Letters to the editor
Get faith right and works will follow Bishop column, minimum wage & ‘trump cards’ articles stir up readers
NOVEMBER 2013 •
www.thelutheran.org • $2.50 Yes, she really nailed it, what it means ®
to be Lutheran. The Rev. William Perkins Duluth, Minn.
Get up and go
A joyful beginning
Eaton’s installation 8
Recovering from Sandy 16 Activism at work 20 Help for female vets 28 Higher ed: 21-page report 40
The study guide “Activism: ‘Doing church’ a new way” (November, page 26) seems to be saying that social work can be the main purpose of the church. The church is not just another social service agency. Its main purpose is to praise God, which is both our duty and our joy. It is also there to bring up chil- dren in the faith through baptism, Sun- day school, worship services, commu- nion, confirmation and youth groups, and to evangelize, as well as to do good works in the community and the world. If you get the faith right, it will produce good works, which is the evidence of faith. If works isn’t there, go back and look at the faith of the church. It doesn’t work the other way around—
works doesn’t lead to faith. Richard N. Bergesen West Chester, Pa.
Nailed it
The article on the installation of Pre- siding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton (November, page 8) and her first col- umn (page 70) were great. I wish the column could be reproduced and sent to all households for everyone to read.
48 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
More pastors need to take a minimum wage job for three months to discover the challenge many people experience (November, page 69). The Rev. Bar- bara L. Girod’s article omits the many shortcomings of such workers—high school dropouts, refusal to take voca- tional training, going to college with no occupational aim. People shouldn’t whine about pay/income and not do anything about it. The problem is we are too comfortable within the current culture and not willing to go where the
work is or secure retraining. August H. Luthens Colfax, Iowa
A great story
I just wanted to read more about the Rev. Joseph Ellwanger’s role in the civil rights movement (November, page 34). Please consider another arti- cle or possibly tell me where I could
read more about this amazing pastor. The Rev. Marlin Otte Marion, Ill.
There is a way to God I strongly disagree with the Rev. Dave Daubert’s statement that “there is no way to God” (October, page 28). In John 14:6, Jesus clearly states that he is the way. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith. The faith response is absolutely essen- tial—that is “the way.” That may take the form of baptism, confirmation or a simple prayer expressing faith (“Lord, I believe, help my unbelief”) and so on.
Everyone’s faith journey is unique and there is no set “formula,” but there has to be a commitment to an ongoing rela- tionship with our Lord. To say that we don’t have a part in the equation takes away the personal responsibility we all have and dangerously implies we can
just sit back, do nothing and all is OK. Dave Gale Auburn, Wash.
Supper and prayers “All of us behind one” was very inter- esting (October, page 30). The women of the American Lutheran Church Maumee Valley Conference of North- western Ohio sponsored a missionary beginning in 1970. After the denomi- national merger and the Women of the ELCA was formed, we voted to con- tinue this sponsorship. We did not real- ize it was a unique project and are truly blessed to share Christ’s great com- mission through financial support and prayers for John and Barbara LeMond
for the past decades. Sue McKibben Defiance, Ohio
It’s God’s creation to lose Climate change is an issue that the church should be involved in (“Let- ters to the editor,” October, page 48) because more than anything it embod- ies the essence of stewardship. The earth is a conditional offering, loaned to us with the stipulation that we preserve and protect rather than pillage and plun- der. The mining of carbon and emitting it into the atmosphere is the most radi- cal experiment ever, yet we refuse to listen to our modern-day prophets who, using the best available science, warn us of an impending disaster. It is uncon- scionable for the church to remain
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