And he's smarter than you are.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Lutheran Nuns Give Money to ELCA, ELCIC
ELCA Deaconess Community Presents Annual Grants, Tithe
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) awarded $250,000 in grants to 13 domestic and international nonprofit programs in an effort to expand the church's outreach to those in need. It also presented the ELCA with a portion of the community's annual tithe.
The grants were awarded to programs that are committed to "risk taking and innovative service on the frontiers of the church's outreach," according to the community's invitation for grant applications. Programs were chosen for inviting participation, bridging divisions and accompanying others in mission "that affirms the individual gifts of all people."
Grants ranged in size from $10,000 to $32,500. Domestic programs in Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and international programs in Kenya, Mongolia, Nigeria and South Africa received the grants. Recipient programs serve people who are uninsured, disabled, homeless, politically disenfranchised, elderly, at-risk youth and immigrants.
Deaconess Community Presents Annual Tithe to Churches
Sister Anne Keffer, the community's directing deaconess, and Sister Carolyn Hellerich, Hallettsville, Texas, chair of the community's board, presented the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, with a check for $23,620 on Aug. 7.
The community gives a tithe, or 10 percent of the increase of its assets since the previous year, to the ELCA and ELCIC. The ELCIC will receive a check for $5,905.
The community's unrestricted benevolence gift is a way of saying "thank you" to the ELCA and ELCIC, Keffer said. "We give thanks that Christ has called the Church into being and that we, as a community, are part of this church," she said.
The Deaconess Community consists of 76 women consecrated by the church to a ministry of Word and service. Deaconesses are theologically trained and professionally prepared for their careers in such settings as health care, Christian education and social services. They are called to ministry by congregations and synods of the ELCA and ELCIC.
***
GJ - The Lutheran Inner Mission movement in the 19th century spawned a number of conservative efforts which combined evangelism with charitable work: hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, sailors' missions, and industrial schools for training children in vocations. Lutherans and the Reformed had schools to train young, unmarried women to be deaconesses. Training deaconesses was a deliberate attempt to create Protestant nuns who could leave their vocation for marriage, as many of them did. Mennonite service volunteers were another example followed in creating the modern deaconess. A deaconess had a uniform modeled after a nun's habit, though not so Medieval.
The deaconess movement provided Europe and America with young women who taught children and served as nurses. Florence Nightingale was trained in nursing, thanks to the Inner Mission. Her extraordinary service in the Crimean War (and attempts to quash her, even starve her death) made her a world figure, a leader in medical reform.
She spent the winter and spring of 1849-50 in Egypt with family friends; on the journey from Paris she met two St. Vincent de Paul sisters who gave her an introduction to their convent at Alexandria. Nightingale saw that the disciplined and well-organised Sisters made better nurses than women in England. Between 31 July to 13 August 1850, Nightingale made her first visit to the Institute of Protestant Deaconesses at Kaiserswerth. The institute had been founded for the care of the destitute in 1833 and had grown into a training school for women teachers and nurses. Her visit convinced Nightingale of the possibilities of making nursing a vocation for ladies. In 1851 she spent four months at Kaiserswerth, training as a sick nurse. (Victorian Web)
The Lutheran Inner Mission leaders were very suspicious of the Social Gospel Movement, which came along later in the 19th century. The Social Gospel was truly secular and political in nature, spawning such things as the Food and Drug Administration, child labor laws, unions, children's playgrounds in urban areas, urban renewal, farmers' co-ops, and other utopian projects. The Social Gospel was called Social Services at first, so Lutheran Social Services is the ultimate triumph of the secular activist over the conservative evangelist in the Lutheran Church.
There are almost no deaconesses now in ELCA, but they still have some money to give away. The article above suggests the projects are all Social Gospel, on the far Left side of the rainbow coalition.
Here is a history of deaconesses in the United Church of Christ. Mrs. Ichabod once stayed in Deaconess Hospital in St. Louis, where little dolls in deaconess uniforms are featured in a display.
LCMS deaconess history. Loehe, the real founder of the LCMS, was a leader in this area. The UCC deaconess movement doubtless had considerable influence, too, since it was centered in St. Louis.
A few deaconesses are left in the Methodist Church.
Deaconesses and nursing - the book.
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Softer Side of WELS
I wanted to take a break from the normal polemics and note the kindly, warm side of WELS. No, the Church Growth people do not share those attributes, although they talk about love all the time. I mean the traditional WELS pastors and laity who trust in God's Word and treasure the Gospel.
A significant number of people want to return the Wisconsin Synod to its doctrinal foundations or improve on them, since major errors have been made and promoted. Mostly I hear from the laity or from ex-members, but I hear from many types.
For a long time, WELS leaders bet they could take their most faithful members and pastors for granted. They thought they could expel every pastor or layman who disagreed with their false doctrine and have a smooth-running machine of growth. These CG boobies came very close to destroying the synod, which is a human organization after all, a reflection of the True Church, which is invisible and eternal, but just a reflection (very dimly seen at times).
For several years, Paul Tiefel Jr. and his buddy Dave Koenig (both CLC [sic] pastors) played the game of protecting WELS from me. They would carry on about how I was slandering WELS when I simply wrote about the Wisconsin Synod having a pan-denominational worship conference at and ELCA college. Those two drama queens acted as if WELS was coming undone with wrath over my reporting. Meanwhile, Martin Luther College made a point of phoning me to ask for my newest books and to tell me when I could get free books from their library pruning process. MLC people went overboard in their friendliness when I moved to New Ulm, although I heard nasty stuff from the CG people talking through my members.
The efficacious Word bears fruit, no matter how bad the organization might be at times.
The Word, Applied over Time
These dates might be instructive for some:
1530 - Augsburg Confession signed.
1546 - Luther died. Emperor Charles V came back from the Muslim campaigns to finish off the Lutheran rebels. He stood victorious over Luther's grave.
1580 - The Formula of Concord and the Book of Concord were published, finally dealing with the issues uniting the Lutherans, repudiating the errors of the papists, Anabaptists, Zwinglians, and erring Lutherans.
Luther's death precipitated a crisis that took 34 years to address.
Lutherans are only starting to face their problems now. The issues are not economic, not demographic, but doctrinal.
PS - I still get the daily abusive comment (anonymous) from someone in WELS. That side of WELS will never go away.
McCain, Romney Will Put Men on the Moon Again
Biden Most Likely VP
***
GJ - Ichabod calls it again. Biden is confirmed as the VP pick.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
WWRD? - What Would Robert Do?
R D Preus Evangelical Luthern (sic) High School
Same page:
Additional GreatSchools.net R D Preus Evangelical Luthern (sic) High School Information
R D Preus Evangelical Luthern (sic) High School Test Score Graphs and Data.
View test scores
View More Information on Teachers and Students at R D Preus Evangelical Luthern (sic) High School.
Real Estate > Search Schools > Peoria, IL Schools > R D Preus Evangelical Luthern (sic)High School
Augustana Synod History - Lindsborg, Kansas
The video has some interesting history from the Swedish Augustana Synod. Lindsborg was such an important destination for Swedes coming to America that they said, upon arriving in New York City: "If this is New York, what must Lindsborg be like?"
Oh! Oh! Oh! I Just Discovered a New Church Growth Principle
Fuller Seminary
Ascension in Escondido, California (WELS) has discovered a new Church Growth principle - bad spelling to attract WELS members moving to California. It works this way - The search engines use the HTML code to find websites and categorize them.
