Rev. Mouse Misses the Boat on Jonah

Allegorical Photo of Ichabod Embracing Theology While Mousette Peevishly Looks On

A. Nony Mouse has left a new comment on your post "Brief Autobiography":

I hope your reference to the Mayflower moving van and Jonah is not an attempt to equate your moves to that of Jonah in the great fish. You flatter yourself if you believe that you are on a par with an OT prophet.

***

GJ - How little they learn at the Sausage Factory in Mequon. They do learn that WELS is infallible and that all decisions, no matter how corrupt and apostate, are directly inspired by the Holy Spirit. They must not teach the Book of Jonah, which contradicts Fuller and Leonard Sweet in every verse.

Most people recognize that the Book of Jonah teaches that God's Word is God's will. No one can escape that, even with a DMin from Fuller Seminary and a certificate of perfect attendance at Willow Creek Community Church.

In short, Rev. Mouse, the Book of Jonah is about God, not man.

Lutherans at Yale: Stan Olson, NT Student

Stan Olson, second from left, ELCA Division Executive.
Rebecca Larson, extreme Left, went to Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.

I entered the STM program at Yale Divinity in 1972. Stan Olson (ALC) entered the PhD program in New Testament studies. We were in two classes together. He taught at Luther Seminary and served as a parish pastor in New Ulm, of all places. He served as a bishop and then entered the ELCA hierarchy.

I recall a news report where he participated in or approved of Lutheran-Reformed Holy Communion. The ALC promoted joint communion with the Reformed while the LCA promoted joint worship with the Church of Rome. Merger allowed the ELCA to pursue unionism with anyone and everyone.

Lutherans at Yale: Roland Bainton, Honorary Lutheran

Gettysburg Seminary Voted Bainton An Honorary Lutheran

Roland H. Bainton was retired from Yale when I was there. Nevertheless, he was a popular lecturer in retirement and a familiar figure. If Bainton was speaking, I was there. We have a priceless photo of Bainton holding Little Ichabod in a baby carrier.
During the lecture in the basement of the dorm, Bainton mentioned Luther's son and our son raised his arm with an "Eep!" Everyone laughed.

Everyone longed for a drawing from Bainton. When I sent him the birth announcement for our daughter, Bainton responded with a drawing of Luther holding our first two children. We framed it immediately.

I contacted Bainton when I was working on my dissertation at Notre Dame. A. D. Mattson (my subject) went to Yale, so I wanted some additional information about those years. Bainton wrote about his book, a history of Yale Divinity School. He added, "If you don't have it, I will xerox parts of it and mail the pages to you."

When I returned to Yale for the Holmer lectures, we made an appointment to see Bainton at his Sterling Library office. He was still working, long into retirement.

Mennonites respected his church history efforts as much as Lutherans did. When others followed fads, Bainton learned all the languages he needed for his research and obtained the documents.

Martin Marty:
For a particular project, I am doing a good deal of research, a.k.a. remedial and required reading on Martin Luther in the form of texts by him and texts about him. Most helpful and memorable among the books on Luther, and the most readable since Roland Bainton's classic Here I Stand, is Oberman's Luther: Man Between God and the Devil (Yale University Press, 1989).

Information about Bainton

Lutherans at Yale: Sydney E. Ahlstrom

Ahlstrom's Book Won a National Book Award

Sydney Ahlstrom was known an eccentric member of Bethesda. Later I learned from a discussion with Martin Marty (when he lectured at Notre Dame) that Ahlstrom suffered from a severe neurological disorder. A doctor we knew confirmed the diagnosis.

Ahstrom was yet another Augustana Synod member, but he was a layman, like Paul Holmer.

When Ahlstrom lectured at Notre Dame I left class to hear him and got a chance to talk to him again. I recall my Roman Catholic dissertation advisor (Phil Gleason) dismissing Ahlstrom's famous book because of its lack of interest in the Church of Rome. I thought at the time, "And who has heard of Phil Gleason?"

Gleason had a point. I became very interested in Roman Catholic history in America, extremely important now that so many Lutherans are poping.

Ahlstrom obituary

Lutherans at Yale: George Lindbeck

George Lindbeck

I helped at Bethesda, normally the morning chapel service. One time I asked Pastor Hal Wimmer, "Who is the guy with the beard?" He said, "You don't know George Lindbeck?"

I did not have him for a class and the only photo I saw was of Lindbeck without a beard.

Wimmer, later a bishop, said, "He was the official observer for the Lutheran World Federation at Vatican II."

Lindbeck was raised in the Augustana Synod and (I believe) attended Augustana Seminary. He finished his work at YDS and earned a PhD at Yale, citing Paul Holmer as a major influence.

Information about Lindbeck

Lutherans at Yale: Paul L. Holmer

Paul L. Holmer

I was the vicar at St. Peter's in Kitchener, Ontario when Paul Holmer came to town for the accreditation of my seminary, Waterloo Lutheran. The seminary faculty decided to shun him and my supervisor did not go to visit him. They were on the same board, but this seemed to be a top dog battle.

I was asked by the seminary to greet Holmer, so I did, already knowing something about him from my supervisor. We invited him over to our basement apartment and he gladly accepted. The decor was Early-Marriage-Impoverished-Student. We served him coffee in glasss mugs, and he enjoyed himself all the more.

He learned about my hopes for graduate study and encouraged me to apply to Yale. His last words were, "See you next year." And he did. Later I learned that he routinely helped students in every way possible.

Holmer was one of the conservative Lutheran faculty members at Yale Divinity, causing the dean to vow he would never hire another Lutheran. Holmer opposed the fads of the day - Black theology and feminist theology. He was furious when a statue of the Buddha appeared in the Meditation Room and the dean did not even know about it. Equally provoking was someone bringing a dog into the student lounge, which was richly appointed and elegant.

When the ethics professor (quite famous then and now) was setting a record for promiscuity, Holmer was telling his students that pre-marital sex was wrong.

Like Dahl, Holmer did not look for headlines. Neither did he write to shock or to fill up bookshelves. He was highly regarded as a Kierkegaard scholar and philosopher.

We went back to Yale for Holmer's summer school class, just after the hurricane hit the area. (Pat Robertson had prayed it away from Virginia.) The class was so good that I still remember it.

Once, when driving along I-80, Mrs. Ichabod spotted the Holmer's ahead of us. We kept trying to get their attention and he kept turning away from the madman tryinig to pass and honk his horn. Finally his wife Phyllis recognized us and made him pull over. We met formally at the next rest stop. He said, "This has never happened in all the years we have traveled from Connecticut to Minnesota."

Later we heard a familiar name at the Mayo Clinic. Could it be? I stood up to look around. There were Mr. and Mrs. Holmer, waiting for an appointment in the same reception area. We got to see them one more time at their apartment.

Paul Holmer Obituary

Tribute to Paul Holmer

Lutherans at Yale: Nils A. Dahl

Everyone on the faculty had one doctorate or more. Henri Nouwen had two. So all the professors were addressed as Mr., except the one woman professor.

