To Be Rooted
To be part of a church with roots in the Reformation is a gift as well as an obligation. It’s an amazing gift of being rooted, but what we’re rooted in simply won’t let us get away with saying “Thanks for the gift,” and then putting it on a shelf. It calls us to action. Lately I’ve been contemplating the strange thought that being Reformed means we are rooted in something that is both historic and immediate. In brief:
To be rooted in something historic. . .
...means we place a strong emphasis on the centrality of the Word and the Sacraments, and in making sure these things are presented in worship through a rich and robust liturgy.
...means our churches are part of a long-standing tradition of calling pastors who have completed a seminary education with rigorous training in preaching, theology, sacraments, liturgy, church polity, church history, and pastoral counseling.
...means our churches embrace a particular form of church polity that includes designated lay leaders who are compassionate, thoughtful women and men entrusted with ministering to the flock.
To be rooted in something immediate. . .
...means we read the Bible through the prism of God’s unconditional love for all people, and therefore we must apply it to our contemporary world, speaking up for racial equality, marriage equality, gender equality, and healthcare for all.
...means we love our neighbors by refusing to endorse narcissistic leaders who disrespect prisoners of war, refer to white supremacists as “very fine people,” and brag about grabbing women by their genitalia.
...means we love our neighbors by wearing a mask while in the presence of other people during a global pandemic.
So... what?
But there’s a disconnect today. In America in particular, many Reformed churches are fearful that their days are numbered. Concerned that they’re not growing the way they once were, they address the immediate by abandoning the historic. Let’s trim the liturgy. Let’s loosen the educational requirements for clergy. Let’s keep communion infrequent so it stays “special.” Let’s re-baptize people as adults so it will be “more meaningful to them.” These are all commercialistic attempts to try to “grow the church” at the expense of ignoring what it actually means, historically, to be a church. Ironically, it’s the very thing these churches love to preach against the most: worldliness.
On the other hand, some churches, convinced their true mission is to be more Reformed than Luther and Calvin ever dreamed of being, abandon the immediate in favor of the historic. And so, in their case, there is much emphasis on the historical significance of their church. Tremendous effort is put into preserving the historic traditions of the church in their purest form. Great emphasis is placed on “taking a stand for what the Bible says is true.” Unfortunately, there is a failure to realize that the culture around them has changed--racially, socio-economically, sexually, politically--and the church just gets frustrated that the people in the surrounding neighborhoods “just don’t come to church anymore.”
Being Reformed gives us a unique opportunity: To be rooted in something historic AND immediate. If we cling to both, everything and everyone is included. If we cling to one or the other, it simply doesn’t work.
—Rev. Dale Buettner
Director of Faith Formation
Our Saviour Lutheran Church (ELCA)
West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Director of Faith Formation
Our Saviour Lutheran Church (ELCA)
West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
An ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America, Dale not only serves an ELCA congregation but is also a spiritual director at http://dalebuettner.com.