Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther agreed on many things, but not Free Will. Luther wrote his response to Erasmus in 1525. A gifted linguist, Luther wrote in Latin except when he was so irritated at the Dutch scholar that he switched briefly to German: Erasme, das ist zu viel! (Erasmus, that is too much!)
I had a moment like that earlier this week when I saw that my theological alma mater, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC). was hosting a "Glitter Ash Wednesday Service- Ashes are a statement that death and suffering are real. Glitter is a sign of hope, which does not despair."
The image could not be loaded, but further down is a video link to the service, which I cannot bring myself to watch yet, if ever.
Ashes were used by the Hebrews as a sign of mourning. The Church used them and in the 11th Century, the Catholic Church established Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent. Orthodoxy has Great Lent, and the Churches of the Reformation either kept or restored the use of ashes.
In other words, the Church has gotten along quite well without glitter ashes. The Eucharist/Holy Communion customarily associated with the Imposition of Ashes conveys the hope that there is more than death for humanity.
My seminary studies began in 1977 at Christ-Seminary Seminex in St. Louis, the offshoot of most of the students, faculty, and staff from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, the flagship seminary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. US Lutheranism in the 1970s experienced tremendous upheavals. After prayerful consideration and conversation with many people, I transferred to LSTC, the flagship seminary of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), from 1988 part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Make no mistake about it. I was fortunate to have been accepted to the LCA and to attend LSTC. Ordained in 1981, I have been proud of the two seminaries I attended. Seminex deployed in 1983 to several LCA seminaries. primarily to Chicago. My ordained ministry was outside of the Midwest, but I proudly stated my ties to LSTC.
And then, my Das ist zu viel moment from earlier this week. It was not the first, but it marks the first time I have been open about it. On Facebook, and I assume elsewhere, there are negative comments. some come from pastors who openly identify themselves as queer. I am straight, and while I will not say more, my politics and such would not necessarily mark me as a curmudgeon.
One of my comments or replies concerned whether ashes without glitter would be available. The official LSTC answer was that traditional ashes would be mixed with glitter. So, and these are my words, anyone wanting ashes without glitter was out of luck.
When Holy Communion is celebrated, most of us are receptive to offering gluten-free wafers and various alternatives to wine. I serve these days in congregations of the ELCA and The Episcopal Church, so the practices are varied. My point is that protocols exist so that people can commune.
Granted, this is one seminary out of eight, and there are around 8,500 congregations in the ELCA. Both numbers are less than what they were when I was ordained. To me, Glitter Ashes fall into the category of jettisoning time-honored traditions and practices. They are a sign of the Church trying to be relevant and "with it".
With negative publicity (yes, there have been some voices in favor), LSTC will have more difficulties. Seminary enrollment everywhere has been declining, and ELCA Lutherans wanting to attend seminary may well look elsewhere.
All of this is very sad, and I am not thrilled to post this. Lord, have mercy!
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My books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
My novel:
https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county
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