Can you imagine poor Jacob Struwwelpeter trying to find a WELS Lutheran church when he has spelled the word Lutheran wrong all his life?
"Maw, Paw. I can't find no WELS Luthern church here in Excondido. I am coming home to Peewaukee."
"No, son. Check your spelling. You can't help it. You went to a WELS prep school."
So some of you are thinking I am making this up, just to have a little fun about the superior WELS educational system? Look at the code for that church.
Escondido is spelled Excondido, as in "Ascention (sic) Lutheran Church, Excondido (sic)."
The title of the home page is ASCENSION LUTHERN (sic) CHURCH, SCHOOL, so that title opens up in the browser, making WELS Lutherns feel at home.
Spelling Bee-zerk: Does Anyone in WELS Know How to Spell?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS and Mormonism":
Ithought (sic) that jesus (sic) taught not to accuse falsely. I know masny (sic) Mormons who are more Christian than this.
***
GJ - Three pratfalls in two sentences. But wait, there's more.
From the official WELS website:
WELS Topical Q&A: Roman Catholic Luthern(sic)-Catholic Pages
And also -
Saints:
How do the WELS Lutherns (sic) view the Saints? How are the Saints in Luthern (sic) viewed differently than in the Catholic religion? How important is St. Michaels in the WELS Luthern (sic) religio...
And a synod-minder on Bailing Water:
Anonymous said...
The main blended worship workshop is being done by Rev. Aaron Christie. If you know anything about Rev. Christie, he is very, very traditional when it comes to worship. But he acknoweldges that there is good art being produced today. For example, I doubt that the Rev. Christie would use nothing but the Common Service to celebrate Holy Communion. However, he might, on occasion, subsitutite a piano version of the Gloria in Excelsis for the one in Christian Worship. Look up the website of his church in Antioch, IL, and you'll see the rich heritage of Lutheran worship he strives to share with his membership. His knowlege of Luthern (sic) worship has few equals. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, rather than assuming he's going to suggest you worship with blended mush.
April 18, 2008 9:05 PM
One can read posts from WELS all over the Net, not without shame:
Get you (sic) facts correct, because as usual, I have to correct you. The paragraph that starts "The national discussion" is from the Northwestern Luthern (sic) magazine printed by our synod.
The Formula of Concord - Better Than Handfuls on Purpose
I spotted this commentary called Handfuls on Purpose in a Lutheran pastor's study. I said, "What's that?" He said, "It's a Pietistic commentary a lot of us use." In a rare moment of bluntness, I said, "Get rid of it and read Luther." He gave the set away soon after. He returned to Luther.
Why read garbage from the anti-Lutherans when the Formula of Concord is our ruled norm of faith? We only have so much time to study, so why would we waste our hours with flea-brains? Here are some samples of what we should study:
Formula of Concord
J-163
"Therefore, before the conversion of man there are only two efficient causes, namely, the Holy Ghost and the Word of God, as the instrument of the Holy Ghost, by which He works conversion. This Word man is [indeed] to hear; however, it is not by his own powers, but only through the grace and working of the Holy Ghost that he can yield faith to it and accept it."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, II, Of the Free Will, #19, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 791. Tappert, p. 472. Heiser, p. 219.
J-164
"And although God, according to His just, strict sentence, has utterly cast away the fallen evil spirits forever, He has nevertheless, out of special, pure mercy, willed that poor fallen human nature might again become and be capable and participant of conversion, the grace of God and eternal life; not from its own natural, active [or effective] skill, aptness, or capacity (for the nature of man is obstinate enmity against God), but from pure grace, through the gracious efficacious working of the Holy Ghost." Luther, Psalm 90.
Formula of Concord, SD, II, #20. Free Will. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1921, p. 889. Tappert, p. 525. Heiser, p. 243.
J-165
"Thirdly, in this manner, too, the Holy Scriptures ascribe conversion, faith in Christ, regeneration, renewal, and all that belongs to their efficacious beginning and completion, not to the human powers of the natural free will, neither entirely, nor half, nor in any, even the least or most inconsiderable part, but in solidum, that is, entirely, solely to the divine working and the Holy Ghost, as also the Apology teaches."
Formula of Concord, SD II. #25. Free Will. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 891. Tappert, p. 526. Heiser, p. 244.
J-166
"For this reason we shall now relate, furthermore, from God's Word how man is converted to God, how and through what means [namely, through the oral Word and the holy Sacraments] the Holy Ghost wants to be efficacious in us, and to work and bestow in our hearts true repentance, faith, and new spiritual power and ability for good, and how we should conduct ourselves towards these means, and [how we should] use them."
Formula of Concord SD II. #48. Free Will. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 901. Tappert, p. 530. Heiser, p. 246.
J-167
"Now, all who wish to be saved ought to hear this preaching [of God's Word]. For the preaching and hearing of God's Word are instruments of the Holy Ghost, by, with, and through which He desires to work efficaciously, and to convert men to God, and to work in them both to will and to do. This Word man can externally hear and read, even though he is not yet converted to God and regenerate; for in these external things, as said above, man even since the Fall has to a certain extent a free will, so that he can go to church and hear or not hear the sermon."
Formula of Concord, SD, II, #52. Free Will. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1921, p. 901f. Tappert, p. 531. Heiser, p. 246.
J-168
"Now, although both, the planting and watering of the preacher, and the running and willing of the hearer, would be in vain, and no conversion would follow it if the power and efficacy of the Holy Ghost were not added thereto, who enlightens and converts the hearts through the Word preached and heard, so that men believe this Word and assent thereto, still, neither preacher nor hearer is to doubt this grace and efficacy of the Holy Ghost, but should be certain that when the Word of God is preached purely and truly, according to the command and will of God, and men listen attentively and earnestly and meditate upon it, God is certainly present with His grace, and grants, as has been said, what otherwise man can neither accept nor give from his own powers."
Formula of Concord SD II. #55-56. Free Will. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 903. Tappert, p. 531f. Heiser, p. 246.
J-169
"The other eating of the body of Christ is oral or sacramental, when the true, essential body and blood of Christ are also orally received and partaken of in the Holy Supper, by all who eat and drink the consecrated bread and wine in the Supper—by the believing as a certain pledge and assurance that their sins are surely forgiven them, and Christ dwells and is efficacious in them, but by the unbelieving for the judgment and condemnation, as the words of the institution by Christ expressly declare...."
Formula of Concord, SD, VII. #63. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1921, p. 995. Tappert, p. 581. Heiser, p. 270.
J-170
"For the true and almighty words of Jesus Christ which He spake at the first institution were efficacious not only at the first Supper, but they endure, are valid, operate, and are still efficacious [their force, power, and efficacy endure and avail even to the present], so that in all places where the Supper is celebrated according to the institution of Christ, and His words are used, the body and blood of Christ are truly present, distributed, and received, because of the power and efficacy of the words which Christ spake at the first Supper. For where His institution is observed and His words are spoken over the bread and cup [wine], and the consecrated bread and cup [wine] are distributed, Christ Himself, through the spoken words, is still efficacious by virtue of the first institution, through His word, which He wishes to be there repeated."
Formula of Concord, SD VII, #75. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 999. Tappert, p. 583. Heiser, p. 270f.
J-171
"Also, Tom. III, Jena, Fol. 446: 'Thus here also, even though I should pronounce over all the words: This is Christ's body, nothing, of course, would result therefrom; but when in the Supper we say, according to His institution and command: 'This is My body,' it is His body, not on account of our speaking or word uttered [because these words, when uttered, have this efficacy], but because of His command—that He has commanded us thus to speak and to do, and has united His command and act with our speaking."
