Zig Zagging and God’s Love at United Lutheran Seminary

In philly.com’s article, Seminary blows its chance to show us what Christianity could look like, about the firing of United Lutheran Seminary’s President Theresa Latini, columnist Ronnie Polaneczky makes a valid point about the true nature of Christianity. Christianity, she claims, “is supposed to bravely and compassionately zig when humanity’s more base instincts, like fear or survival, make others zag.” This is a claim I support; my faith has instilled in me a different way of reacting to and understanding fear (of “the other” as well as, fear to act on their behalf) and survival (or what I would call protection of the ego.) Zigging through life in ways that are bravely compassionate is now my new favorite way of explaining what it looks like to be a Christian. 

I don’t think it’s what Christianity could look like – setting aside fear of otherness, setting aside the fears that come with acting on the behalf of others, and setting aside a need to protect one’s ego over the needs of others is what Christianity looks like. Polaneczky is right that the seminary (my alma mater) failed to zig in a Christian manner; they absolutely blew it, but not exactly the way her article suggests. You see, as Christians, we are primarily called to zig for those who are oppressed, abused, and outcast by society. We are called to bravely and compassionately act and speak on behalf of the vulnerable even and especially when doing so means putting ourselves at risk.  

There are a few things about the crisis that took place of which I have no doubt.  

I’m sure that Dr. Latini is hurting as a result of the ways in which information about her past was disseminated and I’m sorry that she is hurting. However, as President of ULS, she held a position of power which required her to fill a very public role. One of the criteria candidates for this position needed to satisfy was that they were affirming of LGBTQ+ persons. Her past included a pertinent piece of information on this exact thing, but she chose to only share this with one other person.  

This one other person, the Rev. Elise Brown, Chairperson for the Board of Trustees, failed to consider this information as being pertinent enough to share it with anyone else for 8 months. Less than halfway through those 8 months, Latini was appointed president. When Rev. Brown did finally share it with the rest of the board, they failed to consider the possibility that LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff might have some strong, negative, reactions including feelings of mistrust, PTSD-like anxiety, and fear – not of the other – but as the other. Then, in responding to the strong, negative reactions, they zagged all over the place. By calling unsafe spaces “safe” – ZAG. By placing the onus of confidentiality on subordinates – ZAG. By offering “apologies” that sounded a lot more like defending egos than “I’m sorry” – ZAG.  

All these people considered themselves to be Christians and to be allies and advocates for LGBTQ+ people.   Have no doubt, the people in power, who held control over all the information, and who made all the decisions: members of the Board of Trustees and Dr. Latini are not the victims here. Allies and advocates don’t get to be victims, because in order to be an ally or to advocate for others one needs to have authority, power, knowledge, and/or some kind of privilege the person or people in need of allies and advocacy doesn’t have. Allies and advocates don’t get to automatically decide what’s best just because they’re allies and advocates. One doesn’t get extra credits for being an ally and advocating for others doesn’t earn you cookies or salvation. 

“The way the school allowed the pain to fester for weeks, without a formal acknowledgment to students and staff that mistakes were made, only poured gas on the fire.” According to Polaneczky, “Latini took the brunt of the burns, culminating in her termination.” Yes, the board splashed flammable liquids all over the place and yes, I’m sure there were people who called Dr. Latini a Nazi, but the vision of what Christianity looks like was not blown by her being fired. It would not have been an act of brave or compassionate zigging had she remained. Courageous, compassionate zigging was her responsibility to enact as President of United Lutheran Seminary. It was the Board of Trustees responsibility to bravely and compassionately ensure that the person who held that position was capable of zigging – for the students, faculty, and staff. And in this circumstance, specifically for those who are LGBTQ+. 

Even vague suggestions that LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff overreacted (aka: awful accusations, cruel assumptions, and jarring reactions) or that their lack of humble, Christ-like, forgiveness turned Latini into a victim causing her to be fired – ZAG ZAG ZAG!   “Where was God in all of this? Where was grace, understanding, and forgiveness? Where was plain old Christian decency?” asks Polaneczky. “What an opportunity United Lutheran has squandered to show the rest of the world how God’s love can heal our wounded world — one tender, humble, transparent, and courageous conversation at a time.” 

Polaneczky might well have seen Latini’s firing as squandered opportunity, but on behalf of those of us (queer, cis, and het folk) who zigged our hearts out for the LGBTQ+ students of ULS, allow me to answer those questions she couldn’t.  

God was there in the crisis and hasn’t left. God’s grace, understanding, and forgiveness is always present, waiting for us to repent. Christianity isn’t about decency; it’s about faith in God who lived for us, died for us, and was resurrected for us. It’s about how that faith makes us accountable to and for one another so that we can live in relationship with God and each other.  

 What occurred at ULS happened because there were breakdowns in accountability by the people who were in charge. Yes, as Christians, we are supposed to forgive, but that doesn’t negate their responsibility to be accountable for those breakdowns. A lot of people were hurt by this, including Dr. Latini, and some gaping wounds have been left in Philadelphia and Gettysburg. But, God’s love will heal those wounds – have no doubt.