Living Theology
in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Volume 8, Number 1
Pentecost 2003
Human
Sexuality in the ELCA
Writing in First
Things (“While We're At It,” April 2003, pg. 84), Richard John Neuhaus probed issues raised by Keith Forni in Let's Talk
(“The Allure of Catholicity: Latino Lutheran Ministries in the Crosshairs,”
Vol.7.2, Christmas 2002). Readers will recall that Forni was responding to an
article in the Chicago Sun Times: “Are Lutherans pretending to
be Catholic to lure Hispanics?” Neuhaus
writes as follows (Copyright © 2003 by the Institute on Religion and Public
Life, used by permission):
The Chicago Sun Times prompted something of
an ecumenical kerfuffle with a long story under the headline, “Are Lutherans
Pretending to be Catholic to Lure Hispanics?”
Some Catholic priests think so.
Pastor Keith Forni of a congregation that goes by the name of Iglesia
Santa Cruz Church protests. Yes, he
writes in a Lutheran publication, some Lutheran parishes reaching out to
Latinos have holy water at the door, display pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe,
call the pastor “Father,” celebrate a liturgy very much like the Catholic Mass,
and downplay the name “Lutheran.” But
for Lutherans, or at least for Lutherans who understand themselves to be
“evangelical catholics,” such practices can be justified by appeal to the
original intention of the Lutheran Reformation. Pr. Forni notes that Luther himself did not intend a church
called Lutheran. Yet, as he
acknowledges, there is the question of “truth in packaging.” In response to the criticism that it is
deceptive for Lutherans—and he mentions Episcopalians as well—working among
Hispanics not to prominently display their denominational affiliation, he says,
“My nearest Roman Catholic parish is commonly known as ‘Mount Carmel Church’”
—without any mention of Catholic or Roman Catholic. Well, yes, but for almost all Hispanics the default position is
Catholic. That is to say, a church that
does the aforementioned things is assumed by Hispanics to be Catholic. This is not a big deal, except for the people
immediately involved. Lutheran and
Episcopal outreach to Hispanics is minuscule compared with the work of
Pentecostals, who make no secret of the fact that they are not Catholic and
are, more often than not, overtly anti-Catholic. But there are interesting questions raised. “Lure” may not be the right word, but there
is something sly about trading in mistaken identities. Of course, Lutheran and Episcopal parishes
could put their denominational identity front and center, offering themselves
as a way of being catholic without really being what almost everybody means by
being Catholic. But it is somewhat
demeaning to present oneself as a substitute for the Real Thing. I am sympathetic to the Catholic priests who
are critical of non-Catholics presenting themselves as Catholics. At the same time, it is good for priests to
know how much some Protestants do share with Catholics. The question posed in Chicago and elsewhere
is but one of many vexing ambiguities in being a lower-case catholic.
By saying that ecumenical Hispanic ministry tensions illustrate yet
another of the “vexing ambiguities of being a lower case catholic,” Fr. Neuhaus
posits a catholicity of degrees. Do
Roman Catholics have a corner on true catholicity? Lutheran pastors in Latino contexts have been serving parish
ministries for decades with catholic substance and evangelical spirit. They share the view that Reformation
heritage does not require a departure from catholic faith. “Protestant” is not their primary term of
self-identification. (Indeed,
“protestant-ism” defies exclusive attachment to 16th century Europe. Dynamics of protest are certainly evident
even, and especially, within the contemporary U.S. Roman Catholic Church these days.)
Referring
to instances of misrepresented or misunderstood denominational identity, Fr.
Neuhaus contends that “This is not a big deal, except for the people
immediately involved.” But our
ecumenical witness has been
diminished. The recent Chicago episode
has put an area synodical / diocesan covenant to the test. Involved congregations and judicatories
would be well served by having the covenant republished bilingually and
circulated widely. It can be a
foundation for dialogue and inter-parish prayer services as well as mutual
social ministries and church-based community organizing efforts. In addition, it must be noted that tensions
such as those highlighted by the August ‘02 Chicago
Sun Times and the Jan ‘03 issue of The
Lutheran are not limited to Chicagoland Hispanic communities.