Formula of Concord, SD VII, #78. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1001. Tappert, p. 583. Heiser, p. 271.
J-172
"Now, it is not our faith that makes the sacrament, but only the true word and institution of our almighty God and Savior Jesus Christ, which always is and remains efficacious in the Christian Church, and is not invalidated or rendered inefficacious by the worthiness or unworthiness of the minister, nor by the unbelief of the one who receives it."
Formula of Concord, SD VII, #89. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1003. Tappert, p. 585. Heiser, p. 272.
J-173
"1. That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ, who, by His faultless [innocency] obedience, suffering, and death, has merited for us the righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life. 2. That such merit and benefits of Christ shall be presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments. 3. That by His Holy Ghost, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and pondered, He will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to true repentance, and preserve them in the true faith. 4. That He will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith, and will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal life." ..."God in His purpose and counsel ordained [decreed]:
Formula of Concord, SD, XI. #15. Of God's Eternal Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1069. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff. Tappert, p. 619. Heiser, p. 288.
J-174
"And this call of God, which is made through the preaching of the Word, we should not regard as jugglery, but know that thereby God reveals His will, that in those whom He thus calls He will work through the Word, that they may be enlightened, converted, and saved. For the Word, whereby we are called, is a ministration of the Spirit, that gives the Spirit, or whereby the Spirit is given, 2 Corinthians 3:8, and a power of God unto salvation, Romans 1:16. And since the Holy Ghost wishes to be efficacious through the Word, and to strengthen and give power and ability, it is God's will that we should receive the Word, believe and obey it."
Formula of Concord, SD XI. #29. Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1073. 2 Corinthians 3:8; Romans 1:16. Tappert, p. 621. Heiser, p. 289.
J-175
"For few receive the Word and follow it; the greatest number despise the Word, and will not come to the wedding, Matthew 22:3ff. The cause for this contempt for the Word is not God's foreknowledge [or predestination], but the perverse will of man, which rejects or perverts the means and instrument of the Holy Ghost, which God offers him through the call, and resists the Holy Ghost, who wishes to be efficacious, and works through the Word, as Christ says, 'How often would I have gathered you together, and ye would not!' Matthew 23:37."
Formula of Concord, SD XI. #41. Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1077. Matthew 22:3ff.; 23:37. Tappert, p. 623. Heiser, p. 290.
J-176
"Moreover, the declaration, John 6:44, that no one can come to Christ except the Father draw him, is right and true. However, the Father will not do this without means, but has ordained for this purpose His Word and Sacraments as ordinary means and instruments; and it is the will neither of the Father nor of the Son that a man should not hear or should despise the preaching of His Word, and wait for the drawing of the Father without the Word and Sacraments. For the Father draws indeed by the power of His Holy Ghost, however, according to His usual order [the order decreed and instituted by Himself], by the hearing of His holy, divine Word, as with a net, by which the elect are plucked from the jaws of the devil. Every poor sinner should therefore repair thereto [to holy preaching], hear it attentively, and not doubt the drawing of the Father. For the Holy Ghost will be with His Word in His power, and work by it...."
Formula of Concord, SD XI. #76-77. Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1089. John 6:44. Tappert, p. 629. Heiser, p. 293.
Augustine - On Lutheran Seminary Professors
"From this earthly city issue the enemies against whom the City of God must be defended. Some of them, it is true, abjure their worldly error and become worthy members in God's City. But many others, alas, break out in blazing hatred against it and are utterly ungrateful, notwithstanding its Redeemer's signal gifts. For, they would no longer have a voice to raise against it, had not its sanctuaries given them asylum as they fled before the invaders' swords, and made it possible for them to save the life of which they are so proud."
Augustine, The City of God, Garden City: Image Books, 1962, p. 40.
Name the Next Conference at Concordia, Ft. Wayne
The upcoming confessional conference at Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne--ironically called The Fort--needs a name to market it to the right group of LCMS pastors.
Here are some suggestions, from the movie industry:
Going My Way
The Shoes of the Fisherman
Angels with Dirty Faces
Voyage to Italy
Quo Vadis? (Where Are You Going?)
The Bells of St. Mary
Mass Appeal
Justification by Faith
J-145
"But after man has been justified by faith, then a true living faith worketh by love, Galatians 5:6, so that thus good works always follow justifying faith, and are surely found with it, if it be true and living; for it never is alone, but always has with it love and hope."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, III, #11. Righteousness of Faith, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 795. Tappert, p. 474. Heiser, p. 220.
J-146
"If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than trust in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ's sake, or that it is this trust alone by which we are justified, let him be anathema [damned to Hell]." [Session Six, Canon XII]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 460.
J-147
"If anyone says that a man is absolved from sins and justified because of this that he confidently believes that he is absolved and justified, or that no one is truly justified except he who believes that he is justified, and that through this faith alone absolution and justification is effected, let him be anathema [damned to Hell]."
[Sixth Session, Canon XIV]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 551.
J-148
“Therefore justification does not require the works of the Law; but it does require a living faith, which performs its works.”
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed. Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 721.
J-149
“He that hears the Word of Christ in all sincerity, and adheres to it in faith, will also soon be clothed with the spirit of love.”
Martin Luther, 8, 1572, cited in P. E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible, New Testament, 2 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, II, p. 251.
J-156
“Just as Paul says to the Colossians, 2:12, that faith is efficacious through the power of God, and overcomes death: Wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God. Since this faith is a new life, it necessarily produces new movements and works. [Because it is a new light and life in the heart, whereby we obtain another mind and spirit, it is living, productive, and rich in good works.”
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV, #250, Justification. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 191. Tappert, p. 143. Heiser, p. 53.
Drought Ends, Grand Canyon Floods
For the last ten years we have been experiencing the drought in Arizona, the water behind Hoover Dam dropping to alarming levels.
Rain has been so constant this year that reservoirs are all filling up and Lake Mead, created by Hoover, is recovering.
Grand Canyon flooded when an earthen dam broke. Scouts had to be airlifted out. They claimed to be prepared, but they stayed near water after torrential rains and repeated warnings from the park rangers.
Computer Virus Attack
I had an encounter with Spydawn or Defender or Antivirus2009. The malware goes by various names. The beginning is a pop-up that warns the computer needs virus protection. The idea is to make the user go to the website and buy the virus software, when in fact the virus itself is blocking access to the Internet.
I removed the program, edited the registry (first time) and saw the nasty bug return, worse than ever. Finally I went to a store and bought the latest Norton software and webroot. I don't think I needed Webroot Spy Sweeper, but it made me feel better at the time. Once installed, those two programs quashed the virus and the problems stopped. The malware icon is still in the icon tray - persistent little bug.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
ObamAbe To Announce VP From Springfield, Illinois
a future president of the United States of America.
Obama's Brother Lives On $1 a Month Income
Barack Obama's 'lost' brother found in Kenya
Senator Barack Obama's long lost brother has been tracked down for the first time living in a shanty town in Kenya, reports claimed.
By Nick Pisa in Rome
Last Updated: 9:01PM BST 20 Aug 2008
George Hussein Onyango Obama, Senator Barack Obama's long lost brother was tracked down living in a hut on the outskirts of Nairobi Photo: Guy Calaf, Vanity Fair, Italy The Italian edition of Vanity Fair said that it had found George Hussein Onyango Obama living in a hut in a ramshackle town of Huruma on the outskirts of Nairobi.
