July 13, 2009
By Rev. Dr. Peeter Vanker
WHATEVER THE BISHOP WANTS, THE BISHOP GETS!
I was not personally present at the most recent convention of the ELCIC. My observations are therefore based on my reading of the convention material and proceedings as well as the comments of others .
It seems to me that the 2009 National Convention marked the end of the need of pretense of political democracy within the ELCIC. The majority within the ELCIC have clearly been left “voiceless”. Political power is now overwhelmingly entrenched in the hands of a relatively few who are committed to changing the constitution of the ELCIC from its present confessional and Biblical basis. They could have initiated major constitutional changes already at this convention but chose not to. It seems clear to me that a majority of future convention delegates will unquestioningly “rubber stamp” the political agenda of the bishop and the National Church Council.
Some of the 2009 convention delegates did indeed return to their home congregations relieved that the convention had not, at least for the time being, implemented those constitutional changes. On the surface, the convention seemed to be relatively harmonious. That seeming harmony was illusionary, however, and came as a result of the suppression of dissenting voices.
That suppression was carefully politically orchestrated.
The first evidence of the attempt to suppress dissenting voices was the national bishop’s unilateral refusal to include six congregational petitions which questioned the present organization and direction of the ELCIC in the 2009 Bulletin of Reports. These petitions dealt with substantive issues within the ELCIC. Had it not been for the mailing by “Solid Ground”, convention delegates would not have learned of these petitions until their arrival at the convention.
Furthermore, the bishop and the National Church Council used the Reference and Counsel committee for the Convention to promote their own political agenda. Supposedly independent and “at arm’s length”, that committee is appointed by the National Bishop and the National Church Council and in reality fully support and promote their political goals.
An announcement was made that all congregational petitions would first have to be reviewed by this committee who would then make a recommendation to the convention as to the action to be taken. The recommendation of “No action” was included among the various recommendations possible.
The convention, which was already dominated by those supporting the bishop’s and the National Council’s agenda, agreed to allow the Reference and Counsel Committee essentially to control the convention agenda on the bishop’s and the National Council’s behalf.
In each instance, with respect to each of the above six congregational petitions, the recommendation of the Reference and Counsel Committee was that “No Action” be taken. The convention supported their recommendation. As a result, none of the six congregational petitions ever reached the convention floor for debate or discussion.
However, other issues promoted by the bishop and the National Church Council such as the Kyoto Accord and the Palestinian State received considerably prominence at the convention.
As a result, not only the six congregations which sponsored the petitions but all those throughout the church who continue to have serious concerns about the policies and direction of the ELCIC have been effectively politically disenfranchised. It seems to me that from henceforth, increasingly, whatever the bishop wants, the bishop will invariably get!
The Rev. Dr. Peeter Vanker
July 5, 2009.
