Word Alone Network

The Word Alone Network is the group dissenting from ELCA. Thousands have left ELCA through their congregations joining Word Alone and then morphing into the new organization.

One dissent from the ELCA convention is posted here.

Luther and the Scriptures - by Michael Reu (ALC)

Professor Michael Reu, taught at Wartburg Seminary (Iowa Synod, then the old ALC of 1930) for 44 years, 1899-1943.

The Old ALC of 1930 was comprised of the Buffalo Synod, the Ohio Synod, and the Iowa Synod. The Old ALC merged with the Liberal Norwegians to form The ALC (TALC) in 1960.

The LCA followed in 1962, with the Muhlenberg Tradition of the ULCA uniting with the Swedish Augustana Synod, the Finish Suomi Synod, and the Happy Danes (as contrasted with the Gloomy or Pietistic Danes).

Reu was a giant among scholars. He started out more liberal. If memory serves, he was the one who worked against inerrancy when the 1930 merger took place. Lenski in Ohio was on the opposite side, so a committee was formed to keep Lenski silent.

Reu's Luther and the Scriptures is an ironic turn, since Reu means repentance in German. The liberals never forgave Reu for backsliding into orthodoxy. The book is one of the few discussed from that era, but I also liked his lectures on fellowship. I have often quoted Reu on this subject.

"Here we discover the first mark of unionism: A difference in doctrine which hitherto has been regarded as divisive, is suddenly made to lose its divisive significance." (About the Augsburg Confession, Variata, Real Presence)
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19.

"The second mark of unionism, therefore, is this: Differences in doctrine are made to lose their divisive significance with a view to uniting hitherto separate churches." (about unification of all Protestant forces) M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19.

"The third mark of unionism, therefore, is this: A formula of unification is found which each of two hitherto separate churches may accept but which each of them interprets differently. An external bond is found for internally divided groups." (About Melanchthon using 1 Cor. 10:16 as the basis for uniting the Reformed and Lutherans, Luther's favorite text against the Reformed.)
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19. 1 Corinthians 10:16.

"Doctrinal indifference is at once the root of unionism and its fruit. Whoever accepts, in theory as well as in practice, the absolute authority of the Scriptures and their unambiguousness with reference to all fundamental doctrines, must be opposed to every form of unionism."
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 20.

"We find this attitude of tolerance quite frequently among unionists. It is often used to assuage a troubled conscience, one's own as well as that of others; for the unionist declares that every one may continue to hold his own private convictions and merely needs to respect and tolerate those of another. This attitude is totally wrong, for it disregards two important factors: (a) in tolerating divergent doctrines one either denies the perspicuity and clarity of the Scriptures, or one grants to error the right to exist alongside of truth, or one evidences indifference over against Biblical truth by surrendering its absolute validity; and (b) in allowing two opposite views concerning one doctrine to exist side by side, one has entered upon an inclined plane which of necessity leads ever further into complete doctrinal indifference, as may plainly be seen from the most calamitous case on record, viz., the Prussian Union."
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 20.

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GJ - Reu's ALC is now part of ELCA. Would he be impressed with ELCA today?

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Luther and the Scriptures - by Michael Reu (ALC)":

It is so fitting that today's version of Pietism has doctrinal indifference as one of its trademarks. It appears to have been this way for a long time. In The Complete Timotheus Verinus, Loescher points to doctrinal indifference as one of the first traits of Pietism.

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GJ - Pietism and doctrinal indifference go together well, with a side-helping of unionism. The Pietists claim to have a heart religion, which they insist is superior to the head religion of Lutheran orthodoxy. Notice that the leading apostates of Missouri call themselves Jesus First, another hallmark of Pietism. The Church and Chicaneries talk just like Jesus First.

Sad Day for Lutherans

The tent beer-hall at Central Lutheran was messed around by the tornado.


The steeple at Central Lutheran took a major hit.
That too is a victory for the agenda - it is no longer straight.

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 20, 2009

ELCA Assembly Action Draws Sharp Criticism, Praise from Advocacy Groups



MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) - Two groups with widely diverging opinions on the social statement adopted Aug. 19 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America praised the church for its action and denounced what some consider a departure from biblical morality.