Mr. Dahl was not a celebrity New Testament scholar. He did not create headlines with radical, apostate books. Instead he emphasized the text. We were supposed to know about the liberal theories. Dahl studied under the European scholars, including Bultmann, but he disagreed with Bultmann. Like Abraham Malherbe (my Thessalonians professor) Dahl wanted each student to spend most of his time on the text.

Mr. and Mrs. Dahl were very kindly. They lost a baby when they were newly married in Europe, something few people knew about. When they learned our daughter Bethany had a terminal disorder, Mrs. Dahl opened up the locket around her neck and showed us the baby they lost. She always wore that locket.

Bethesda Lutheran Church had been Augustana Synod. The Swedes were fairly dense in Connecticut. So Bethesda had a Swedish service every so often. Paul Holmer played the organ and Dahl preached.

Lutherans at Yale: Pelikan

Jaroslav Pelikan died in the Eastern Orthodox Church

Several asked about Lutherans at Yale when I was there. Tuition was $2,000 for the whole year in 1972-73. Now room, board, and tuition is $45,000 and climbing.

Bethesda Lutheran Church was at the bottom of the hill below Yale Divinity School.
The YDS Lutheran professors were members and Jaroslav Pelikan attended there (though officially LCMS at the time). Pelikan eventually became a member of ELCA but joined the Eastern Orthodox Church.

We saw Pelikan every Sunday at Bethesda. He was then known as the editor of Luther's Works. He was working on his series about early church history when we were there.

He told his doctoral students, "All the best students are in math and the hard sciences, chemistry and physics."

Pelikan Obituary

Disintegration Can Be Good

CHARLESTON, SC: New Post-Colonial Anglican Communion is Emerging, says Bishop Duncan

By David W. Virtue in Charleston, SC

www.virtueonline.org

February 1, 2008

Common Cause Partnership, Anglican Communion Moderator and Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan told a gathering of bishops, clergy and laity at the annual Mere Anglican conference that a new post-colonial Anglican Communion is emerging in the Communion even as The Episcopal Church is disintegrating.

"The Church moves from consensus through disintegration to consensus. We are in the period of disintegration. A new Elizabethan Settlement is required, between consensus and the horrendous disintegration we are seeing," he said. "As the book of Hebrews, chapter 11 tells us we have no lasting city, but there is a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God. We know how the book ends, and we have a lasting city. God wins again."

Drawing on the long history of the Anglican Communion, Duncan said the old Elizabethan Settlement is dead and a new reformation with a new consensus is emerging as Mere Anglicanism, which will have new systems and structures.

Observing developments since the Sept. 30 HOB meeting in New Orleans, Duncan noted that there are implications for Anglicanism. "I am still the bishop (applause and laughter). I am my old uninhibited self. We learn by suffering that is my family motto."

Duncan said that, since the threat of inhibition, each visitation he has made on Sunday has been met with responses that have blown his mind. "I had a Baptist minister in a local congregation come to express his solidarity with me for my stand for God's word. Recently, an Assemblies of God leader came to express to me that her whole congregation was praying for me. There is a Christian convergence going on as we all stand for the faith once for all delivered to the saints."

***

GJ - The Lutheran Church is disintegrating. Oddly, the Episcopalians are leagues ahead of the Lutherans in fixing the problem. Episcopalian bishops have the spine to stand up to the Presiding Bishop, the Lavender Mafia, and the apostate priests. The Lutheran leaders do not. The Episcopalians think the answer is to find their traditions again. The Lutheran dissenters want to bail out to Rome or Constantinople.
The Lutherans do not want to bring back Luther's doctrine: they want to bring back Mary!

Floyd Luther Stolzenburg: Standing Where Luther Stood! WELS and ELS Connection

"Standing Where Luther Stood:"
Self Parody from Floyd's LRP Publication.
LPR Was Started as a Church Growth Agency of WELS

Someone could not grasp the WELS-Stolzenburg connection. The Wisconsin sect can practice maximum deniability. Floyd never joined the Wisconsin Synod and made fun of it, but he was a member of St. Paul's, Columbus (WELS only when convenient). Floyd got George Skestos to start LPR as the "first Church Growth agency of WELS."

The plan was, as Wally Oelhaven said, to get Floyd Luther into the WELS ministerium after five years (when the Sixth Commandment fades away). Floyd Luther applied to be a WELS minister, backed by the Michigan District. He applied once or twice. WELS DPs do not always tell the same lie twice, so the truth is hard to fathom. He was turned down, a tragic loss for the ELS and WELS. So he tried several different denominations (turned down) and found Emmanuel, Columbus, independent after leaving the ALC.

Five years after LRP started (and made a mess of everything in Colubmbus), WELS Michigan District VP Paul Kuske wrote a letter of reference for Floyd when he was trying to get hired at Emmanuel. The WELS pastor (Schuman) at St. Paul's wrote another letter for Floyd. Kovaciny was Floyd's man in the Ukraine, with photos of the Jay Webber Thoughts of Faith seminary appearing regularly on the Emmanuel website.

Floyd Luther Stolzenburg

46 from St. Paul's attended the Win Arn Church Growth seminar, including Floyd Stolzenburg, George Skestos, Vicar Mike Nitz, etc. March and April, 1985.

Lawsuit filed by Alvin E. Wendt, plaintiff, against Reverend Floyd Stolzenburg, 243 S. Stanwood Road, Bexley, Ohio, 43209; Salem Lutheran Church, 5180 Parker Road, Florissant, Missouri, 63033; The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, Misouri, 63122. Floyd Stolzenburg left Salem Dec 15, 1984 "19. Stolzenburg continues to hold an improper influence over Plaintiff's wife through Stolzenburg's affirmative acts of writing letters, sending gifts, and making phone calls to Vicki Wendt."
p. 3 In the Circuit Court of the County of St. Louis, Missouri. November 27, 1985.

Separation agreement, July 24, 1986. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg and Jane Dorothy Stolzenburg. Sole care, custody and control of the minor children given to Jane.

"As you read, pick out the principles of Church Growth in this "FOCUS ON A GREAT CHURCH" (Acts 11:19-30)...11:26 tells us this studies the Word 'in great numbers.' How can we improve our numbers?" Floyd L. Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles,"
Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio January, 1986.

"WELCOME TO CHURCH GROWTH. Our study is designed to help all of us gain a new perspective of what God has always had in mind for His Church. Church Growth is not new."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "What the Bible Says about CHURCH GROWTH," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio p. 1.

"We have discovered that the Early Church was an institution that unknowingly saw its world through Church Growth eyes. We have some benefits they did not have in that we can look back today and analyze their successes and failures."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio.

