Harboring a Hermeneutic of Faith—Breaking the Scarlet Letter
By Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM
This is going to be an article that is addressing something much greater than the ELCA. This especially so because it is a trend in most “Mainline,” liberal/ Progressive denominations. What's so liberating as well as what's so progressive about a gospel that no longer seeks to preach and teach Christ as a transforming element to their lives? This question came out of our weekly Bible study as well as it has increasingly become a haunting element to my daily interactions in the church world.
What was interesting a few weekends back was that I truly went against my vow of not entertaining politics and posted a picture of myself and my husband with a high profile Republican leader in Illinois, on social media. Maybe a part of me wanted to feel the lashes of people possibly unfriending me or what not.... Which actually didn’t happen as expected but in the past I have noted people who’ve blocked me and frankly I don't know how I offended them but welcome to the world and the challenge of defending the Gospel, the real Gospel, the one that Christ Jesus, the Lord gave us!
Circling back to that party and that picture—in many ways, I did this as a rebellion against politics in some senses as well as the labels… it goes back to that old statement: “I am, who I am, I don't fit your mold.” We have definitely been a culture that has catered to The Scarlet Letter. It even exposes itself in the interview process. Recently interviewing for various opportunities to serve, I have noticed an interesting dynamic: the older communities want you to declare where you stand. It is almost the first question they ask. What does it really matter anyway if I am a dash “Republican” have some Centrist views that may be considered "liberal," have perspectives that are much more Biblically concerned then socially self- oriented concerns? Apparently it does and now troubles these communities over and above your faithfulness and care to the Gospel!
My question is to all of those out there with their stack of degrees, and their accolades of doctrinal mountains: Are you really and truly preaching and teaching the Gospel? Or is it your own Gospel that needs Politics as a hermeneutic to control Christ and the Holy Spirit? The more liberal churches are more open to women in ministry, the more conservative even those supposedly affirming or entertaining the notion of women are still relatively or truthfully, closed. On the opposite side of the coin of that—the more liberal churches are completely if not blatantly intolerant of you if you dare to be a “closet” conservative… Whereas the traditional churches are supportive of you but not if you’re a woman (not really…). This is just one ridiculous dynamic I’ve confronted in my efforts to merely serve.
They say history repeats itself in many ways... are we doing that now mirroring the fall of Rome with the fall of America and the fall of the postmodern Protestant church? If everything from bathroom usage, intersexed Jesus to the Republican white Nordic Jesus is what we’re dividing and closing churches to at an alarming rate … then there’s a problem. If we’re scoping out prospective faithful pastors and labeling one another as “formerly ELCA” or this or that… we’re gravely aiding to destroy the Gospel’s imperative.
I was tremendously saddened to hear that the once open to all Lutherans program—the Diakonia program has now become an exclusive and exclusionary program to “ELCA” only. (I not only went through that program but a few years back even served on the steering panel for it in the Chicago area.) The woman who took over the program said this without even a crack to her facial expression. What was ironic and seemed to be brushed under the table is that something like 13 locations have now dwindled down to 3. With the starting location in the Chicago area closed… Are we living into making disciples and instructing, encouraging leadership? I really don’t think so, at all!
As a pastor my heart has been taught to care for people and I feel I have Faithfully lived into that concept of love God and neighbor. Yes it's true we need to address the context of whom we serve… but how are we truly and truthfully addressing their needs? I wrote an article on here earlier about being a pastor for Christ versus a chaplain to culture. In the age that we need to be rebuilding and rethinking how to carry the Gospel into the future I still feel that we are not addressing what progress truly should mean and look like.
Designer hermeneutics serve no purpose especially if they are not going back to that one string note that the gospel is calling us to which is living into being transformed by the grace and Love Of Christ, as well as being accountable and motivated to carry on His mission in the world as naturally produced fruits of faith. Being faithful to the Gospel above and beyond “Lutheranism” and more about the larger umbrella of Christianity is harboring a hermeneutic of faith.