A word
of credit needs to be given to Latino laity.
They have discernment skills and can locate the truth. They relate to our clergy: married or
single. They may have un pastor or una pastora. They hear
prayers for Lutheran bishops and eagerly anticipate episcopal visits. Latinos active in Lutheran parishes may attend synod assemblies and come home
to offer a report on the proceedings.
Why
are Latinos coming into Lutheran congregations? I like to think that, at least in part, it is because these are
among the communities where the “Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy
sacraments are administered according to the Gospel” (Augsburg Confession, Art.
VII on The Church). It may also be
because their families have gone there for generations (Puerto Rican Lutherans
have celebrated their centennial year on the island commonwealth). From various Latin countries of origin,
Hispanics find Christian community in Lutheran congregations that, while
imperfect, is attractive, nurturing and authentic. They need not check their piety at the door: they may behold an
image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the sanctuary, can count on weekly
eucharist and won’t get clobbered if they call the pastor “padre.” They are enriched by a lively tradition of
congregational singing and coffee fellowship after misa. For many newcomers, our ecumenical
commitments are refreshing. Many of our
leaders, both lay and ordained, are committed to neighborhood outreach. Our growing congregations have a lower ratio
of laity-to-clergy than most Roman parishes, offering an ease of access to
pastoral care. Also, our practice with
regard to Holy Baptism and strong traditions of Christian education draw many
young parents to our doors as inquirers.
The
“While We’re At It” piece in First Things
inaccurately portrays the parish I serve, Santa Cruz Lutheran Church. My article in the Christmas ‘02 issue of Let’s Talk noted that our bilingual
nature gives rise to varied “identifiers” in the community. In no way do we eschew the word
“Lutheran.” To the contrary, “Lutheran”
or Luterana is often used in multiple
ways given the frequent use of both languages in the outreach materials of this
and many Hispanic congregations. And
yet, we reserve the right to be popularly known as simply “Iglesia Santa Cruz”
just as other congregations may be referenced with or without denominational
identity. Latino Lutheran
congregations, developed within immigrant and transitional communities, often
make use of the facilities of earlier arriving Northern European Lutherans. Current signage will often feature the word
“Lutheran” or an identifying logo. Not
infrequently, these buildings have “Lutheran” actually chiseled in stone! Even if an isolated pastor were to
intentionally try to “trade in mistaken identit[y],” it would be a tough act to
sustain.
Fr.
Neuhaus asserts that Roman Catholic parishes have “the default position,” that
sheer demographics and tradition should make clear to any Hispanic that a
church named in an unqualified way and exhibiting familiar elements of Hispanic
piety must be (Roman) Catholic. Perhaps
this presumably advantaged position within North American culture can be
claimed by the Roman Catholic Church for a while longer, although doing so
ignores nationwide trends and implies that the Catholic Church has “dibs” on
all Latinos.
The
plunging “market share,” if you will, of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church has
been noted by Fr. Andrew Greeley as being a loss of “catastrophic”
proportions. (America, “Defection Among Hispanics - Updated,” Sept. 27, 1997, pg. 12, based on data from the National Opinion Research
Center.) Greeley cites the appeal of
“native” clergy in non-Roman denominations and the perception that
“Protestantism” is viewed as “a path of upward mobility for ambitious
Hispanics.”
This
is not cause for gloating in our (Lutheran or other non-Roman)
congregations. Hispanic population
growth is off the charts. An enormous
number of Hispanics have no real attachment to a faith community. With their peers of all cultures, Latino
youth are increasingly drawn to the lesser gods of materialism and
hedonism. The U.S. continues to be a
powerful economic magnet, steadily drawing thousands who will risk their lives
to cross the border. As one ecumenical
colleague once put it, “There’s plenty of ministry for all of us.” As Jesus put
it, “The harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few.” Imagine what could happen
if Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians and others in the one body of
Christ were focused together on an upper case imperative from the Lord of the
Church: the Great Commission.