Skestos

"A federal grand jury investigation involving Homewood Corp Chairman George A. Skestos has delayd since last September the opening of a North Side savings association in which Skestos is the majority stockholder." Tim Wendling, Columbus Dispatch, "Fraud Probe Delays Housing Loans,"

"Others under investigation include George A. Skestos, chairman of the Columbus-based Homewood Corp., which through affiliation with non-profit groups received HUD approval to build five Ohio senior citizens housing projects in 1983. One of those is in Westerville."
R. Chris Burnett, Columbus Dispatch, "HUD Probe Includes Ohioans."

"Homewood Corp. Chairman George A. Skestos, Ohio Liquor Commissioner Donald L. Woodland and at least five other people were subpoenaed to testify today in a federal grand jury investigation of possible fraud in the awarding of low-interest housing loans. The Columbus-based investigation involves millions of dollars in U.S. Department of Houseing and Urban Development 'Section 202' loans made to the Salem Lutheran Foundation, a non-profit church organization formed by Skestos in 1968."
Ted Wendling, Columbus Dispatch, Local, March 14, 1985.

"George A. Skestos, chairman of Homewood, charged that Booker's committee is engaging in election-year politics and is trying to 'smear HUD.'"
Citizen Journal "Panel to Investigate HUD Program Financing," Judy Rakowsky 10-27-84.

"Burton could not be reached Monday for comment. He was prominently mentioned last fall in a U.S. comptroller general's report titled, 'Matters Warranting Furth Investigation.' The report, which spurred a Columbus-based federal grand jury investigation of Skestos' non-profit Salem Lutheran Foundation, says Burton told the non-profit sponsor of a housing project in Circleville, Ohio, that he could guarantee her a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 loan if she used Homewood as the contractor and manager."
Tim Wendling, Columbus Dispatch "Probe-figure Burton Resigns."

LPR and Church Growth

"CHURCH GROWTH. This program was basically the beginning of L.P.R. at St. Paul's. Certainly a church growth consciousness exists in all of the congregations which was not there four years ago. It is also evident that most of the congregations are not really willing to make church growth a major priority of their ministry. Some new people who visit our churches are turned off by the comments of church members. It would seem that many members will 'tolerate' growth if it does not upset the church's traditions."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"In the autumn of 1985 and the winter of 1985-1986, a truly momentous step was taken by the five Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) congregations in the metropolitan area of Columbus, Ohio. The five pastors and lay representatives of those churches organized and incorporated Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., the first Church Growth institute in the WELS."
David G. Peters, "Lutheran Parish Resources: Pilot Program in Church Growth," Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, April 27, 1987 p. 1.

"Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc. (LPR) is dedicated to the concepts of the Church Growth movement only insofar as they agree with the Scriptures and as taught by the WELS--that is, Church Growth with Lutheran theology rather than Evangelical, and without the typical Church Growth emphasis on quantitative measurement of growth. Kent R. Hunter's definition of 'Church Growth' justifies the use of this term in describing LPR: 'Church Growth: That science which investigates the nature, function and health of Christian churches as they relate specifically to the effective implementation of God's commission to make disciples of all peoples (Matt. 28:19). Church Growth is simultaneously a theological conviction and an applied science,....' Foundations for Church Growth, p. 187.
David G. Peters, "Lutheran Parish Resources: Pilot Program in Church Growth," Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, April 27, 1987 p. 1.

"He has served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Missouri and Senior Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Florissant, Missouri...He is trained in the Bethel Bible Series, Church Growth program and Dialogue Evangelism. As a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Columbus, he now seeks a different form of Christian service, outside the pastoral office."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "The Homewood Church Enrichment Program."

"Most pastors and members do not seem willing to pay the price for growth and new life."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"The area L.W.M.S. annual retreat has been created and led by L.P.R. General successes in this area have been very positive."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"L.P.R. is due to play a major role in the West Side Mission." [Pilgrim Community Church]
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"There is a strong feeling of strength in tradition. Even non-doctrinal issues bring fear to the membership and an unwillingness on the part of staff to 'buck the system.' In a church that opposes other groups who trust in traditions, are we raising 'We've always done it that way' to the level of Scripture? Is it possible for our faith to be exciting and still be traditional?"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"In the doctrinal sense, the word 'fellowship' may have hindered some growth by the fear of new techniques and ministries. There seems to be an openness to new programs but also a fear that such new ideas may destroy some facets of the doctrine of church fellowship. Will that inevitably happen?"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources.

"Initial services will be less formal than our traditional worship services. LPR Director Roger Zehms has been requested by Beautiful Savior to serve as pastor of the new mission with Floyd Stolzenburg serving as evangelist and music consultant. Please include this new approach project in your prayers."
LPR UPDATE October, 1989.

"The consultants were to be hired, so two men were interviewed. Roger Zehms was engaged first. Since George Skestos admired Floyd's gifts, he chose to provide an additional salary for Floyd as a second consultant...As the consultants serve in the congregations, they served under a 'limited call,' similar to the call of a Sunday School teacher or a church officer."
Paul Kuske, Letter to the Michigan District Mission Board, April 21, 1990 p. 2.

"Mr. Floyd Stolzenburg will serve under Rev Zehms providing such services as are appropriate for a person who is not 'CRM.' As a layperson Mr. Stolzenburg can under appropriate supervision do anything that a layman in your congregation can. -- We also reject any inference that Pastor Zehms will not be able to stand up to pressure from Mr. Stolzenburg, or from the donor who provides the funds for LPR. -- We also question the procedure in which the reason for Mr. Stolzenburg's resignation has been broadcast, even though the issues had been addressed by LPR." [Not true. People were told Floyd had a Scriptural divorce, that the divorce was the fault of his first wife.]
Pastor Paul Kuske Letter to the Ohio Conference Pilgrim Community Church, sponsored from Grove City by Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Fall Conference, Gibsonia, 1989.

"The administrative committee has applied to Lutheran Parish Resources for the services of Rev Roger Zehms. This application is the equivalent of a (limited) call. The committee has also applied for the services of Mr. Floyd Stolzenburg to act in a supportive role in the mission. Both of these applications have been approved."
Pastor Paul Kuske Letter to the Ohio Conference Pilgrim Community Church, sponsored from Grove City by Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Fall Conference, Gibsonia, 1989

LCMS and Church Growth

"In late 1976, 80 district mission and evangelism executives and board members attended special Fuller Seminary sessions and by the late 1970s, courses on Church Growth principles were taught at both LCMS seminaries." [Toward a Theological Basis, Understanding and Use of Church Growth Principles in the LCMS. 1991. p. 1]
Rev. Curtis Peterson, former WELS World Mission Board, "A Second and Third Look at Church Growth Principles," Metro South Pastors Conference Mishicot, Wisconsin, February 3, 1993 p. 10.

Kent Hunter: "Correct doctrine is essential. But it is never to be a priority at the expense of the mission. In fact, when the quest for proper doctrine intensifies to the point of neglecting mission and ministry, then it is no longer proper doctrine." [Foundations for Church Growth, New Haven: Leader Publishing, 1983, pp. 152-3]

Rev. Curtis Peterson, former WELS World Mission Board, "A Second and Third Look at Church Growth Principles," Metro South Pastors Conference Mishicot, Wisconsin, February 3, 1993 p. 21.

