What Would Jesus Say?

In today's Star Tribune, Nick Coleman writes about one of the healing moments that came in the aftermath of the St. Peter tornadoes nine years ago: when the Catholic church was destroyed the nearby Lutheran congregation invited the Catholics to join them for worship and then to use their building for their own worship until they had new facilities. But even after the new building was in place the two congregations continued to worship together on Easter.

All of this was too much for Bishop John Nienstedt of New Ulm, newly installed in 2002, and just recently named as the future Archbishop here in the twin cities. Neinstedt disciplined the Catholic priest and then reassigned him to a tiny parish:

That behavior, Nienstedt said in a statement, was a "departure from our church's doctrinal norms for the celebration of our Catholic mass and eucharist."For three consecutive years, during Holy Week, Father Behan did not follow these norms," the statement said.

Behan, a charismatic Irish-born priest who is now 65, promised to stop the practice, Nienstedt said. But after being reassigned to St. Dionysius, a church in tiny Tyler, Minn., Behan "broke his promise and repeated this confusing and non-approved Catholic-Lutheran mass celebration there. When this infraction was reported to Rome, the Holy See ordered father to undergo intensive education in the doctrine and practice of consecration of the holy eucharist."

What would Jesus do? Where in the New Testament does Jesus appeal to doctrine? Doctrine equals death. It doesn't matter whether it is Catholic or Lutheran or Brethren or Fundamentalist doctrine, doctrine is what those in power (or those who wish they were in power) use to squash the movement of the spirit. Doctrine builds walls, keeps people out; the spirit breaks down walls and welcomes them in.

Out of an awful disaster there came a living spirit to break down ancient walls of distrust between Catholics and Protestants. Squashed in the name of doctrine. How sad.