker has commented on multiple discussion boards/blog sites, being very forward in his conviction that women should be ordained.  The reaction from conservative/confessional lay people and pastors has been resistive, and the reaction of officials in the Synod....well, it appears silent for now.  He is free to proclaim contrary to Synod's positions very publicly as often as he desires without any repercussion. 

By following the link above you can visit and review the site for yourself.  The rhetoric remains predictable, so no new review is needed here.  One point, however, can be noted.  A couple of the articles ascribe "fear" to the motivation of the LCMS for not moving forward with desired change in the synod, especially in ordaining women.  Unfortunately this demeaning interpretation is applied to all who oppose the changes for which they clamor, assuming we are just too afraid to do what is right. In other words, we are cowards, holding back to save face. To correct this misinterpretation, let me state as clearly as possible that many of us in the Missouri Synod oppose the ordination of women, not out of craven fear of change, but out of deep commitment to the Word.  If anything we are fearful of offending our holy God and the Truth.  It is too bad that they cannot respect this motivation, even if they disagree with it.  I have no doubt that many of those who desire this change may be equally committed to what they view as truth.  They are wrong, and I am will call it as such.  But to ascribe further motivation is often risky, as we must delve into the unseen reaches of a person's mind and heart.  So, please, at least give us credit for our convictions and leave fear out of it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Firefighter's Cross

Image
[Note: A similar article to this will be shared with my department at their next meeting. During this Lenten season when we are meditating on the significance and meaning of the Passion of our Lord and the Cross at Golgotha, it seemed like one way to offer a witness to the department that captured their interest and yet was not too heavy.] [Editorial Note: In response to a recent comment on this article I have made some changes to the original version of this article especially in regard to references to the so-called St. Florian's Cross. For any confusion the previous unreferenced information may have caused I apologize. I hope that the changes are satisfactory.] THE STORY OF THE MALTESE CROSS In many ways the familiar symbol to the right requires no explanation. It is the universal insignia of firefighting nationwide. Yet the precise origins of this symbol are less clear. The most popular explanation proposes its beginning in the far distant past of medieval Crusaders fi...
Read more

Historical Roots of the Warham Guild Hood

Image
In doing just a little checking on the internet, it's interesting to see how the Warham Guild hood, which I have as part of my STM degree attire, is actually a throwback to the Medieval hood. One article notes "the work of the Warham Guild in its imaginative renderings of medieval hoods" (reference is from here ). Again, here is my hood: The Medieval hood, which was originally a very practical outer garment to cover a person's head and shoulders, protecting both from the elements, bears striking resemblance to this revived form: This hood was also a part of the garb of monks in that era. The Medieval hood, in some cases, also had what is known as a "liripipe," a long tail hanging from the back of a hood. You can see the modern stylized version of this on my own hood. From an article on "Academic hood development" we read that "By 1463 the favourite dress of doctors was the hood with round bell-shaped cape, and the lir...
Read more

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Image
According to a recent documentary, for all the talk about academic freedom in the world of the large American university system, it would seem that it extends only as far as the system defines it - especially with regards to the subject of origins and science. Noted speechwriter Ben Stein stars as host of the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Dr. Angus Menuge, professor of philosophy at CUW, highlights the film in an article included in the Concordia University - Wisconsin magazine Concordian , including some seemingly revealing details about the expulsion of talented scientists who apparently were ‘expelled‘ from their positions for mentioning the theory of Intelligent Design: “In the current climate, even when academicians have a relevant doctorate and a track-record of peer-reviewed publication, their careers suffer if they argue that the scientific evidence points to an intelligent source involved in the creation of the world. In 1992, Dean Kenyon, a biology professor at ...
Read more