Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine - Part XII

Every time you hear the bells, another Missouri pastor popes.

Someone wrote that he has suspected LCMS William Weedon of being a closet papist. I thought so myself. The latest blog post suggests he is a Recessional Lutheran, working his way to Rome and hoping to take a bunch with him. His associates in blogging belong to the same smells-and-bells cult, redolent of incense, popery, and Mariolatry.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Weedon wrote recently about being obsessed with Mary.

The latest offering quotes Ratzinger verbatim.

"A Few Gems from Ratzinger on Liturgy

that I happen to think are bang on right:"

Would it be just a little more honest to attribute these bang on quotes to Pope Benedict XVI? I think so. I do not recall any pope being called Roncalli or Montini after elevation to the position of Antichrist.

Father Richard John Neuhaus was a "confessional Lutheran" until he joined Rome. Perhaps many LCMS pastors will walk the tightrope for years to come, but I doubt it.

Paul McCain, part of this circle, worked closely with Fenton until Fenton joined Eastern Orthodoxy and denounced justification by faith. Hearts across Missouri-land sunk as they bid a fond adieu to Fenton, their mentor in stratospherically high church practices.

McCain gushes over Weedon's deep, deep insights. McCain was thrilled that Father Neuhaus helped Missouri be in touch with the pope, who allegedly said, "Oh, those Missouri Lutherans." How many Missourians have poped since then? And how many priests have Martined?

The two-headed calf continues to beckon. Some go to Fuller. Others to Rome and Constantinople.

They never seem to consider the only path: the efficacious Word and the Confessions as a guide (not just a rabbit's foot).

---

Dan @ Necessary Roughness has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

I would recommend reading more Weedon and listen to his guest appearances on Issues, Etc., get a better sampling.

Pr. Weedon considered Eastern Orthodoxy but returned from that, refusing to give up Justification and grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone.

There are those in the LCMS that hug so tightly to tradition for the sake of tradition itself and a belonging to the Holy Mother Church, but Pastor Weedon is not one of them. He uses rubrics, etc., to point people to Christ.


***

GJ - That may be true, Dan, but I think it is mischievous to quote the Antichrist favorably when so few know even a smattering of Luther.

I have read pages and pages of Roman theology, very well done in fact, where I agree completely, and then it all  collapses with the Satanic statements on the next page. That is why the Antichrist is so dangerous today. The current candidate is an excellent diplomat, a charming fellow, and very Holy Father-ish. Why quote the pope favorably and use his maiden name?

---

William Weedon has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

Dear Pastor Jackson,

You will, I'm afraid, be waiting a very long time if you expect this pastor to "pope." I have absolutely zero positive reasons to turn Rome and countless negative reasons why doing so would be fool-hardy - the first and foremost of which being Rome's continual inability to distinguish law and gospel and thus continually confounding the doctrine of justification with sanctification. Beyond that there are the little matters of indulgences, purgatory, prayers to the saints, treasury of merits and so forth. I abominate all of these.

As for the bells, does your indictment then rest against the numerous generations of Lutherans in Saxony who used them after the Reformation???


***

GJ - Adiaphora, Formula of Concord, SD

5] Namely, when under the title and pretext of external adiaphora such things are proposed as are in principle contrary to God's Word (although painted another color), these are not to be regarded as adiaphora, in which one is free to act as he will, but must be avoided as things prohibited by God. In like manner, too, such ceremonies should not be reckoned among the genuine free adiaphora, or matters of indifference, as make a show or feign the appearance, as though our religion and that of the Papists were not far apart, thus to avoid persecution, or as though the latter were not at least highly offensive to us; or when such ceremonies are designed for the purpose, and required and received in this sense, as though by and through them both contrary religions were reconciled and became one body; or when a reentering into the Papacy and a departure from the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true religion should occur or gradually follow therefrom [when there is danger lest we seem to have reentered the Papacy, and to have departed, or to be on the point of departing gradually, from the pure doctrine of the Gospel].

10] We believe, teach, and confess also that at the time of confession [when a confession of the heavenly truth is required], when the enemies of God's Word desire to suppress the pure doctrine of the holy Gospel, the entire congregation of God, yea, every Christian, but especially the ministers of the Word, as the leaders of the congregation of God [as those whom God has appointed to rule His Church], are bound by God's Word to confess freely and openly the [godly] doctrine, and what belongs to the whole of [pure] religion, not only in words, but also in works and with deeds; and that then, in this case, even in such [things truly and of themselves] adiaphora, they must not yield to the adversaries, or permit these [adiaphora] to be forced upon them by their enemies, whether by violence or cunning, to the detriment of the true worship of God and the introduction and sanction of idolatry. 11] For it is written, Gal. 5:1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage.

It is irrelevant whether pastors in Saxony used mass bells, as you mention on your blog. This is a time of confessional crisis, when Lutheran ministers are slinking around, edging into Romanism, and covertly instructing others to do the same. Lutheran pastors should avoid aping the papal priests, as the Book of Concord states so clearly above.

Nor does it matter whether you ever join the Church of Rome. You are giving false support to those who are looking for encouragement in their escape to the Gospel of Purgatory and papal infallibility.

The Book of Concord indictment applies to all the smells-and-bells Lutheran clergy who make Rome the gold standard of worship.

---

Pr. Lehmann has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

On what basis do you make the charge that Pr. Weedon makes Rome the gold standard for worship?

As one who worshiped at Saint Paul's for a year, preached over 30 times from its pulpit, and has seen first hand the resources that Pr. Weedon uses to plan for worship, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Do us all a favor and find something that you know about to talk about.

***

GJ - Pastor Weedon's blog is self-indicting, regardless of what I post. He should retract it.

I know something about Roman Catholic doctrine.

Mark Jeske was never going to leave WELS, in one communication, and he was advertised on the front page of the LCMS website a few weeks later. That may not be the biggest switch of all time, but even Peter, our first pope, swore he would never deny Christ. Oaths are sometimes forgotten.