"The church has supported families of all kinds and has acknowledged without judgment the variety of views within the ELCA regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inclusion," said Emily Eastwood, executive director of Lutherans Concerned/North America, an advocacy group for gays and lesbians in the church.

But the Rev. Paull Spring, chair of Lutheran CORE, a coalition of conservative ELCA Lutherans, said, "We mourn the decision by the Churchwide Assembly to reject the clear teaching of the Bible that God's intention for marriage is the relationship of one man and one woman." Paull Spring of State College, Pa., a former bishop in the ELCA, added "It is tragic that such a large number of ELCA members were willing to overturn the clear teaching of the Bible as it has been believed and confessed by Christians for nearly 2,000 years."

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA is meeting here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,044 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "God's work. Our hands."

CORE leaders said they would continue to work against future policies that would enable gay and lesbian pastors who are in committed relationships to serve in the church's public ministry. CORE also opposes the blessing of same-sex unions, which, while not specifically mentioned in the social statement, has become the practice in some ELCA parishes.

Eastwood said the document makes it easier for congregations to bless gay and lesbian couples. "The document recognizes the ministries of congregations which conduct blessings of same-gender relationships and same gender marriages where such marriages are legal," she said. "We celebrate in particular the emphasis of the social statement on the centrality of family in the life of church and society - all families without differentiation."

While the most controversial part of the statement was its greater acceptance of gays and lesbians, Eastwood also said the document would be a basis for "advocacy on issues related to families and sexuality" in church and society.

The Rev. Erma Wolf of Brandon, S.D., vice-chair of CORE lamented what she called the divisiveness of the issue. "The ELCA is a very divided church," she said, "This decision divides us even more. It is going to be very hard for faithful Lutherans to support the ELCA when the ELCA is willing to reject the clear teaching of Scripture."

Wolf called it a "sad day for Lutherans in the United States."

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GJ - The two photos were kelmed from blogs cited in the comments.

ELCA Assembly Overwhelmingly Endorses Current Pietism Study at Bethany Lutheran Church

ELCA began in Pietism, with H. M. Muhlenberg, graduate of Halle University. Oddly enough, he was sent over to counter the efforts of Zinzendorf, who did some missionary work in America under an assumed name. (Parallels to Church and Chicanery noted. They hide their work too.)

Muhlenberg's work evolved into the General Synod and the seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The break causing the General Council (confessional, liturgical) erupted over the acceptance of a blatantly anti-confessional, Pietistic sub-synod, the Franckean.

The Pietistic General Synod was known for being anti-liturgical, anti-confessional, but very much in favor of revivals. One famous General Synod veteran (the first Lutheran professor at Yale Divinity) remembered the Mourners' Bench at his father's church, where people went forward to publicly bemoan their sins, a key part of revivalism. Billy Graham's Crusades and Pentecostal churches have used the same technique.

Pietism starts with an emphasis on outward works and emotions, so the movement is inherently vulnerable to rationalism.

ELCA's constant drumbeat against historic Christianity is typical of Pietism in the later generations. "Service unites, but doctrine divides."

The ELCA assembly has a motto that reminds me of Pietistic appeals - "God's Work, Our Hands." It is all up to us. God has no hands but ours, no feet but ours, no money but ours. When the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace is repudiated, God is in a state of paralysis without us.

ELCA is using the old TALC theme of "The Bible Book of Faith," which provided a smokescreen for the 1960 attack on the inerrancy of the Bible. The campaign worked.

Dishing the Dirt On Good Soil

Tornado at Central Lutheran! Run!
"During the recess, word circulated in the press section that the tornado had damaged the top of Central Lutheran Church, which is practically next door to the convention center."

Goodsoil's Faith
American Lutheran Publicity Bureau ^ | 19 August AD 2009 | Richard O. Johnson

I didn’t go, of course, but I got a look at the bulletin for the “Goodsoil Eucharist” tonight at Central Lutheran. Presider was Bp. David Brauer-Rieke, preacher was Barbara Lundblad, others involved included Robyn Hartwig and Gladys Moore. I thought you might like to see the “Affirmation of Faith” used in the service:

I believe in God,
Maker of an unfinished world,
Who calls us to participate in bringing about the fullness of Creation.
God, who created abundant resources to provide for all
. God, who has not divided people into rich and poor,
owners and slaves,
Nor pitted us against each other because of race, color, social class or sex.

