Ask the Pastor: Lutheran participation in community baccalaureate services
by the Rev. Walter Snyder
Religion Columnist
     Q: Why do the Lutheran pastors not participate in the baccalaureate
service for the public school graduates?
     "Baccalaureate" comes from Latin and Greek roots, the original idea
being a young noble or freeman contending for knighthood. It passed into
education, as the first degree awarded university students. Hence we now have
"bachelors'" degrees. "Baccalaureate" later was applied not only to scholars
and degrees, but also other events surrounding the granting of the degree.
This included the speeches and sermons, which, in the church schools of
bygone years, were often one and the same.
     Here in the United States, universal education (public and parochial)
began borrowing practices from the University. Although high schools grant
only diplomas, the "baccalaureate" began to be a fixture in secondary
education. Normal usage now involves a special religious service with a
sermon which purports to address the graduating class. This is also the case
with colleges, where not only the "bachelors," but also the masters and
doctoral candidates are invited to the baccalaureate.
     Some branches of Lutheranism see no problem with joint worship services
and may actively promote them. Other Lutherans do not agree. Some other
church bodies have a similar practice, but since the question and my
knowledge are primarily Lutheran, the focus will remain here.
     As in other areas of theology, there are Law reasons and Gospel reasons
for our practice. Some of these are included in the constitution of The
Lutheran Church---Missouri Synod (LCMS), where "unionism and syncretism" are
renounced (in Article VI). "Unionism" is normally used for any joining
together of people who believe and teach differently. "Syncretism" can mean
the same thing, but normally involves mixing the teachings of different
beliefs. Our practice comes from Lutheran theology's insistence upon pure,
Biblical teaching and a refusal to compromise articles of faith.
     This LCMS constitution article also insists upon the exclusive use of
doctrinally pure agendas, hymn books, and catechisms. Pastors and
congregations of Synod swear to use only materials rooted and grounded in
pure teaching. According to the Law, this shuts out false (heretical) or
mixed and mingled (heterodox) teaching. According to the Gospel, it ensures
right (orthodox) teaching.
     We invite all to our services, but since we believe, teach, and confess
a theology different from others, we do not invite others to feed our flocks,
so they are not brought forward to "lead" our worship. If men from other
churches desire to preach from our pulpits and teach our congregations, they
are first examined and approved by our theologians. If necessary, they are
required to take classes from our seminaries before being certified for the
ministerium.
     The corollary to all this is that we also do not join in services lead
or sponsored by people of other confessions and theologies. To do so ignores
differences which exist in areas we consider important. Lutherans teach
infant baptism, original sin, the lack of human choice or free will in
salvation as well as other doctrines. Others do not, and to come together in
jointly led worship implies that these differences don't matter, while we see
them as central to the Christian Faith.
     Others' feelings may be hurt by our not compromising. Our own hearts
ache because we cannot join together with others who claim the title
"Christian." We choose to not only treat the "hurt," which might be "cured"
by ignoring contradiction and misapplication of God's Word. We focus instead
on the cause of this hurt, which is disagreement on what God says in
Scripture.
     One way in which Lutherans have avoided the problems we perceive with
joint services is by hosting the entire event and providing all the worship
leaders from among our own pastors. This can be done annually or Lutheran
churches can do it on a rotating basis. This may be viewed as part of our
children's education: By our practice, we show that our beliefs are important
and too valuable to chance their compromise. So also, our children are
important, and we value them too highly to invite them to receive teachings
contrary to the faith in which they have been raised.
     To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO,
65327 or send email to askthepastor@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from
you.
     Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma,
Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."