Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber steps down at House for All Sinners and Saints

[FireDragon76]

https://religionnews.com/2018/08/03...nadia-bolz-weber-leaves-her-house-in-order-2/

She's stepping down at House for All Sinners and Saints, in Denver, Colorado, to become a "public theologian". She'll be replaced by an Episcopalian associate pastor, the Rev. Reagan Humber, who is from St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco.

I think in some ways this is unfortunate for the people there at that church. She tended to be a Lutheran in her preaching emphasis, and while there's nothing really wrong with St. Gregory of Nyssa and much to admire , I think the Lutheran approach speaks to people wounded by religion far more than Episcopalianism does, which has a long history of being cozy with social elites, and irenic and comprehensive to a fault. I'd be curious if HFSAS continues to have a Lutheran identity at all, or will it merely become Episcopalian or generically Christian?

Plus, I'm not sure what being a "public theologian" will mean. If it means becoming like Rob Bell, I fear her influence will be very limited and she'll be relegated to a cultural ghetto. Far more lives are touched by a pastor than a public celebrity.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I'm not sure what a generically Christian is?

 

[Paidiske]

I don't understand why a Lutheran church would appoint an Episcopalian priest in the first place. Is there a shortage of Lutheran clergy?

That said - and while avoiding the temptation to respond to a fairly biting critique of a whole denomination - I gather that Pastor Bolz-Weber has a large international following (I've seen some of her stuff here down under, and that's pretty impressive for someone whose day job is running a parish), and if she's discerned that she can do more good proclaiming the good news in that larger arena, then my response to that is that I hope God blesses her work and makes it fruitful.

 

[FireDragon76]

I don't understand why a Lutheran church would appoint an Episcopalian priest in the first place. Is there a shortage of Lutheran clergy?

Our denomination allows Episcopalians to preach from our pulpits and preside at our altars (we also allow Presbyterians, and several other American mainline churches as well). Technically as part of our fellowship agreement, if an Episcopalian pastor presides at our church, they aren't supposed to preach or teach anything contrary to our doctrines. So, I'm curious if HFASAS is changing its constitutional identity and disaffiliating with the ELCA.

The full fellowship agreement was controversial and a substantial minority of Evangelical Lutherans did not agree it was a good idea. Some thought it was an ecumenism borne on dubious assumptions, others were scandalized by the perceived humiliation of having our future bishops consecrated by Episcopalians. So it was a development that didn't come free of cost, and some Lutherans event left our church over this issue.

There may indeed be a shortage of Lutheran clergy, especially ones that are acceptable to HFASAS. Seminary education is difficult to justify in today's American economy, since the pay for a pastor is relatively low (our pastor only makes about $40,000 dollars a year). In addition, our clergy typically go to Lutheran seminaries which often requires relocating/moving. The local Episcopalians, on the other hand, send their candidates to the local Reformed seminary, for the most part.

 

[Paidiske]

The cost of education vs. the pay in ministry is a significant hurdle for many. I've known people to sell their homes to fund their studies, and then end up effectively homeless in retirement.

If that situation is leading to a clergy shortage, though, perhaps the denomination needs to do some work on creative ways to support people through the process.

 

[FireDragon76]

The cost of education vs. the pay in ministry is a significant hurdle for many. I've known people to sell their homes to fund their studies, and then end up effectively homeless in retirement.

If that situation is leading to a clergy shortage, though, perhaps the denomination needs to do some work on creative ways to support people through the process.

I've sometimes thought about the holy ministry but the hurdles are huge and the financial compensation is terrible. There are alot of marginalized voices in our church that would make great pastors but they simply don't have the funds or the family situation to relocate to another state for several years of education. So the process tends to produce a certain kind of leadership from a more privileged background than what is typical of the laity.

I think Pastor Nadia was very fortunate to get through that process relatively unscathed. Most of the people get their unique voice and sense of authenticity ground down a great deal having to go through "the system".

 

[Paidiske]

I honestly couldn't have got through the training without a spouse willing to support me financially. (Or maybe I could, but it would have taken twice as long and my marks would have suffered due to working enough around classes to pay for a roof over my head. That's what I saw in other students).

Here, you can get a government loan on good terms to cover the course fees, so the big problem is where do you live while you study, and how do you pay your rent? The time demands of formation are very intense.

Once you're ordained you don't earn a fortune, but the package is enough that I also don't need to worry about how I'm going to eat. But as I look toward retirement, I am again glad to have a spouse making a financial contribution...

 

[FireDragon76]

Living outside the Midwest, our "Lutheran Belt", Lutheran churches don't exactly grow on trees. I can see in a couple decades our church facing problems with having enough pastors and having to close the doors of our churches. If that happens I will probably do what my pastor suggests, and start a house church. But it won't feel quite right.

 

[FireDragon76]

I don't understand why a Lutheran church would appoint an Episcopalian priest in the first place. Is there a shortage of Lutheran clergy?

That said - and while avoiding the temptation to respond to a fairly biting critique of a whole denomination - I gather that Pastor Bolz-Weber has a large international following (I've seen some of her stuff here down under, and that's pretty impressive for someone whose day job is running a parish).

She's worth reading, in fact she'ld probably be your cup of tea since she shares some of the same concerns you do, though she isn't as irenic as the typical Anglican. She has an acerbic sense of humor and isn't above being offensive, particularly concerning evangelical shibolleths, having grown up in a fundamentalist American denomination (which she described as believing in a God who is a "(expletive) with a killer surveillance system".)

She's great to read if you've ever felt like somehow religion has made you feel like a second-class citizen or you find yourself feeling like chewed-up bubblegum, she speaks straight to that.

 

[13paxi34]

I love listening to her youtube videos... I grew up Lutheran and usually I would not go back to a Lutheran Church... however, having heard and read Nadia... I would go to that kind of Lutheran Church!

 

[FireDragon76]

From what I've read on their website, HFASS is still identifying as Lutheran.