Many factors led to woman's election as Lutheran bishop

The Reading Eagle ^ | 31 August AD 2013 | John W. Smith

[lightman]

How did Elizabeth Eaton pull off the year's biggest surprise in Pittsburgh, not counting the Pirates?

The unheralded bishop of Northeastern Ohio beat out the two-term incumbent, Mark Hanson, by better than 2-1 for the office of presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, despite trailing him by a 19-1 margin on the first (nominating) ballot. Let us count the ways.

These Mainline Lutherans turned out to be literalists. The convention theme, as veteran attendee Eric Shafer pointed out last week, was "Always Being Made New." Thus many delegates decided to uphold Isaiah 43:19 and "do a new thing," enforcing unofficial term limits.

There was a feeling that a woman should have a shot at the top job. After all, the Episcopalians, the Lutherans' covenant partner, did just that in their last election. Four of Hanson's six challengers who qualified for the second ballot were women. Ann Rodgers, award-winning religion editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, cited "reports of an organized effort to elect a female."

You have to be known outside your own synod to get enough second-ballot votes to make it to the gang of seven. Northeastern Ohio had 14 elected delegates. Where did she get the other votes? I called the Rev. David Anderson, Medina, Ohio, who was runner-up to Eaton in the 2006 synod bishop election, and has family ties both to Lancaster County and her former church. He said Eaton, through speaking engagements, especially with women, had become known and liked in adjoining synods.

Eaton decisively trailed Jessica Crist, the bishop of Montana and nationally known as chairman of the Council of Bishops, on the first two ballots. According to Rodgers, Crist and the other women were perceived as being more liberal than Hanson or Eaton.

Then there's the snowball effect. Eaton's totals went from 23 to 87 to 345 to 523 to 600. "I just wanted there to be a conversation about the new bishop," she told Rodgers. "I didn't think it would get this far out of hand."

The biggest reason: By all accounts, Eaton made the best presentation among the candidates prior to the third ballot, where her total quadrupled. "She was the only one to directly address concerns of theological conservatives," Rodgers wrote. "She said that she supported the decision to allow partnered gay clergy but respected those of a different understanding of Scripture and doctrine" and wants to give them a voice and room.

Eaton's sense of humor also came out. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported that in the presentation she was asked what theologian she'd like to share a beer with. She said St. Paul wouldn't be much fun and Martin Luther would talk too much, so she settled for her mother. She has said one of her qualifications for filling bishop responsibilities is that she really likes chicken.

Said Anderson: "I was surprised at first, but after the second ballot, it was no surprise at all. She has such a dynamic presence and speaks from the heart so openly. She'll be a wonderful face for the ELCA."

Next week: One more big reason?

Contact John W. Smith: 610-371-5007 or jsmith@readingeagle.com.

[Morgana]

“Her theology is simple. Drinking beer with St.Paul wouldn’t be as much fun as drinking beer with gay partners.”

That hit it right on the nose!! Could not have said it better myself.

[heye2monn]

Thanks. Paul could have probably said it better. :-)

[Chode]

sure, heresy being one of them...