Monday, January 14, 2008

Wauwatosa Equals
Upside-down Exegesis



Chinese Embassy in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin


When I wrote against propositional theology earlier, one TBW (True Blue WELS) pastor alleged that made me a Wauwatosan.

No, Wauwatosa is a perfect example of inbreeding, propositional theology, and upside-down exegesis. We only need to look at the fruit of those years of line-breeding the same concepts. Someone summarized WELS this way:

1. We are never wrong.
2. When in doubt, see #1.

Wauwatosan doctrine is not even original. "The world has been declared righteous" is plagiarized from Missouri. Church Growth is xeroxed from Pasadena. They even had to import old whizzers like Hunter and Werning to teach CGM at the Church and Change Schwaermer-fest.

The current movement toward women's ordination is from Fuller, cell groups, and Willow Creek Community Church.

WELS' infallibility doctrine means they must continue to defend UOJ, CGM, women's ordination, and cell groups because their leaders have supported those items. If someone should withdraw approval from something Becker taught or Valleskey favored, that would be The End. The Day of Wrath. WELS fallible? That alone is the sin against the Holy Spirit.

WELS is destined to become Unitarian unless there is a widespread revolt equal to the Episcopalian slo-mo riot.

Source of Animal Pictures



The very first Thanksgiving.


I collect funny animal pictures and use them in teaching. They make me laugh, and I am glad to report others are laughing with me.

Left Foot of Fellowship Extended to 22 Priests: Moldstad Influence Denied



An Episcopalian Bishop Raises Moldstad's Bet: "I will see that 8 and raise you 14 more defenestrations."


Diocese of Florida Reveals Names of Inhibited Clergy


More than 5,000 Episcopalians have left the Diocese and TEC since 2003

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
1/14/2008

The Bishop of the Diocese of Florida, Samuel Johnson Howard, has sent out a letter, which VOL has obtained, inhibiting 22 clergy for "the abandonment of the communion of this church", including some retired distinguished clergy who were never informed of their inhibition until the letter landed in their mail boxes.

Here is the list:

The Rev. David C. Allert, Priest
The Rev. Charles S. Bailey, Deacon
The Rev. Gary R. Blaylock, Priest
The Rev. Charles H. Coit, Priest
The Rev. Gilbert T. Crosby, Priest
The Rev. Mark R. Eldredge, Priest
The Rev. Mark Travis Greenman, Priest
The Rev. Edwin C. Griswold, Priest
The Rev. George W. Hall, Jr., Priest
The Rev. Harald K. Haugan, Priest
The Rev. Dorothy Head, Deacon
The Rev. James L. Hobby, Priest
The Rev. Sharon S. Hobby, Priest
The Rev. W. Hall Hunt, Priest
The Rev. Neil G. Lebhar, Priest
The Rev. Patrina A. McCarty, Deacon
The Rev. Lawrence E. O'Connell, Priest
The Rev. William Earl Palmer, Priest
The Rev. James M. Parker, Priest
The Rev. Shawn E. Porter, Priest
The Rev. Leonard Eugene Strickland, Priest
The Rev. George W. Stockhowe, Jr., Priest

All these priests were inhibited on September 13, 2007, for a period of six months by Bishop Howard. On March 13, they will be officially deposed.

When one priest called and made an appointment to go see him, Howard ripped him to shreds for leading a Bible study at an Anglican congregation, VOL was told.

"Whatever happened to Jesus saying that 'he that is not against me is for me'? These are people who have given their whole life to the Episcopal Church and to be treated like that shows his true colors?" said a retired priest who lives in the diocese.

As of January 14, the Anglican Alliance of North Florida reported that 21 congregations. with 41 clergy, had left the diocese and TEC. The grand total for all departed clergy stands at 50.

Homosexual Bishop Earns $200k, Fires Priests



Fido just wanted to express himself, but other Episcopalian dogs shunned him. Fortunately, Fido appealed to the quota system and got himself a sinecure.


SEATTLE: Homosexual Dean in Hot Water over Cathedral Layoffs


Former Bishop of Arkansas to Examine Complaints at St. Mark's

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
1/14/2008

The Very Rev. Robert Taylor, Dean of St. Mark's Cathedral, a man living openly in a non-celibate homosexual relationship with another man, faces possible firing following a pay raise that brought his salary up to $200,000, while he laid off staff at the landmark cathedral.

St. Mark's Cathedral fell $100,000 short of its pledging goal in 2007, prompting the Lenten layoff of two priests from the staff. Angry parishioners forced the revelation that the cathedral dean receives more than $200,000 in annual salary and benefits. Almost every parish in the Diocese of Olympia in Western Washington has reported a decline in income during the past year.

Dangers of Propositional Theology



Miss Bucky the Cat Looked Everywhere for Bully,
The New Dog Just Arrived from Pasadena


One of the glaring defects of the old Synodical Conference is its tendency to state propositions as if they were Biblical doctrines and defend those statements at all costs. Here are some examples from the last century or so. I challenge anyone to find one such proposition in the Scriptures:

1. The only divinely mandated form of the Church is the local congregation. (LCMS)

2. At the death of Christ (alternately, when He rose from the dead), God declared the world righteous in Christ, whether anyone believed or not. (ELS-WELS-LCMS)

3. We do not know the moment of consecration. (ELS, WELS)

4. There is nothing in the Bible against women's ordination. (Brug, WELS)

5. God wants His Church to grow. (Fuller Seminary, WELS, ELS, LCMS)

L P Cruz Got It Right



UOJ Stormtrooper Shopping for a New Taser


Cruz wanted me to correct him where he was wrong - or wondering.

I hope my blog doesn't turn into a sedes doctrinae. One typo could ruin a whole continent.

Christ died for the sins of the entire world, for all time. That Biblical truth is affirmed by all the Lutheran confessions. The alternate, wrong view is that Christ only for the elect. That view is called Five Point Calvinism, defined by TULIP. Most non-Lutheran Protestants are not true Calvinists but Arminians, like the Methodists. Very few direct heirs of Calvin are Calvinists. They are Arminians, like the late James Kennedy or Billy Graham.

The Gospel Promises move people to faith and this faith receives the forgiveness won by Christ. Preaching and teaching distribute the treasure which is the Atonement. I dislike adding words to Biblical terms. It reminds me of "my personal friend," as if a friend could not be personal, or a "very physical football team" as if some are intellectual.

Notice how the false doctrine promoted by Walther, Pieper, Valleskey, Bivens, and Pope John the Malefactor must take on different names. Thus we have General Justification, Objective Justification, and finally Universal Objective Justification. Even the UOJ Stormtroopers have confessed in writing that the Scriptures and Confessions only know justification by faith.

The clearer the passage, the more opaque the UOJ discussion becomes. 2 Corinthians 5 means simply that the Atonement has reconciled God for all time because there is only one efficacious sacrifice. Christ took on all our sins but His righteousness comes to us only through the Means of Grace - not by thinking, inward preparation, or the independent operation of the Holy Spirit.