Mr Obama, 26, the youngest of the presidential candidate's half-brothers, spoke for the first time about his life, which could not be more different than that of the Democratic contender.
"No-one knows who I am," he told the magazine, before claiming: "I live here on less than a dollar a month."
According to Italy's Vanity Fair his two metre by three metre shack is decorated with football posters of the Italian football giants AC Milan and Inter, as well as a calendar showing exotic beaches of the world.
Vanity Fair also noted that he had a front page newspaper picture of his famous brother - born of the same father as him, Barack Hussein Obama, but to a different mother, named only as Jael.
He told the magazine: "I live like a recluse, no-one knows I exist."
Embarrassed by his penury, he said that he does not does not mention his famous half-brother in conversation.
"If anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed," he said.
For ten years George Obama lived rough. However he now hopes to try to sort his life out by starting a course at a local technical college.
He has only met his famous older brother twice - once when he was just five and the last time in 2006 when Senator Obama was on a tour of East Africa and visited Nairobi.
The Illinois senator mentions his brother in his autobiography, describing him in just one passing paragraph as a "beautiful boy with a rounded head".
Of their second meeting, George Obama said: "It was very brief, we spoke for just a few minutes. It was like meeting a complete stranger."
George added he was no longer in contact with his mother and said:"I have had to learn to live and take what I need.
"Huruma is a tough place, last January during the elections there was rioting and six people were hacked to death. The police don't even arrest you they just shoot you.
"I have seen two of my friends killed. I have scars from defending myself with my fists. I am good with my fists."
Technorati Tags
Some kind soul told me about Technorati. I discovered this morning how to put another widget on the page, one from Technorati.
Norm Teigen's example challenged me to put videos on the blog.
I appreciate the comments, many of which come by way of email. Various people are doing their own research about what is happening in Lutherdom. I am happy to report what they have found.
Two clues suggest Ichabod is having a positive impact. One clue is the sunnyside up posting I get from time to time. After a huge drink of purple Kool Aid, synod minders buckle down and explain everything away. "Nothing to see here, please move along." The other clue comes from the sulphuric posts and threats I receive. Not to worry, they are even more encouraging. I block most of them because of their poor spelling, atrocious grammar, and mind-numbing repetition. Remember, Sir is spelled s-i-r, not c-u-r, the next time you write a Dear Sir comment.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Pastor Wears a Rob! - at St. Marks, DePere
St. Mark's may be creative, xeroxing the sermons of false teachers, but they are not well prepared. Their website says the pastor wears a rob at one service.
WELS and bad spelling go together, like Werning and Fuller. To be precise, bad spelling and Church Growth go together, like Church and Change. It's your church, but they will change it.
PS - Someone who knows reports that bad spelling and writing are pandemic among the children of the WELS hierarchy. The precious ones get passed for trying and move on up to higher education.
This reminds me of two students arguing which one went to a better college. One said, "We have a Phi Beta Kappa chapter." The other one said, "What's that?"
This actually happened to me -> The Columbus pastors were discussing how some people did not know the difference between the humiliation and the exinination (Latin for humiliation) of Christ. I knew the topic, but I wondered why they used synonymous terms instead of contrasting terms (the two states of Christ - exaltation and humiliation). I looked puzzled, so District VP Kuske said, "That's why ___ is teaching, because he knows the difference." They congratulated themselves on how intellectual they were.
Being ignorant and acting stupid are two ways to get ahead in WELS. John Lawrenz said this problem comes from the brain drain, when the intellectuals left WELS for Missouri. Besides, he noted the Protest'ant Conference (given the Left Foot of Fellowship by WELS) is considered brainy so brains are suspect.
PPS - Googling exinination produced this hilarious example from India:
Private candidates must bring with them proof of their eligibility certificate, marksheet, certificate of passing the qualifying exinination (sic) and a character certificate from a Gazetted Officer along with other documents mentioned in 4,5 and 6.
In WELS they humiliate students after accepting them.
Learn to spell Lutheran corner:
Wels Luthern (sic) Student Center
(605) 692-2201
919 9th Ave, Brookings, SD 57006 Map it | Get directions
Cross Streets: Between 9th St and Harvey Dunn St
St John's Ev Luthern (sic) Church Wels-Pastor's Office
202 8th St W
Hastings, MN 55033
Correction on Mark Schroeder Quotation
I was working on this post when my ready-to-go database, Megatron, found a very old quotation from the WELS SP Mark Schroeder. The article was from TELL, which was WELS' first Church Growth periodical. I decided to use the quotation because the sentence was in the mode of Church Growthers who talk about planning and setting goals, something they got from Management by Objective, a business textbook.
A friend of the Synodical President thought the post took the quotation out of context and presented a harsher picture than was necessary. He actually had the original article, bound in morocco with gold trim and a silk ribbon marker. I am kidding about that.
I apologize for using the quotation out of context and giving that solitary sentence a meaning not intended by the author. Unlike most of my quotations, only one sentence was recorded from that article.
So now I have the entire article, which I wanted to reproduce, but the "save as text" command yielded a blank document. I meant to indicate in the original post that I thought Schroeder was not in that CG crowd. So I find it instructive to read the article, many years later, knowing how many WELS leaders turned their backs on the Means of Grace while chasing the bright, elusive butterflies of Enthusiasm and business marketing (to no avail, I might add).
Here is my brief review of Schroeder's article, which is now 24 years old:
The complete article is more of a critique of Church Growth than anything, subtly using some of their arguments to lead into something else. Back in the 1980s, WELS (late for every fad) was discovering planning, committees, and evangelism programs. Schroeder said, those things are done but not always with good results.
The sentence I objected to is typical CG fare, but that thought was followed by - "But in the Book of Acts evangelism is an effort by all the Christians - a natural result of their faith and joy in Christ."
The final sentence in the article is an implicit statement of the efficacy of the Word: "Let it be said of our church and all of our members - Day by day they never stopped preaching and teaching the good news that Jesus is the Christ."
Some points of explanation:
1. We should never assume something that is not in the text itself. The text is the only thing we know for sure (Nils Dahl, Yale) so we should never turn away from what we know and weave scenarios no one has described in the text. One of my friends at Notre Dame assumed Mary was assumed into heaven since her death is not recorded in the New Testament.
2. Jonah did a lot of planning. He planned a way to escape God's mission, but God sent a storm to stop him and a whale to taxi him to his post. There is something to be said for being organized (counting the cost, as Jesus said) but one should not equate planning with success. I concede that Schroeder did not fall into the Management by Objective mindset in his article, that he moved the reader in the opposite direction.
If Schroeder had been more explicit about the efficacy of the Word rather writing about "planning and consulting" then his article would have been rejected. I heard he was asked to write it. CG types like to have people seem to endorse their fad, to make their illigitimate child look legal. The final sentence of his article is a rejection of CG, but they were too dumb to see that, or they wanted the appearance of an endorsement.
I have read so many CG books and articles that I can tell when someone has studied at Fuller or Willow Creek. Tragicly, Fuller got most of the WELS, LMCS, and ELCA executives trained in their abominations. The Fuller cancer is a doctrinal problem. The cancer must be cut out with the Sword of the Word. That will not be easy for anyone in a teaching or leadership position. The responsibility does not rest with the appointed or elected leaders alone, but with the laity and the pastors.