What exactly is a hermeneutic of faith, what does it mean? The one thing we Lutherans are blessed with is having a good process for the most part of studying scripture. We look at scripture through lenses also known as the practice of hermeneutics. What has been taking place however is a new trend is designer hermeneutics that are now bordering on being ideologies around the self and works righteousness. In fact, if anything the liberal church has reinvented the law by trying to dissolve and politicize it. Designer hermeneutics are creating a monster. This monster is the scarlet letter in a postmodern weary age hungering for the real Gospel but getting all this other stuff instead…
We need to address this trend of Bad theology as it is running rampant because we are approaching God's word with outside lenses only. These lens really do not give any credence to the authority and sovereignty within the Word. It can't be an either-or reality but unfortunately that is what it becomes if you Harbor faith and try to come with a perspective that is lending some credence to the authority of God's Word as well as the various hermeneutic perspectives you need to review scripture through.
Perhaps this is just another article arguing for the divisiveness and politicking to end not only in the ELCA but all of the mainstream Protestant denominations out there… To whom do you serve? Isn’t all this bickering, Machiavellian behavior ignoring the largest problems in our church today? Aren’t we most successfully closing down more churches than building them up? Here’s an idea, if the Bible can’t be “controlled,” why not really teach it? Why not really live into it? Why not listen to the Holy Spirit over the political temptations of Satan? Something to think about amidst everything and anything we talk about above and over Christ and His Gospel…
Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM
Bio update:
Reverend Collins is a minister through the Lutheran Orthodox Church as well as a postulant in the Franciscan Order of Divine Mercy. Upon the completion of her postulant journey, she will be in charge of the women’s aspect of the Order. She is currently the founder pastor for her own house church, The Grace Hub as well as the Spiritual Formation Pastor for the Gathering North church plant that meets in Glenview, Illinois. This coming fall she will be an online instructor through Faith Points Lutheran Bible Institute (opening TBA). She is planning to continue her studies and go on for a doctorate in Pastoral Ministry. She has previously contributed to this site: http://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/are-you-a-chaplain-to-culture-or-are-you-a-pastor-for-christ
By Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM
This is going to be an article that is addressing something much greater than the ELCA. This especially so because it is a trend in most “Mainline,” liberal/ Progressive denominations. What's so liberating as well as what's so progressive about a gospel that no longer seeks to preach and teach Christ as a transforming element to their lives? This question came out of our weekly Bible study as well as it has increasingly become a haunting element to my daily interactions in the church world.
What was interesting a few weekends back was that I truly went against my vow of not entertaining politics and posted a picture of myself and my husband with a high profile Republican leader in Illinois, on social media. Maybe a part of me wanted to feel the lashes of people possibly unfriending me or what not.... Which actually didn’t happen as expected but in the past I have noted people who’ve blocked me and frankly I don't know how I offended them but welcome to the world and the challenge of defending the Gospel, the real Gospel, the one that Christ Jesus, the Lord gave us!
Circling back to that party and that picture—in many ways, I did this as a rebellion against politics in some senses as well as the labels… it goes back to that old statement: “I am, who I am, I don't fit your mold.” We have definitely been a culture that has catered to The Scarlet Letter. It even exposes itself in the interview process. Recently interviewing for various opportunities to serve, I have noticed an interesting dynamic: the older communities want you to declare where you stand. It is almost the first question they ask. What does it really matter anyway if I am a dash “Republican” have some Centrist views that may be considered "liberal," have perspectives that are much more Biblically concerned then socially self- oriented concerns? Apparently it does and now troubles these communities over and above your faithfulness and care to the Gospel!
My question is to all of those out there with their stack of degrees, and their accolades of doctrinal mountains: Are you really and truly preaching and teaching the Gospel? Or is it your own Gospel that needs Politics as a hermeneutic to control Christ and the Holy Spirit? The more liberal churches are more open to women in ministry, the more conservative even those supposedly affirming or entertaining the notion of women are still relatively or truthfully, closed. On the opposite side of the coin of that—the more liberal churches are completely if not blatantly intolerant of you if you dare to be a “closet” conservative… Whereas the traditional churches are supportive of you but not if you’re a woman (not really…). This is just one ridiculous dynamic I’ve confronted in my efforts to merely serve.