Stolzenburg and Kovaciny (ELS)

"In the midst of all the positive, exciting things Pastor Kovaciny had to say about the mission work being done in the Ukraine, he constantly mentioned the most pressing problem, a lack of space...As he spoke to us about the many needs, he mentioned the possibility of building a church of the approximate square footage of our sanctuary (though not nearly as elaborate) for $50,000...Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibility, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "From the Mission Committee, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Kremnetz, Ukraine, Emmanuel Lutheran Church #899, August, 1999. 1500 South Third Street, Columbus, Ohio 43207-1000.

"About Missions" c. Thoughts of Faith through the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, d. St. Sophia Lutheran Seminary-Ukraine Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio August, 1996 "We supplied funds for our missionaries in the Ukraine, and the Gideons." Sherry Huffman, Sunday School
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio February 1999.

"From the Mission Committee...Good News from the Ukraine Reproduced at the bottom of this page is the masthead from the Ukrainian Lutheran, which has now been published by our mission in Ukraine for two years and grows in circulation with each issue."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November 1996

"EMMANUEL SAVES BIBLE SCHOOL! A SPECIAL MESSAGE was just received from Pastor Kovaciny to let us know that Emmanuel's Mission offerings have rescued their Bible School this summer!...[Pastor Kovaciny] writes to tell us about it. 'As we looked forward to an even more successful program this coming summer, we were told by our sponsoring organization that our Bible School budget had been but by $8,000. It seems that some people in charge believe that we have been too successful and they need to put their funds toward programs in other areas which are lagging behind.' (Pastor Kovaciny)"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio June 1998

"Since the salary of Pastor Kovaciny and their basic expenses are paid through the 'Thoughts of Faith' ministry, we will continue to include the overall work in our regular budget."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1994

"Pastor Kovaciny, in an effort to respond to our request, set a copy of the third quarter treasurer's report of the Ukrainian congregation, signed by the treasurer and written in his own hand. We thought you might enjoy seeing it! You should be aware that our budget offering goes to pay for Pastor Kovaciny's salary and expenses through 'Thoughts of Faith,' the radio ministry which has been bringing the Gospel to the Ukraine for many years...."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio January, 1995.

Roger Kovaciny's letter about seed distribution Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1995

"All designated funds for Thoughts of Faith [ELS-WELS] are spent on the program for which they are designated by the donor. Funds not designated by the donor are used to pay for administrative expenses. Thoughts of Faith would like to thank our congregation for our support towards this important work in spreading the gospel throughout the world."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995 Recording secretary, Christine E. Scheiderer; treasurer, Charlotte Proctor.

"...the Ukraine project of Thoughts of Faith (Pastor Kovaciny)" Use of mission funds. Charlotte Proctor, treasurer.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

"Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibilities, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio #899 for August, 1999 1500 South Third Street Columbus, Ohio 43207.

Pursuing Emmanuel

"I would also convey to you that I will continue to commune lodge members as long as I feel assured that they know and believe that their salvation is by faith." "Please feel free to contact Pastors Kuske or Schumann or come and hear for yourself."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg Letter to Emmanuel Lutheran Parish Resources letterhead "Serving the congregations of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod"

"Consultant, Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 1985-1991, as a consultant for this program, I worked with the training of pastors and lay people for effective ministry in leadership skills, Sunday School organization and teaching, youth ministry, outreach, stewardship and care ministry. I continue to work with supervision of some of these programs. Senior Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Florissant, Missouri, 1976-1985. [nothing said about being removed from the ministry of the LCMS] Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, St. Charles, Missouri, 1968-1976.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

"People Person: Have been recognized as a counselor and mediator. Brought harmony to what was once described as 'the most troubled Lutheran church in America. Personal: Born, December 6, 1941, Columbus. Married, three children. Spiritual gifts: Exhortation, teaching, administration and evangelism.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

Quinquagesima Sermon

Butterflies, by Norma Boeckler
Quinquagesima Sunday

KJV 1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

KJV Luke 18:31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. 35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Collect
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst manifest Thyself, with the Holy Ghost, in the fullness of grace at the baptism of Thy dear Son, and with Thy voice didst direct us to Him who hath borne our sins, that we might receive grace and the remission of sins: Keep us, we beseech Thee, in the true faith; and inasmuch as we have been baptized in accordance with Thy command, and the example of Thy dear Son, we pray Thee to strengthen our faith by Thy Holy Spirit, and lead us to everlasting life and salvation, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

TLH Hymns
142 A lamb goes uncomplaining forth
251 We all believe in one true God
268 Zion mourns
523 Why should cross and trial grieve me

The Blind See and the Sighted Are Blind

After Jesus predicted His future suffering and death, His disciples were confused and bewildered about His words.

34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

This was often true of the exchanges between Jesus and His disciples. They should have known how He would become the Savior, from knowing Isaiah or the Psalms. However, many had their eyes on a kingly figure, not a teacher. They heard but did not understand until later.

The episode on the road to Emmaus explains this phenomenon.

KJV Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

Luther pointed out a key phrase:

and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Their eyes were open but the Scriptures were closed to them. They did not understand what was clearly there. Jesus rose from the dead and taught His followers the meaning of the Old Testament prophecies. Then they began to understand and believe the complete message.

“In a mirror darkly” comes from the ancient problem of affording a good mirror. Most were not very reflective, so people did not see a very good image of themselves. Nor do we have a perfect grasp of all God wills and does. We are looking at a dark image now but will see the entire image in the future as God reveals it to us in eternal life.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Our advantage is knowing what Christ did for us when He died on the cross for the sins of the world, for our sins. Justification by faith means God declares us righteous through faith in the atoning death of Jesus. Some want to make faith and grace opposites, but they are not. God’s grace and man’s faith. God graciously provided a remedy for our sinful nature. His Gospel Promises create and sustain faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. Man does not generate faith. Man does not make a decision. God stirs up trust in Him by having His Promises proclaimed through a learned ministry.

Everyone can teach his neighbor the Gospel. Many do. When my father was very ill, he was encouraged by a Lutheran pastor to share his faith. He did that in the nursing home, using his wheelchair to roll over and talk to other people. Most people would have been surprised by that change. Trust in the Savior overflows in many different ways. Some sects say, “Aha! The laity are better at this and know a lot of people. We really do not need a learned ministry at all.” God does not give the Gospel exclusively to ordained ministers to handle, but neither does He command the laity to evangelize…or else.

The healing message of the Gospel of forgiveness is so powerful that it travels from pulpit to people and multiplies in many different ways. One of the great philosophical theologians of the last century taught at Yale: Paul L. Holmer. He knew philosophy so well that he was honored by his peers in that field. He was greatly respected in theology. When he was asked why he was a Christian, everyone expected a great philosophical proof, an intellectual display of fireworks. Instead he said, “My mother taught me.”

