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Pittsburgh Confession Confessing Synod Ministries Historical Note: The Pittsburgh Confession was written at the time of the major fight for federal aid in the "Rust Belt" of America, Pittsburgh area, where over 100,000 workers were laid off because of building steel mills in the 3rd world and closing American mills. The Confession was written in response to the denominational attack against local clergy for participating in that fight even though the fight was non-violent. The Confession was against the use of secular bank lawyers, secular courts, and the church constitution to remove and defrock two pastors and attempt to destroy many other ministries that stood against the corporate model of disenfranchisement of human beings.
See Apology Below AN EVANGELICAL CONFESSION PITTSBURGH 1985 At certain critical times in the life of the church it becomes necessary to make a confessional stand. These are times when believers must profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ concisely in order to call the organized churches and their leaders away from the embrace of "another gospel" (Galatians 1:7-8). These are times of great stress in the churches due to the widespread social or political turmoil in the world around us. These are always times when there is a crisis of authority in the churches due to the fact that secular authority in some form has begun to eclipse the Gospel. Furthermore, when such situations prevail, those believers who respond to the call to confess the Gospel always face the wrath and retaliation of that secular authority which has invaded the church and can, at this point, use the structures of the church to carry out retribution for its own preservation. A confessional crisis involves more than the simple ignorance or errors of church leaders. There always are errors in the judgment and leadership of bishops, pastors, and lay leaders. We all are human and subject to mistaken judgment, folly, and wicked motives. However, such errors can be identified, exposed, and corrected on the basis of a commonly held interpretation of Scripture and confessions, namely the Gospel. A confessional crisis, on the other hand, occurs when churches through their leaders willfully and consciously adopt another gospel which justifies attitudes and actions in the church that would otherwise stand condemned in the light of the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. In such a case the Gospel itself has been usurped by a false message backed by an alien, secular authority. Such a crisis is now before us in Pittsburgh. Efforts of Evangelical Christians in this area of massive unemployment to bring the Word Qf God into the lives of the oppressed and to address that Word to the oppressors have evoked from church leaders responses which leave us no choice but to make a confessional stand. The words and deeds of our leaders clearly indicate that they have willingly allowed the "business corporation" to become an "idol1', an authoritative model necessary for the unity of the church. The influence and power of this "corporation idol" have become particularly clear in two aspects of our leaders teachings and actions. Church leaders have shamelessly said that there are areas of the life of the church where the Lordship of Christ is not sufficient for the unity of the church and where the agents of the corporations have rightful authority. These leaders also have said that it is not proper for the people of the church to point out evil and injustice in the powerful corporations, thus denying, out of deference for these idolized principalities, that the Word of God as Law condemns the sin of all and calls all to repentance. To recall the church's leadership from these dangerous expressions of an alien gospel and willing to risk the consequences, we must boldly and unequivocally affirm the following Evangelical statement: 1. THE ONE LORD OF THE CHURCH IS JESUS CHRIST AS ATTESTED IN HOLY SCRIPTURE AND THE CONFESSIONS OF THE CHURCH AND MADE PRESENT TO US BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE IS THE EFFECTIVE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH WHOM THE CHURCH SERVES IN ALL MATTERS, TEMPORAL AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL. A. Jesus Christ is The One Lord of the Church. The Biblical term for Lord (Kyrios) means absolute master as one who owned a slave was the 'lord' of that person. As the Apostles confessed that they were 'slaves' of Christ (Romans 1:1; I Peter 1:1; Jude l),so must all who profess His Lordship In their lives. As the Lordship of Christ has been established through