My view


gospel of Jesus Christ.” Change should be for the sake of the church’s work,


creating and sustaining faith. Nile Sandeen Minneapolis, Minn.


Upon further review


Our men at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Missoula, Mont., have a winter retreat each February, and one of the difficul- ties is finding material to challenge and really interest the men. “Directions, maps, compass” (December, page 20), stood out. Martha E. Stortz’s article cleverly made the path to discipleship so much easier to understand. Her piece was a hit with the men. I encourage other congregations to take a close look at the magazine’s articles and use them


in their education programs. The Rev. Gary A. Sorensen Missoula, Mont.


Theology in film “Today’s politics play like ‘good guy’ vs. ‘bad guys’ ” (March, page 34) does a good job exploring the polarization that exists in politics and on Main Street. I feel compelled to speak up for actor Clint Eastwood, prominently displayed in the accompanying photograph. In the movie Gran Torino, Eastwood transforms into the good guy, even to the point of sac- rificing his life for his friends. As Jesus reminds us, there is no greater love than this. For a good lesson on the theology of


the cross, watch this movie. The Rev. Bernard Kern Fort Worth, Texas


Send “Letters” to: Letters to the Editor, The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631-4183; fax: (773) 380- 2409; e-mail lutheran@thelutheran. org. Please include your name, city and state. Your letter will be considered for publication unless you state other- wise. The Lutheran publishes letters rep- resentative of those received on a given subject. Be brief and limit your letter to a single topic. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. Letters must be signed, but a request for anonymity will be hon- ored if the subject matter is personally sensitive.


“My view” submis- sions should be 400 words on a societal event or issue or on issues in the life of the ELCA. All submis- sions are subject to editing. Send to: “My view, ” The Lutheran, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631; e-mail: lutheran@ thelutheran.org; fax: 773-380-2409.


Lovas, a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, N.D., and her hus- band farm near Hillsboro. She also is a graduate student in soil science at North Dakota State University, Fargo.


By Sarah E.H. Lovas


Task force listened Input on genetics statement considered


I


became invested in the ELCA proposed social state- ment on genetics last summer when it was in draft form. I responded by listing seven items I appreciated and two items I thought needed work. I concluded by telling the ELCA it also needed to work on the way social statements are drafted because the current process causes too much stress at the congregational level.


I read my response at a hearing on the draft statement


held in Adams, N.D., in August. I had no idea how seri- ously my points had been taken until I read the final ver- sion released Feb. 25. “Genetics, Faith and Responsi- bility” (www.elca.org/genetics) is fair to all aspects of agriculture. It is an excellent starting point for a bridge between urban and rural, one that could help explain how genetic technology fits into agriculture today. As a farmer, one of the proposed statement’s most powerful messages is the concept of humans as innova- tive stewards. We are supposed to be stewards of the cre- ation—which to a farmer means feeding a hungry world while preserving the land and environment for the future. The farmers I know do this. We produce the safest, most abundant and cheapest food on the planet. We also want future farmers to have better opportunities. Thus, we take care of our land and environment for generations to come. Genetic technology is a component of making this happen, and the social statement reflects that accurately. The statement addresses other genetic technology


issues as well. The ELCA has taken a stance against the use of human cloning, and opposed genetic profiling and the practice of eugenics. I rejoice in these positions. The ELCA still needs to analyze the way it creates


social statements. We must make sure this is done in a way that doesn’t hinder the declaration of the gospel or the abil- ity of our members to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” Recent social statements debated in the ELCA inhibited the execution of these missions. If we can’t achieve the objectives of declaring the gos- pel and “loving our neighbor as ourselves” as our primary mission, it will be easy for any part of our mission to be questioned and potentially misguided.


That said, the genetics task force listened to my com- ments. Because of the content of the current proposal, I’m also assuming they listened to others within the agricul- tural community. The truth is that when an informed com- ment based in fact was stated, it was heard and regarded justly. M


May 2011 49


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