by Bishop Bill Gohl
The old creature is to be drowned daily but, as theologian Karl Barth once wrote, "the old creature is drowned in baptism but is a good underwater swimmer." Here is where it is necessary to hear Paul’s letter to the Romans — "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" — not as final, nor as a bludgeon to get people to fall into line, but as the truth. The very next thing Paul wrote is: "They are now justified by his grace as a gift" (Romans 3:24).
Bishop Yoos arranged for the Conference of Bishops, spouses, and colleagues from our churchwide organization to make a pilgrimage for prayer to Mother Emanuel AME Church this past Friday. We gathered in the Francis Marion Hotel lobby (in what looked like, I might add, a CM Almy-sponsored episcopal street garb fashion show). There was a nervous tension in the room. We anticipated our walk up Calhoun Street not knowing exactly what that experience would be.
Layered over the prayer pilgrimage was the chronos-timed reality that the pastor and people of Mother Emanuel had been in Federal Court that day – and for many days – to give testimony about impact as part of the sentencing phase for Dylann Roof. As we made our way, quietly, up the street even the church building looked a little tired from the emotional wherewithal of these last days.
And still, as we ascended the high steps into the historic sanctuary, we were welcomed warmly at the door by members of the congregation: "God is good, all the time!" We were ushered into the still beauty of the sanctuary with light illuminating the windows – and the signs of vibrant ministry happening in that place.
We were welcomed again, formally, in the worship space. The pastor was delayed in his travel from the courthouse, but we were given a historical sketch of the congregation’s ministry – including the hard-to-hear tidbit that 2015 wasn’t the first desecration of the church building; it had been burned to the ground by the citizens of Charleston in 1821 for harboring meetings of rebellious slaves. The church historian, Mr. Glee, said something to the effect of, "This church, dating back to 1818, had lived through that fire, rebuilt, closed by the law of the state outlawing gatherings of African descent people in 1834, met underground until 1865, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1886, rebuilt in 1891, dealt with Jim Crow laws for 100 years, the Civil Rights struggle for 50 more, and rose again after the martyrdom of two of the church pastors and seven of the members a year and a half ago." Alluding to the divisions in our country today, with a wry smile he said, "the next four years should be a piece of cake."
Another church member, whose name I missed, gave powerful testimony that this was "Mother Emanuel’s time to be witnesses for our Christian faith." And she told of how they have received pilgrims from around the world, with hospitality and doing the hard work of reconciliation. She, herself, had been at a meeting at the church and left just before the fateful Bible study that Dylann Roof joined 20 minutes later.
Pastor Eric Manning arrived, welcomed us warmly and thanked us – and asked us to thank our congregations "for the prayers that are supporting the congregation in its ongoing mission to share the good news, even in the aftermath of tragedy."
Bishop Eaton then led us in scripture and prayer, and then nine of our bishop colleagues led us in prayer for each of the nine who were martyred at Mother Emanuel. I was touched by how each of the bishops who prayed had taken some pains to know something about the person for whose memory and family we prayed. Names became relationships, church membership became a closer connection to Mother Emanuel’s various ministries (and a sense of how much leadership was lost all in one fell swoop). The most poignant prayer was offered by Bishop Mike Rhyne (Allegheny Synod), a classmate of the Rev. Clementa Pickney at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Bishop Rhyne is a big guy, with Allegheny steel in his faith foundation, the tenacity of an Appalachian coal miner in his commitment to sharing the gospel. And my big, strong friend, who preaches with a Jerry Knoche-like loud voice and an irrepressible hope in Jesus Christ, became choked up as he gave thanks for his friend and classmate’s life and ministry, wife and children.
As a person of faith, as a Lutheran Christian, as a father of ethnically diverse children, I found the whole experience quite emotional, cathartic and challenging – simultaneously. I saturated my handkerchief, one tear at a time.
And we left, almost it felt abruptly, to have dinner and an Epiphany Day service with our AME bishop colleagues preaching and encouraging us. Still, even at the door, each of our hands were shook and we were thanked individually for our support, our presence and our prayers. I was grateful to have gone, but I also felt a strong sense of something left undone.
Bishop Mike Rinehart (Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod) shared an email to the bishops that he was going rogue on Sunday. We were all assigned to worship and bring greetings in ELCA congregations throughout the metropolitan Charleston area on Sunday morning (I was to be with a group of five other bishops at All Saints, Mt. Pleasant). He felt drawn to worship at Mother Emanuel on Sunday – were there any who would care to join him? That’s how he, Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke (Oregon Synod), Bishop Claire Burkat (Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod) and I found ourselves in the pews again at Mother Emanuel two days after our first visit.
The service was long and full of light and life. Some very familiar elements: robed acolytes, The Doxology, announcements, Apostles’ creed, two Revised Common Lectionary readings, etc. And some very unfamiliar, but rich moments: tithers bring their gifts forward to the altar, then an offering is received; two choirs – one with keyboard, drums and flugelhorn (!) accompaniment up front – and a second with pipe organ accompaniment in the balcony; and an altar call to discipleship, membership and prayer. All visitors and guests were welcomed, and each bishop was invited to bring greetings to a very enthusiastic-about-welcoming-us congregation. We were offered seats in the pulpit, but we gently asked to stay in the congregation, which was pleasantly full and heartwarmingly increasingly ethnically diverse – many newcomers whose faith was challenged by the tragedy and strengthened by finding a place in this community of grace.
Pastor Manning mounted the high pulpit and spiritually "rent his garments" on behalf of a congregation and people tested by the ongoing burden of this trial. He caused us to laugh, cry, dig deep and reach out to hold onto our faithful God. He cautioned us to have a testimony of faith even in the mystery of tragedy and evil - and to not paste on a smile and "testi-lie" when God was calling us to testify!
Some wept quietly. Some spontaneously broke out into song and prayer, including one spunky lady – Althea (who after worship told me she was 94) – who got the whole congregation and music ministry to break out into a chorus of "What a Mighty God we Serve" during the prayer time response to the message.
It was powerful. It was sacramental. Emanuel, God was with us.
And so were the police; an armed officer standing vigilant over our safety in the back of the sanctuary.
And so were the gouges in the floor and furniture where Mr. Bob told me that the congregation had decided not to "hide the scars" of what happened.
Dr. Walter Brueggemann, a preeminent Old Testament scholar, suggests that as a society we have lost the significance of crying out to God and naming the deep wounds in our lives and our world. To lament is to take seriously the pain and brokenness we experience and yet at the same time it means to take even more seriously God’s capacity to enter into such places of suffering and darkness with the light of a crucified and risen Lord.
It was God's capacity to enter into the suffering of the Mother Emanuel tragedy that I was a witness to in my Charleston pilgrimage. It's our crucified and risen Lord who presses me to use my own voice and privilege to challenge us to not pretend that in the communities where we live, work, play and worship that racism isn’t real and co-opting and evil. In Charleston, from a congregation and people whose testimony is powerful, we were urged to not fixate on Dylann Roof - but to dismantle the systems which produced him. It's sobering and a high calling, which we share in Christ; for the lessons of this tragedy must extend beyond one city and one church.
The Lamentations text, Pastor Manning reminded us, gave way to these familiar lyrics:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!