his costly servanthood to God, so we are called to and freed for a costly servanthood under Christ that His Lordship may be apparent and effective. (Mark 1:27; Mark 10:42-45; and Philippians 2:5-1 1) We must reject, therefore, teachings and practices which deny the absolute Lordship of Christ by presenting Him as only a moral role-model, or non-directive counselor, or tolerant friend whose grace is cheap and whose call to service is without risk. We must further reject any representation of Jesus Christ as a democratic leader who yields His authority to the demands or preferences of His followers, or who allows majority votes to determine His actions or His will. We must reject specifically the teachings of our leaders that the will of God is determined by majority votes rather than through searching Scripture, diligent use of prayer and Sacrament, reliance on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and mutual conversation of the believers. Congregations and synods cannot "vote out" any kind of ministry, claiming their action is the will of God, without Biblical and Confessional examination or without specific charges simply because members do not like it. We must also reject specifically the acceptance by our church leaders of the "corporate model" as another gospel for the church. Attempts to shape our congregations and synods in the "corporate model", to adopt corporate style and technique, and to defer to corporate values as necessary for the church to be the church must be condemned as betrayals of the authority of Christ and the nature of the church as His kingdom. We also reject all corporation-style control techniques within the church such as the use of boycott and withholding of contributions by members or funding by synods in order to undermine and eliminate a ministry some may regard as troublesome. B. Jesus Christ is Lord in all aspects of the church's life. "He is the head of the body, the Church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent." (Colossians 1:IS). All aspects of the life of the church are subject to Christ's rule which is indeed practical and effective. We must reject, therefore, any teachings or practices which state or imply that there are areas of the church's life in which other authorities are more appropriate, as though some aspects of the church's life were purely mundane and properly left to secular authorities. All worldly or secular skills employed by the church, are exercised in the service of Christ and under His authority. Those who provide such skills, whether plumber, musician, bookkeeper, or lawyer, must operate under the Lordship of Christ and not as though they possess in their skills another basis of final authority apart from His. We must reject specifically the teaching and practice that there are areas of the church where constitutions and bylaws prevail totally apart from the Lordship of Christ as witnessed to by the Scriptures and Confessions of the church. We also must reject church leaders' use of civil law courts instead of Scripture and ecclesiastical means to resolve disputes with fellow believers, to confiscate property, and to silence or remove pastors. Jesus Christ as Lord is present to us through faith so as to provide specific and effective direction in the conduct of church life. 1TFor where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them". (Matthew 18:20). "Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:20). Through Word and Sacrament, Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit has called, freed and empowered us. By use of Word and Sacrament, prayer and mutual conversation, we receive from Him, through His grace, guidance for our lives even in specific situations. We must reject all teachings and actions of our leaders and fellow believers which state or imply that there are areas within the church where Our Lord is not available to give necessary direction, as in doctrinal disputes, or in conflicts between bishop and pastor, or in congregational divisions. We must reject specifically the attitude of our church leaders which leads them to say that we can have no idea what Jesus would say or do in confronting the corporate evil and injustice which causes human devastation and oppression such as we face in the Monongahela Valley. We take seriously our Lord's command, "As you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40). His ministry was clearly to those in need regardless of the consequences to himself or to the institutions of His day. II. ALL CREATION IN ITS FALLEN STATE IS SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD WHICH CALLS FOR JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE AND REPENTANCE OF SIN. FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL THE CHURCH MUST PROCLAIM BOLDLY THIS LAW IN PROPHETIC WORDS AND ACTIONS. A. In order to proclaim the Gospel as the message of salvation, the church must proclaim the Law as God's binding demand on all who live in this fallen world.