Active Meaning of God's Word




The Fiddler on the Roof has a long history in our family. We took little Ichabod to the movie when he was still in a baby seat. At the end of the movie, when the baby cries, he opened his eyes and echoed that cry. "Let my people go already." The audience heard it and laughed.

We played the record over and over at home.

Now I am reading the literature behind the movie and musical. We went to a live performance Saturday at the Arizona Broadway theatre.

The literature and muscial remind me of the constant theme of Judaism - that God's Word equals God's will. The Calvinists divorced Word and will by separating the work of the Holy Spirit from the Word.

"But the sacraments properly fulfill their office only when the Spirit, that inward teacher, comes to them, by whose power alone hearts are penetrated and affections moved and our souls opened for the sacraments to enter in. If the Spirit be lacking, the sacraments can accomplish nothing more in our minds than the splendor of the sun shining upon blind eyes, or a voice sounding in deaf ears."
Benjamin Charles Milner, Jr., Calvin's Doctrine of the Church, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970, p. 119. Insti. IV.xiv.9

"The nature of baptism or the Supper must not be tied down to an instant of time. God, whenever He sees fit, fulfills and exhibits in immediate effect that which he figures in the sacrament. But no necessity must be imagined so as to prevent His grace from sometimes preceding, sometimes following, the use of the sign."
Benjamin Charles Milner, Jr., Calvin's Doctrine of the Church, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970, p. 121. Against Joachim Westphal

"The offspring of believers are born holy, because their children, while yet in the womb, before they breathe the vital air, have been adopted into the covenant of eternal life."
Benjamin Charles Milner, Jr., Calvin's Doctrine of the Church, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970, p. 123. True Method of Reforming the Church

"We must establish such a presence of Christ in the supper as may neither fasten Him to the element of bread, not enclose Him in bread, not circumscribe Him in any way (all of which clearly derogate from His heavenly glory)...."
Benjamin Charles Milner, Jr., Calvin's Doctrine of the Church, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970, p. 128. Insti.IV.xvii.19

"Because saving grace is particular, according to the teaching of the Calvinists, there are no means of grace for that part of mankind to which the grace of God and the merit of Christ do not extend. On the contrary, for these people the means of grace are intended as means of condemnation. Calvin teaches expressly: 'For there is a universal call, through which, by the external preaching of the Word, God invites all, indiscriminately, to come to Him, even those for whom He intends it as a savor of death and an occasion of heavier condemnation' (Institutes, III, 24, 8)."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 118f.

The Lutheran view of uniting the work of the Holy Spirit with the Word is not true because of the brand name, Lutheran - but because of its Biblical truth. In Jewish stories a rabbi's word had the same force as God's Word. If a rabbi declared something, it happened immediately.

Lutherans have abandoned the Biblical view. The laity are as much to blame as the clergy. Visit any council meeting. The overwhelming concern is that the bills are being paid and everyone is happy. No one says, "At least we are faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions." One can hardly distinguish between the clergy pandering to this view and the laity prioritizing buzz words from work.

Hence, no one has faith in God's Word or His wisdom. Instead, they boss God around just as they do their subordinates at work. They tell him, in prayer, which is even more ridiculous, "We want 10% growth in membership each year, for three years." I read that posted on a church bulletin board.

Fuller Seminary apostasy has so infected the denominations that no one has any resistance to the Fuller-trained dictators who bully their subordinates the same way they command God to part the seas for them.

Fiddler's perspective is entirely religious, even though the plot involves the marriage of three daughters and Russian persecution of Jews. God's Word and will are central to every aspect of the work.

The Church Growth Movement is entirely man-centered.

Is there a blessing for the Church Growth Movement?

There is a blessing for everything.

May God bless, and keep the Church Growth Movement far away from, us.


[Commas edited by Brett Meyer]
***

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Active Meaning of God's Word":

Although Lutheran clergy can shoulder some of the blame for misleading their flock, the laity are equally culpable. Many will not test the spirits and are willing to jump on the bandwagon of the latest fads. They are ripe for the picking from the Church Growth Movement. My opinion is that it is more than just the council meetings that are doctrinally weak. I served on the Board of Elders for three years. I had naively harbored the illusion that this was going to be where it was at when it came to doctrinal discussions. The other men on the board were well-intentioned good men to work with. A lot of our effort was just rubber stamping routine resolutions.
In my experience, the worst to serve on was the stewardship committee. Looking at individual giving records, statistical breakdowns or groupings of giving ranges vs number of giving units was all just a huge exercise in futility.

When you adopt the Reformed view of prayer as a means of grace, it is just a matter of time before you start bossing God around and demand numerical growth and an end to the congregation's financial woes.

Another aspect of this is incorporating anticipated growth in numbers and giving amounts so that you can qualify for a loan for that building project.
After awhile, it can be rather discouraging that so much of the activities on the boards and committees amounts to no more than busy work. Even heartfelt thanks from called workers cannot fill the vacuum inside those of us who long for solid, doctrinal teaching and discussion. Of course, to fill this void, there is always that latest Bible study from the synod on how to get along with your in-laws.

Hello, Mark? Do We Really Need WELS in Africa?




WELS announced that money was cascading into headquarters, so they were sending a new missionary team to Africa.

The Episcopalians have shown that the Third World is now trying to help with American apostasy. Where is the Episcopal Church alive and growing? Africa. Where do Catholic bishops actually believe in official doctrine? Africa.

Two things are odd about this African adventure of WELS. First of all, the impact is bound to be as great as stopping global warming by buying a Prius. (Yes, man-made global warming is a myth, but a greater myth is stopping the mythical effect with an over-enineered and under-powered Prius.)

Secondly, why export all that false doctrine to Africa? WELS is now a finger puppet of Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. Why not let the liberal Reformed-Pentecostal sects spend their own money on sending the failed Church Growth Movement to Africa?

Worst of all, planting false doctrine in that fertile land is dangerous. Anyone can see how a few generations of Walther-veneration have turned the old Synodical Conference (ELS-LCMS-WELS) into Universalistic sects in union with Pasadena, Rome, and Barrington.

According to the Little Sect on the Prairie, the world is already saved. Why bother to send missionaries to Africa to tell them they are already saved? Just mail a few subscriptions to the Prairie Home Companion, aka, the Lutheran Sentinel?

My scenario would have the chief call in the elders. "Good news, my friends. The Wisconsin Synod is not going to send missionaries after all. They sent a telegram saying we are already righteous, already saved. We will be spared annual once-in-a-lifetime giving opportunities." The crowd cheers, "Huzzah!"

Confession Is Good for the Soul




Dr. GJ,

http://extranos.blogspot.com/2008/01/i-confess-i-read-dr-ichabods.html

I wrote about my confession that I do read your blog. Above is the link, if I made wrong statements, please correct me and please accept my apologies if I misunderstood, but thanks for the differing opinions in your blog. It provides balance and promotes truth.



LPC

***

GJ - I appreciate the thoughts and the link. I have no problem with posting other views on Ichabod, as long as they contribute to the discussion of theological topics. I have been charitable with the UOJ Stormtroopers, who only have anonymous ad hominem offerings to send. Still, it is my melancholy duty to love the unlovable, so I try to be forebearing with them.

