Letters to the editor
Home visits by pastors push right bell Worship style questioned while issues involving women cause a stir
® AUGUST 2012
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*Had
religious experiences as youth/ teenagers
*Left of center on most social issues
*Value religious tradition
*Feel called to volunteer service
Spiritual nomads
A blueprint for young adults in ELCA congregations Story 20, study guide 26
‘
*Therapeutic approach to religion
*Open to interpreting tradition
A great preacher of two generations ago ... said, “I cannot preach when under 1,000 visits a year.
’
Thank you for the reminder of the importance of pastoral home visits (August, page 49). It brings to mind three things: 1) Mission pastors’ refus- als to call on people because “only second-class salesmen go door to door”; 2) a great preacher of two gen- erations ago who said, “I cannot preach when under 1,000 visits a year”; and 3) my own experience as an interim pastor calling in members’ homes and often being told that I was the first pas-
tor ever to be in their residences. The Rev. Lawrence Ruegg Walworth, Wis.
Personal contact works Finally, someone knows. How can you be my pastor if you don’t call on me? Why do you sit at your desk and wonder what to do? Is that ministry?
48 The Lutheran •
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Out of step The Lutheran regularly lifts up litur- gical practices that should cause most folk in the pews to scratch their heads, and cause anyone who loves and cares about the dignity of our common lit- urgy to be baffled, even scandalized. “Spiritual nomads” (August, page 20) presents not only a picture of a “step kick liturgical dance around the altar,” but instructions as well. Instead of mercifully burying this nonsense in a back file in a closet somewhere, you put it front and center in the magazine. I honestly thought this was satire, then I realized this is The Lutheran, not The Onion. The Lutheran has a thoroughly different theology of worship than any- one who might consider himself/her-
self to be an orthodox Lutheran. The Rev. Christopher L. Seamon Hobbs, N.M.
Traditions honored Women of the ELCA President Jenni- fer Michael downgrades, degrades and disparages generations of women who have led by example (July, page 49). They did not operate on a social gos- pel and agenda as Michael advocates. The minds of the majority who may host a coffee hour, knit baptismal blan- kets, quilt, serve in the altar guild and dozens of other necessary activities do have “gifts of vision, energy and col-
Is yours a profession with tasks or a community with sacraments and fel- lowship? If you call on people all week it takes two hours or less to craft a ser- mon—there’s plenty to say on Sunday. Visitations can short-stop problems.
Telephone and electronics won’t do it. The Rev. J. Roderick Rinell Sr. East Hampton, Conn.
lective wisdom.” Transformation has become a buzzword for change with no
basis in fact or tradition. M.L. Olson River Falls, Wis.
He said/she said We know God is not gendered because the Bible tells us that both men and women are created in the Lord’s image. Yet for the past 53 years, God has exclusively been referred to as “he” at my church. According to a recent letter to the editor (June, page 48), one would have to be a “feminist radical” to refer to God as “she.” So I’m curious. If one is a feminist radi- cal to refer to God as she, does that mean those who refer to God as he are misogynistic radicals? Shame on the letter writer for name-calling—it’s not productive in any intellectual discus- sion, not to mention unchristian-like. And by the way, striving for equity is
never foolishness. Heidi Vogtmann San Buenaventura, Calif.
Spread the attributes
Why are “life giving, nurturing, lov- ing and protective” only attributes of a mother (July, page 48)? Just wondering
who “stepped back.” Peter Breitsch Williamsville, N.Y.
Keep it civil Martin Luther’s explanation to the eighth commandment (false witness) is summarized as we are to always put the best construction on everything our neighbor says and does. That means we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander or defame our neighbor. Are the candidates for the 2012 elections
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