(Romans 1:18-3:27). We must reject, therefore, the teaching that the church's call to proclaim the Word as Law is conditional upon the moral qualifications of the proclaimer as though Christians have to justify themselves on something other than their righteousness in the Gospel. (Romans 8:1). We also must reject vigorously the teachings of our leaders that evil and injustice are not to be identified in secular corporations or challenged in particular manifestations as though these institutions were immune to such corruption. We also must reject the position of our leaders that secular corporations and the church have the same vocation, purpose, and authority under God's Word. The church is not called to eradicate evil from the world but to witness to Jesus Christ as Lord in a fallen world. B. We affirm that secular authority is indeed instituted by God; and that these secular authorities have a God-ordained purpose and responsibility, namely, the provision of peace and justice. (Romans 13). When these secular authorities renounce or fail in their responsibility, they must be called to account by all who seek justice. If Christians in particular do not call boldly these authorities to account when they are practicing evil and injustice, it is a rejection of the Gospel as power for serving-love for the oppressed. If the commands of the civil authorities cannot be obeyed without sin, "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29). We reject, therefore, the notion that secular authority is by nature evil. We further reject that secular authority is always to be uncritically obeyed, whether these authorities are within or outside the church. C. Proclaiming God's Word, particularly as Law in a fallen world, requires critical prophetic ministry of both utterance and action, as Jesus demonstrated in His own ministry, for example in the cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:11-13) and in the crucifixion itself. As prophetic acts accompany the messages of the Old Testament prophets and signs were employed by Jesus to demonstrate his meaning, arouse his hearers and expose the hearts of his critics, so actions must accompany the church's prophetic proclamation to underscore the utterance, arouse the hearts of the hearers, and expose the concealed recalcitrance of unbelievers. (Ephesians 5:6-13). We must reject the teaching of our leaders who insist that only a ministry of polite cooperation with secular powers is valid and that any prophetic proclamation which offends those powers in invalid. If the leaders of the church teach that the church's ministry to secular authorities amounts only to a false priestly activity of acquiescence and blessing, and excludes prophetic criticism, this is a willful corruption of God's Word as Law and Gospel. We must reject the position of our leaders who claim that no prophetic actions may be used in proclaiming against secular evils if such would disturb the atmosphere of deferential cooperation between church and corporations. Ministry must be free to be as critical as necessary. When reasonable and cooperative approaches have failed to curb evil and injustice, actions which are symbolically strong and disturbing may be required even if they arouse the ire of secular culture. The integrity of the church stands on faithfulness to Jesus Christ as Lord and King and does not depend on the opinion of secular society. Adopted February 16, 1985 AN EVANGELICAL CONFESSION SIGNATURES ADOPTED FEBRUARY 16,1985 PITTSBURGH, PA. 1985 PHILIP D. LONG, PASTOR, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN-PITTSBURGH; JOHN F. YEDLICKA, PASTOR, OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN- MCMURRAY,PA; BETH SIEFERT, PASTOR, ST. ANDREW'S LUTHERAN CARNEGIE, PA; JOHN J. GROPP, PASTOR, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE, PA.; JAMES D. VONDREELE, RECTOR, ST.MATTHEW'S EPISCOPAL, HOMESTEAD,PA.; ANN MILLER SMITH, PASTOR, ST. LUKE'S LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH PA.; KRISTEN N. FOSTER, PASTOR, ST. JAMES LUTHERAN EMSWORTH, PA.; WILLIAM N. REX, Jr. PASTOR EMMANUEL, ROSECREST, ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN TRAFFORD, PA.; MICHAEL C. HAY, PASTOR, CENTRAL CANADA SYNOD LCA; DONALD H. SWANSON, PASTOR, LYNNWOOD LUTHERAN, BELLE VERNON, PA.; BAYARD