Real Schools WILL Be Open

I was infuriated as the Chicago Sun-Times reported: “Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said at a dramatic 10 p.m. Sunday press conference. ‘Real school will not be open [Monday].’”

Seriously?!  “Real” schools?!  There are thousands of teachers, students, and families in parochial schools who will beg to differ.

In my own Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, a network of 2,444 top-notch schools spans this nation – real schools with high standards of excellence!  Historically, the standards set by our schools not only meet, but exceed that of their public counterparts.  In the 19^th century, while many public schools had teachers with 8^th grade educations, our Lutheran schools insisted on a Normal School education, equivalent to two years of college, which they received either in Addison (or later, River Forest), Illinois or Seward, Nebraska.  In addition to the reading, writing, and arithmetic, history, geography, spelling, music, art history & appreciation, etc., while many public school children might have learned *a* foreign language, our students were at least learning German, English, Latin, with some of our schools adding French, Greek, and Hebrew to boot!  In the 21^st century, where funds allow, state-of-the-art technology is used and experienced.  Due to the quality of education, many states simply accept the accreditation of our real Lutheran school system, because it exceeds their own requirements for accreditation.

Families in real Lutheran schools are not there because they think they are better than anyone, or because it is somehow easier than public school; neither is true.  Families come to our schools and stay, knowing that there are smaller schools with faculties that really know their children, providing them an excellent environment in which to be challenged and grow academically, spiritually, and emotionally, in a safe, Christ-centered context.

To Union President Karen Lewis I would say:  “Madame, you are very wrong. Sixteen very real schools of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as well as several other Lutheran schools, many Roman Catholic schools, and a number of other private schools are quite open.  These safe, welcoming communities of real learning are praying for you to solve your labor differences, without begrudging the fact that your teachers already (on an average) are making *double* the salary that ours are.  Still, most of them would much rather remain where they are, required extra-curriculars and all, knowing the mutual love, concern, and encouragement they receive from very real colleagues, families, and students.

Not a "Catholic" Issue; But a "catholic" Issue

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod owes its very existence to the religious freedoms in the United States. Many of the founding fathers of our church body emigrated from German states where their Lutheran faith was being infringed upon by other Protestant rulers. The state was imposing laws on the Church that were making it illegal to follow their Christian consciences. So they fled that oppression, and made America their home.

Recently the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a mandate requiring everyone, including religious employers, to offer insurance coverage that includes sterilization and contraceptives (including abortion-inducing drugs.) While many voices cry out “separation of church and state” when the church speaks, there is much silence in the public sector right now.

The Concordia Health Plans of our own Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod have been grandfathered, as officials in St. Louis have been monitoring this development. Sadly, many other church bodies have schools and organizations that will not be grandfathered, and are being told to transgress their biblically-informed consciences.

Dear friends in Christ, this is NOT a political issue. It is spiritual. The issue at hand is: what does the church do when told by earthly authorities to go against our understanding of God’s Word? Lutherans have always had a solid teaching of Romans 13, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed…”

Yet, along with the apostles, when we are given the sad choice of obeying God, or submitting to humans, we must confess: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29 ESV.) The American bishops of the Roman Catholic Church have spoken bravely and clearly on this. So has our own LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison.

A church that gets caught up in earthly politics and picking favorite parties or endorsing candidates confuses itself. Remember, Jesus says, “You are not of the world” (John 15:19 ESV.) Do not speak on behalf of the Church in matters of opinion, political philosophy, or policy. However, when others are opposing the biblically-informed conscience of the Church, we have no choice but to confess the Word of Christ, and kindly and respectfully ask the world to remove itself from such imposition.

For this reason, the entire Church on earth should be standing “shoulder to shoulder” with our friends in the Roman Catholic Church. We respectfully, yet with resolve, tell the world that it cannot force Christians to sin against our Scripture-led consciences. Let the Church be Church, and let the State be State.

Pray for our friends in the Roman Church. Pray also, that such infringements do not multiply. Lord, have mercy! Amen.

Campus Ministry at U. of Minnesota Needs Your Prayers

Witness, Mercy, Life Together

Excellent! Read what it means!