Synod-speak on debt
Over at Schaff’s Kopf, Rev. Schaaf has a great observational post on a recent LCMS Synodical press release on the subject of church worker debt.
I saw the email version of the press release, and it struck me in many of the same ways as it did Rev. Schaaf. Fortunately, he’s already done at least as good a job as i could’ve in commenting on the subject, so I won’t belabor the point here — I’ll just point you to his post and let you read that.
There does seem to be more than just a bit of institutional hypocrisy at work, when debt is downplayed prior to (for example) entry into the Sem, and then becomes the subject of much handwringing afterwards. It seems more than a little disingenuous to me for the Synod to say (with a straight face, no less) that
“We have recruited church workers with the observation that the money issues will take care of themselves. This approach can be harmful if it is not balanced with basic principles of financial literacy.”
Having done the whole Prayerfully Consider thing, I can attest that the first sentence is true. And I don’t blame the good folks at the Sems, for they are well and truly sincere and forthright in their support and advising. I hold a Synodical command structure — one that has continually let Seminary support wither on the vine — more responsible for the current state of church worker debt driven by disingenuous neglect. (Local congregations that don’t want to face up to paying their workers are also culpable, but that’s an attitude that’s also quite often linked to and/or informed by Synodocrats…).
It’s a bad situation…
-ghp
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