Your February issue was the best ELCA-related effort on race that I've
seen. There are a lot of race-related problems in the church, and we
need more honest talk. I hope you will continue to cover this important
topic.
David Raymond
Minneapolis, Minn.
Joseph A. Donnella's article on racism was superb. It's difficult
to believe there are white Lutheran pastors who still equate "Lutheran
theology" with Adolf Hitler's Germanization of the church. Any theology
that brings in another god — in this case the god of racism — and
erects its idol within the church is a polytheistic religion. Possibly
the white pastors our brother met in Bible study need to check their
altars for foreign objects. Any tacit silence about our competing gods
equates to compliance. Any proclamation of the gospel that doesn't talk
against the god of racism is not talking on behalf of the Christ who
died "to dismantle the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles ...
to make us one" (Ephesians 2:14).
Paul O. Bischoff
Chicago, Ill.
The rest of this article is only available to subscribers.
