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.