How can anyone doubt the Parable of the Sower and the Seed when considering that isolated circumstance. Who was Holmer’s mother? No one of consequence in the eyes of the world. Yet she taught a little boy to become a teacher of faith to thousands of students in an academic environment where Christian faith was often laughed at. Holmer lost his ability to talk, late in life, due to Parkinson’s. He had to be at a nursing home. He could still play the piano. One day he was playing with great energy but unable to talk or sing. A nurse came over and began singing hymns in Spanish. Everyone was moved by the sight of the wordless professor providing music, the nurse providing the words.

From the Pietisten:

When we visited over the years the talk would turn to classical music which he knew a lot about and deeply loved. Toward the end of his life, Paul Holmer and his remarkable, strong wife Phyllis, lived at an assisted care residence in the Crocus Hill neighborhood near downtown St. Paul. When I stopped to see him there, he would often want to play the piano, either an upright close to his second-floor room, or a small grand down in the main lobby. He could crack out a good hymn with ease. As Parkinson disease began to affect his speech, music, he suggested, was even more significant. In the last months of Paul Holmer's life it was arranged for a music therapist to come to his room and play Bach and some familiar hymns on a classical guitar. This was deeply appreciated and warmly received.

One ordinary Saturday afternoon at this residence, a part time nursing aide, a middle age woman who was wheeling another patient around, came over, stood next to the piano, and in a beautiful, operatically trained voice filled the room with the Spanish words to the hymns she had apparently learned as a child in Mexico, all the while fluently and expertly accompanied by a speechless Dr. Holmer. The large television set in the room fell quiet. (Well, I did have control of the remote.) Tears were in people's eyes; it was a moment of epiphany. This part-time, itinerant aide, probably working at the minimum wage, said she hadn't sung a note since her husband died many years ago.

For many students, Paul Holmer and his fellow professor Nils Dahl (New Testament) were proof that it was normal to believe in the revelation of God’s Word, to trust in Christ, and ignore the scoffers.

Our faith is grounded in the work of Christ and our righteousness comes from Him alone, by God’s grace.

The Blind Man

The details of this miracle are worth noting. A blind man heard the tumult of Jesus passing nearby. He asked who it was. The crowd said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” There is no Messianic title in that response. The blind man must have heard about Jesus, because he had faith in His divine power. Some rabbinic teachers have been known for miraculous healing. The blind man called out to Jesus, not to an ordinary man, not to a rabbi, but to the Jewish Messiah, “Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The crowd rebuked the blind man, giving us a hint of irony. The crowd could see but they were blind to Jesus being the Messiah. The blind man did not have ordinary vision, but he had that sight which only comes through faith.

Jesus commanded the blind man to come over and asked what he wanted. The blind man wanted to see.

Jesus said something the UOJ fanatics would not want to hear:

Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

Faith in Christ means receiving the benefits freely, that is, graciously bestowed on all who trust only in Him. Believers receive the complete forgiveness of their sin, the fruits of the Spirit, and many blessings. The greatest blessing is seeing what God offers in His wisdom.

Ignorance Enlivened by the Straw Man Fallacy

"I don't care what people say
UOJ is here to stay
Sound off, one, two..."

A. Nony Mousehas left a new comment on your post "No, No, Nanette":

No, Greg, you're wrong. UOJ IS the same as the Atonement. I think you're just trying to stir up more trouble. I feel really sorry for the poor folks who are led astray by you, and they lose the comfort of the Atonement-UOJ. On their deathbeds, they will stuggle as they look to their weak and trembling faith, rather than to Christ crucified and risen!

***

GJ - First let me address the ignorance of Rev. A. Nony Mouse (WELS).

Here is a quotation from Robert Preus, when he still supported UOJ (and the Church Growth Movement). Both go together.

Cited by Jack Cascione, another UOJ Stormtrooper:

THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – "OBJECTIVE JUSTIFICATION"

The doctrine of objective justification is a lovely teaching drawn from Scripture which tells us that God who has loved us so much that He gave His only to be our Savior has for the sake of Christ’s substitutionary atonement declared the entire world of sinners for whom Christ died to be righteous (Romans 5:17-19).

Objective justification which is God’s verdict of acquittal over the whole world is not identical with the atonement, it is not another way of expressing the fact that Christ has redeemed the world. Rather it is based upon the substitutionary work of Christ, or better, it is a part of the atonement itself. It is God’s response to all that Christ died to save us, God’s verdict that Christ’s work is finished, that He has been indeed reconciled, propitiated; His anger has been stilled and He is at peace with the world, and therefore He has declared the entire world in Christ to be righteous.

***

GJ - I have gathered most of the material on this subject in Thy Strong Word. Those quotations have shown people the error of their thinking, which can only come from being carefully taught error in one of the synodical seminaries. As they often said at the Sausage Factory in Mequon, "Doctrinal error usually starts in the seminary faculty." No kidding. At least Robert Preus had the courage to repudiate his former position, which was tied to his Norwegian heritage.

The equation of UOJ and the Atonement is wrong, just plain ignorant. Dr. Preus confessed a common error in the passage above, taken directly from Walther's infamous Easter Absolution sermon: to wit - UOJ is God declaring the entire world righteous, forgiven, full of grace without the Means of Grace, enjoying the Promises of God without hearing the Promises of God, guilt-free without knowing what guilt is.

Thus endeth the lesson on ignorance.

The Straw Man fallacy. One sign of a weak argument is the use of a logical fallacy or even a string of them. The Straw Man fallacy is distinguished by the hothead saying, "This is what you claim and it is wrong."

Mouse's Straw Man is - "You direct people to have faith in their faith." That is a common canard (French for duck) from the UOJ troops. How they march in formation - always in the wrong direction.

No, Mouse. Justification by faith teaches people to trust in the redeeming work accomplished for them by Christ. The Go

Purring Along

A reader was concerned that nasty, anonymous people were shutting me down. No, they encourage me, even more than the many pleasant people who phone and email me.

One person sent a long list of what was wrong with me and signed his name - Anonymous. He is probably a minister of the Wisconsin sect. They start with the Gospel and move to the Law, as Paul Kelm has taught them. "Everyone is forgiven (UOJ) and this is what is wrong with you." Since they move to the Law, they never move off the Law.

Apparently the Law does not condemn anonymous, spiteful, ridiculous messages. The civil law does cover such behavior over the phone.

I often wonder, "Did these guys have a mother? Were they abused and neglected children?" Apparently they really were abused and neglected. The old standard of WELS schooling was:
1. Drop the kid off in the fall.
2. See the child at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
3. Minimize contact, lest the poor thing be spoiled.
4. Surround the child with hazing, emotional and physical abuse.
One WELS layman said he followed the WELS norms and never realized how much his only son was suffering.

Seeing parents at odd times was considered an emergency. "Why are you here?" is asked in an alarmed and questioning tone of voice.

That is why East Coast is eager to see the parochial schools shut down. They encourage a weird, robotic attitude that justifies itself at all stages, no matter what is done. All I need to hear is, "In our circles..." to know pompous fertilizer will follow, by the truckload.

