Why The LCMS Should Withdraw From The BSA

 






Earlier today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod made this announcement:

    I read it over and found that as it stands, it is unworkable for my parish and I imagine many others. In the announcement from today, one paragraph read:

    At my own parish, the number of boys who are actual LCMS members, much less members of my congregation is rather few. Most are members of other churches and not a few are members of none at all, giving lip service to belief in God in order to go camping and to belong.

    I have talked to long-time members and it wasn't always this way. In the beginning, it was for members of the congregation only. Then it was opened up to members of other LCMS parishes which did not have a Scouting program. As time went on, someone decided it was a good 'outreach' magnate and it was opened up to all comers. As time went on, while a handful of parents and children of our parish are very devoted to it, the vast majority are non-members and have no interest in joining our Church but thank us for providing a wonderful building for them to use. Since we are a large Church-School congregation, we have a gymnasium and 2 lunchrooms for the boys to use.

    Since our own members make up such a small number of the group at present, I sincerely doubt we can guarantee we will even have members willing (numerically) to run as leaders chosen by our congregation. As it is, this has already presented us with conflict as not all the parents who help share our values and our Pastor and Board of Elders have little control over the behavior of a volunteer who is a non-member.

    As I see it, if my congregation were to face a court challenge from a gay couple seeking a wedding, we would not have a leg to stand on as we presently are chartered with a LGBT-friendly organization - The BSA. Fortunately, we aren't there yet, but congregations of other denominations (non-LCMS) are already performing them nearby. At least one lesbian wedding has taken place in my congregation's town and a few members of our congregation may have attended.

    I think the LCMS has one of three choices:

    First, it must pull out of the BSA completely to avoid possible, legal turmoil, then consider whether to align with Trail Life, Lutheran Pioneers or create a whole new LCMS-based boys youth program. At present, LCMS congregations are free to join the Trail Life organization with a caveat in regards to it's non-Lutheran theological basis.

    I sincerely hope Rev. President Harrison and the LCMS legal team bite the bullet and break ties with the Scouts. That said, let's try not to punish the boys and their parents. Let's make sure they have an alternative available. I don't hold the boys or (most of) their parents at fault. The nation's values appear to have changed almost overnight and we, all of us - were not sufficiently vigil.

Take Care & God Bless,

Jim