When Lutherans Reconcile

While browsing my Google Reader’s recommendations page, I came across one Nadia Bolz-Weber, pastor and author of the blog Sarcastic Lutheran. At first I was like, “Okay, tattooed female Lutheran pastor . . . interesting.” But the more I read, the more I realized that she has some amazing insights into the Scriptures.

One blog entry that got my attention was about a certain Lutheran radio talk show host who would often rip her sermons to shreds on air (figuratively speaking, of course). Well, thanks to a strange twist of fate, the two ended up have a conversation.

Excerpt:

Yet God paid this very little attention yesterday when, despite us both, my LCMS detractor – slash – conservative Christian radio host and I had a 30 minute long conversation which was filled with grace and honesty and in which twice he shed tears. We spoke of how desperate we both are for the gospel. Desperate enough to hear it even from each other. It’s weird that beautiful conversation happened at all since it’s basically impossible.

And yet God went ahead and did this for me—Put me and my enemy face to face yesterday. And in the past 6 months God has sent me a bunch of Evangelicals to be my brothers and sisters, to have meals with, to love. This is what happens when God does the impossible and, like the disciples, we get swept up into it. Our Small Catechism says that I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or effort come to my Lord Jesus or believe in him but the Holy Spirit has called me though the Gospel and enlightened me with the spirit’s gifts.

Even though I’m always talking about how we need to talk to one another so we can learn and connect and all that jazz, I secretly don’t believe in what I say. Mostly it’s because I’m too egotistical to let go of my own pride and try to see another’s point of view. But as Bolz-Weber says, “by my own understanding or effort I cannot have beautiful collaborative collegial relationships with Evangelicals, or have grace-filled conversations with my enemies.” In other words, reconciliation can’t happen without the grace of God.