September 13, 2012
The hardest day of the General Synod began with continued discussion about theological education. In the end it was clear that, on the one hand, the need for reform is great; on the other hand, it was also clear that there were too many possible options for them to all be given careful consideration in the context of the GS. For that reason the Synod decided to appoint a working group for checking into questions related to accreditation, while Seminary President Anton Tikhomirov will take on responsibility for reforming the program of the seminary, focusing on education by extension. The new General Consistory (which could also be called the Synod Council) will oversee this process and will form a new seminary board together with representatives from the other Lutheran churches in the former Soviet Union (i.e., former ELCROS churches, now united in the Union of Lutheran Churches).
What proved to be even more difficult than education was the question of the Central Church Administration in St. Petersburg. In the years since I have started serving in Russia I have seen tensions rise in the relationship between the central office and its partners; in addition to that, there was significant pressure on church staff to perform well in the absence of the leader of the administration (i.e., the Archbishop). However synod delegates came to the conclusion that the manager had fulfilled his responsibilities neither in the Archbishop's office nor in the Theological Seminary, though in the latter he had been serving for most of a dozen years. The end result is that he was let go; there will be a search for a new church administrator, while the General Consistory will now consider whether or not the seminary needs a full-time administrator. In the meantime this will mean quite a bit of added work for President Anton Tikhomirov, who will have to sort out ways to deal with all the financial and administrative challenges at the seminary.
The final act of business for the day was making changes to the ELC constitution. After a process of revision that was rather chaotic at the last General Synod, this was done in a way that was relatively orderly. Delegates had a chance to analyze and suggest changes to the text, though overall the structure of the revised document included a lot of positive clarifications. While it was a bit trying to go through all that "nit-picking," it was constructive. One of the most obvious changes is to the name of the church - we will now be known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia.
I had the challenge and opportunity of closing the business of the day by leading a service of evening prayer. It felt great to once again be preaching in the seminary chapel and to look out upon those who had been my students, colleagues and friends throughout my decade of service in the country. We made it through the hardest day; not without difficulty, but we made it. Thanks be to God!
The hardest day of the General Synod began with continued discussion about theological education. In the end it was clear that, on the one hand, the need for reform is great; on the other hand, it was also clear that there were too many possible options for them to all be given careful consideration in the context of the GS. For that reason the Synod decided to appoint a working group for checking into questions related to accreditation, while Seminary President Anton Tikhomirov will take on responsibility for reforming the program of the seminary, focusing on education by extension. The new General Consistory (which could also be called the Synod Council) will oversee this process and will form a new seminary board together with representatives from the other Lutheran churches in the former Soviet Union (i.e., former ELCROS churches, now united in the Union of Lutheran Churches).
What proved to be even more difficult than education was the question of the Central Church Administration in St. Petersburg. In the years since I have started serving in Russia I have seen tensions rise in the relationship between the central office and its partners; in addition to that, there was significant pressure on church staff to perform well in the absence of the leader of the administration (i.e., the Archbishop). However synod delegates came to the conclusion that the manager had fulfilled his responsibilities neither in the Archbishop's office nor in the Theological Seminary, though in the latter he had been serving for most of a dozen years. The end result is that he was let go; there will be a search for a new church administrator, while the General Consistory will now consider whether or not the seminary needs a full-time administrator. In the meantime this will mean quite a bit of added work for President Anton Tikhomirov, who will have to sort out ways to deal with all the financial and administrative challenges at the seminary.
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| Working on final changes to the text of the church constitution. |
I had the challenge and opportunity of closing the business of the day by leading a service of evening prayer. It felt great to once again be preaching in the seminary chapel and to look out upon those who had been my students, colleagues and friends throughout my decade of service in the country. We made it through the hardest day; not without difficulty, but we made it. Thanks be to God!
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