If people wonder about the animal pictures... One readers enjoys them as much as I do, so I post whatever I think is funny. L. P. Cruz is an engineer/math guy, so I picked the one above.

The Left Foot of Fellowship, Episcopal Style



Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori:
"And your little dog, too."


The Bishop of San Joaquin has been inhibited by PB Jefferts-Schori. That means he is no longer a bishop. The trouble is, he left The Episcopal Church, USA for another jurisdiction. That indicates to me that the Episcopal Church is now so shatterred that normally compliant bishops are willing to face the fuss and cost of major court battles. That also involves its world-wide communion since the Archbishop of Canterbury has pope-like authority to invite, convene, condemn, absolve.

From Virtue Online:
"As a point of clarification, there is no confusion on the part of the Bishop of San Joaquin or the clergy, people, leadership, and convention of the Diocese of San Joaquin of their status. The claims of the Episcopal Church to have oversight or jurisdiction are not correct. The fact is that neither the Diocese nor Bishop John-David Schofield are part of The Episcopal Church. The Bishop is a member of the House of Bishops of the Southern Cone as of December 8th, 2007. The Diocese is a part of the Southern Cone. Neither the Presiding Bishop nor the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church have any further jurisdiction. Bishop Schofield is no longer a member of the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church," said The Rev. Canon Bill Gandenberger, the bishop's Canon to the Ordinary.

The House of Bishops of TEC can indeed prevent Bishop Schofield from functioning as a Bishop in congregations of The Episcopal Church. However, they cannot invalidate his consecration as a Bishop in the Church of God, nor prevent him from functioning as such in congregations that welcome and affirm his ministry as their Bishop.

"The Bishop of San Joaquin has my friendship, my support, and my prayers during this time of turmoil in the life of our church," said Venables.

On January 11, Mrs. Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church formally inhibited Bishop Schofield. In the text of the inhibition, Jefferts Schori wrote: "I hereby inhibit the said Bishop Schofield and order that from and after 5:00 p.m. PST, Friday, January 11, 2008, he cease from exercising the gifts of ordination in the ordained ministry of this Church; and pursuant to Canon IV.15, I order him from and after that time to cease all 'episcopal, ministerial, and canonical acts, except as relate to the administration of the temporal affairs of the Diocese of San Joaquin,' until this Inhibition is terminated pursuant to Canon IV.9(2) or superseded by decision of the House of Bishops."

Jefferts Schori said she acted after the Title IV Review Committee certified that Schofield had abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church.

On January 9, Upper South Carolina Bishop Dorsey Henderson, committee chair, wrote to Jefferts Schori, telling her that the nine-member committee had met that day and that a majority agreed that the documentation provided to them "demonstrated that Bishop Schofield has abandoned the communion of this Church by an open renunciation of the Doctrine, Discipline or Worship of this Church."

Bishop Schofield responded to the announcement saying that The Episcopal Church's assertion that he had abandoned the communion of this Church is an admission that TEC rejects the historical Anglican faith
.

***

No denomination has ever been as status quo as the Episcopalians. Unfortunately they mirror our society all too faithfully. They were the Royalists during the Revolution but became patriotic when the United States were formed into a republic. They went radical in the 1960's but resisted some of the worst doctrinal trends.

My impression has been that the national leadership always wanted to preserve some nod toward moderation, but that flew away with the election of Jefferts-Schori. Obviously the apostates loved her, since theological training and experience were almost absent from her resume as an oceanographer. I can go to Google images and obtain funny PhotoShops of her any day, as many have noticed.

Herb Chilstrom did the same for ELCA. He also rode into his dream job (presiding bishop) on the shoulders of the Lavender Mafia. In a few years the collapsing ELCA joined hooves with the Episcopal Church, USA, and pledged its subordination to those bishops who have even less doctrinal unity and integrity.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

UOJ Debated



Luther's Seal, by Norma Boeckler


Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Another Gasp from UOJ Land":

I had a chance to discuss UOJ at length with two separate Lutheran pastors this weekend (they were not ELCA). Neither discussion produced doctrinal agreement but I did realize a few facts. The two major issues that cement the UOJ doctrine with adherents are the following. First, they equate the payment given for sins with forgiveness and naturally righteousness and justification must be declared at the same time. Second, they insist all sins must have been forgiven or else faith would have nothing to lay hold of.

The resultant trouble that comes from this false doctrine is that by it they must declare that the entire world, still at enmity with God and outside of the body of Christ, have been declared forgiven, righteous and justified by Him. Righteous and justified because they have no sin, it's all been forgiven. But wait, why do they go to hell when they die in this state? Because they don't have faith, they are still in the sin of unbelief. But wait, God declared everyone forgiven, righteous and justified. Well, they say that God takes back his declaration. That by my rejection of the free declaration of forgiveness and justification bestowed upon me I cause God to take back what he has already declared to be true.

Now I'm dead in my sins since I have the power to nullify God's declaration. Faced with implying that God made a mistake, or that I have such power, it's said that it isn't mine until the Holy Ghost creates faith in me to believe that Christ paid for my sin. I say yes exactly, that's the true doctrine, that it's by faith alone I am forgiven, justified and declared righteous. Ah no, they say, it has to be an already accomplished fact otherwise there isn't anything to have faith in. True Wauwatosins at least are consistent enough to carry the false doctrine to it's blasphemous end and state there are guilt free, righteous and justified saints in hell. This problem shows how the UOJ false doctrine destroys the continuity of Scripture.

The glaring problem revealed above is how can anyone who is still guilty of the sin of unbelief be declared by God to be forgiven, righteous and justified? That makes a mockery of Christ's payment. Makes a mockery of the Father when he says he is just and that he demands perfect obedience. If UOJ is correct then it makes God a liar.

Now if UOJ adherents declare that Christ paid for all of my sins such that God the Father was able to declare me forgiven of all sins, righteous and justified then why do I now need to believe it. I now have the righteousness that God demands and have no further need for Christ the Law or the Gospel. To now demand that I need to believe it by faith, worked by the Holy Ghost, means you've turned God's grace into law.

But faith is not required and I am destined for heaven because I am as white as snow in God's eyes. That is if Christ truly did make full satisfaction for my sins. I won't play devil's advocate for that one though. You can see where this goes.

God's truth is that just like Abraham our faith does not lay hold of forgiveness as an accomplished fact but lays hold of the promise. The promise of forgiveness, righteousness and justification through faith. Faith in Christ's perfect payment, making satisfaction for our sins, worked by the Holy Ghost. Galatians 3:7 "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Galatians 3:8, "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Romans 4:3, "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Romans 4:16, "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all," Galatians 3:14, "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

The Lord's will be done,
Brett Meyer

Golden Ardie Award Winner




Ichabod has been given the coveted Golden Ardie Award. Although this prize lacks a tax-free purse, the award allows this blog to post the Golden Ardie icon.

Readers may wish to check out Aardvark Alley for a list of Lutheran blogs. I see that Bailing Water has just been added.

Norm Teigen is on the list.

I did NOT see LCMS News on the list. That is another good source of news items.

