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Two pastors in the 2.6 million-member Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) have accused denomination president Gerald B. Kieschnick of promoting syncretism and unionism. They say he should be stripped of the presidency and expelled as a member.

This is the most publicized incident in a rising debate over prayer with other faiths, but it is not the only one. The September 11 terrorist attacks spurred an increase of unity services and interfaith events—leaving many to question the limits of religious unity.

Kieschnick, the LCMS president since September 8, supported a pastor's participation in an interfaith service at Yankee Stadium. Accusers say this promoted syncretism, the blending of elements from different religions.

Days after the destruction of the World Trade Center, Kieschnick toured Ground Zero. Afterward, he prayed at a Manhattan church with Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) clergy. The two LCMS pastors say this action was a display of unionism, the practice of Christian groups worshiping together as if their doctrines were the same.

Evangelical theologians and leaders contacted by Christianity Today were not hesitant to support Christians praying with believers of other denominations.

"If they believe that the Bible is God's Word and Jesus died for our sins, specific labels are irrelevant," said James Merritt, Southern Baptist Convention president.

"My decision to participate in saying prayers and singing hymns with ELCA pastors was an appropriate decision," Kieschnick told Christianity Today this week. "My support of a pastor's decision to pray at the Yankee Stadium event was also an appropriate decision. They were appropriate because they reflect the position of the LCMS."

The denomination refrains from prayer with non-Christians in order to avoid an appearance of syncretism or to compromise the gospel. However, the LCMS national convention approved a document (pdf) this summer stipulating that pastors could choose to participate at civic events.

"As Christians, we have the opportunity in a pluralistic society to stand up for the truth," Kieschnick said. "I believe this precious truth needs to be proclaimed from the mountaintops. When given that opportunity, a pastor should take it and clearly articulate our beliefs."

The recent LCMS document stipulated that as long as pastors could pray in Jesus' name without restriction, participation in civic events was up to the individual's discretion. The report reads:

If an invitation requires a pastor to pray to God without mentioning Jesus, he cannot in good conscience accept. Without such a restriction, a Lutheran pastor may for valid and good reason participate in civic affairs such as an inauguration, graduation or a right-to-life activity. These occasions may provide opportunity to witness to the Gospel. Pastors may have honest differences of opinion about whether or to what extent it is appropriate or helpful to participate in these or similar civic events. In these cases charity must prevail.

"When our pastor stood and prayed in Yankee Stadium it was clearly in the precious name of Jesus," Kieschnick said. "He was not praying with Muslims because he was not praying to Allah. There is a difference between praying with those who don't see Jesus as the true God and praying in their midst."

The SBC's Merritt agrees with Kieschnick's distinction. He said an important line exists between praying while other faiths are present and praying to the same God. "My problem with interfaith services is if they give credence to the belief that our God is the same as the God of Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims," Merritt said.

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December (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45