Too many pastors took the safe route to advancement and muted themselves when they should have objected to false doctrine. Good does not automatically overcome evil, but the strong do overcome the weak, as Luther pointed out. If the confessional Lutherans finally become much stronger, they will win with God's Word.
Mark Schroeder's election, I am told, was a victory for reform in WELS. Some progress has been made, I think. The WELS people I know (pastors and laity) are pleased with his leadership. That support has to be explicit rather than implicit, overt rather than covert.
Coming Soon - More Information on the Bogus Lutheran Clergy Shortage
Mergers and closings of parishes make calls less likely.
From Lutheran Notes:
Apparently, they weren't getting enough sem students based on the old report, so they hyped it even further then when I saw it last. In 1992 is was around 500 vacancies, but in 2008 the report says there are 1155 vacant pastoral positions! The report also says by 2010, 25% of pulpits will be empty. That's surprising given that in 2008 19 graduates at Concordia Sem in St. Louis couldn't be placed right away, and 13 were not placed at the Fort.
***
GJ - Ablaze! is a fizzle. But I know what they are saying in cologne-filled boardrooms across Lutherdom: "We need more Church Growth programs!"
Monday, August 18, 2008
Reunion with Rome
No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
[On Anglicanism] "Its Articles, Homilies, and Liturgy have been a great bulwark of Protestantism; and yet, seemingly, out of the very stones of that bulwark has been framed, in our day, a bridge on which many have passed over into Rome...It harbors a skepticism which takes infidelity by the hand, and a revised medievalism which longs to throw itself, with tears, on the neck of the Pope and the Patriarch, to beseech them to be gentle and not to make the terms of restored fellowship too difficult."
Charles P. Krauth, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology, Philadelphia: The United Lutheran Publication House, 1913 (first edition, 1871), p. x.
Traditional Anglican Communion Primate Seeks Union with Rome
Correspondence Revealed Between Rome and TAC
An Exclusive Interview with the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion the Most. Rev. John Hepworth
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
8/12/2008
Virtueonline met with Archbishop John Hepworth near Philadelphia recently. He is on a world trip visiting his constituency. He agreed to be interviewed.
VOL: With negotiations as delicate as they are between the TAC and Rome, why are you prepared to talk to VirtueOnline at this time?
HEPWORTH: There is much inaccurate information about the TAC. I would like to state our position as clearly as I know how to the Anglican and Roman Catholic world. I also want to clear up some misconceptions and misperceptions about the TAC. I chose VOL because I wanted the widest possible circulation. This interview has been cleared with Rome.
VOL: Readers of VirtueOnline are aware that the TAC has petitioned Rome for full sacramental and organic union. As a priest and bishop operating outside the Roman communion, can you describe the process of discernment that led you personally to the conclusion that union with the See of St. Peter was necessary?
HEPWORTH: Yes. The process began with ARCIC and the derailment of ARCIC over the ordination of women even back in the time of Pope Paul VI. He warned the Archbishop of Canterbury that it was a great obstruction to unity. The catholic part of the Anglican Communion had invested much time and optimism in a process towards organic unity. The Continuing Anglican movement - the Affirmation of St. Louis - determined positively to continue that process even though the Anglican Communion refused to continue it. The Affirmation was agreed to affirm the catholic truths about the sacraments and other basic catholic doctrines.
VOL: Can you describe the process of discernment through which the TAC as a body was led to the same conclusion?
HEPWORTH: The TAC, 20 years ago at its formation, determined the pathway of St. Louis and determined in the first place that for the catholic ecclesiastical movement in the West to continue down the patriotic and biblical pathway was to discern truth in communion with the See of Peter. We have pursued communion with Rome as the source of unity in the church way and the biblical way as truth is affirmed.
VOL: What do you see as the possible responses from Rome to your petition, and how would the TAC respond to each one?
HEPWORTH: Our letter (see below) in fact was both as Rome and we have understood it. It is a petition for full communion especially Eucharistic communion in Christ with the See of Rome. In fact, the letter reminds the Holy See of the advice we were given 18 years ago with the counsels of Christian unity and it makes a series of statements about the faith of our bishops in whose teaching authority resides and asks the Holy See in the light of that what our course should be now. We are awaiting what their advice should be. I see a number of stages including a period of discernment which we are happy to accept.
VOL: Contacts in the Roman Catholic Church have suggested that for your move towards Rome to succeed, strong ties at local levels between TAC bishops and Roman Catholic bishops need to be forged. Do you have a program in place to do this?
HEPWORTH: Yes. The program necessarily differs from place to place. There are places where we exist on equal terms, that is where Romans and Anglicans are equal. In other places where there is virtually no Roman Catholic presence such as Torrres Strait and parts of Africa where mission territories were divided. The program is essentially where the bishops develop strong personal friendships and that is happening. The parishes develop joint programs with local Catholic parishes and that is happening. Thirdly, the acceptance of our ordination candidates to study in Catholic institutions and, most daringly, the forming of joint TAC Roman Catholic religious orders, one of which has preliminary acceptance by the Vatican.
VOL: Contacts in the Roman Catholic Church have suggested that the statements issued by you in acceptance of Roman Catholic dogma are weak on the primacy and infallibility of the Pope. How would you respond?
HEPWORTH: In the paragraph, "we accept the ministry of the Bishop of Rome" and the quote from Vatican II and from John Paul II's encyclical to the separated churches is sufficient indication that we are accepting contemporary statements of Catholic Doctrine and he explicitly made that statement ex cathedra.
Secondly we signed the catechism of the Catholic Church which includes contemporary Catholic teaching on the papacy and we state in the letter we signed that we accepted this as the most perfect statement of Catholic faith in the world at the present time and that it is the faith we "aspire to hold and teach."
VOL: It has been reported that at the gathering of all TAC bishops in England last October at which the TAC formally petitioned Rome for union, that all the bishops signed a copy of the Roman Catholic Catechism on the altar as an expression of their complete acceptance of Roman Catholic dogma and doctrine. Others have reported that this was not the case, that they signed the petition to Rome but not the Catechism. Did the bishops all sign the Catechism, and is there complete acceptance by the TAC of Roman Catholic dogma and doctrine?
HEPWORTH: First. We not only signed the catechism, we also signed the compendium which is the Q & A section of the catechism on the altar and a video of the signing was made for the Holy See and we state in the letter that it is the faith we aspire to hold and teach. We all signed it on that altar in the middle of a mass for Christian unity.
VOL: To what extent is the TAC reaching out to other "continuing churches" to try to achieve unity among the largest possible number of continuing Anglicans prior to union with Rome?
HEPWORTH: We have made public the fact of our engagement with Rome and our desire for unity for just on 18 years since our first official visit to the Vatican. This fact has been more a matter of contest among the other continuing churches than of a growing together. We stated in our last meeting in the Vatican that we wish to place no lines in the sand. We sought their advice on what we need to do to achieve unity rather than setting out an agenda for doctrinal debate. My own belief is that this separates us at the moment from other continuing churches. Our decision has been to pursue unity with Rome in the first instance and to gather those Anglican groups inside and outside the process as it continues.
VOL: To what extent has the TAC found support among local Roman Catholic bishops and to what extent has the TAC found itself rebuffed or put off by Roman Catholic bishops? Can you cite examples?
