Nebraska Synod ELCA

A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls things what they actually are.

—Martin Luther, Heidelberg Disputation (1521)—

Beloved in Christ,

The month which has just passed has been a time of heartbreak and frustration for many of us, as we have seen violence and suffering continue in some places around the world and erupt again in others. I have been in conversation with many of you across the synod regarding the conflict in Israel/Palestine and the varying statements about that conflict from myself, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, and others. After many of these conversations, I have found myself reflecting on the myriad possibilities for interpretation that each of us brings to the table. One single sentence which may appear to have a simple, straightforward meaning can be received and understood far differently than its originator may have intended. Social media has been the latest in a long line of environments where fostering outrage is the coin of the realm, and these days, business is good. When this is the case, there may develop a fear of speaking out entirely, or a tendency to say so little that even when one does speak, nothing is actually said. This makes November 2023 a curious month to live out the charge to “Go and…be honest,” but perhaps it is a crucial month to do so as well.

Assuming the mantle of honesty is a double-edged sword. Criticism is easy; constructive criticism is difficult. Distinguishing between the two as a listener can be excruciating. I’m certain many of you have experienced the trauma which can result from someone who believes they are a theologian of the cross and simply calling a thing what it actually is. Some of you, like myself, have also experienced the horror of realizing that your truth-telling has actually made a situation worse. Even when we are at our best, living out our calling to bear true witness, being truth-tellers and truth-hearers is hard work, requiring an intense vulnerability as we genuinely listen and speak to one another without defensiveness or unjustified interpretation. This sort of honesty reminds me of the lyrics of a Rich Mullins song:

And it’s hard when your soul has been stripped bare
Hard to lift your eyes toward Heaven…Lord it’s hard, oh, it’s hard,
You know it’s hard to be like Jesus.

It is incredibly hard to be the kind of honest God is calling us to be, but it’s also incredibly important. In a time when many have what the apostle Paul described as “itching ears…accumulating for themselves teachers to suit their own desires,”^[1] how can we practice speaking the truth in love, and listening for that truth in the same love? How can we offer a gracious environment in which honesty is treasured, vulnerability is protected, and all are truly welcomed? A theologian of the cross might call that sort of environment heavenly, for that’s what it is.

Yours in Christ,
Bishop Scott Alan Johnson

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^[1] 2 Timothy 4:3