We have seen where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be in 30 years, and it’s in the form of herchurch, a heretical church in San Francisco within the Sierra Pacific Synod, the most progressive entity of the ELCA.
Founded initially as Ebenezer Lutheran Church by Swedish immigrants in 1884, the church served the community for many years until Rev. Stacy Boorn took over. Ordained in 1987, Boorn describes herself as a “Pastor & Priestess of Ritual” and claims that her “malestream theological education opened the door for her to build a Goddess-inclusive congregation and ministry.”
Inhabited by several legions of demons, she’s remade the church into her image, painting it purple in 2010 and giving it its new moniker to “honor the Goddess and Divine Feminine,” be in “solidarity with women and all persons who are oppressed and denied equal rights,” and to “advocate for marriage rights for all people.”
Here, Boorn introduced explicitly pagan ideas into the lifeblood of the church, all the while denominational leadership looked on approvingly. She was later joined by Megan Rohrer, the first openly transgender minister and bishop ordained in the Lutheran tradition, and together they devoured any souls they could find. This includes participating in traditional liturgies like communion and singing, while placing little idols and carvings of gods throughout the church.
Other leaders include Priestess Alice Heimsoth, the “Documentarian Priestess for herchurch, artistically chronicling the community and its member’s connection to the Divine Feminine,” and Priestexx Thom Longino, the “adjunct pastor, spiritual director, Goddexx enthusiast, avid crocheter, Br Lilith of the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, and occasional Night Minister,”
And finally, there is Priestess Christine Konkol. According to her bio:
As Priestess Witch for herchurch, Christine offers magical gifts to share and enhance the support and development of herchurch. The monthly astrological reading provides guidance from the stars and is a favorite among many. Together we honor the natural cycles of the year, the Solstices and Equinoxes, and thank the Earth for her bounty.
Not content to simply follow traditional church practices, Boorn recently created a new ritual called the “Goddess Rosary,” where supplicants use beads to utter and track prayers that “are liberating and empowering” such as “Our Mother Who is Within Us,” by Mariam Teresa Winters, a Roman Catholic Feminist, and “Hail Goddess Full of Grace,” by Carol Christ, a Goddess Feminist.)
They describe the ritual this way:
During the hour, Tibetan bowls, bells, incense, water, she-icons, Goddess Rosaries, candles, stones, and sacred space are provided for individual meditation and movement. Minister of Embodiment Judith Lavender Dancer teaches movement for the Our Mother and Hail Goddess prayers. She also brings sacred dance and the body into the Sunday liturgy.
This is the final form of the ELCA: It’s only a matter of time.
