What Would Luther Do?
July 12, 2007
Writing in USA Today this week, Skidmore College's Mary Zeiss Stange argues that Martin Luther would join her in blessing same-sex unions. The basic argument for this is as conventional as it is false, namely, that the genius of the Reformation is its willingness to advocate controversial changes in the church.
Stange writes: "In the Augsburg Confession of 1530, Luther publicly agreed with other reformers of his day that biblical references that depart from New Testament inclusiveness -- abstaining from eating pork, for example, or requiring male circumcision -- not only can but should be set aside. A 21st century Luther would surely recognize that the few biblical proscriptions against 'sodmy' -- shakey in themselves as condemnations of same-sex love and rooted in a worldview vastly different from our own -- should not bar the loving union of two gay or lesbian persons. Equally, a 21st century Luther would affirm the ordination of such persons, as in line with his theology of 'the priesthood of all believers'."
Stange is right that the Augsburg Confession was in 1530. She is also right that the Old Testament worldview is vastly different from our own. But she is wrong about virtually everything else.
Stange writes: "In the Augsburg Confession of 1530, Luther publicly agreed with other reformers of his day that biblical references that depart from New Testament inclusiveness -- abstaining from eating pork, for example, or requiring male circumcision -- not only can but should be set aside. A 21st century Luther would surely recognize that the few biblical proscriptions against 'sodmy' -- shakey in themselves as condemnations of same-sex love and rooted in a worldview vastly different from our own -- should not bar the loving union of two gay or lesbian persons. Equally, a 21st century Luther would affirm the ordination of such persons, as in line with his theology of 'the priesthood of all believers'."
Stange is right that the Augsburg Confession was in 1530. She is also right that the Old Testament worldview is vastly different from our own. But she is wrong about virtually everything else.