FAITHFUL, RELIGIOUS WORKER, N.Y.CIRCUS, NYC.; CHARLES L. HONEYWELL, MEMBER, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN -PITTSBURGH, PA.; MARY MARGARET CAPP, VICE-PRESIDENT- EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; DONNA JEAN KYLLONEN ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN, ZURICH, CANADA; BETTY STEBBINS, DIRECTOR, EVANGELICAL URBAN MINISTRIES, CINCINNATI,OHIO; BARBARA VAN HORN ,EVANGELISM & SOCIAL MINISTRY, ST. MATTHEW LUTHERAN, BLOOMSBURG, PA.; MARY ANN YOST, MEMBER NATIVITY LUTHERAN CHURCH - ALLISON PARK, PA.; BART SOLARCZYK, TEACHER, ST. JAMES LUTHERAN EMSWORTH, PA.; MILDRED R. JOHNSON, PARISH SECRETARY, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN-PITTSBURGH, PA.; RICHARD W. SOLBERG, PASTOR, PACIFIC S.W. SYNOD, LCA THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.; DANIEL N. SOLBERG, PASTOR, NATIVITY LUTHERAN- ALLISON PARK, PA.; ELIZABETH VONDREELE ST. MATTHEWS EPlSCOPAL HOMESTEAD, PA. GENEVIEVE A. LONG, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; PAUL L. HIMMELMAN, PASTOR, FIRST TRINITY LUTHERAN WASHINGTON D.C.; D. DOUGLAS ROTH, PASTOR, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON,PA.; ________________________________________________________________________ DAVID SOUL, STUDIO CITY CALIF.; ROBERT A. FOSTER, FIRST LUTHERAN-PITTSBURGH, PA.; JIM JONES, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH ,PA.; DEBERAH J. HONEYWELL, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN-PITTSBURGH, PA.; SHIRLEY SCHOELLER, CHRIST-DUQUESNE, PA.; MIRIAM J. HANTZ, CHRIST LUTHERAN-DUQUESNE, PA.; JAMES J. SPECK-CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE, PA.; JUDY GUIDISH, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON,PA.; LARRY GUIDISH, TRINITY LUTHERAN-CLAIRTON ,PA.; JOANN REILLY, TRINITY LUTHERAN-CLAIRTON ,PA.; IVA R. DINKEL, TRINITY LUTHERAN-CLAIRTON,PA.; RITA POPP, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE PA.; CAROL BITTO CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE, PA.; DALE WORTON, ST.MATTHEW'S HOMESTEAD, PA.; JANET CAVALIERO, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE,PA.; JOHN MACELLARO, St.JUSTIN R.C. CHURCH-PITTSBURGH,PA.; RAYMOND BAKER TRINITY LUTHERAN LAIRTON,PA; JIM MCAULIFFE, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON,PA; TOM HCAULIFFE, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; MARTIN F. KRIEN, TRlINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; EDITH KRIEN,GREENGCI(, PA; BONNIE RUFFING, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; KATHY MCAULIFFE, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; HARRY DINKEL, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; WAYNE COCHRAN, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; NADINE ROTH, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; BECKY FOSBRINK, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA; HAROLD HONEYWELL, RETIRED PASTOR, FIRST BAPTIST-THREE RIVERS MICH.; JOY HONEYWELL, FIRST BAPTIST-THREE RIVERS, MICH.; DAVID & ROBERTA HONEYWELL, FIRST BAPTlST-THREE RIVERS, MICH.; MIKE BONN, PRES. USWA 2227,MEMBER TRINITY LUTERAN CLAIRTON ; KATHY VANNATTA, CHRIST LUTHERAN-DUQUESNE, PA.; GALE E. TYMESON, PASTOR, CALVARY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST TURTLE CREEK,PA.; ALBERT BODNAR, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE ,PA.; SAM DEEP, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH,PA.; MARIANNE HANTZ, CHRIST LUTHERAN-DUQUESNE,PA.; DAVID CALLOWAY, EAST LlBERTY LUTHERAN- PITTSBURGH, PA.; HARVEY OSKIN, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE,PA.; SILVIA KIRBY, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; NORMA SOMERVlLLE, CHRIST LUTHERAN DUQUESNE, PA.; WALTER CAPP, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; MILDRED NOLAN, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; BILL & DIANE VAN LEAR, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; DARRELL BECKER, PRES. IUMSWA LOCAL 61; PAUL BRANOT, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA.; NEIL & PAM RAMSEY, TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA.; JESSIE HUGHES, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; IRENE HERNOON, BEULAK BAPTIST-CINClNNATI,OHIO ; BARBARA CURRY, EAST LIBERTY LUTHERAN PITTSBURGH, PA.; PAULA SCALO, LAY MINISTRY, ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN TRAFFORD, PA.; DEWEY & VENLA ROTH, BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN RAVENNA, NEBRASKA; ALLEN & VIRGINIA NUSS, ZION LUTHERAN NEWTON, KANSAS; REBECCA REX, ST. MARK'S LUTHERAN TRAFFORD, PA.; RON WEISEN,PRES. USWA 1397,MEMBER TRINITY LUTHERAN CLAIRTON, PA.; BETTY FISCHER, STEWARD TEAMSTERS 538, PASSAVANT CENTER, MEMBER TRINITY LUTHERAN, CLAIRTON, PA.; THIS LIST OF SIGNATURES INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL SIGNERS (FEBRUARY 16, 1985) AND OTHERS WHO HAVE SIGNED TO SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT. WE ASK THAT YOU READ THE CONFESSION AND SIGN IT AS YOU SUPPORT ITS HISTORY-MAKING IMPACT ON NEEDED CHANGE IN THE CHURCH IN AMERICA. THE ORIGINAL DRAFTERS OF THE CONFESSION UNDERSTOOD THE RISK AND CONTINUED THREAT INVOLVED. WE, THEREFORE, NEED YOUR SUPPORT, HOPING CHURCH LEADERS, FREE FROM FEAR, CAN SIGN AS AN EXPRESSION OF BELIEF AND FREEDOM IN CHRIST. Please
