Tolkien, Lord of the Rings.
One ELS member answered why ELS pastors are so timid and afraid to speak out about anything. "They all want to be on a board."
They all know about retaliation.
Fear can work two ways. Currently almost all pastors are afraid of the officials they elected to high office. The officials should be afraid of the pastors, but they are not. The apostate officials know they can use the British method of divide and conquer to make their lackeys kiss the episcopal ring (and pretend to enjoy it).
No, I will not explore the Latin word for ring and Freudian implications thereof.
The ELS pastors get their jollies by criticizing WELS in private, doing nothing in public. The LCA masterfully took care of dissent by having public forums about their disastrous policies. People could spout off about having a gay activist speaking at the next youth rally. Inevitably, someone did. All the shouting took place unofficially. When the votes came, no one had anything to say.
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Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Why Are ELS Pastors So Timid?":
Well, I am an ELS layman, and it does seem that ELS pastors have been reluctant to speak on many occasions. I know that when my late father's book, The Lord's Supper in the Theology of Martin Chemnitz was published, the official line of the Synod was not to disturb WELS who felt that it was troublesome.
The ELS had just come in to the Schwan money and the feeling was that it was best not to rock the boat. Rocking the boat was synonymous with differing from WELS.
My father's book was savaged by the ELS because it was felt that the money was more important than the theology.
Fortunately, it was able to survive and now it is available from LOGIA at no cost.
As one pastor told me once, most of the synods get in trouble when the young guys go off to seminary and learn modern theology. In the ELS, he said, the problem is with the older guys.
The older guys thought that all of their preaching was in vain and it sure would be nice if some cash could come in to confirm the validity of their work. The cash did come from Schwan Foundation. It was on the same conceptual level as a miracle in the desert. From that time forward this pastor refers to the synod as the $ynod.
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "President Schroeder (WELS)":
The apostates within the WELS stand condemned by their testimony and their own actions. As you have stated, Dr. Jackson, this is what really defines them. SP Schroeder seems sincere enough in his short time as president. Some of the laity within the WELS are also sincere. But, many appear to be naive to the real root of the problem, which is not trusting in the efficacy of the word. Far too many lay members trust the synodical leadership to always do right by them. Therefore, all synodical offerings have automatic legitimacy. The next one in my area will be a "Personal Witnessing Workshop". Like the Church and Change Conference, well intentioned members participate because they think that they are learning how to do evangelism. Implicit in all of this is the underlying theme of using the right technique or methods, whether that is in "personal witnessing", worship, evangelism in order to reach the unbeliever. Also, some of these conferences and workshops have their share of "WELS celebrities" who lead them. Perhaps a more fitting term might be "living saints", such as St. Jeske, St. Sorum, St. Kelm, et al. It is more than just a tolerance by members. It is celebrity worship. Until serious doctrinal discussions are brought forward, the falling away within the WELS will only get worse. The aping of the mega-churches continues within the WELS when church growth methods are always given a positive image in the WELS connection videos. New and innovative forms of ministry seem to be the focus. Once again, the emphasis is upon technique. My guess is that the workshops and conferences employ a loose and shabby use of scripture, like the style of the Purpose Driven Life.
It is possible to speculate, as some have in the ELS, that honest discussion by a pastor means that he will be called only to places like East Overshoe Lutheran Church.
In a worldly sense, I suppose, one could say that some parishes in the ELS pay a living wage, while others can't afford to pay an honest salary for a pastor.
The ELS is made up of many small parishes. I would presume that the four or five largest ELS parishes might pay the equivalent of a comparable WELS/LC-MS/ELCA salary. The other small parishes will find it difficult to make ends meet.
The idea of living in poverty while preaching is probably practiced more in the ELS than it is in the Benedictine order. That such a state of poverty could be used as a public weapon to enforce conformity is not something that one would hope to be true.
An examination of any recent ELS Synod report clearly reveals that the funding of the President's salary is firmly established by a generous grant. The ELS may flounder, spiritually or financially, but the President's office will stay afloat.
I don't mean to disparage the current president of the ELS because his family and mine are long-standing friends. I do question the wisdom of the ELS presidency as it is so funded.
