Editor Lisa McIntosh
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Executive Editor Linda Macqueen
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The Lutheran informs the members of the LCANZ about the church’s teaching, life, mission and people, helping them to grow in faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. The Lutheran also provides a forum for a range of opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the policies of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand.
The Lutheran
Lutheran Church of New Zealand Bishop Mark Whitfield, left, found time amongst the busyness of the recent Convention of General Synod in Melbourne to catch up on some important reading with Australian-based LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith. Bishop Mark, who is retiring from his role at the LCNZ Synod in June, also has been leading the church’s call for prayer and support for people affected by this year’s devastating weather events in the North Island of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Adelaide SA
Works as a nanny and in events and education for Nature Play SA
Most treasured Bible text: Lamentations 3:22,23
‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’
St Pauls Lutheran Church Oakey Qld
Reporter for the Oakey Champion newspaper
Most treasured Bible text: John 1:1–14
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’
Christ Church Lutheran Church Murray Bridge SA
Bachelor of Ministry student at ALC
Most treasured Bible text: Romans 5:1–5
‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ... God’s love has been poured out into our hearts …’
As I write this, I’m aware that this coming Sunday (26 March) is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Such awareness days can be sobering reminders of the issues facing our world. So, as well as bringing you the news, views, resolutions and next steps for the LCANZ after the recent General Synod, in this edition we’re putting a spotlight on slavery.
Slavery is an evil we’d like to think has been consigned to history. But tragically, that’s not the reality – even in the 21st century. The latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery states that in 2021 almost 50 million people were living in modern slavery.
Modern-day slavery is less public than ancient iterations – we don’t see people nowadays in chains working on roads or in fields or building pyramids.
Children sold into prostitution or early marriage or forced to work in hard labour conditions are among today’s enslaved people. They may work in overseas ‘sweatshops’ manufacturing the cheap clothing we love to buy, or as bonded agricultural labourers on cocoa farms or tea plantations which produce our favourite beverages or chocolate. If we can afford to, are we prepared to pay extra to ensure the goods we buy are without slavery in their supply chain?
We’d like to think this couldn’t happen in Australia and New Zealand but, according to the Global Slavery Index, 15,000 people are living in ‘illegal conditions of modern slavery’ in Australia, with a further 3,000 in New Zealand.
In 2015, the LCA joined 14 other Australian religious organisations and communities in signing a joint declaration against modern slavery and called on the government to enact the Modern Slavery Bill. The church’s submission said in part, ‘Godly conduct rules out exploiting and humiliating others ... Jesus … urged us all to see God’s own suffering in the face of those in need, and to respond to them with kindness and generosity. He might well say to us today, “Where were you when I appeared to you in the form of a victim of modern slavery?”’
As Christians, we know that we, too, have been slaves in the spiritual sense – slaves to sin. We know that, through his death and resurrection on that first Easter, Jesus redeemed us, freeing us from our slavery. As free people, he calls on us to share his love with those who are still enslaved – whether physically, spiritually, or both. I pray that this Easter we will rejoice in ‘living as free people’ (1 Peter 2:16) while doing what we can to ensure justice for the oppressed (Micah 6:8, Isaiah 58:6).
PS – Due to our coverage of General Synod, some of our regular features are missing from this edition. They will return next time. Thank you for your understanding.
Our cover: Artwork by Elysia McEwen
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following pages may contain images of people who have died.
It is finished.
One Easter morning, in my first country parish in South Australia, I had an encounter at the door of the church that I will never forget. It was a moment that gathered me into the way that the good news of the resurrection of our Lord changes us to be people of hope. At the church door before that Easter Sunday service, I was met by an older member who announced, ‘Pastor, I felt Easter!’ She continued, ‘I felt the resurrection of our Lord Jesus for the first time.’ What had happened to this faithful member, that she would make such a declaration?
That story began with Good Friday just days before. For our worship service in the parish, we had used a form called ‘Tenebrae’. This order of worship is focused on light in the darkness. During the service, candles are extinguished one by one, as relevant scriptures are read. The last candle is hidden behind the altar, and then the people leave the church in darkness.
Since the congregation’s worship committee had decided to use this Tenebrae-style service for Good Friday, they had to deal with a bit of a problem. A worship service at 9am in the morning, in the South Australian countryside, is very bright and sunny, so it would be easy for the significant symbol of extinguishing candles and of darkness to be lost. A couple of the men in the congregation came up with a creative solution. They decided that as each candle was extinguished, they would cover each of the six church windows one by one with specially prepared cardboard.
And their idea worked. When all the candles were extinguished, and we had put up their cardboard, we had a very dark church indeed. After putting the last candle behind the altar, we all left in silence. It was like walking out of a tomb.
That was the experience of the parish member who had met me at the door on Easter morning. She was rostered on church cleaning that weekend, so the day before, when she went to clean, the cardboard hadn’t been taken down yet, and she found herself entering the empty darkness. As a Christian, she knew the good news that the empty tomb at Calvary meant for all humankind and it was those ‘tidings of great joy’ that she had discovered.
Only from the darkness of Good Friday can our eyes recognise the dawning light of Easter resurrection.
When the Apostle John recorded the story of Jesus in his gospel nearly 2000 years ago, he told us his purpose was that we would believe that Jesus is the Christ and, by believing, we would have life in his name.
John is the only gospel writer to record certain words of our Lord from the cross – ‘When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished”.’ What has been finished? John has given the parameters to understand these words, from the very beginning of his gospel. It is another John, the Baptist, who sees Jesus and proclaims: ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’
When Jesus was crucified, he declared that his work taking away the sin of the world was complete. ‘It is finished.’ We gather for worship on Good Friday to hear Jesus’ response to our struggle for God’s acceptance: 'It is finished. Sin is forgiven once and for all. I have done all that is required for you to have peace with God.’ He does this for me out of love.
At the beginning of John’s Gospel, we hear the deepest assurance of Good Friday faith: ‘In him was life, and that life was the light of all humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ In the Tenebrae service, the light of the last candle is hidden behind the altar to remind us that behind the darkness of sin and death of Good Friday, there was always God’s purpose to forgive sin and defeat death and the power of the devil.
In our Lutheran witness, we confess that this message of Good Friday is the first and chief article of faith, out of which comes all other teachings of faith. This truth that, on the cross, Christ Jesus finishes what is required for faith, can never be watered down or modified.
Only from the darkness of Good Friday can our eyes recognise the dawning light of Easter resurrection.
In Christ, Paul
Lord Jesus, we belong to you, you live in us, we live in you; we live and work for you –because we bear your name
ONLY FROM THE DARKNESS OF GOOD FRIDAY CAN OUR EYES RECOGNISE THE DAWNING LIGHT OF EASTER RESURRECTION.
