How Brief the "Hosannas" (Reflections on Palm Sunday)

There’s been some trouble at my old alma mater—once known as the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia—now the United Lutheran Seminary, a merger of the Philadelphia and Gettysburg seminaries. About two years ago (if memory serves) some ecclesiastical geniuses realized that rising costs and declining enrollment made it necessary to combine the two schools. Technology and the wonder of “distance learning” enabled the combined institution to reduce staff and share resources. It seems like a great idea, and I’m sure there was much cheering and clapping seven months ago when the United Lutheran Seminary Board of Trustees named the eminent scholar Dr. Theresa Latini as the first president of the new institution.

Unfortunately, the cheering has recently been replaced with cries of “Crucify!” from an angry student body which now views the appointment of Dr. Latini as an egregious act of betrayal.

Here’s what went down: Dr. Latini, in her much younger days, took a salaried position with a Presbyterian organization called One by One. The chief goal of this organization was believed to be to “pray away the gay.” That is, it was supposedly dedicated to “curing” same-gender oriented people of their homosexuality. In the years since taking employment with One by One, Dr. Latini has come to repudiate the mission of this organization, embrace LGBT people with love and acceptance, and completely reject and denounce all forms of so-called “conversion therapy” for the quackery and bigoted sham they are. She has been, I’m given to understand, a great supporter of LGBT rights, and is otherwise a thoroughly qualified Christian scholar who upholds the doctrine, morals, and social principles of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Nevertheless, when her past involvement with One by One was somehow made known to the ULS community, it lit a spark of outrage which burst into full conflagration involving students both gay and straight, faculty, alumni, and the Board of Trustees. The result of this maelstrom has been Dr. Latini’s dismissal which was announced the week of March 11^th. I suspect the Board felt it was better that one Presbyterian be sacrificed for the sake of the seminary nation.

I have no dog in this fight myself. I don’t know Dr. Latini and I’m only familiar with the bare outline of these doings which I’ve sketched above. This episode, however, speaks to me as we prepare to celebrate Palm Sunday. How quick the “Hosannas!” get replaced with “Crucify!” What is it, I wonder, which makes us laud an individual one moment and rip that same person to tatters the next? How has sin so infiltrated our collected personality that we glory in scandal or in watching the fall and ruin of other human beings? How very quick we are to take offense, to feel betrayal, and to project our disappointment onto others.

On Palm Sunday Jesus is surrounded by crowds practically fainting with joy to get a glimpse of him. They’re turning their own threadbare cloaks into a red carpet to lay before this humble king. But, by Thursday, Jesus will find himself alone. Only his mother and Mary Magdalene along with one lone male disciple will stand by him to the end.

Where are the others? What were they thinking on that Sunday when they spread their cloaks on the road and waved their palm branches? Did they think Jesus would be their revolutionary king who would restore their egos and make Israel great again?

What do you think you’d want from Jesus? Will we cheer his entry because he’s who we want him to be—our personal therapist in times of trouble or our yardstick by which we can judge others? Or can we welcome him for who he is—the one sent to teach us all much-needed forgiveness, and, in so doing, transform us into the world’s humble servants?

Thanks for stopping by my friend. Have a blessed Holy Week.