Any time I comment on well known Wisconsin sect tendencies, I can count on a new anonymous message. I am sure Bailing Water was shut down (three times) by that approach, plus contacting friends and relatives of the blogmeister each time. WELS is good at shutting down discussion of WELS.

Issues in WELS began to build up opposition to SP Gurgel. Then he showed up at a meeting, visibly annoyed, and attendance was frightned away. It doesn't take much to scare away the girly-men of WELS. Issues in WELS, never very daring, is almost comatose today.

But Church and Change is not shut down. They criticize and make fun of WELS all the time, but they do it as apostates. They have a huge website and following. They are eagerly planning their next doctrinal fiasco.

There you have the most obvious sign of apostasy in the WELS leadership - modest discussion sites are shut down while crypto-Baptist sites are linked from the main WELS website (until Ichabod reported it).

Ichabod posts may fluctuate in the next semester. I started teaching at a third online university and I study journalism (master's degree) on the side. Sometimes the written work is going to pile up. The petty vindictiveness of WELS is not going to change. I know that. But I am not gong to stop writing about apostasy. The only way to silence me is for WELS to start studying the Confessions.

Tom Cruise and Scientology

Some people are exposing the actual doctrines of Scientology. They have vowed to destroy it. The cult is strange and abusive, but there are a number of high-profile adherents. Hollywood makes fun of traditional Christianity but defends Cruise.

Click this link for a scary Tom Cruise interview.

Some well known Scientologists include:
Tom Cruise and his third wife.
John Travolta.
Kirsti Alley.
The woman who does the voice for Bart Simpson.
When Kirk Douglas gave an award to Travolta, the Grease star held the aging actor's head firmly and kissed him on the mouth.

L. Ron Hubbard began Scientology with his book Dianetics. Recently I found a book trying to unite all secret mystery religions. The poor slob spent 20 years studying them all and finding universal truths in them. He was close to being included as a member in one of them. He said he declined. Maybe he was lying.

The book made a good point about all the secret religions being similar. Same author - Satan, I would say.

Some young women identify with Wicca (witchcraft) as a means of obtaining power or meaning in life. When something like that comes up in class, there is also noise for neo-paganism or an affinity with an earlier religion. One student announced she was an ordained priestess of Egyptian paganism. She was also extraordinarily rude with everyone else.

No, No, Nanette

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Repeats Two Justifications":

I also believe in UOJ. I believe and teach it the same way you do about the atonement or reconciliation. We're talking about the same exact thing, but using different terms.

***

GJ - Anonymous is a popular name for those who comment.

Sorry - no one can use the favorite labels of false doctrine and say, "I agree with you." Besides, the statement above is too brief to know exactly what the author means.

Some think OJ is another term for the Atonement. I thought that and used the term OJ in Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant (first printing). I corrected that in the second printing.

The assumption of UOJ = Atonement led some to conclude falsely that denying UOJ was denying the universal nature of the Atonement.

UOJ is peculiar to the Walther circle and (as far as I can tell) the Norwegian Lutherans. That is perhaps why Robert Preus stuck with UOJ for a long period of time.

UOJ would make a good dissertation for someone with access to the German Pietistic works.

The essence of UOJ error is this:

1. That God declared the world free of sin the moment Christ died on the cross or alternately the moment Christ rose from the dead.
   
2. That everyone is already forgiven of all sin.
   
3. That everyone is already saved.
   
4. That people believe once they hear they are already forgiven and saved.
   
5. That they are not really, truly forgiven and saved unless they accept that they are.

The Christian Church has always used technical terms as short-hand for conclusions to lengthy conflicts. The term Trinity is non-Biblical but useful. (Many abuse the term nevertheless.) We should avoid terms without a foundation in the Scriptures and Confessions.

Pope John the Malefactor's Malignant Influence

Pope John the Malefactor: "Everyone is forgiven. The Hottentots are forgiven. The residents of Hell are forgiven, guilt-free saints. But if anyone disagrees with my ambiguous, confused, and contradictory doctrinal opinions, I will extend the Left Foot of Fellowship to them. Amen? Amen! Now where are my round-the-world tickets?"

ELS Pastor Jesse Jacobsen, The Plucked Chicken:

GJ - I am taking note of an ELS blog because it deals with UOJ. I know the author from years ago. Unfortunately, Pope John the Malefactor was teaching at at the Frozen Food Seminary in Mankato, laying UOJ thickly and crudely on his students, including Jesse Jacobsen.

I give Pastor Jacobsen credit for dealing with the issue out in the open, not ducking and hiding from the implications of UOJ. If Lutheran pastors continue to do this, they will find that UOJ is untenable and unChristian.

It shouldn't surprise us, but those two points harmonize and reinforce each other rather well:

The lost are condemned not because of the guilt of their accumulated sin, but because they do not believe in Christ.

The Holy Spirit proclaims righteousness upon the world because the Lamb of God has made atonement for all of its guilt.

Someone may object to this terminology for some reason, but at this point I see no problem with calling the unlimited atonement made by Christ "objective justification," especially because His resurrection proves that it was accepted by the Father.

As always, I am open to criticism, though God's Word really isn't.

***

GJ - The Wisconsin Sect and the Little Sect on the Prairie are stuck with their own infallibility doctrine. They are never wrong, have never been wrong, and cannot accept any error among any of their leaders or writers. That leads to obnoxious errors being repeated and defended without thinking them through.

The blog shows that Jacobsen is facing the issue and has made some progress. For example, by quoting John 3:18 in his blog, he has refuted his own conclusion: "The Holy Spirit proclaims righteousness upon the world because the Lamb of God has made atonement for all of its guilt."

KJV John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The foundation of doctrine must be the infallible and inerrant Word of God, not the propositions of Walther's disciples (F. Pieper, J. P. Meyer). Luther and the Book of Concord teach that the Atonement is the treasure, that the Holy Spirit distributes this treasure through the preaching office. Righteousness is declared through the Gospel and received in faith, not absorbed universally via osmosis.

Is it any wonder that the ELS and WELS are confused about the public ministry? Here is their Jedi Master of UOJ:

J-586

I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows about it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint. What will be his reaction when he is informed about this turn of events? Will he accept, or will he decline?"
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 103f. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

II. "Before Christ's intervention took place God regarded him as a guilt-laden, condemned culprit. After Christ's intervention and through Christ's intervention He regards him as a guilt-free saint."
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 107. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

III. "This applies to the whole world, to every individual sinner, whether he was living in the days of Christ, or had died centuries before His coming, or had not yet been born, perhaps has not been born to this day. It applies to the world as such, regardless of whether a particular sinner ever comes to faith or not."
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 109. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

J-587

“About 300 years earlier Johann Gerhard expressed the same truth in these words: ‘By raising Christ from the dead God absolved Him from our sins, which had been imputed to Him, and accordingly He absolved us also in Him.’ Gerhard was professor of theology in Jena. He did not write a Brief Statement, but he did write a book on Lutheran dogmatics consisting of 20 volumes. He died in 1637.”
J. P. Meyer, “The Holy Spirit Creator,” The Northwestern Lutheran, September 24, 1950, p. 310. [GJ Note how Gerhard is slandered. See the post below. J. P. Meyer was a professor at Northwestern College in Watertown, president of Martin Luther College (nee Dr. Martin Luther College) in New Ulm, professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1920-1964), president of the seminary (1937-1963), and author of the notes used in dogmatics class. He published Ministers of Christ in 1963 and died the next year at the age of 91. WELS cannot admit Meyer was a false teacher, but they stopped printing his little book.]