Sermon - From the Jewish Perspective


KJV 2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

KJV Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Transfiguration

The Hymn #246
The Invocation p. 15
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 2 Peter 1:16-21
The Gospel Matthew 17:1-9
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #657
The Sermon
From a Jewish Perspective

The Offertory p. 22
The Hymn #134
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #52

The Christian Faith from a Jewish Perspective

KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

My wife and I went to the Arizona Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof. We talked about how we have always been interested in Judaism. She knew a circle of Jewish friends in South Bend. My family did in the Quad Cities.

In seminary and in graduate school I took as many courses in Hebrew and Judaism as I could. My seminary president was puzzled that I wanted to take Hebrew. He warned me that I would not get academic credit toward graduation. At Yale I took Genesis in Hebrew with Robert Wilson. A rabbinic student joined us, but he dropped out because the course was too elementary for him. At Notre Dame I took a course in Talmudic Judaism from a rabbinic scholar.

Christians and Lutherans have lost the Jewish perspective about the Word of God and the will of God.

Simply put, nothing can resist the Word of God. When someone doubted whether an event could happen, in an Isaac B. Singer story, the character said, “If God wants to make vinegar burn, it will burn.”

What God decrees, happens. Man’s role is not to boss God around but to listen to God’s Word and learn from it, even if he does not understand God’s will.

Christianity continues to deteriorate. The faith does not change, but the visible examples of the faith do go downhill. For example, Calvinists have been known for connecting prosperity with having a God-fearing attitude. There is a connection.

The next step was to tell people that they could have anything they wanted if they told God their desires in prayers. This was called “Name It and Claim It.” That expression has been used so much that their own followers call it, “Blab It and Grab It.” Christianity has been turned from a God-centered religion into a man-centered religion. That is evidenced in Junior Schuller, Junior Osteen, and Junior Roberts – three sons who took a corrupted version of Christianity and made it even worse.

Luther’s contention against Zwingli (later Calvin) was his Biblical assertion that God can command anything He wishes, whether man understands it or not. This is the whole point about the Real Presence in Holy Communion. We cannot comprehend the miraculous, but that does not mean we should reject it.

Calvinists say, “The finite cannot contain the infinite.” That is an excellent example of propositional theology. Someone starts with a proposition and defends it at all costs, in spite of Biblical passages that destroy the argument.

Let’s start with “The finite cannot contain the infinite.” Lutherans call this the Extra Calvinisticum. Recent graduates of seminary like to toss around terms they barely understand, especially Latin terms.

If the finite (bread and wine) cannot contain the Infinite (the Body and Blood of Christ), then how is it that the human nature of Christ also contained (and contains) the Godhead? The fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Him.

KJV Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

The Incarnation is the ultimate mystery, something far beyond Creation itself. Every religion believes in Creation, no matter how crude the story might be. Until recently, no one imagined that everything came about by chance.

Only Christianity teaches that God became man. It is not possible, according to our human reason, but if God wants vinegar to burn, it burns.

A mystery in the Bible is a truth revealed by God. The Trinity is a mystery. The Lord’s Supper is a mystery. The greatest mystery of all is God in the flesh, Jesus, both God and man.

For that reason, Christianity is the only religion where God gives to man, instead of man giving to God. All the world religions have many things in common, such as Creation and the global flood. So jaded scholars think, “Christianity must be the same, too. Christianity has the Creation and the Flood. Many paths lead to one God.”

The true Christian faith is not a path. Jesus is The Path (literally in Greek). “I am the only Path, the only Truth, the only Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (My paraphrase).

It is not difficult to move from God’s Word = God’s will to faith in Christ. The Old Testament might be compared to 99% of Christianity without naming the actual events and persons to be involved. The hints are all over the Old Testament. The crucifixion is described in Genesis 3:15. The Angel of the Lord is Christ before the Incarnation. The Psalms and Prophets outline the ministry of Christ. We could even say Jesus is named because the Hebrew word for salvation is Yeshua. Jesus is the Greek form. In many verses of the Old Testament, the words salvation and Jesus can be interchanged.

KJV Psalm 14:7 Oh that the salvation [Jesus] of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

The entire Old Testament is sacramental and liturgical, so the fulfillment of all promises in Christ is not a big transition in the apostolic age. They did not have a problem with the Real Presence because God had always connected His Word to earthly tokens:

1. The rainbow and the Promise.
2. The Passover Lamb.
3. The sacrificial blood on the door posts.
4. The water from the rock (Exodus).
5. The manna from heaven.
6. The pillar of fire, Burning Bush (Incarnation).

That is why Lutherans say their salvation rests on the objective truth of God’s Word, not man’s emotions (feeling saved) or man’s works (praying hard enough or in the right fashion to receive God’s grace). God’s grace and forgiveness come to us through the instruments of His love, His Word and Sacraments, His invisible and visible Word).

When God says, “This is My Body,” the bread is also His body. When He says, “Given for the forgiveness of your sin,” the elements received in faith are accompanied by His Promise and declaration of forgiveness.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Another Gasp from UOJ Land




Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Formula of Concord - On Justification":

Greg,

If one takes away objective justification doesn't it turn saving grace into gratia infusa?

***

Ichabodians, do you see what I have to deal with, day after day?

No one can take away UOJ from the Bible or from the Book of Concord. Nor from Luther, Chemnitz, Chytraeus, Andreae, Gerhard. UOJ is not there. UOJ was invented and promoted in the 19th century.

Now the ELS has the entire world saved.

That is why Bethany Seminary (ELS) should not hire a professor until he has at least earned a bachelor's degree. I know, that is a little tough, raising their academic standards so high.

Anonymous would say, "But then Moldstad would never have been hired to teach UOJ at Bethany Seminary. He did not have a bachelor's degree."

I rest my case.

The alternative to UOJ is justification by faith. Grace comes to us through the Means of Grace, God's appointed instruments of grace.

***

A Nony Mouse has left a new comment on your post "Another Gasp from UOJ Land":

Greg said,

"Ichabodians, do you see what I have to deal with, day after day?"

I think you misjudge your audience Greg. Sometimes people have a legitimate question which you could answer in a pastoral way instead of being such a [obscenity deleted]!!

***

GJ - I know who Rev. Mouse is. He revealed himself some time ago.

Teigen Book - Tip of the Ice Berg



Most Lutheran Doctrinal Issues Are Submerged


This is not the book review of the Teigen book. Call it a pre-review.

Various ignorant pastors and leaders in the LCMS, WELS, and ELS argued that the elements of Holy Communion were not the Body and Blood of Christ until they were received by the individual. Those people are called Receptionists, because they believe in the efficacy of the hands (or mouth). Scholars are divided about which is more efficacious.

The only possible Biblical position emphasizes the efficacy of the Word. Therefore, the Words of Institution accomplish what the Word of God promises. The Scriptures and the Book of Concord agree. Here is a key verse, adroitly mangled by the NIV, but preserved by the Luther-centric KJV:

KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

One verse reveals what consecration means. The consecrated wine is still wine (contrary to Rome) but is also the Blood of Christ (contrary to the Reformed). The bread is still bread (contrary to Rome) but is also the Body of Christ (contrary to the Reformed). The power of the Consecration is the Word of God (not the priest, as Rome claims). Holy Communion is a Memorial Meal, as the Reformed claim, but the Lord's Supper is not limited to that. Holy Communion is symbolic of the Last Supper and the Atonement, but it is also a sacrament: God forgives our sins through this visible Word.

