Public Service Rooted in Lutheran Values
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For Rebekah Davis, the call to
vocation came not once, but twice. The first was to ministry, leading her to earn her Master of Divinity degree from
Yale Divinity School.
Rebekah was initially hesitant to answer her second call, which unexpectedly came during the 2008 Presidential Election. Watching the historic events unfold, she felt drawn to run for a seat in Nebraska's
Third Congressional District.
Rebekah's residency at
Alegent Healthcare's clinical pastoral education program went on hold so the 27-year-old Lutheran chaplain could campaign full-time. "I'm grateful to be a part of the public debate about our country's direction and our society's values," she says.
Her weekends currently consist of racking up miles in her 2002 Oldsmobile to meet her constituents. "I need to spend time with people to hear their insights and ideas," Rebekah says. "I can be their voice." On the rare weekend home, Rebekah attends
St. John Lutheran in her hometown of Alliance, Nebraska.
Her experiences with
Lutheran Campus Ministry as an undergrad at Indiana University proved prophetic as she communicates her platform. "I learned we don't have to choose between black and white, we can become comfortable with the grey areas." Her interaction with students and staff fine-tuned her beliefs as a Lutheran and shaped her understanding of how faith will impact her vocation in public office. "Doubt is an opportunity for growth, to understand the role of God in our lives."
During the heady days of campaigning, her roots as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provide a moral compass. "I bring a different voice, a unique voice," she says. "I'm ever mindful of the implications of how I speak, how I spend the campaign dollars and how I bring light to the issues."
There are 24 Lutherans in the United States Congress: four in the Senate and 20 in the House of Representatives. Fifteen are members of the ELCA.- Called to Be a Public Church encourages ELCA members and congregations to participate in voter registration drives, voter mobilization campaigns and poll monitoring. Visit www.elca.org/Advocacy/PublicChurch/index.html to learn more.