Subject: National Church Council of the ELCIC Declares Eastern Synod
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www.gatheringbaptists.ca Baptists Gathering in Wholeness and Integrity following the example of Jesus Fall 2006 Vol. XII Issue III ISSN 1499-111X ©The Gathering of Baptists Subject: National Church It's still not to late to reconsider this draconian measure that violates everything we hold dear Council Of The ELCIC as Baptist's and enter into a reasoned dialogue Declares Eastern Synod on an issue where there are clearly differing points of view held by sincere Christians. Motion Unconstitutional Tommy Douglas: A EDITORIAL: by Michael Steeves Remarkable Canadian Baptist I want to commend the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada for By Walter Mulkewich their process and decision on same sex marriage (see the news release below). While “My friends, watch out for the little fellow with they have been overruled by the national an idea.” - Tommy Douglas, 1961 church they have taken a courageous step that will enable a helpful dialogue. Their approach Tommy Douglas, a father of Canada’s is one that I hoped and prayed Baptists would medicare and voted “The Greatest Canadian of employ because it is so much in keeping with All Times” in a CBC nationwide poll, was a Baptist polity. The Lutherans studied the issue Baptist preacher of the social gospel tradition. carefully. They provided scriptural study Influenced by his religious beliefs, Douglas guides exploring both sides of the issue. They helped reframe the politics of his time and was prayed for guidance and when decision time a powerful influence in shaping modern came they recognized that this is a matter for Canada. the local congregation and pastor to decide for their fellowship. Sounds like a sound Baptist Born in Scotland in 1904 to a working class process to me. Of course it makes the local family, Tommy immigrated to Winnipeg in church grapple with a potentially divisive issue 1910. His passion for medicare was seeded as but it places the matter where it ought to be young boy when he almost lost his leg to resolved. If allowed to proceed some churches osteomyelitis, but a kind surgeon performed would perform same sex marriages and some surgery pro bono. His social activism was would not. That would be a victory for local inspired by his observation of police brutality church autonomy and soul freedom. on “Bloody Sunday” of the 1919 Winnipeg Contrast this thoughtful, open and sensitive General Strike as well as by J.S. Woodsworth process with the heavy handed, top down who was pastor of a local Methodist mission dictum of the BCOQ leadership to ban the and who later became the first leader of the performance of or participation in a same sex Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), marriage on penalty of removing ones right to the precursor of the NDP. marry and possibly more. As a student at the Baptist Brandon College in establishing North America’s only mainstream the nineteen twenties, Tommy rejected the social democratic party. dogmatism of emerging fundamentalism and History will remember his principled stand found a solid foundation in scientific logic against the invoking of the War Measures Act which would influence his decision making. in 1970. He also embraced the social gospel, then a powerful force with such proponents as the Canadians will remember this little man with American Baptist Walter Raushenbusch who big ideas for his human decency, civility, saw Christianity as a “radical religion”. For powerful oratory, sense of humour, and his Tommy, the social gospel was “practical mastery of radio and television. Christianity”. By the time Tommy died in 1986, medicare and Social gospelers such as Tommy Douglas many of the social and economic reforms for understood that the God of the Bible wants to which he had fought were under attack through redeem the whole of human existence as well combined forces of privatization, global market as individual lives - and that Christians are on worship, and the reassertion of individualism the same side as God is reported to have taken and private property over community and the in the Bible, the side of the poor, the fatherless, common good. the marginalized and the oppressed. Since the nineteen eighties, the voices of the As pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in social gospel that had influenced progressive Weyburn in 1930, Tommy soon found himself reforms from the 1920’s to the 1970’s were politically organizing on behalf of his overshadowed by conservative Christian voices community devastated by the economic which played to public fears, emphasized a depression and prairie dustbowl. When a privatized religion, but also brought a religion member of the Baptist hierarchy suggested his based movement into the public realm rallying pastoral career would be in jeopardy if he around hot button so-called “social issues” such continued his