HEPWORTH: Initially, we found less enthusiasm than we would have expected and the question frequently asked is, why don't we do this as individuals? We have patiently explained the failure of recent large scale individual movements to Rome such as in England and Australia in the 1990's when many priests went to Rome and then returned to Anglicanism. They were disillusioned at the local level. We believe in a corporate engagement with mutual support that would be the most successful pathway forward. Increasingly, we have found significant support from Roman Catholic bishops. For instance, the president of the Australian Bishops Conference has indicated support. Several cardinals have indicated their support. A number of local Roman Catholic bishops in the U.S., such as the Archbishop of Colorado, have publically indicated support.
VOL: Several Roman Catholic sources have indicated that the TAC will not be able to achieve the status of a Uniate church, but that some form of Personal Prelature might be a possibility, provided that the prelate assigned jurisdiction over the Prelature is one chosen by Rome from among existing Roman Catholic bishops. Would the TAC find this acceptable? –and if so, do you have an idea of which existing Roman Catholic bishops you would most like to see holding the Prelature?
HEPWORTH: First we have carefully avoided using the word uniate because it specifically refers to a process in the Eastern Church which is not a parallel in the situation in the West. Secondly, in our meetings with the Holy See we have been asked not to narrow the discussion by alluding only to those possibilities in contemporary canon law. Thirdly, it is only proper that we await the reply of the Holy See and our bishops give it careful consideration. We have the opportunity as we have promised to discuss the Holy See's response to our general synods of our national churches around the world.
VOL: You are aware of the pontifical Pastoral Provision that governs acceptance of formerly Episcopal clergy and faithful in the American Roman Catholic Church in a form that allows them to continue familiar Anglican liturgical practices and build "Anglican Use" parishes. These parishes must operate under the jurisdiction of the local Roman Catholic diocese within whose boundaries they are located. Several Roman Catholic sources have suggested that the way in which Rome may respond to the TAC's petition will be to extend the Pastoral Provision globally. If this were done, the TAC would not come into communion with Rome as a body, but as individual parishes being absorbed into the existing Roman Catholic Structure. Would the TAC find this acceptable? Why or why not?
HEPWORTH: I have strongly indicated that this would be unlikely to work whether we accept it or not. Because very few Catholic bishops have, up until now, been prepared to implement such a scheme and it has no presence outside of the U.S. and therefore it doesn't cover the TAC.
VOL: In the event the Pastoral Provision is extended globally and TAC parishes come into communion with Rome through its provisions, how would you safeguard individual parishes that might find themselves in a hostile environment in which the local Roman Catholic bishop takes steps that prevent the successful creation of an Anglican Use parish?
HEPWORTH: That is purely speculative.
VOL: When and if Rome accepts the TAC into communion, do you have an idea how Rome will deal with the potential problems posed by divorced, remarried members? Do you feel that Rome would accept annulments put in place under TAC jurisdiction?
HEPWORTH: It would be utterly wrong for me to speculate on issues that might occur. In the meantime the TAC has modeled many of its processes on its marriage discipline on Roman canon law with the advice of local Roman Catholic authorities.
VOL: When the former Bishop of London went to Rome, he was "conditionally re-ordained" a priest rather than having to undergo re-ordination. Do you see that as a possibility for the TAC's clergy?
HEPWORTH: The way in which pastoral provision currently works allows Anglican clergymen to tender evidence of the validity of Anglican ordination. In fact, the re-ordination is a response to the circumstances within Anglicanism which vary for good and ill in the last century as Cardinal Kasper recently said, and re-ordination is a necessary assurance to the good consciences of those with whom unity is sought.
VOL: Some fear, if conditional re-ordination is not allowed, that sacramental rites performed by TAC clergy prior to their re-ordination would be considered invalid. Do you see the difference between "conditional" and unconditional re-ordination as important?
HEPWORTH: No. It is important to individual Anglo-Catholics who in practice have responded to apostolica curae by seeking to involve other than Anglicans in their ordinations, not necessarily as a criticism of their own orders but as an act of pastoral generosity towards the wider catholic church.
VOL: Are all of the lay people as enthusiastic as you are about going to Rome?
HEPWORTH: There is a gradation of enthusiasm across the whole TAC and that extends across our clergy and people. There are places where there is restless enthusiasm and impatience for the process to be at an end, and in other places some fear and hesitation as to what it might mean. A significant part of my work as primate is the apostolic care of those who are fearful.
VOL: Is it possible that there will be some people who will vote not to go to Rome, that is, individual priests and congregations?
HEPWORTH: We have already lost 4 congregations around the world to other Continuing bodies, which is far fewer than I might have anticipated a year ago. We are trying to be generous to the consciences of those who feel they cannot do it while at the same time being equally generous to the consciences of those who cannot wait.
VOL: Every church in the TAC is an independent congregation. Do you see some going to the Anglican Province of America (APA)?
HEPWORTH: He has two congregations of our diocese in Eastern US that is a process not presently full.
VOL: The bishop is everything. The lay people go where they are told. They are being told, but have they been asked?
HEPWORTH: Yes. The bishop isn't everything. The bishop is part of a college and has responsibility for teaching the faith. We do not allow votes in synod on doctrine. We are close to the position of GAFCON where bishops reassert their authority to teach the faith, but our people in synod are responsible for the conduct and existence of the local church. We have taken to our synodical and parish processes this decision and the bishops only proceeded last October when they were confident of their support for their clergy and people.
VOL: Can you still be authentically Anglican and a catholic in the Roman Catholic Church?
HEPWORTH: We have sought to be Anglican and catholic, to take the centuries old and cherished traditions, theology, liturgy into communion and we are reminded that there are indeed over 20 rites in communion with the Holy See in addition to the Roman rite. What we have done is to acknowledge in our letter which says the Catholic faith in all its fullness and wholeness is seeking to maintain the tradition in which we have come to this faith. You can separate the corpus of faith from the surrounding traditions and culture of that faith community such as we see among Maronite Catholics, Greek Catholics, so why not Anglo-Catholics?
VOL: In your opinion, are the theological fluctuations within Anglicanism among many traditional Anglicans who are either being forced out of the Church of England and the American Episcopal Church, many of whom see unity with Rome as their goal, make your case stronger?
HEPWORTH: Cardinal Levada's generous letter to me (see below) mentioned the troubles in the Anglican Communion as a factor influencing the work of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in responding to our petition. We have always understood that we were one group among many Anglican groups searching for an orthodox future. The disintegration of catholic faith within Anglicanism is a profound historical tragedy, but on the other hand it opens possibilities for unity that have not been there before.
VOL: What is your relationship like with Forward in Faith?
HEPWORTH: Bishop John Broadhurst (chairman of Forward in Faith International) and I have agreed to have a meeting in October of TAC/FIF and other bishops who see unity as a pathway for Anglican Catholic future and this will be held in England in October.
VOL: Thank you Archbishop Hepworth.
Proof Supplied - In Abundance
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church Growth False Teachers - As Subtle as a Zeph...":
Would you care to give concrete examples of WELS teaching decision theology and the sacraments as ordinances? And please don't offer any opinions, inuendos (sic) or half-truths. Let's see the plain and clear evidence. Put up or shut-up.
***
GJ - Are they required to read Ichabod at the Sausage Factory? People keep returning so they can denounce what they have just read. I can tell this is a WELS post because the spelling is atrocious. They need a course in the preps - "Here is where you turn on the spell-check tool. Microsoft is very confusing, I realize, so we have this class designed to show you save, save as, spell-check, and new document. We will spend several weeks on spell-check so Ichabod will stop laughing at the crown jewels of our educational system."
