Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine

Jaroslav Pelikan recently died at the age of 82. He was a famous Lutheran scholar, a distinguished professor at Yale University. He was raised and educated in the LCMS. Late in life he joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. Joining the Church of Rome is called poping, while joining the Eastern Orthodox is called semi-poping.

Pelikan won an award for $500,000. He left it to the Russian Orthodox seminary with which he was associated at death.

Richard John Neuhaus was one of the first celebrity converts to Rome. He wrote the highly entertaining Lutheran Forum Letter, which drove the LCA, then ELCA leaders mad. Neuhaus was educated in the LCMS, the son of a conservative LCMS pastor from Ontario, Canada. I heard his father give an Easter sermon, long ago.

Robert Wilken, a well known Lutheran scholar and friend of Neuhaus, also joined the Church of Rome. Wilken was head of graduate studies in theology at Notre Dame, and is now at the University of Virginia. Wilken was also trained in the LCMS.

Leonard Klein, another editor of Lutheran Forum, presumably a friend of Neuhaus, is being trained as a Roman Catholic priest, despite being married and having served as an LCA/ELCA pastor for decades.

We knew Pelikan from Yale. His young daughter used to ask for the baby, "Wheah's Mahtin?" she would say in her New England accent. I wrote back and forth to Neuhaus when we shared a common loathing for the LCA's apostasy. We met him at the Ad Fontes conference (at or near Leonard Klein's church) in Pennsylvania. Klein and his wife were at that conference. I recall LCA President James Crumley having a very serious discussion with Neuhaus, who joined Rome soon after. Wilken taught at Notre Dame when I was there. These four are only a few of those who have left the Lutheran church to pope or semi-pope. The LCMS Ft. Wayne seminary is known for having graduates who join Eastern Orthodoxy the moment they graduate. St. Louis also produces Eastern Orthodox clergy.

Not all the Popes Trinkets, which heere are brought forth,
Can ballance the Bible for weight, and true worth:
Your Bells, Beads and Crosses, you see will not doo't
Or pull down your scale, with the divell to boot.