Seperating a Modern World

This week we spent two days looking at individuals and groups who have been marginalized. Between the two days there was a drastic difference in how the situations came about and how each group/person reacted. On Wednesday our class was fortunate enough to have Rev. Donna Simon come to our class and speak about Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM). This is a group of ELCA Lutheran ministers who are not rostered with the ELCA because of their sexual orientation. ELM is not trying to have their own sector of the ELCA or break away completely they are just offering an outlet for people who hear the call to minister a way to do that. Throughout her discussion with us Rev. Simon kept talking about ministering. Clearly, for those involved with ELM ministry is what they are called to do and this organization allows for them to minister. ELCA churches can call a pastor from this roster through a similar method of hiring a pastor from the traditional ELCA roster. ELM is not trying to make war with the ELCA they are taking a less aggressive stance waiting for the ELCA to come to them and/or change their own positions-which could happen as soon as August! So is the ELM an activist group? I think so. They are giving people who have been marganilized a voice and an outlet. People can minister as they were called to because of ELM. True, I think that as an organization I would like to see ELM do more but who am I to say? Being an activist involves doing something and it is clear that ELM is doing a lot of things! The other marginalized issue we looked at was LGBTQ communities, from the past, India, and in this terminologically connected world. The Van Dyke article really made me think. (And laugh I think the name Van Dyke is hilarious!) These womynn totally separated from men. They traveled in their vans across the United States and Mexico only talking to men when it was absolutly necessary. I think that these womynn were activists as well. They were unhappy with the status quo and they just took off and made their own community of Van Dykes. Are they activists? I am not so sure, they are doing something and changing something so I guess I have to say yes they are. However they are completely removing themselves from the issue. Which helps them but does it change it for everyone else? I am not sure, I see it both ways. It could inspire others to do the same but it doesn't really attack the actual problem in society. Also, doesn't their excluding men marginalize men?

This discussion made me think of my internship at Women Work. By the name of the organization it is clear who the target audience was. Not once did a man call nor was their the ever popular info sheet targeted toward men. Is women work a separatist organization? I don't think so. I think that the issues that women work focuses on are just issues that our society most common associates with women, going back to school, starting a career later, going back to work after having children or raising a family.

The other thing this week made me think of is the ELCA. My father was an ELCA pastor for many years. While I was young when all of this was happening and don't know all the details I know my dad struggled with getting hired from certain ELCA churches 15 years ago. It was because he was divorced. How in the world would this affect his ability to serve a church, I am unsure. I just know that for a long time he struggled because he wasn't the ideal candidate. Listening to Rev. Simon made me remember my dad's struggle. I think it is so interesting that churches have such an idealized idea of the way things should be, according to them. So in small Iowas communities how could a pastor do a good job if he didn't have a wife to help at potlucks or kids living with him to attend Sunday school. There is this idea that a pastor should be an example for everyone. Why can't a divorced man be that example, after all 1 in 2 marriages end in divorce. I think that ELM is truly an extraordinary organization that has been needed for many years in the ELCA. My dad ended up working as a Lutheran Chaplin in a nursing home and being absolutly amazing at his job.