A Pastor’s Comments on the Synod Assembly
“Jesus, with thy church abide;
Be her Saviour, Lord, and Guide,
While on earth her faith is tried:
We beseech thee, hear us.”
As interim pastor of First Lutheran Church it was my duty to attend the Eastern Synod Assembly at St. Catharines from June 24 to 27, 2004. Among others, the central question before the house was the hot button issue of our position regarding homosexuality. This assembly passed several resolutions by comfortable margins, which will soon open the door to the “blessing” of same-sex unions and within a few years to the ordination to the ministry of the gospel of people living in such unions.
Having had over a month to reflect on the outcome, I am left with a deep and growing feeling of loss and alienation. These days in June have been three sad days in my life. After having served the Lord in the ministry of the gospel for 45 years, I now see my call to raise my voice in protest against the actions of my church.
I am convinced that a deliberate disregard of the clear testimony of the Holy Scriptures and the official confessions of our Lutheran Church led to this outcome. These basic documents seem to have become by now merely historic voices from our past with no binding force for us in the 21st century. Since the pastors in attendance represented at least 50% of the voting members of this assembly, they must bear the major responsibility for these results. They ought to be held accountable for them by the congregations they serve.
I believe that the will of the Lord, our God, for today is not determined by majority vote in a duly called church convention. God is not obliged like a modern constitutional monarch meekly to sign all decrees passed by parliament. He is and remains sovereign Lord of his creation. It is his enduring grace and mercy to gather us – the fellowship of redeemed sinners – into the Church of Christ. He continues to rule and guide us through his holy Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Each of us remains accountable to God for our life. I also believe that reinterpreting the Word of God to accepting the chosen lifestyle of the individual to be the ultimate perversion. By its actions this assembly is denying the faith we have been called to confess and to proclaim. Continuing on this course the outcome inevitably will soon lead to a split of the church. But the truth of the gospel is never to be sacrificed for the sake of the unity of the church.
I believe that our call now is to resist these trends at all cost. I for one will refuse to bow my knees to the idols of political correctness. My lord has called me not to be popular or successful, but to remain faithful to him and to his Holy Word to the end. So help me God.
Rev. Joachim A. Knaack
First Lutheran Church, Toronto