mail to: NAME ADDRESS Telephone Email address (Eventually you will be able to click on this site to be a signatore of this confession. ) APOLOGY OF THE PITTSBURGH CONFESSION (Written March 7, 1987 by Rev. Philip D. Long and the Confessor Team) PREAMBLE Last February we presented to the Church our "Evangelical Confession, Pittsburgh, 1985." In July, an official critical response came from the Bishop's Commission on Economic Justice (BCR). Many of the charges in that document amount to name-calling (ad hominem), e.g., that we are biblicistic, blind zealots, schismatics (Schwaermer), self-righteous, etc. We will not respond to these, although we could. Instead we will focus on four issues we consider crucial. I. THE GOSPEL IS THE ISSUE IN THIS CONFLICT Our critics have claimed that "the chief locus of the dispute" is not "over the message of the Gospel...but on different positions on social action" (BCR, pg. 11). In trying to prove their point, they distort Part II of our confession where we speak of living the Gospel in the secular realm. They also completely ignore what the Preface and Part I of our confession define as the chief locus of the dispute. Moreover, our critics contradict themselves for they accuse us repeatedly of imposing our own or a "new" gospel (BCR, pp. 12, 15). In our confession we refer to the Gospel as "the Gospel of Jesus Christ," "the message of salvation," the basis of "righteousness." Where have we in our confession defined the Gospel in new or strange terms? Instead, we proclaim Jesus' Gospel in the face of the "alien gospel" promoted by our ecclesiastical leaders who evaluate pastors and laity not in terms of their fellowship in the community of forgiven sinners, but in terms of their cooperation with human traditions (constitutions and rules of order). When such evaluation goes on the Gospel itself is oppressed. "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you." (Mark 10:42-43) II. IN THE PITTSBURGH CONFESSION WE ARE CONFESSING, NOT WRITING SOCIAL STATEMENTS. Our critics have understood "An Evangelical Confession, Pittsburgh 1985," to be "proposing an Economic Justice (1980). Such an understanding misinterprets the nature of our confessing, confusing our words and actions on the witness stand (status confessionis) with the writing of social statements. Indeed, where in our confession have we rejected or even criticized the LCA's social statements? On the contrary, we have endeavored quite seriously to live out and implement the full intent of those statements. Confessing for us is distinguishing the ultimate authority to which we must give account from all secondary authorities. While we have been making our confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord, our critics charge that we have been unaccountable. But their primary concern is our accountability to church leaders (BCR, p. 13), down-playing our accountability to Scripture and Confessions. In so doing our critics have blatantly reversed evangelical priorities. It has been our experience, all along, in Synod Conventions, disciplinary proceedings, law courts, and everywhere that we have been called to account only to church constitutions, Roberts Rules, and civil law, never to Scripture and Confessions. Confessing is also giving testimony to the hope that is within us when we are arraigned before our ecclesiastical and worldly superiors. In faithfulness to our Lord and in true accountability, we stand before not only our human superiors, but before God, and we make the bold affirmation that Jesus Christ is our Lord, the one Lord of the Church. The Pittsburgh Confession is our testimony that in radical hope we are accountable first to God in Christ Jesus and secondly to all human authorities. III. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST EMPOWERS AND FREES US TO TAKE ON THE WORLD. Our critics have charged that our confession is "based essentially on the Reformed version of Christ's present and universal Lordship" (BCR, p. 9), and have even claimed that the Pittsburgh Confession advocates "the political Lordship of Jesus Christ" (BCR, p. 7). But where in our confession is there any reference to theocracy, or a political Lordship of Christ which we would impose not only on Christians but non-Christians as well? Instead, we have confessed that the Lordship of Christ empowers and frees us to hold human institutions accountable to God's law. Where, or how, have we implied anything else? But while we have appealed to the Lordship of Christ as our justifying authority, our critics have sought to justify themselves by appealing to the authority of "an LCA attorney" and by treating congregational and synodical "frustrations" as understandable grounds for their actions (BCR, p. 14). That is what we mean by following the "alien gospel" of the corporate business model, i.e., using legal force and coercion, and yielding to expediency and the mood of the marketplace. This then, is the issue: by which authority are we going to stand before the judges of this world as on that "Last Great Day ," Jesus Christ or an LCA attorney? IV. A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN LAW AND GOSPEL IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CONFESSION. Our critics have charged that "the fundamental theological error of the Pittsburgh document is the confusion of law and gospel" (BCR, p. 11). We take this charge seriously, and we are dismayed by its slander, for they cite no evidence from our confession. We have divided our confession into two chief parts: Part I, corresponding with the Gospel as the source of the Church's unity and authority, and Part II, the law as the source of our authority in the secular realm. We affirm, and reaffirm, that God rules and creates in two ways, through the law and through the Gospel. Traditionally, this has been the ecumenical truth of the doctrine of the "two kingdoms." But, the "two kingdoms" doctrine has often been used to absolutize existing power structures, and we do indeed resist that interpretation. While we acknowledge that these structures are "God-ordained," they are ordained for God's purpose ("the provision of peace and justice"), and when they "renounce or fail in their responsibility, they must be called to account by all who seek justice." We affirm that we have clarified and connected, not confused, law and Gospel in our ministry. We believe our critics share this truth with us when they speak of the "interpenetration" (BCR, p. 6y) of the two realms. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the promise in which we trust as we raise our critical voice (law) in this situation of massive oppression. A CONCLUDING ECUMENICAL INVITATION The historical occasion for the Pittsburgh Confession has been our ministry to the disenfranchised and the oppressed in and around Pittsburgh and elsewhere in the USA today. This brought us into conflict with our church leadership. It moved us into our time of confession. It opened our eyes to other confessors both in our country and elsewhere in the world. One such group of confessor is the Kairos theologians in their recent confession from South Africa. We join them in the concluding words of their "Challenge to the Church." Their words ring true to our experience. We are a divided Church precisely because not all the members of our Churches have taken sides against oppression. In other words not all Christians have united themselves with God "who is always on the side of the oppressed." (Ps. 103:6). As far as the present crisis is concerned, there is only one way forward to Church unity and that is for those Christians who find themselves on the side of the oppressor or sitting on he fence, to cross over to the other side to be united in faith and actions with those who are oppressed...The people look to the Church, especially in the midst of our present crisis, for moral guidance. In order to provide this Church must first make its stand absolutely clear and never tire of explaining and dialoguing about it...The Church of Jesus Christ is not called to be a bastion of caution and moderation. The Church should challenge, inspire and motivate people. It has a message of the cross that inspires us to make sacrifices for justice and liberation. It has a message of hope that challenges us to wake up and to act with hope and confidence. The Church must preach this message not only in words and sermons and statements but also through its actions, programs, campaigns, and divine services. Drafted by the undersigned confessors in convention at East Liberty Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 22, 1985
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