They say history repeats itself in many ways... are we doing that now mirroring the fall of Rome with the fall of America and the fall of the postmodern Protestant church? If everything from bathroom usage, intersexed Jesus to the Republican white Nordic Jesus is what we’re dividing and closing churches to at an alarming rate … then there’s a problem. If we’re scoping out prospective faithful pastors and labeling one another as “formerly ELCA” or this or that… we’re gravely aiding to destroy the Gospel’s imperative.
I was tremendously saddened to hear that the once open to all Lutherans program—the Diakonia program has now become an exclusive and exclusionary program to “ELCA” only. (I not only went through that program but a few years back even served on the steering panel for it in the Chicago area.) The woman who took over the program said this without even a crack to her facial expression. What was ironic and seemed to be brushed under the table is that something like 13 locations have now dwindled down to 3. With the starting location in the Chicago area closed… Are we living into making disciples and instructing, encouraging leadership? I really don’t think so, at all!
As a pastor my heart has been taught to care for people and I feel I have Faithfully lived into that concept of love God and neighbor. Yes it's true we need to address the context of whom we serve… but how are we truly and truthfully addressing their needs? I wrote an article on here earlier about being a pastor for Christ versus a chaplain to culture. In the age that we need to be rebuilding and rethinking how to carry the Gospel into the future I still feel that we are not addressing what progress truly should mean and look like.
Designer hermeneutics serve no purpose especially if they are not going back to that one string note that the gospel is calling us to which is living into being transformed by the grace and Love Of Christ, as well as being accountable and motivated to carry on His mission in the world as naturally produced fruits of faith. Being faithful to the Gospel above and beyond “Lutheranism” and more about the larger umbrella of Christianity is harboring a hermeneutic of faith.
What exactly is a hermeneutic of faith, what does it mean? The one thing we Lutherans are blessed with is having a good process for the most part of studying scripture. We look at scripture through lenses also known as the practice of hermeneutics. What has been taking place however is a new trend is designer hermeneutics that are now bordering on being ideologies around the self and works righteousness. In fact, if anything the liberal church has reinvented the law by trying to dissolve and politicize it. Designer hermeneutics are creating a monster. This monster is the scarlet letter in a postmodern weary age hungering for the real Gospel but getting all this other stuff instead…
We need to address this trend of Bad theology as it is running rampant because we are approaching God's word with outside lenses only. These lens really do not give any credence to the authority and sovereignty within the Word. It can't be an either-or reality but unfortunately that is what it becomes if you Harbor faith and try to come with a perspective that is lending some credence to the authority of God's Word as well as the various hermeneutic perspectives you need to review scripture through.
Perhaps this is just another article arguing for the divisiveness and politicking to end not only in the ELCA but all of the mainstream Protestant denominations out there… To whom do you serve? Isn’t all this bickering, Machiavellian behavior ignoring the largest problems in our church today? Aren’t we most successfully closing down more churches than building them up? Here’s an idea, if the Bible can’t be “controlled,” why not really teach it? Why not really live into it? Why not listen to the Holy Spirit over the political temptations of Satan? Something to think about amidst everything and anything we talk about above and over Christ and His Gospel…
Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM
Bio update:
Reverend Collins is a minister through the Lutheran Orthodox Church as well as a postulant in the Franciscan Order of Divine Mercy. Upon the completion of her postulant journey, she will be in charge of the women’s aspect of the Order. She is currently the founder pastor for her own house church, The Grace Hub as well as the Spiritual Formation Pastor for the Gathering North church plant that meets in Glenview, Illinois. This coming fall she will be an online instructor through Faith Points Lutheran Bible Institute (opening TBA). She is planning to continue her studies and go on for a doctorate in Pastoral Ministry. She has previously contributed to this site: http://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/are-you-a-chaplain-to-culture-or-are-you-a-pastor-for-christ