Cheese

The Convention gives us the opportunity to listen to Lutherans of all stripes at the microphone. Some of them speak foreign languages - like Evangelicalese, Pietistiche, etc. But the one that drives me absolutely up the wall is Genderpanderish.

"I would just like to thank my sisters and brothers in Christ. . . "

This is the cheesiest and must stop. It serves as a code, of course. If you say "sisters and brothers" instead of "brothers and sisters," or, saints preserve us!, "brethren," then you are one of those benevolent males who love and respect womyn.

But come on. This is condescending at best - and anti-apostolic at worst. Let me clue you in, guys: the latest generation of women see this as the worst sort of Boomer idiocy. And if Paul said ajdelfoi' when addressing the Romans, did this make him a misogynist? The feminists certainly think so - but then again, they aren't real big on, well, you know, Christianity.

So let's stick with "brethren," brethren.

+HRC