J-588

“The Judge in heaven examines this evidence. He declares His verdict. It is one of acquittal. Man’s debt of sin is no longer charged against him. Sinful man is free!”
WELS Conference of Presidents, “Every Sinner Declared Righteous,” 1954 tract.

J-585

Letters to the Hartman and Pohlman Families




“Faith Lutheran Church

3215 West Judson Road

Kokomo, Indiana 46901



August 30, 1979



Mr. and Mrs. David Hartman

R. R. #1, Box 90

Kokomo, Indiana 46901



Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hartman,



In response to your letter of August 18, 1979, it is our understanding that your ‘no’ vote on June 20th against supporting the biblical doctrine of the WELS was based at least in part, on your failure to accept the following statement – included in your letter – all of which are in agreement with the teachings of the WELS, namely that:

‘Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinners’ [sic] attitude toward Christs’ [sic] sacrafice [sic], purely on the basis of God’s verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint.’
‘After Christs’ [sic] intervention and through Christs’ [sic] intervention, God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints.’
‘When God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not.’
‘At the time of the resurrection of Christ God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints.’


I trust this is the information you desire.



Sincerely yours in Christian love,



Michael Liebner, Acting Secretary

Faith Lutheran Church Voters’ Assembly”[39]









“Faith Lutheran Church

3215 West Judson Road

Kokomo, Indiana 46901



November 19, 1980



Mr. and Mrs. David Hartman

R. R. #1, Box 90

Kokomo, Indiana 46901



Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hartman,



In accordance with the recommendations of the Southeastern Wisconsin District Panel of Review the voters of the Faith Lutheran Church have approved a resolution terminating your membership in the congregation unless and until such time as you accept the doctrine of justification as practiced by the WELS.



We encourage you to reassess your position on this matter and pray for a favorable decision so that once again we can work together for His Kingdom.



Yours in Christ,



Michael Liebner, Secretary”

***

GJ - I was given xeroxes of the letters to Hartman/Pohlman families in Kokomo. Like I said before, friends, I have been everywhere. The letters are reproduced verbatim above and in Thy Strong Word. The Wisconsin Synod excommunicated the two families for not accepting the Kokomo Statements, then accused the two families of creating a parody of justification. No, the parody is from WELS, defended by WELS, with the Amen Corner in the ELS yelling "Hoo-rah" and deceiving their pastoral students.

UOJ does not bear the weight of careful Biblical study. UOJ is anti-Christian and anti-Lutheran.

The fruits of UOJ are:

1. Fellowship with Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek Community Church.
   
2. Fellowship with ELCA - joint worship and joint religious projects.
   
3. Fellowship with the Church of Rome. The same Pope John the Malefactor who marched in a religious procession at Bethany's Frozen Food chapel excommunicated ELS pastors for disagreeing with His Holiness.
   
4. Fellowship with the Church of Rome, Part Deux. No one in the ELS objected when a Roman Catholic archbishop gave a public lecture at Wisconsin Lutheran College. How could they object?
   
5. Silence on the Church Growth Movement.
   
6. Silence about Willow Creek training.

WELS: Stop Slandering Gerhard

J. Gerhard, Post-Concordist, Is Often Accused by WELS of Embracing UOJ

J-559

"The entire Scripture testifies that the merits of Christ are received in no other way than through faith, not to mention that it is impossible to please God without faith, Hebrews 11:6, let alone to be received into eternal life. In general, St. Paul concludes concerning this [matter] in Romans 3:28: Thus we hold then that a man becomes righteous without the works of the Law—only through faith."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 165.

J-560

"Therefore, the fulfillment of this promise to Abraham is in no way to be interpreted to mean that Abraham's seed became righteous and saved without individual faith."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 167.

WELS Repeats Two Justifications

Who killed justification by faith?

Not At Ease with Two Justifications

Q: We are taught that Christ justified us when he was on the cross, and then we are told that we are justified again when God converts us. Objective and subjective justifications confuse me all the more. I thought there was one justification of us. If we were justified at the cross, why do we need justification again? Reading previous posts and questions on this do not make this issue click for me.

---------------------------------

A: Perhaps all that I can do for you is to point you to the Bible statements dealing with this subject and in this way allow the Holy Spirit to grant you contentment along with the awareness of his truth. First focus on Romans 4:25 and 2 Corinthians 5:19. "He [Christ] was delivered over to death for [because of] our sins and was raised to life for [because of] our justification. . . . God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them." These are sample passages that assure us that our justification and that of mankind was reality at the time of Christ's death and resurrection on our behalf.

Then you may focus on passages like Romans 3:28 ("We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.") and Romans 4:5 ("To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."). These are sample passages that assure us the individual sinner is also declared righteous as he is brought to grasp Christ's righteousness by faith.

The terms objective (or universal) and subjective (or individual) justification are merely terms coined to let all of Scripture speak to our hearts and to describe the truths clearly revealed. Let the twin truths stand as Scripture does. You simply say, "I thought there was one justification of us." And the Apostle Paul simply says, "We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). May you find contentment in Christ and his Word.

***

GJ - False teachers are consistent from denomination to denomination. They deceive their adiences without any sense of shame. I have noticed that Rolf Preus and others on LutherQuest follow the same deceptive line as the WELS AnswerMan. Notice the citation of Romans 4:25. Why do they isolate that verse from a whole chapter on justification by faith? The Bible does not really feature verse breaks. They were imposed a long time ago. Chapter breaks were also imposed, but they tend to follow theme changes.

AnswerMan claims Twin Truths, but OJ and SJ are not in the Scriptures, the Book of Concord, Luther, Chemnitz, et al.

OJ and SJ are the Twin Peaks of Pietism.

So let's look at Romans 4:24-25, adding just one verse for our focus:

KJV Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

No UOJ Stormtrooper has offered a single verse where God declared the world to be righteous. Oddly, Rolf Preus never wants to deal with my verbatim quotations from his father's last book, a book edited by Rolf and brother Daniel, another UOJ Stormtrooper. Robert Preus was exceptionally clear on one point - that justification is by faith, that righteousness comes to us only through justification by faith.

The UOJ thesis is that righteousness was imputed, declared, given to the entire world the moment Christ died or the moment Christ rose from the dead. The Resurrection Moment is clinched, they claim, by Romans 4:25. But is it really? The verses above link imputation to faith. No one can escape that, so the UOJ fanatics avoid quoting Romans 4:24.

