As your Pastor, it deeply pains me to write this, but we witnessed something this past week that I never in my wildest dreams thought was possible: unelected representatives of our nation’s new Administration have launched a malicious and untruthful assault against the Lutheran Church and its long-standing and highly respected social ministries. Moreover, the federal government is now threatening to “de-fund” these humanitarian organizations at the behest of Elon Musk, the “special government employee” whom the President has designated to lead the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).”
Here are the facts as plainly as I can state them:
The controversy began late February 1, when Michael Flynn, a retired Army general who previously served as an adviser to President Trump, published a post on “X” (formerly Twitter) alongside screenshots of a spreadsheet detailing federal funding dispersed to Lutheran groups in the last two years. The spreadsheet listed various Lutheran social service groups that regularly partner with the federal government to provide relief to vulnerable communities in need.
Without citing evidence, Flynn accused the groups — who have longstanding funding agreements with the government — of “money laundering,” a federal crime. He also insisted the numbers amounted to “billions” of American taxpayer dollars, a claim not supported by the attached spreadsheet.
Mr. Musk then re-tweeted Flynn’s claims on Sunday, saying that Musk and his colleagues at DOGE (not a congressionally authorized body) are “rapidly shutting down these illegal payments.”
Our Lutheran-affiliated social services organization (now called Global Refuge) was quick to respond to the post, with CEO Krish O’Mara Vignarajah saying in a statement that she “condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the false accusations being lodged against our humanitarian work. As a faith-based nonprofit, we have proudly served legally admitted refugees and immigrants for more than 85 years. This includes Afghan Allies who risked their lives to protect U.S. troops, as well as persecuted Christians, all of whom have been extensively vetted and approved by multiple U.S. government agencies before traveling to our country. We also remain committed to caring for legally admitted unaccompanied children forced to flee to the United States.” She added: “Across Democratic and Republican administrations, we have partnered with the U.S. government to ensure vulnerable children are safe from human trafficking and can be safely reunified with their parents or guardian.”
Subsequently, the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, the Rt. Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, posted a video also condemning Mr. Musk’s statements and threats, saying “despite misinformation and baseless doubt cast [by Mr. Musk and General Flynn] on funding that supports Lutheran organizations across our country, the ELCA remains steadfast in our commitment and work with our many Lutheran partners. The ELCA is also concerned for other faith-based communities and organizations who have similarly come under attack.” (The video may be found on the ELCA national website.)
Our own bishop of the New England Synod, the Rt. Rev. Nathan Pipho, earlier this week also issued a statement (which I posted on the HTELC Facebook page) condemning Mr. Musk’s statements and threats.
But perhaps the clearest and most compelling statement on this subject was made a few days ago by Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Dr. R. Guy Erwin, the President of United Lutheran Seminary. It reads:
“The malice and ignorance behind claims that Lutheran social service agencies have somehow received Federal funds for their own institutional benefit is breathtaking: these are payments for Federally-contracted activities awarded to these agencies because of their efficiency and reliability as honest partners with the government in helping alleviate the need of legitimate refugees recognized by the government as such. These Lutheran agencies are accountable not only to the government but to their trustees, and subject to all the laws governing non-profit organizations in this country. Moving such social services from the government’s direct management to faith-based non-profit agencies is a longstanding U.S. policy which received its strongest impetus in the Reagan years and Republican administrations since. That representatives of that party and the government now cast aspersions on those highly effective agencies is shocking, irresponsible, and insulting to their staff and supporters, and indeed the millions of Lutherans in the United States.”
I do not lightly wade into the thicket of faith and politics, but here the need to speak out and act is quite clear. What the unelected Mr. Musk has said and done is morally outrageous. We cannot just let it pass. Two days ago we celebrated the birthday of the great Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who once observed that “silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
I will be staying in touch with our bishop and my other pastor colleagues as this matter develops. I have also reached out to my friend, Pastor Ross Goodman, who now is the Board Chair of Ascentria Care Alliance, the New England expression of Lutheran Social Services, to let him know that our congregation stands ready to support their work in these tumultuous times. In that vein, I am asking our Congregation Council to donate the $3500 in charitable monies that was committed to my discretion at our Annual Meeting to support Ascentria’s work.
I urge President Trump and his Administration to disavow the statements and recommendations of Mr. Musk and General Flynn, and to continue the long-standing public-private partnership between Lutheran social services organizations and the federal government. Their work, and that of other faith-based humanitarian organizations, is vital to meet the needs of vulnerable populations here and around the world.