This issue is the tip of the ice berg because the old Synodical Conference was weak on the efficacy of the Word. That is why the same bunch got mixed up and stayed mixed up about justification by faith. That is also why they fell for the Church Growth Movement. No, they did not just fall for it. They institutionalized the doctrine of Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. Bohlmann, Barry, and McCain fiddled while Missouri burned for the fleshpots of Pasadena and Barrington.

Rejecting the efficacy of the Word is the reason behind the Missouri-WELS-ELS embrace of ELCA. They are united in a common ecumenism, a common rejection of the Means of Grace, a common lust for money and approval.

The conservative Lutherans would have to face the weakness of their doctrinal foundations to address the future.

On Theological Division



Playing Top Dog


I enjoy reading Norm Teigen's blog. Many blogs read like seminars for seniors in seminary, tossing around terms, clouds without rain.

Lately I figured out the essence of being a serious Lutheran blogger:
1. Little or no parish experience.
2. No formal training in theology, beyond seminary.
3. No publications.
4. Staking out major stands on trivia.
5. Extraordinary touchiness.
Those who can claim all five attributes are Lutheran bloggers of extreme gravitas.

Norm Teigen correctly pointed out a number of things. I am happy to see his father's book on the Real Presence getting a lot of attention. I recall when speaking to any Teigen was considered a possible break in fellowship in the ELS. Of course that came from their inordinate fear of WELS and that sect's love of Reformed doctrine.

I recall Slide saying in church history class at Mequon that the ELS was always divided on the church and ministry issue. No one worried about it in 1987 or before. Suddenly it became a major issue. Orvick and Schmeling started the conflict on their own by pushing the Wisconsin sect's idiosyncratic views. Orvick tended to blow this way and that, to keep everyone happy. But Pope John the Malefactor took over as a walk-the-plank guy, in the words of John Shep.

The ELS did not want the book by B. W. Teigen (Norm's father) published. I am going to review it fairly soon. The book is getting a lot of attention again. I believe Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure was published only by accident (NPH).

I wrote Liberalism as a series of artices for Christian News. Otten suggested I send it to NPH, so I did. NPH accepted it for their new doctrinal series, which was doing well since no WELS pastors were writing for it. I did not have a title for a period of time, as I recall. I did not have a concluding chapter. One editor asked me for the Cure chapter. I gave a conference paper on the Means of Grace. It was pretty mild, but Oelhaven and Adrian (District Mission Board chairs) went nuts over my criticism of the Church Growth Movement. Roger Kovaciny, who worked with Jay Webber in the Ukraine, went postal. He shouted and threw my paper across the pews.

I thought, "Now I know what the Cure chapter will be."

Then there was a tremendous delay in getting the proofs to me so the book could be finished. I imagine there was a big fight to keep the book from coming out. Church Growth icons are planted all over WELS to silence Lutheran doctrine. The same person was involved in two other efforts at spiking, both successful. In one case, the publisher (not Otten) said he would lose his business if he published one of my books. He said, "I have to support my family, so I have to give in to WELS."

Liberalism sold very well and still sells.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant was scheduled for publication at NPH. They backed out of their promise because I needed to "change my attitude." I guess I had to confess Reformed doctrine, liike Valleskey, Bivens, and Wayne Mueller. Concordia Publishing House considered the book but told me, "No one writing for Otten will get published." They published and promoted Werning, who wrote for Otten but got very Church Growthy. Conclusion: practice safe sects and the synods will beam with pleasure.

I published CLP on my own and NPH repented by promoting the book. That was liberation day, because I learned how to get into print faster, independent of the Church Growth synodical minders.

Lulu.com has been other step, along with blogging.

This is all background to show what happens when the synods are intent on promoting their false doctrine. The false teachers get into position through craft and guile, work with each other, and silence anyone who identifies their creed. Clergy are so timid that they will shun anyone understood to be unsafe for their careers.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

ELS Member Blamed for Bridge Falling Down





ELS member Carol Molnau not backing down

In a story in this morning's StarTribune, Carol Molnau said she'll take her chances with legislators who have vowed to fire here.

Molnau is the lieutenant governor of Minnesota and the head of the Dept. of Transportation. Mrs. Molnau has been under fire since the collapse of the bridge over Interstate 35W in downtown Minneapolis August 1, 2007.

Molnau said in this morning's story that she believed that federal investigators now have a pretty good idea why the 1960s-era bridge collapsed. She said that there was nothing that the DOT could have done to have avoided the collapse.

Molnau's position as head of the DOT has not been confirmed by the legislature. She may not be confirmed when the legislature goes back into session later this winter.

Entertainment Evangelism Touchiness



One sect thought my remarks were abrasive. I tossed some sandpaper on the table and asked,
"Which side do you use?"


Below is an Anonymous comment about a post written by another person, published on Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed.

I have lost count of the Church Growth congregations who make fun of traditional worship services. When the Michigan District of WELS started one called Crossroads Community Church (no longer Lutheran: never was) they advertized that their services were not boring.

Here is a comment about entertainment services, from a website I found:

This has the following results, in my thinking. First, it trivializes the gospel message. Coming to Christ is a very serious thing. A person is damned and is going to hell because he or she is rebelling against God. But now they are reverting from that whole way of life to enter into relationship with Christ. Entertainment does not mix well with such a serious message. The result is that the message suffers.

Second, I believe that it produces spurious results. When persons respond to such a message that is so intermingled with entertainment, they often misunderstand the calling of God given in the gospel. An emotional appeal at the end of an emotion packed and excited period of entertainment causes people to act without clarity and sensiblity. At times, even a kind of group response to the gospel can take place. Many of these so called converts fall away and show no signs of really entering into relationship with Christ.

Finally, the entertainment approach to evangelism creates an appetite that cannot be fulfilled by most churches. The next meeting must have more of the same kind of entertainment to keep the people coming and it must be better than the last. This causes pastors to work harder at the next show than at the content of their message and the personal needs of the people. The appetite of the people commands his life and not the call of God and truth.


We all know why entertainment is so popular at some churches. It is man-centered and tickles the emotions. Like fresh kettle corn, it is appealing without being satisfying in the long run.

"Worship God in the beauty of His holiness." Those who gather in a Christian Church, whatever the confession, should hear the Word of God in its truth and purity, its power and majesty.



***
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Baptist Church Growth Service: So Much Like WELS-E...":

That was my Baptist church in Cedarville that you attended and then went on to vilify. Those particular songs at the beginning of the service ministered greatly to my heart as I struggled with recent pain and loss. The violinist is a dear woman (and my friend) who did find a moment to tune her violin. Maybe God saw her heart, rather than her technique? Maybe He knew that she has three young kids and that her parents were visiting from out of town; maybe she was a little rushed that morning? So scathing was your review of us, our singing, our clothes, our hair, our taste in music! Our organ does get played, by the way. It got a good workout Sunday evening. James 4:11 warns us not to speak ill of one another.