I believe in Jesus Christ who was ridiculed, tortured and executed for the sins of humankind.
He has overthrown the rule of evil and injustice and continues to judge and redeem the hatred and arrogance of human beings.

I believe in the Spirit of God whose flame comforts us with divine presence and causes our hearts to burn for righteousness and justice.
I believe in the reconciling power of God in our lives and in the world.
I believe that God, through people, can bring peace and hope, justice and equality, the relief of suffering and pain, and the final triumph of love and grace.
Amen.

Hardly the faith once delivered to the saints, is it?

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GJ - Goodsoil is one of many lobbying efforts within ELCA. Lundblad preached for a Missouri Synod congregation some years ago. She graduated from Augustana College in 1966 and from Yale Divinity in 1979. In the US, the most famous lectures on preaching are the endowed Beecher Lectures at Yale Divinity. Lundblad was invited to give them in 2000.

*2000 Lundblad, Barbara K. "Marking Time: Stories Remembered at the River's Edge : Lecture 1: It Will Be All Right: New Rubrics in the Holy Man's Room; Lecture 2: The Camel and the Cash Machine: A Story to Take Literally; Lecture 3: Water on a Desert Road: Splashing in the Scroll of Isaiah.

Readers can probably guess that the recent Beecher lectures are to preaching what the Nobel Prize is to literature, a reward for being radical.

The Minnesota Independent sheds light on the lobbying effort.

ELCA Pleased with the Results of 22 Years of Lobbying

ELCA Bishop Hanson

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 19, 2009

ELCA Assembly Adopts 'Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust'

MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" with a vote of 676 (66.67 percent) to 338 (33.33 percent) on Aug. 19. The passing of the social statement on human sexuality required a two-thirds vote.

Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust is the denomination's 10th social statement. It addresses a spectrum of topics relevant to human sexuality from a Lutheran perspective.

Social statements "guide us as we step forward as a public church because they form the basis for both this church's public policy and my public speech as presiding bishop," the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, told the assembly.

An ad hoc committee addressed 13 proposals to amend the social statement from voting members and 42 "memorials" or resolutions from the 65 synods of the ELCA. They ranged from editorial amendments to changing the intent and coherence of the existing text.

With a 303 to 667 vote, voting members defeated an amendment to replace a section of the social statement about "lifelong monogamous same-gender relationships" -- a section that identifies the issues within the denomination about homosexuality, describing a range of widely articulated views. The proposed replacement language reflected the position of some in the church that believe the "practice of homosexual erotic behavior as contrary to God's intent."

The ad hoc committee recommended that the amendment not be adopted, since the position articulated implies "a consensus that no longer exists."

After considering 6 of the 13 amendments, voting members moved to accept the recommendations of the ad hoc committee on all other amendments and moved to consider the adoption of the social statement.

Speaking in favor of adoption of the statement, the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Ohio Synod, said she hopes the assembly does not become "so narrowly focused on the issue of homosexual sexual behavior that we missed the point that we're speaking a clear word that needs to be heard by our culture," particularly on topics about co-habitation outside of marriage, sex as a commodity, child pornography and more. She said the church has high expectations for all Lutherans, especially for ELCA professional leaders.

Speaking in opposition, voting member Curtis Sorbo, ELCA Eastern North Dakota Synod, said the social statement "should be a teaching tool. I don't think that it is. Instead we have descriptions of different sexual relationships that we are asked to accept by bound conscience," he said. "We are asked to affirm a description of sexuality in today's culture because of a new reality. Our church needs to address this issue based on the authority of the word of God, not a description of public opinion and personal desires."

"We took some risks in the writing of this in ways that we thought were appropriate for these times," the Rev. Peter Strommen said in a news conference following the plenary.

The statement was structured from a standpoint of "love of the neighbor and trust," he said.

Strommen served as chair of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, which developed the social statement under the directive of the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

In response to the vote on the statement's adoption Strommen said, "I doubt very much that I've ever been present at an election with that many votes cast coming out exactly two-thirds. Quite stunning," he said. "We're naturally very glad that it passed."

"I am very proud of this church," the Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director, ELCA Church in Society, said at the news conference. "It is a time of diminished joy," she said. "We know there is suffering all around on this issue."