Ichabodians, notice how testy this poor fellow is? "Put up or shut up." He is pretty ignorant, too. Which is a higher form of ignorance - not knowing or pretending not to know? Thy Strong Word, available for free, has hundreds of examples. I have published hundreds of articles in Christian News. I have furnished lists of quotations on Ichabod. I had a conference paper which was a best-seller for WELS. Everyone took it and copied it after the conference, but no one defended it. I actually sold the paper for a period of time. And, during this entire time, my name was on each publication.
Here is just one example of Deformed doctrine taught by two Church Growth stars of the Sausage Factory - Valleskey and Bivens. They produced a new members book so bad that Northwestern Publishing House refused to publish it. NPH has some scruples, after all. Bivens and Valleskey, both acknowledged veterans of Fuller Seminary, wrote about "spiritual-breathing" which they got from the false teacher William Bright. The Valleskey/Bivens new member book has been used all over WELS, without anyone being disciplined. Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-filled Life? That is the title of the Bright book, about spiritual breathing, cited with approval by Valleskey and Bivens. Does anyone wonder why WELS has had break-outs of Pentecostalism among its members and clergy? I don't.
Notice, too, Ichabodians, that the anonymous post makes several charges without supporting them with a shred of evidence. That is typical of WELS. If I pick up the phone and someone starts screaming at me without saying hello, my CPU says, "WELS clergy, three sheets to the wind."
Obamessiah Concedes
Asked by Rev. Rick Warren when babies deserve legal protection, Obamessiah answererd, "That's above my pay grade."
Our refusal to protect the unborn is the greatest shame of our country.
The Anointed One also thought Clarence Thomas' elevation to the Supreme Court was a mistake. Obama went to one of the most expensive private high schools in America. Thomas was raised, strictly by his grandfather, in extreme poverty in the South.
Ichabod Wishes Norm Teigen a Speedy and Complete Recovery
The most interesting Lutheran blogger will be facing surgery very soon. We wish Norm a speedy and complete recovery, God watching over him and his extended family.
ALMIGHTY, Everlasting God, the eternal Salvation of them that believe: Hear our prayers in behalf of Thy servants who need healing, for whom we implore the aid of Thy mercy, that being restored to health, they may render thanks to Thee in Thy Church; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Church Growth False Teachers - As Subtle as a Zephyr?
From Bailing Water:
WELS Leadership allows the resident CG gurus free reign
In response to a question on why the WELS leadership doesn't discpline the CG gurus in the WELS....
-----------------------
Anonymous said...
The problem with the CG movement is how subtle and insidious it is. It can be easily "covered up" by pastors and churches who hide their false motivation and lack of faith in the Means by saying the right words. Because of this, it can be very difficult for leaders to identify and discipline CG supporters. A CG pastor might indicate by his worship styles and practices that he doesn't trust the Means of Grace, but when a DP talks to him and he says, "Don't worry, I trust the Means, I'm just trying something new", what exactly can be done? There isn't really any hard evidence of false doctrine.
You asked specifically about teaching decision theology and sacraments as ordinances. Would CG pastors in the WELS ever admit (to themselves even) that they believed or taught these things? No way. But do they teach them by the way they worship? Absolutely. (But of course, CG teaches that worship style has nothing to do with doctrine, and thus they can't understand how their worship actually is teaching these things.)
With that said, though, I certainly wish our leaders had the courage of Luther to say of the CG pastors, "They have a different spirit," and to remove them from fellowship.
***
GJ - Someone would have to explain to me how difficult it is to uncover these false teachers. Paul Kelm has been showing his true colors for decades, has been "in trouble" for decades, and writes constantly for FIC. Valleskey and Bivens made careers out of promoting the Church Growth Movement, while bragging about and denying their study at Fuller Seminary.
The Wisconsin Synod is not a Lutheran denomination. WELS is a Pietistic sect with some Lutheran nuances here and there.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time
The Hymn #9 – Ellacombe
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 Galatians 3:15-22
The Gospel Luke 10:23-37
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 295 M. Loy Erhalt uns Herr
Love Your Neighbor
The Hymn #207 Kingo – Werde munter
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 # 283 Grundwig – Reuter
Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Luke 10:23 And he turned him unto [his] disciples, and said privately, Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them]. 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him], 34 And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, we most heartily thank Thee that Thou hast granted us to live in this accepted time, when we may hear Thy holy gospel, know Thy fatherly will, and behold Thy Son, Jesus Christ! We pray Thee, most merciful Father: Let the light of Thy holy word remain with us, and so govern our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may never forsake Thy word, but remain steadfast in it, and finally obtain eternal 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.
Click here to find the melodies - http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/online/tlh_online.html
"O Day of Rest and Gladness"
by Christopher Wordsworth, 1808-1885
1. O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright,
On thee the high and lowly
Before th' eternal throne
Sing, "Holy, holy, holy,"
To the great Three in One.
2. On thee at the Creation
The light first had its birth;
On thee for our salvation
Christ rose from depth of earth;
On thee our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heaven,
And thus on thee, most glorious,
A threefold light was given.
3. Thou art a cooling fountain
In life's dry, dreary sand;
From thee, like Nebo's mountain,
We view our Promised Land;
A day of sweet reflection,
A day of holy love,
A day of resurrection
From earth to things above.
4. Today on weary nations
The heavenly manna falls;
To holy convocations
The silver trumpet calls,
Where Gospel-light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams
And living water flowing
With soul-refreshing streams.
5. New graces ever gaining
From this our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining
To spirits of the blest.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father, and to Son;
The Church her voice upraises
To Thee, blest Three in One.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #9
Text: Ps. 118:24
Author: Christopher Wordsworth, 1862, cento, alt.
Tune: "Ellacombe"
"The Law of God Is Good and Wise"
by Matthias Loy, 1828-1915
1. The Law of God is good and wise
And sets His will before our eyes,
Shows us the way of righteousness,
And dooms to death when we transgress.
2. Its light of holiness imparts
The knowledge of our sinful hearts
That we may see our lost estate
And seek deliverance ere too late.
3. To those who help in Christ have found
And would in works of love abound
It shows what deeds are His delight
And should be done as good and right.
4. When men the offered help disdain
And wilfully in sin remain,
Its terror in their ear resounds
And keeps their wickedness in bounds.
5. The Law is good; but since the Fall
Its holiness condemns us all;
It dooms us for our sin to die
And has no power to justify.
6. To Jesus we for refuge flee,
Who from the curse has set us free,
And humbly worship at His throne,
Saved by His grace through faith alone.
Hymn #295
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 19: 8
Author: Matthias Loy, 1863
Tune: "Erhalt uns, Herr"
"Like the Golden Sun Ascending"
by Thomas Kingo, 1634-1703
Translated by George A.T. Rygh, 1860-1942
1. Like the golden sun ascending,
Breaking through the gloom of night,
On the earth his glory spending
So that darkness takes to flight,
Thus my Jesus from the grave
And Death's dismal, dreadful cave
Rose triumphant Easter morning
At the early purple dawning.
2. Thanks to Thee, O Christ victorious!
Thanks to Thee, O Lord of Life!
Death hath now no power o'er us,
Thou hast conquered in the strife.
Thanks because Thou didst arise
And hast opened Paradise!
None can fully sing the glory
Of the resurrection story.
3. Though I be by sin o'ertaken,
Though I lie in helplessness,
Though I be by friends forsaken
And must suffer sore distress,
Though I be despised, contemned,
And by all the world condemned,
Though the dark grave yawn before me,
Yet the light of hope shines o'er me.