UOJ is a proposition searching for a foundation in Scripture. Everything is avoided that might fuzz up their false doctrine. That is a logical fallacy called Special Pleading. Notice how the 2 Corinthians passage shows that the public ministry is the proclamation of the Atonement (reconciliation). The old things are passed away for the believer, the individual "in Christ." The old things are not passed way for the whole world. But Christ did die for the sins of the world. That is the Atonement Gospel, the Holy Spirit's energy in creating and sustaining faith: the Word of Reconciliation.

KJV 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

Rolf Preus is hilarious in his affirmation of the UOJ heresy. He must not know church history very well. He accuses Luther (and those who agree with Luther) of being an Arminian. That's MDiv for decision theology. The MDivs are always invoking their most obtuse technical terms from THEO 101 to make the laity gape at them for their superior learning. I will link the topic from Wikipedia, to refresh the memory of LutherQuest (sic) denizens. "Apt to teach" is a Biblical requirement for ministers. Blowing smoke is not.

Rolf's favorite false doctrine leads to decision theology, as J. P. Meyer shows so clearly in his seminal UOJ (WELS) book:


J-586

I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows about it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint. What will be his reaction when he is informed about this turn of events? Will he accept, or will he decline?"[41]
J. P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, A Commentary on the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, p. 103f. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.

As I wrote in Thy Strong Word: "This statement, with its question at the end, sounds oddly Baptist: decision theology. Will he accept or decline? One can see that the generic Protestant doctrine behind the Church Growth Movement existed before WELS leaders rushed off to study at Fuller Seminary. It also explains why they love a generic Protestant school that rejects the Means of Grace."

Those Eloquent False Teachers

Below is a collection of brilliant statements by the false teachers irritated by this blog:


On Justification by Faith

"You are a bad person."


On WELS Covering Up for Murderers and Sex Offenders

"That is old news."


Their Refutation of Luther, Chemnitz, Chytraeus, and the Book of Concord

"Stop posting all those quotations."


On Kelm/Parlow Plagiarism of Baptist Sermons

"You didn't talk to Kelm and Parlow first."

"You should copy your sermons the same way. Then I would like them."


On a Missouri Pastor Signing His Name (Unlike WELS Pastors)

"He didn't know better."


Why Doesn't Rev. Mouse Sign His Name?

"I am afraid of being slashed and burned on Ichabod."


Rev. Mouse's Assessment of Ichabod

"You are a gutless coward."

Romans 10 versus Universalism Disguised as UOJ

This UOJ Stormtrooper was dancing in the street. He thought he finally found a UOJ Biblical reference while staying at a Marriot Inn. Then Ichabod told him, "That was a Book of Mormon, you doofus."

Compare UOJ opinions with the clear teaching of Romans 10, where the Means of Grace is highlighted in the preaching office.

KJV Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

KJV Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Clearly, righteousness comes only through faith in Christ.

UOJ is not Christian and the dogma is certainly not Lutheran.

The UOJ Stormtroopers are born forgiven, they say, born without sin, but their email is very ugly.

KJV Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Bailing Water Bails Out

John has bailed out of the Bailing Water blog, the third of three to stop working the blog.

Any suggestion that coercion was involved would be a violation of the Eighth Commandment.

No one has stopped the Church and Change website, but President-in-Waiting Wayne Mueller's son is involved that agency of apostasy.

One of the latest dust-ups was over Bailing Water identifying the Kelm/Parlow team plagiarizing Baptist sermons and posting them as their own on the St. Mark's website. Several apologists had these amusing thoughts:
1. Lots of ministers do that. The popularity fallacy.
2. The copied sermons themselves might have been copied from yet another website. Two wrongs make a right - fallacy.
3. Someone had to sit down with Kelm and Parlow and tell them their sin privately, even though Parlow is not known to respond and Kelm is oblivious.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

The WELS Stormtroopers pounce on critics like hobos on a hotdog, unless the critics are making fun of traditional worship and orthodox doctrine. Those critics are just trying to make Holy Mother WELS even more perfect.

It remains to be seen whether WELS has improved under the new SP. It will take a lot more courage than the ministers have shown so far.

I do not fault a layman for giving up. Apostasy has a thousand friends--in many denominations--but the orthodox have to solo.

Holy Mother Fuller Seminary Comforted by Fake Babies

Mother Tiger Lost Cubs: Zoo Fooled Her with Tiger-Wrapped Piglets

Extensive Internet searches for funny animal photos yielded this picture of a tigress feeding tiger-striped piglets. (I apologize to feminist tigers for using the term tigress.) The tigress lost her cubs and became sick with grief, so the zoo wrapped piglets in tiger-skin and tossed them into the cage. Either way, someone was going to eat well that day.

Mommy tigress warmed to her fake babies right away and began feeding them.

Alma Mater means nursing mother, so Ichabodians can see a similar relationship between Fuller Seminary and the Lutheran piglets. They wrap themselves up in Reformed doctrine to be nursed by a unionistic, occultic Reformed-Pentecostal school. Strangely, only ELCA sounded the alarms about Church Growth. When a new CGM parish was destined for Texas, organized opposition forced the project to move to Yorba Linda, California, where it died amidst drunken-sailor spending.

When the ELCA pastor at Community of Joy (Glendale, Arizona) promoted entertainment evangelism in the august pages of The Lutheran, fire warning lights blinked on throughout ELCA. Neuhaus gave a lecture against Church Growth at the Ad Fontes gathering in Pennsylvania. A Lutheran seminary professor screamed and threw the offending issue of The Lutheran from the pulpit.

Meanwhile, in the conservative old Synodical Conference (WELS-ELS-LCMS) all was quiet as Fuller piglets seized power and extended the Left Foot of Fellowship to the few critics of their Alma Mater, Fuller.

Willow Creek Community Church--a suburban mall of pop culture, easy listening, and a Christ without a cross--beckoned with lascivious grace. Conservative Lutheran leaders doubled-down and learned at WC as well. Many conservative pastors joined the Willow Creek Association, which suddenly became secretive after its LCMS members were listed in Christian News.

Is This Your Synod?

Traditional Episcopalian Congregations Want To Leave With Their Property. The Presiding Bishop Wants To Own It.

Virtue Online:

Thirdly, the notion that properties must be held for future generations is laughable. There are some 7,000 parishes in The Episcopal Church whose average attendance is less than 70 with the average age of about 66. In little more than a decade, most will close with the Columbariums full. The larger parishes, with hundreds of members, are evangelical. They are the ones that are leaving and want the properties their people built and paid for. And why shouldn't they? Why should they pass their buildings on to a dysfunctional church that has no gospel to proclaim except Millennium Development Goals, unbiblical notions of inclusivity and diversity that saves no one and nothing?

***

GJ - The Lutherans are in the same bind. The plums of the past are prunes today, withered and dry, liberal and empty, with plenty of endowment money. Lutherans are too timid to break away from Holy Mother Synod.