Are Exceptional Ordinations Working?

 Carl Fiskness

 

It has been two years now since my first day of classes at Luther Seminary.  Since the beginning days of stepping foot on campus, I continue to hear discussion about Call to Common Mission (CCM).  From the many conversations around the dinner table and in class, I have rarely found CCM talked about in a favorable way or have heard folks try to defend it theologically.  Even among some of the most liberal students, whose views would be the opposite of WordAlone on other issues have shared publicly their dislike of episcopal ordination and wish it were not an issue.  While most are not supporters of the implications of CCM, many are not concerned about it and simply place the matter in the category of "church politics" and continue to treat the debate as something unimportant.

 

   While confessional and evangelical seminarians have not really needed to worry about encountering a lot of ridicule on campus about their views, there still exists the fear of what will happen to them after completing seminary and beginning the process of finding a first call.  Part of the reason that students are concerned is because of the accounts that have made their way back to school about graduates who have experienced difficult roadblocks after having requested to not be ordained by a bishop.   A few accounts come to mind of individuals whose first calls have been delayed.  The first one of which I am aware was postponed for half a year because the bishop asked for an essay on why the exception should be allowed.  In addition, to the written paper, the bishop insisted on an unusual series of meetings where the bishop attempted to talk the graduate out of his wishes.  However, the graduate refused to relent and the bishop gave in.

 

   A second story is similar to the first.  When the bishop could not convince the seminary graduate, the bishop told the candidate to e-mail a prominent theologian known for his support of CCM.  Surprisingly, this professor thought that the pastor-to-be made convincing arguments and consequently, the bishop granted the exception.

 

   While these struggles were eventually overcome, I am aware of two seminary graduates who were unsuccessful in their requests for exceptional ordinations.  The first one applied for an exception but found herself running into problems and decided to withdraw her appeal to avoid further conflict.  Another student’s request was rejected because the bishop did not feel that the seminarian made a compelling enough case in his special essay.

 

   While accounts have varied about how each seminarian has been treated since the implementation of CCM, it will be interesting to hear what this year's seniors will encounter who request a traditional ordination.

 

Carl Fiskness, a student at Luther Seminary,

begins his internship this fall in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin

 

 

More Information:

 

The exceptions policy is in the ELCA constitution as Bylaw 7.31.17

 

Online at

www.elca.org

 

Under the ELCA’s exceptions policy, seminary graduates only have the right to ask their synodical bishop (often a new bishop because in many cases they will be assigned to a synod other than the one through which they entered the seminary) not to be ordained by the bishop.  Most seminary graduates either don't know they have this right or are afraid to use it.  The decision about who ordains them is solely the decision of the synodical bishop, who must consult with the synod council and the presiding bishop.  In some synods the synodical bishop is also consulting with the congregation that is calling the seminary graduate.

The WordAlone office knows of 18 non-episcopal ordinations, and they have occurred in only 11 of 65 synods.  All the exceptions have been granted in synods in WI, MN, ND, MT and WA with these 2 exceptions:  One in the Central States synod and one in the Grand Canyon synod.