I think you need to examine your heart and ask where is that love for your fellow Christians that is to be manifest to the world and so draw people to Christ?

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

God's Zilla Monster



Godzilla Was Nothing
Compared to Katherine Jefferts-Schori,
Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church


Virtue Online

This week two more churches in the Diocese of Tennessee, (now six in all, but more will follow) announced they were leaving The Episcopal Church for warmer theological, ecclesiastical and spiritual climes, abandoning property in obedience to the call of God, and declaring, in no uncertain terms, that the cheap, all inclusive generic Eucharistic wine of TEC cannot be consumed without doing permanent damage to one's soul.

The leaders of Holy Cross Church, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee Episcopal/Anglican congregation with approximately 90 members, announced they are leaving The Episcopal Church and will affiliate with the Anglican Communion through the Anglican Communion Network and the Common Cause Partnership of North America, as a part of the Church of Uganda under Bishop John Guernsey.

"This move is necessary for the health of our congregation," The Rev. Frederick Richardson told VOL. "There has been a strong outcry from our members because of the clear direction of The Episcopal Church, which is the opposite direction of where we are going. We feel our future lies in the traditional faith, order and practice of the Bible, followed by the Anglican Church since its beginning, rooted in the teachings of the apostles."

According to statistics released by The Episcopal Church itself, it is losing members at the rate of one whole congregation every one and a half days since 2004. The figure of 1,000 a week was recently elevated when some 8,000 parishioners from the Diocese of San Joaquin decided en masse to leave the Episcopal Church.

***

GJ - The article above was shortened. Use the link for the complete story. Pope Jefferts-Schori does not seem to mind losing members, as long as she can keep their property. She has no legal right to do so, but many congregations do not want to spend a fortune and deal with the anguish of a protracted legal fight.

Roman Catholic parishes are listed, not under the parish name, but under the bishop's name. Caveat emptor, ELDONITES.

ELCA Heckler at Valpo




ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 8, 2008

Valparaiso University Names Mark Heckler, ELCA Member, Its Next President



CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Mark A. Heckler will become the 18th president of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., on July 1. He will succeed Alan F. Harre, who will retire June 30 after 20 years as Valparaiso's president.

Heckler, 52, is provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at University of Colorado (UC) Denver. He is a member of St. Philip Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Littleton, Colo. Valparaiso is an independent Lutheran university.

***

GJ - Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS) is called Wisconsin's Valpo.

WLC invited Archbishop Weakland to be their featured speaker in a series of public speeches where other Roman Catholic priests spoke. WLC also refused to dis-invite Martin Marty (ELCA) as a featured speaker, after the Michigan District asked them for that consideration. Pastor Guy Purdue's famous remark was, "WLC just gave the Michigan District the finger."

WLC begat Charis, which begat Church and Change, which begat the famously canceled Sweet Werning Conference of 2005. WLC graduates mourned the loss of that opportunity to hear giants in the field of apostasy at their tiny school.

Here is a little-known fact dug up by my extensive research - ELCA sponsored a big church event in 2007 where the speakers overlapped WLC's favorites:

Let the River Flow is a "connecting event" event for pastors, staff, and other leaders of large ELCA congregations and "anyone who feels they can benefit from this opportunity". The event will be June 18-21 at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Burnsville, Minnesota. Featured speakers include Martin E. Marty, Barbara Rossing, Reggie McNeal, Wyvetta Bullock, Leonard Sweet, Ken Medema, and Peter Eide. Registration is $150 (or $100 for registrations before April 13).

Marty spoke at WLC and for WELS/ELCA/LCMS in Florida. Sweet was invited but the party was canceled. (Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, venerated his New Age insights, taped them, and broadcast them.)

ELCA has a lot in common with WELS and Missouri, but the conservative synods act as if they are not in fellowship with the biggest and most dysfunctional synod.

Wayne, Wayne, Go Away



Because the Left Foot of Fellowship Is for Lutherans, Not Ecumenical Pioneers Like Wayne


The Pope Speaks, which is the official newsletter of Pope John the Malefactor, issued this chilling announcement:

Clergy Transfer
Pastor Wayne Borgwardt has accepted a call to serve Holy Scripture (WELS) in Red Deer, Alberta. His clergy membership is therefore being transferred to our sister synod. Wayne will continue serving Thoughts of Faith, but now as a newly elected member of the Board of Directors. We wish God’s blessing on the Borgwardts as Wayne takes up his new pastoral charge in Canada.

Borgwardt did some of the heavy lifting in getting rid of Northwestern College (WELS), Watertown. They called it amalgamation. Pastor Guy Purdue called it The Anschluss. More importantly, Borgwardt helped organize the ELCA-WELS-LCMS conference in Florida with Martin Marty as the featured speaker.

In 1992, I was sitting in the office of an LCMS executive, in charge of Church Growth for Missouri. He explained how WELS worked with ELCA and Missouri, "The two Waynes worked with us." That would be Wayne Mueller and Wayne Borgwardt. I asked if the ELS was invited to participate. He said, "No, they are statistically insignificant."

Fortunately, Borgwardt will be far enough away from the Vatican of the Little Sect on the Prairie that no one will notice him.

Meanwhile, Kincaid Smith's son is busy in India. Kincaid is the official hatchet man of the ELS.

My mother taught me this song for rainy days, but it work for Wayney days, too:

Wayne, Wayne, go away.
Come again some other day.

During the Breaks They Could Discuss Doctrine




From Norm Teigen:

Preusische Union

I received this meeting announcement in my mailbox this morning. The four Lutheran organizations together are known to some as the Preusische Union.

“Four Lutheran Organizations to Debate ‘Church Government’ in Minneapolis”

(Reclaim News commentary: The subject of who governs a congregation and how a congregation should be governed has become one of the primary concerns in Lutheranism today. We commend the sponsors of this free conference for having the courage to openly debate this potentially incendiary topic and make the conference available to both clergy and lay people.)

On January 30 and 31, 2008 speaker from the
Association of Confessional Lutheran Churches (ACLC) http://reformationchurch.org/ACLC.htm
Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA) http://eldona.org/
Orthodox Lutheran Confessional Conference (OLCC) http://www.olccic.org/
United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) http://www.unitedlutheranmission.org/
will address the topic "The Church and Her Government"

The 2008 Winter Confessional Lutheran Free Conference is hosted by:
2008 Winter Confessional Lutheran Free Conference for the purpose of discovering and building fellowship among confessional Lutherans at the Select Inn, River Ridge Banquet Hall, 250 N. River Ridge Circle, Burnsville, MN 55337, 952-890-9550 on January 30 and 31, 2008 9:00AM-5:00PM

The following are scheduled to speak:

Rev. Steven Brockdorf (ACLC)
“The Presence of the Church”

Rev. Jack Cascione (ULMA)
“The Supremacy of the Voters Assembly”

Rev. Martin Diers (OLCC)
“The Bishop's Bequest: human accord or divine decree?”

