The often-repeated Lutheran joke:
Q: How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: (said loudly) CHANGE?!?!?
As humans, we seem to have a love-hate relationship with change.
On a biological level, it is necessary. It is actually when things mutate and change that the new is possible. Species adapt, new variations show up. Said simply, in the natural world, change is not only necessary and built into the universe, it is responsible for everything we call beautiful.
When it comes to our deepest dreams and passions, we actually crave change. This is most powerfully evident in the rituals and celebrations surrounding New Year's Eve in our culture. We crave that sense of newness, the very real possibility at a clean slate and a fresh start. We make lists of New Year's resolutions. We crave the kind of change that can usher in new life.
The problem is that the structures we build, both physical and organizational, oppose change by their very nature. Structures are built to be constant - to provide...well...structure.
So there has to be a happy medium between tradition and openness to the new...and this delicate dance has characterized the Christian Church's life since its very beginning. When do we trust that the "new" is God's action, as in the passage linked above? And when do we cling to the past to ride out the storms? There is no perfect answer, but committing ourselves to the struggle is the work of the faithful modern church.
For a much more articulate and clear statement of this same issue, click below to read the thoughts of one of our ELCA Bishops on "Insiders and Outsiders." His piece is brilliant, and if you are a member of St. Luke in Slinger, you will hear more about his words in the coming months...
Prayer:
God of grace and truth, you are always doing a new thing in our midst. Give us the trust to follow you into uncharted waters, confident that with you by our side, we will navigate any storm. Amen.
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