political activities, Tommy traded as capital punishment, family values, sexual his pulpit for a larger political stage. orientation, and abortion. As Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to Tommy Douglas did not bring a religious 1961, Tommy’s greatest achievement may have movement into politics, but a he brought a been the pioneering of Canada’s first universal broad range of powerful ideas which were public medicare. But, his legacy was much influenced by his religious beliefs. Tommy’s more. North America’s first socialist political message was one of hope, that there government remade Saskatchewan with new was a better world for all. Tommy Douglas infrastructure, industrial and resource made a huge difference. development, modernized administration, and balanced budgets. Saskatchewan became a The more caring Canada which the social laboratory of social reform copied across gospel helped create is now under stress. The Canada: health, education, labour, pensions, rich grow richer while the poor grow poorer. welfare, low cost insurance, Canada’s first Bill of Rights, and much more. The social gospel was fundamental to the ideas Tommy Douglas used reframe the politics of As the first leader of the federal New his day, helping to create a better Canada. How Democratic Party (NDP) from 1961 to 1971 can the same social gospel be articulated and and as the NDP Energy Critic until from 1971 used to reframe today’s politics? to 1979, Tommy was a major force in Walter Mulkewich is a member of Burlington gender couples who want to make a life-long Baptist Church. A community activist, and a commitment to one another in the former Mayor of Burlington, Mr. Mulkewich presence of God and their community of faith has had careers in education, business, social is a matter of pastoral and congregational services, and municipal politics. A member of discretion. Authorization to perform such the New Democratic Party for over 40 years, blessings shall require the consent of the pastor he has been a Provincial and Federal NDP and the consent of the congregation or calling candidate. agency, as expressed by a 2/3 majority vote at a duly called meeting of the congregation or Selected Bibliography: calling agency, and in consultation with the bishop." Thomas H. McLeod, Ian McLeod, Tommy Douglas, The Road to Jerusalem, Fifth House, Synod Bishop Michael J. Pryse said in a 2004 (first edition, Hurtig Publishers, 1987) pastoral letter on July 9th that, while this decision of the Synod Assembly would be Walter Stewart, The Life and Political Times of viewed as controversial and be received with Tommy Douglas, McArthurs & Company, 2003 mixed emotions by different individuals, he is "very supportive of the action taken by our Lewis H. Thomas, The Making of a Socialist, synod. In my view, it represents a The Recollections of T.C. Douglas, University reasonable accommodation that allows for a of Alberta Press, 1982 diversity of pastoral practice." CBC Television DVD, Prairie Giant, The Reflecting on the decision by the Synod Tommy Douglas Story, CBC Assembly and the Bishop's pastoral letter, the Rev. Dawn Hutchings, pastor of Holy The Tommy Douglas website Cross Lutheran, New Market, Ontario, said http://www.weyburnreview.com/tommydouglas/ "The passage of this resolution by such a clear welcome.html majority at the Assembly, followed by Bishop Pryse's pastoral letter The Tommy Douglas Research Institute website indicating his understanding that "by virtue of http://www.tommydouglas.ca/ this action, same-gender couples may now have their unions blessed" makes space for those The Douglas Coldwell Foundation website congregations who are longing for the day http://www.dcf.ca/ when Baptism will be the only criteria for equality in our church; a space where in the meantime we can bless, but not Local Option for Blessing marry; bless but not ordain. As a pastor of a Reconciling in Christ congregation, this modest Same-Gender Unions step provides me with the encouragement to assure our congregation that On Thursday, July 6, 2006, at its biennial we can indeed be hopeful as the Eastern Synod Synod Assembly, the Eastern Synod of the inches forward." Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) voted to allow the blessing of same- Lionel Ketola, speaking for the leadership of gender unions as a matter of local option. Lutherans Concerned-Canada, said "This day marks a significant milestone in the long Approved by 72% of the voting delegates, the journey towards sexual justice for queer people resolution said, "That the Eastern Synod of the in the church, especially given its long awaited ELCIC recognizes that the blessing of same- witness to the all-embracing love of God for all people - a love which we often discover and about 'BUSH' around the lunch table—not celebrate through the gift of intimate contemptuously spoken, but certainly not relationship." unqualified praise—only to discover they are all capital “R” Republicans.