Rev. John Rutowicz (ELDoNA)
“Episcopal Polity in Historic Lutheranism”

Rev. Roger Fehr (OLCC)
“The Keys, The Confessions, and Consistency”

Rev. Leslie Lanier (ACLC)
“Waltherian Polity in Context”

In keeping with the spirit of the Preusische Union, " the very nature of this conference presupposes that all participants and attendees will listen patiently and carefully, giving the benefit of the doubt, and will not make condemning reports verbally or in periodicals, on list serves, or in blogs. Pejorative language will not be tolerated at the conference."

The prohibition of intemperate language does not apply to Preusische Union members who might want to use such language in going after those church bodies and synodical officials with whom they disagree.

***

GJ - This reminds me of a joke. Each nation was assigned to write about elephants for a United Nations global conference. Here are the titles:
1. America - How To Make Money with Elephants
2. Britain - Elephants in the British Empire
3. France - The Sex Life of Elephants
4. Sweden - The History of Sweden.

They should discuss justification by faith. Like the established synods they have left, they are terrified of addressing real issues.

I am surprised Rutowicz did not have the meeting at his favorite Marian chapel.

***

Brett Meyer
has left a new comment on your post "During the Breaks They Could Discuss Doctrine":

There is little need to wait for Rev. Rutowicz to present his paper at the "debate". He has posted, "An Argument for Lutheran Episcopacy" on ELDoNA's website (http://web.mac.com/hunnius/ELDoNA/Papers.html). Reading it reminds me of the irrefutable scriptural evidence Pres. Moldstad provided in defense (when he cared enough to reply) of the false doctrine of the "Public Ministry of the Word". I quote, "While it is clear that in the new testament the terms for bishop and presbyter/elder are interchangeable, there does seem to be a precedent for bishop-like oversight among some members of the office of the ministry. James, the brother of our Lord, seems to have a bishop-like position in the Jerusalem church. James also certainly seems to have a prominent position at the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. Further, he seems to have a prominent position with regard to the other "elders" in Acts 21:18. Was James a "bishop" as we think of them? Probably not with all the ideas that we bring to the term, but an office of oversight does seem to be implied." He then goes on to state, "But, it can be said, that while there is no command to adopt Episcopal polity in the new testament, there is precedent for a type of episcopacy in the new testament. To interpret these passages as depicting a type of episcopacy is, probably, the best interpretation of them." Sarcasm overwhelms me.

He continues to attempt to justify adopting Episcopal polity within Lutheran churches. He even points to some aspects of ELCA to use as a possible model. He confuses the Catholic (Rome) Churches sacrament of 'tradition' with the Augsburg Confession defense of Christ's Church the Universal Catholic Church. He states, "The concept of catholicity is indispensable to Lutheran theology. It is necessary to believe that the Holy Spirit works in and through the creation." This is new age and Roman Catholic doctrine. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word alone.
He finally gets to his "Motivating Issues" and states, "The real issue, the unacceptable situation, is the utter lack of clerical authority in the congregation. Pastors who are honest will admit this is a real problem. Parish pastors are essentially hired employees of the congregation. ..... In far too many circumstances the parish pastor cannot be a spiritual father to his flock because he cannot give them medicine they need, but don't want. Congregational autonomy from the district and the synod, even the pay structure for clergy has a devastating impact on the ability of the pastor to do his job effectively. Pastors cannot be helped by district presidents whose positions are advisory, and pastors are too beholden to the sensibilities of the congregation which might cut off his salary at any time. ..... Pastors are constantly told catechesis is the answer. Education is the key to success and happiness, as if the only problem is a lack of knowledge in the church. Once the people know what is correct they will choose it. It seems as if we have abolished the concept of sin. The word "catechesis" is spoken of as if it were an almost magical word. But, if all the pastor has is catechesis, he can always be dismissed as a "flake." ..... The real issue is pastoral authority, not the ability to tyrannize, but the ability to do what is right even if it is unpopular.....Such a pastor must have an authoritative bishop behind him. I am not arguing here for the ability to tyrannize the laity. I am simply arguing for the ability to be a real shepherd, a real spiritual father. To do the right thing by the sheep even when they don't like it. Any father would do what was best for his children even when they complained about it. Think of the absurdity of it, if a father had to rely on simple catechesis to get his children not to stay up until midnight, or eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Rev. Rutowicz has rejected the Holy Spirit in the Word. The Word is dead to him and incapable of working contrition and faith. No wonder he pleads for authority, the authority to declare and demand his rules and mans rules. He disregards that in Christ's Church God is the authority and the authority of the Office of the Public Ministry of the Word, as instituted by Christ, is from and of the Lord. In my opinion this paper describes an individual who is Catholic, Roman Catholic. I honestly cannot fathom why ELDoNA would be invited to a Lutheran conference. Too bad the attendees must provide the benefit of the doubt when listening to his speech.

***

GJ - I hope they sing the original words to Faith of Our Fathers at the conference:

Faith of our Fathers, Mary's prayers,
Shall bring our country back to Thee...


That is a foot-stomper at ELDONA.

Seriously, folks, at a free conference, non-Lutherans like Cascione and crypto-papists like ELDONA can freely mix, share recipes for incense, and go home happy they are not those other heretics.

ELDONA's vision of the bishophric sounds like AMWAY, without the religion. AMWAY uplines are encouraged to enter homes of their downlines and inspect everything, to make sure the brand is on every single item in the house.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Formula of Concord - On Justification



Orthodox Lutherans Subscribe to the Book of Concord, 1580, Not to Essays, Letters, and Political Votes at Conventions


The Righteousness of Faith, Solid Declaration

6] This article concerning justification by faith (as the Apology says) is the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine, without which no poor conscience can have any firm consolation, or can truly know the riches of the grace of Christ, as Dr. Luther also has written: If this only article remains pure on the battlefield, the Christian Church also remains pure, and in goodly harmony and without any sects; but if it does not remain pure, it is not possible that any error or fanatical spirit can be resisted. (Tom. 5, Jena, p. 159.) 7] And concerning this article especially Paul says that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Therefore, in this article he urges with so much zeal and earnestness the particulas exclusivas, that is, the words whereby the works of men are excluded (namely, without Law, without works, by grace [freely], Rom. 3, 28; 4, 5; Eph. 2, 8. 9), in order to indicate how highly necessary it is that in this article, aside from [the presentation of] the pure doctrine, the antithesis, that is, all contrary dogmas, be stated separately, exposed, and rejected by this means.

8] Therefore, in order to explain this controversy in a Christian way by means of God's Word, and, by His grace, to settle it, our doctrine, faith, and confession are as follows:

9] Concerning the righteousness of faith before God we believe, teach, and confess unanimously, in accordance with the comprehensive summary of our faith and confession presented above, that poor sinful man is justified before God, that is, absolved and declared free and exempt from all his sins, and from the sentence of well-deserved condemnation, and adopted into sonship and heirship of eternal life, without any merit or worth of our own, also without any preceding, present, or any subsequent works, out of pure grace, because of the sole merit, complete obedience, bitter suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Christ alone, whose obedience is reckoned to us for righteousness.

