The Church Growth Movement as catalyst for the rhetorical reconstitution of Lutheranism in the United States: highlighting the tension between stability and change

Abstract

This thesis explores the tensions among leaders of the Lutheran tradition regarding the implementation of Church Growth Movement (CGM) strategies. Lutheranism is a Christian denomination which arose as a confessional movement grounded upon the Augsburg Confession, a public statement of faith written in 1530. CGM is becoming increasingly prevalent within contemporary Christianity and can be defined as marketing strategies directed toward the baby boomer generation. As such, contemporary "consumer oriented" strategies are becoming situated within an institutional tradition, creating conflict among the various audience members involved. This interfacing is understood as organizational rhetoric, or the management of multiple identities. Furthermore, CGM and Lutheranism are understood as heresy and orthodoxy, respectively, or two opposing sides of a belief system. As heretical, CGM proponents are not only defined as an audience to be managed through rhetoric; they also have the capacity to shape and redefine what constitutes Lutheranism in the United States. In short, the author argues that the strategies associated with CGM force Lutherans to think about what constitutes their boundaries in today's pluralistic society, regardless of whether they are implemented or rejected. Furthermore, this reconstitution is made possible through rhetorically sensitive discourse which allows all voices to be heard.