4. Thou hast died for my transgression,
All my sins on Thee were laid;
Thou hast won for me salvation,
On the cross my debt was paid.
From the grave I shall arise
And shall meet Thee in the skies.
Death itself is transitory;
I shall lift my head in glory.
5. Grant me grace, O blessed Savior,
And Thy Holy Spirit send
That my walk and my behavior
May be pleasing to the end;
That I may not fall again
Into death's grim pit and pain,
Whence by grace Thou hast retrieved me
And from which Thou hast relieved me.
6. For the joy Thy advent gave me,
For Thy holy, precious Word;
For Thy Baptism, which doth save me,
For Thy blest Communion board;
For Thy death, the bitter scorn,
For Thy resurrection morn,
Lord, I thank Thee and extol Thee,
And in heaven I shall behold Thee.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #207 from
Text: Acts 2: 32
Author: Thomas Kingo, 1689, cento
Translated by: George A.T. Rygh, 1908
Titled: "Som den gyldne Sol frembryder"
"God's Word Is Our Great Heritage"
by Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig, 1783-1872
Translated by Ole G. Belsheim, 1861-1925
1. God's Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way,
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure,
We keep its teachings pure.
Throughout all generations.
The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #283
Text: Ps. 16:6
Author: Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig, 1817
The Parable of the Good Samaritan has been interpreted many ways, but first we should see the introduction, which may not seem to fit. Still it should be emphasized.
Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them].
Whenever we hear the Words of Jesus, we should think those words over. Powerful and wise men lived and died without knowing and seeing what we often take for granted – the Gospel of Christ.
The smallest phrase from the Bible carries Christ to us, and us to Christ, so we should value each Word.
A lawyer stood up to test Jesus with a question. This questioning is an old Jewish custom and is embedded in some of their practices, such as the Seder meal. The idea was to stump the rabbi, so it provided training for the questioner and for the rabbi. In contrast, when the president of the LCA answered questions at one convention, he had them written down so he could read them in advance and prepare and answer. He avoided the most pointed questions, which included one of mine. The same thing happened when merger approached. I had to write my question for another official, so I asked if the two Lutheran insurance companies would be made into an “integrated auxiliary of the new organization.” Some people gasped and the main point was avoided.
What must I do to inherit eternal life? That is a good question.
Jesus asked him a question. How do you read it? The lawyer gave a summary from the Old Testament – love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
The lawyer asked the big question, trying to justify himself, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responded with a parable.
The parable has many familiar details. The man was on the road to Jericho when he was beaten and robbed. For social activists, this means we should make the road to Jericho safe, not just bind up the wounds of victims. (For some reason, nothing of the sort is suggested by Jesus. As everyone knows by now, the apostates do not make the road safe for victims, but for thieves, and they definitely do not bind up the wounds of anyone. They do talk about it frequently.)
There are three responses to this man’s predicament. He was a Jew, traveling from Jerusalem, beaten, robbed, and left half-dead.
A priest came by and passed him on the other side of the road. So did a Levite, who also crossed over, although the parable said that he “looked at him.”
These are religious people who know the Torah, yet they do nothing to help one of their own.
Lastly comes the Samaritan, who is not called the Good Samaritan, but “a certain Samaritan.” The wording is a clue that this person symbolizes the Savior.
The irony of this story comes from the religious duties of the priest and Levite, the hatred of Samaritans toward all Jews. Samaritans and Jews had rival temples (John 4, Woman at the Well) and Scriptures very similar to each other. The Samaritan Old Testament is valued as a reference today so scholars can compare readings.
The people we assume will help pass by on the other side. The one with no obligation to help out, has compassion, stops to help, and his help goes far beyond the usual.
And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Oil and wine were used for healing at that time, but Luther sees in those references the proclamation of the Law (wine) and Gospel (oil). Wine disinfected the wound and oil helped the healing. Many times Luther’s explanations seem far-fetched at first, but perfect upon reflection. That is how Christ comes to us today. The Law shows us our sins, killing the germs (causes) but the Gospel provides the healing with God’s forgiveness.
The other details of the parable are significant.
1. The Samaritan took the half-dead (but treated) man to an inn – on his own beast. Christ carries us – we do not meet Him halfway, as the synergists claim.
2. He took care of the man at the inn. Christ does not say, “Be of good cheer,” while leaving us to bleed to death. He stays with us and cares for us in the healing.
3. He gave money to the innkeeper for addition time and care. This shows how God provides a generous amount of care for us, in various ways, directly and indirectly.
4. The Samaritan says to the innkeeper, “Take good care of him. Whatever you spend I will repay when I return.” This shows Christ handing over care to another person but repaying whatever kindness shown.
Some Protestants object to the Means of Grace, because there are so many ways in which the individual receives the forgiveness of sin through the atoning death of Christ. And yet, isn’t that the very lesson of this parable – many different ways Christ helps us?
This is closely related to the strange passage – And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations (Luke 16:9). Now this makes perfect sense, putting it in the framework of this parable. “The Samaritan is an alien, not a friend of our people, but he stopped, took care of my wounds, carried me to an inn, stayed there to care for me, and paid the innkeeper (with unrighteous mammon) for additional care and promised even more when he came back to settle the bill.” And the next verse - He that is faithful in that which is least (money) is faithful also in much (money): and he that is unjust in the least (money) is unjust also in much (doctrine).
Good works necessarily follow faith in Christ. If someone does not show mercy to others, does not help others, then he should question his own faith.
Many people say, “I belong to…” or I am descended from these famous (within my synod) synodical officials, but the issue is, “Do you believe in the Word of God?” The Bible divides the world into two distinct groups, and two only – the believers and the unbelievers. There are no levels of quality within that group of believers.
If a group of people own gold, there is no difference between those who hold their gold in the sock drawer, in safe, or in a bank. It is the same gold. In the same way, the believer holds Christ in his heart, so it is the same Christ, whether He is held in a baby’s heart, a theologian’s heart, or a coal miner’s heart.
Genuine faith in Christ leads to good works.
Let’s return to the parable itself. Jesus asked the lawyer, “Which one of the three proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell among thieves?” That was the original question asked, “Who is my neighbor?”
The lawyer said, “The one who showed mercy.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
The main lesson, then, is that we should show mercy in the same way as the Samaritan. That is how the Bible teaches us.
The Word commands us to do good works (Parable of the Last Judgment), but also gives us the power and motivation to do good works. When we see how Jesus ministers to us through the Means of Grace, in so many different ways, even having other people take part (innkeepers) but repaying them, then our hearts are moved to show some of the same compassion He shows for us on a daily basis, freely and fully forgiving all our sins.
This love should not be telescopic in nature, freely shown to people in Borneo, but kept from those closest to us. Modern fads have us “saving the world” through meaningless gestures, such as having cloth grocery bags! The Word of God has us showing compassion to those closest to us, to our neighbors, family members, co-workers.
We are the innkeepers, not the Samaritan. Jesus is the Savior in charge of all ministry, but He lets us share in it and promises to pay us back when He returns. That is so true. Everything we do in His name is rewarded richly, so the least sacrifice is rewarded many times over, not as money paid back, but as satisfaction, enjoyment, pleasure in seeing the happiness of others. All the sacrifices of parents are stored up as a giant annuity which pays forever as the children grow and reflect the care, time and attention, and doctrinal teaching they receive.
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