Ad Crucem News Stakeholder Survey
A Brief Survey on Church Accountability and Public Trust
The survey has been completed, and a statistically valid sample of responses has been received. Results will be released on Thursday.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
I hesitate to say it, but I would be interested in a comparison of the response to Herman Otten and Lutheran News with the current response to Ad Crucem News. I see parallels that indicate similar mistakes are being made.
The LCMS Synod Inc. needs to take responsibility for their errors and the consequences of that, which include a lack of trust. Any thought that others, including Ad Crucem News, are responsible for that lack of trust is inaccurate and misguided. It simply stems from a view that "if no one found out about it, everything would be great". No, it wouldn't.
If there wasn't this confusion about "the church", most reasonable people would acknowledge the value of transparency, accurate information, and accountability. Synod officials have unwisely put appearances as the primary goal in handling scandal and unwisely have acted like any other NGO/corporation (while simultaneously wanting to pretend they aren't one when it is beneficial to support appearances as the priority). It gives the sense that preservation of a man-made organization is taking precedent over victims and the truth.
People will be far more forgiving of mistakes and scandal if they are handled transparently and in good faith with responsible parties being held accountable. We should not fear the LCMS brand reputation will be negatively impacted if we act openly with honor rather than think we must keep things quiet. Let us be bold in our willingness to recognize our failures and determination to correct them.
I appreciate you soliciting reader feedback. In discussing important issues facing our Synod, we should all look to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions as our guide. As saints and sinners, we should strive to adhere to them, and if we fall short, we should repent, as we do with all other sins.
I have a few layman reflections that hopefully are helpful. As we have these conversations, it's important to follow Matthew 18's process regarding addressing private sin - - if the sin is private - - as well as the Confessions' admonition to address public sins publicly. It's critical to recognize where a sin is private and where it's public, because that informs the nature of our response. If it's private, go to your brother/sister (not the Internet) and seek reconciliation, per Scripture. Unrepentance becomes a matter for the larger church, but the process begins in private. If the sin is already public (false doctrine, non-Confessional practices, etc.), we should prayerfully consider weighing in through public methods, including sites such as Ad Crucem or by contacting our circuit visitors and district presidents.
In addressing both types of sin, we must always be mindful of our responsibilities under the Eighth Commandment. It's critical to understand those duties, particularly when discussing public sin. Remember that stating the truth isn't lying or slandering, and that publicly addressing public sin (as contemplated in the Confessions) isn't gossip. To paraphrase Luther, if it's a public sin, it's public, and it requires public remediation. If you're speaking about a public sin, it's best to avoid speculating about unknown details/personal motives/etc., as it's a slippery slope to slander and/or worst construction. It's often clearer as a Christian to say, based on the public record, that X thing happened and it had Y effect. The cause and effect are usually the most significant anyway. Conversely, repeating what someone said in support of something they subsequently did isn't making assumptions. Again, understanding the difference and responding accordingly, as a Christian, is the key for all of us.
If you state the truth, you can stand by those words. Christians are called to be humble, so we should be ready to say "I'm sorry I offended you, that wasn't my intention, please forgive me", if offense arises (and it likely will, if you're addressing public sin). But, if our words are correct on their face per the above (e.g., no lying, slandering, etc.), we should stand by the content of what we said. If our words are incorrect, then we should either avoid saying them, or repent if we do.
Finally, there may be issues that aren't public sin but raise important questions for our Synod and the larger Church. We should also discuss these issues, within the boundaries discussed above. Respectful, meaningful discussion, including asking in-depth questions, doesn't hurt our church or our faith. Gossiping, lying, slandering, applying the worst construction - - hurts us all and our faith.
Ad Crucem is doing important work in facilitating informed, timely discussions of significant matters. Regardless of the results of this survey, I encourage you to continue your work, with Holy Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions as your guide. Thank you and God's blessings to you.
In Christ,
Joe Ehrich