Lutheran Purgatory

Rev. Alan Kornacki, Jr., has written an insightful little booklet, Lutheran Purgatory: Pastors without Calls. It’s about the experiences of pastors (jumping off from his own) who find themselves without a call. It’s written from the perspective of a pastor in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, but has wide applicability. A pastor can be without a call for many reasons–pushed out because of church conflict, resigned due to burnout, resigned due to misconduct, transition from military service or other specialized ministry. These pastors are often looked at askance by fellow pastors and by denominational officials. They aren’t invited to regular pastoral meetings. Their peers figure something must be wrong with them. They call the denominational office, and leave messages that never get returned. What does this do to the pastor, and his sense of call? An important book for pastors–you don’t know when you will be in this situation. And an important book for anyone who cares about pastors.