10] These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. 11] This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the father, and are eternally saved. 12] Therefore it is considered and understood to be the same thing when Paul says that we are justified by faith, Rom. 3, 28, or that faith is counted to us for righteousness, Rom. 4, 5, and when he says that we are made righteous by the obedience of One, Rom. 5, 19, or that by the righteousness of One justification of faith came to all men, Rom. 5, 18. 13] For faith justifies, not for this cause and reason that it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and accepts the merit of Christ in the promise of the holy Gospel; for this must be applied and appropriated to us by faith, if we are to be justified thereby. 14] Therefore the righteousness which is imputed to faith or to the believer out of pure grace is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, since He has made satisfaction for us to the Law, and paid for [expiated] our sins. 15] For since Christ is not man alone, but God and man in one undivided person, He was as little subject to the Law, because He is the Lord of the Law, as He had to suffer and die as far as His person is concerned. For this reason, then, His obedience, not only in suffering and dying, but also in this, that He in our stead was voluntarily made under the Law, and fulfilled it by this obedience, is imputed to us for righteousness, so that, on account of this complete obedience, which He rendered His heavenly Father for us, by doing and suffering, in living and dying, God forgives our sins, regards us as godly and righteous, and eternally saves us. 16] This righteousness is offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments, and is applied, appropriated, and received through faith, whence believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God sonship, and heirship of eternal life.

17] Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith, Phil. 3, 9. For this use and understanding of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Prov. 17, 15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Is. 5, 23: Woe unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Rom. 8, 33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits.


***

GJ - Section #17 makes it impossible to cling to Universal Objective Justification. The term (UOJ) itself is a farce. Even worse are the lame arguments and personal attacks used to promote it. UOJ is new (from Pietism), alien to the Book of Concord and the Silver Age theologians (post-Concord), foreign to everyone except Walther and his Pietist mentors.

Lutherans have not faced their severe doctrinal problems. Each synod preaches the synod message, not the Gospel.

Marvin Schwan = WELS Finances




Schwan Foundation announces annual grant

Filed Under: Bethany, BLC, Budget, Finance, Schwan, WLC


The Marvin M. Schwan Foundation has announced its intent to grant WELS $8 million for its operating fund for calendar year 2008. In addition, the foundation has again offered a $1 million challenge grant that will be used to match gifts designated for WELS endowments from Dec. 1, 2007 to Nov. 30, 2008.

The annual grant for the operating fund is up from $7.6 million in 2007. The final amount granted for 2008 could still change depending on circumstances-in particular, the results of Schwan Foundation's annual audit. Schwan is announcing its intentions earlier than usual to facilitate WELS budget planning.

The $8 million grant would be in line with what was budgeted, so no significant changes in ministry are anticipated. The grant represents about 25 percent of all support for the operating budget.

"We're thankful to God that during Marvin Schwan's life, the Lord moved him to follow the example of King David, whose generous gifts for the temple benefitted the worship of God's people long after he was in heaven," says Rev. David Liggett, administrator for WELS Ministry of Christian Giving.

The Schwan Foundation is based in St. Louis and funds Lutheran organizations including WELS; the Evangelical Lutheran Synod; Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.; and Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minn. The late Marvin Schwan was a WELS member from Minnesota who started Schwan's Sales Enterprises-famous for home-delivered frozen foods.


New budget process to enhance visibility

From the office of President Mark Schroeder


As the work of our synod moves into a new year, we are adopting a new budget process that not only will enable us to plan wisely and faithfully, but will more accurately represent the synod's entire work program.

The impetus for the new budget process was last summer's convention, where one recurring theme of discussion was the need to review and analyze the overall programs and activities of the synod. Doing so requires careful planning as well as complete and accurate financial information. Under the leadership of Chief Financial Officer Todd Poppe, much progress has been made in the financial area. Financial reports are timely, audits have been completed far sooner than in the past, and reliable support forecasts have become the norm. Financial information has been made available to our members on a monthly basis, and from what I can see, it has been much appreciated.

But more needs to be done. As we begin to plan the synod's ministry program and the supporting budget for 2009-11, we need a process that reflects the totality of our ministry. Of course the process will, like any good budgeting process, include the following important features:

An overall strategy to adopt a plan for the synod's mission and ministry that reflects the direction adopted by the synod in convention.
Careful planning by areas of ministry.
Dependable financial information, both in terms of expenses and anticipated income.
But it will also involve two major changes.

1. A single budget that includes both operating and special funds
In the past the operating budget adopted by synod conventions has supported only a portion of the total work that is done by the four areas of ministry. The 2007-08 operating budget of $34.8 million is based on the anticipated unrestricted gifts from congregations and individuals for the synod's operations. It does not, however, include the dollars from special (non-budgetary) funds that are also used to fund the synod's program but are restricted by the donors to specific ministry. If the programs supported by special funds are included, the actual amount that will be spent to carry out the work in the four areas of ministry in 2007-08 is $45.1 million. Consider the example of World Missions. The 2007-08 operating budget for World Missions is $7.3 million. But when special funds are included, the actual amount to be spent on the work being done in World Missions amounts to a total of $10.6 million. A simi lar situation occurs in all of the areas of ministry.

We believe that there is a need to present a more complete picture of the budget and the programs it supports.

To help make this picture more complete, the 2009-11 budget will include all work planned by the areas of ministry—regardless of the source of the funding. The budget will combine funding from all sources, including Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO), offerings from individuals (IMO), and organizations, grants, and fees. As a result, we will be able to present a more complete and accurate portrait of the total work that is actually being done and the true cost of doing it. And because the use of special funds will be a part of the planning process from the beginning, we will also avoid many situations in which programs are carried out simply "because we have non-budgetary funds available."

2. A "program budget," which evaluates all work on the basis of adopted priorities
Another major change involves the process of forming the budget. Areas of ministry will not be assigned an arbitrary percentage of the synod's budget. Instead, each area of ministry will be asked to:

Describe and prioritize in detail what they plan to do (the "programs").
Indicate the cost to carry out those programs.
Provide information regarding sources of funds other than from the synod operating subsidy (grants, fees, gifts, etc.).
Indicate plans for new or expanded programs if additional dollars are available.
Indicate priorities of programs if there is a need to reduce or eliminate one or more.

Describe how each program relates to the overall mission of the synod.
Once the areas of ministry submit their program plans and funding needs, the president and the Synodical Council will evaluate and prioritize the plans in keeping with the available dollars and the priorities established by last summer's convention. As a result, the final budget proposal may include increased funding for some areas of ministry; for others it may be reduced. The Synodical Council will ultimately submit the proposed budget to the 2009 synod convention for approval.

Serving in Christ,

Mark Schroeder

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GJ - The Schwan grant is a bit difficult to parse. How much will WLC, and other entities receive? Anyone can see that the sect is unduly dependent upon the Schwan Foundation for its existence. Grant day is like the Battle of Waterloo each year. Will the empire survive?

Many people would love to see how all the Schwan money has been spent. Denominations are more secretive than the Mafia about where the money goes.