Most people of patience as being able to remain calm while waiting for a few minutes.
The Biblical term refers to waiting for many years during a time of great conflict and trouble. Americans are probably the most impatient people on earth, a strength in many ways, but a weakness in others. Would anyone else expect a deadline in a conflict that has lasted 14 centuries? Yet Islam began an aggressive military campaign as soon as their prophet died, reaching Vienna in 1530 and repulsed only by circumstances and incredible stupidity in the last attempt in 1581. Islam gave the Lutheran Church a chance to take root, so we have to give the religion some credit.
Resolving conflict after Luther's death took decades, not minutes. He died in 1546, creating a vacuum of doctrinal leadership, which was filled by the editors of the Book of Concord. The Book of Concord was not published until 1580, so the effort to unify the Lutheran voice took 34 years of work by several of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church. Why do Lutherans know so little about Chemnitz, Chytraeus, J. Gerhard, and the others? Because Lutheran religious leaders have neglected those theologians with savage indifference. Luther himself is just a rabbit's foot today, someone to mention, usually a figure to disparage. One ELS pastor began ranting about Luther. I asked, "How much Luther have you read?" The answer was, "Not much."
I was not surprised later to learn that an ELS professor confused Paul Gerhardt the hymn-writer with Johann Gerhard the theologian (co-author with Chemnitz on the Harmony). The ELS is not especially ignorant - just illiterate at the same level as WELS and Missouri. ELCA is in another league altogether - no wonder Jerry Kieschnick is so cosy with them. Jerry follows the money, even into will-writing that landed him in court.
Too many people have chanted, "What does Synod say?" as if an organization were the Holy Spirit. Too few have studied Lenski, the Book of Concord, and a KJV. Previous upheavals have been caused by Lutherans who were well versed and eager to debate the issues. Missouri Lutherans used to pack churches to debate Seminex. Before that WELS had many conferences on the Synodical Conference apostasy. The managerial types, mostly Boomers, made sure that never happened again. But power is not taken - it is given up. The membership largely gave up its power and will to anyone with a title, briefcase, and DNA.
The eructations of Church Growth, Emerging Church, Purpose-Driven, Contagious, New Age, and Rock have finally become irritants too caustic to ignore. It will take time and study to expel them from the Lutheran Church. The issue is not high church versus low church (or even buffoon church) but sound doctrine. High church buffoonery is not only possible but mandatory in the Episcopal Church, USA.
