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.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Please Don't Squeeze the Darwin
Rare Charles Darwin book found on toilet bookshelf
AP on Yahoo ^ | 11/22/09
LONDON – An auction house says it is selling a rare first edition of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" found in a family's guest lavatory in southern England.
Christie's auction house said Sunday the book — one of around 1,250 copies first printed in 1859 — had been on a toilet bookshelf at a family's home in Oxford.
The book will be auctioned on Tuesday, the 150th anniversary of the publication of the famous work. Christie's said the book is likely to sell for 60,000 pounds ($99,000).
The Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Trinity
The Lost Sheep by Norma Boeckler
The Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time
The Hymn # 281 The Savior Calls 1:29
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
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 436 1:33
Warning for the Indolent
The Hymn # 329 – Luther – From Depths of Woe 1:27
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 # 339 All Hail the Power 1:57
KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
KJV Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Prayer by Veit Dietrich
O gracious God, merciful Father, who dost bountifully forgive and show mercy unto all who truly repent of their sins: We heartily beseech Thee, dear Father, forgive us all our sins, and grant us Thy grace, that all we who call upon Thy name, each day abstain from all unrighteousness and sin, and turn unto Thee with all our hearts, that by the power of Thy Spirit we may daily be found in sincere faith and obedience, bringing forth fruits of true repentance: grant us also that, seeking and calling upon Thee in faith and confidence, we may find Thee a merciful God and Father, and be assured of Thy gracious help and blessing in every need of body and soul, until at length, by Thy grace, we obtain eternal salvation; through Thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Warning for the Indolent
Many people are led astray because they do not follow the basic principle of “Scripture interprets Scripture.” Or they fail to challenge those who ignore this basic rule.
Some skeptics are going to say, “Where is this rule written?” The rule is derived from our knowledge that the Bible is the Book of the Holy Spirit, one truth expressed without error or contradiction. For that reason, the Lutheran reformers were reluctant to speak about “doctrines” revealed in the Word of God when there is really just one doctrine. Notice that dividing the revealed Word into multiple doctrines has made it easy for people to pick and choose, or to say one doctrine is more important that the other.
I was talking to a student at a Disciples of Christ/ Unitarian seminary about her studies. She bragged that both denominations worked together at the same school, not realizing that such mergers are a sure sign of institutional failure. I asked her how she could tell the Unitarians apart from the Disciples. That left her unfazed, so I asked about whether she believed in the Virgin Birth of Christ and His bodily resurrection. She said a few dismissive words and added, “Those are not important doctrines anyway.”
Dividing up one unified truth and dismissing parts of that revelation as “unimportant” are both essential to apostasy. Few seem to realize that Protestant departures from Luther were based upon jealousy. His books overwhelmed Europe during the Reformation. Zwingli was the first significant person to depart from Luther. Zwingli began the process that led to Calvin – as well as the Radical Reformation of the Mennonites and Amish. Zwingli had very little theological training as a Roman Catholic priest, so his Protestantism consisted of a rationalistic break with Luther. Zwingli rejected the efficacy of the Word and the Sacraments. Since Zwingli said baptism did not accomplish anything, the radicals said only a baptism after conversion – believer’s baptism – was valid. Zwingli died on the battlefield and Calvin later filled the void in Switzerland, repeating Zwingli’s errors.
All Zwingli had to do was place reason above the Word, to judge the Scriptures according to his human logic, and the process began. It is a basic method of interpreting the Bible and will always yield bad results. Just as bad, and often linked with rationalism, is emotionalism – judging it correct if it feels correct. (Our cattle dog Sassy grins in the midst of mischief, as if to say, “How can it be wrong when it feels so right?”)
And yet this is portrayed as harmless. If a wrecking crew showed up at a skyscraper and said, “We are only taking out the first storey,” people would be alarmed. Yet someone attacks the foundation of the Christian faith (the efficacy of the Word) and no one seems to stir. If someone is alarmed, it is denounced as legalism, fanaticism, hating every synod, etc.
This digression is important in understanding the parable for today’s Gospel lesson. Some passages in the Bible suggest an immediate return of Christ, so lunkheads have used those passages to say, “The Bible is wrong. Jesus has not returned.” Others, a little more subtle, have argued, “The delay of Jesus’ return was a problem already in the New Testament church.”
When people raise basic questions like this, I go to the plain words of Jesus. My niece heard that Hell and Satan did not exist, so I asked, “Did Jesus speak about both?” She said, “Yes.” I did not need to say another word, because children grasp these things immediately. My niece looked at her mother and said, “See?”
So it is with this concept of delay. As 2 Peter teaches, God’s time is not like our own. A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day.
Secondly, although Jesus did speak of an immediate return, these additional passages also reflect the reality of waiting.
KJV Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
KJV Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
KJV Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
KJV Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
The Mark 13 passage is closely related to the disciples’ failing to stay awake (watch and stay awake are two ways to translate the same Greek verb, which is the root for the name Gregory).
KJV Mark 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
If God said that people could party until the return of Christ in 2050, they would. During that time there would be chaos, because everyone would enjoy carnal security.
But, as they say, a watched man watches himself better. Knowing that Christ can return at any moment, Christians are always on the alert, being watchful and praying.
This parable is a warning against carnal security, a useful term I found in Lenski. The term describes people who take the Gospel for granted and award themselves prizes for various historical accomplishments, all irrelevant:
1. I was a charter member of this church.
2. I am fifth generation in this synod.
3. My father was a DP.
4. I serve on 5 committees and 8 sub-committees.
In the parable, there are five wise virgins and five foolish ones. They are waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom, who is Christ. The wedding is the end of time, which can be interpreted as our death or as the return of Christ, Judgment Day.
I remember one sermon where a tall, athletic man attended with his son. That was his last chance to hear the Gospel – he died suddenly that week.
Christ is always the groom in the Bible, and the Church is the Bride of Christ.
The wise virgins were prepared for the delay, but the foolish ones were not. One reader told me they used oil candles at their church. One day they ran out of oil and the candles were unlit. That would have been a good time to use this parable in the sermon.
When the Groom came, the foolish virgins wanted to obtain oil from the wise ones. The wise ones said, “Then we would not have enough.” The foolish ones had to go off to find some at a late hour, returning to find the door locked to them.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
We are supposed to imagine that Jesus would never say “no” to anyone, or judge and condemn anything wrong.
Nevertheless, the Scriptures divide people into two categories only – believers and unbelievers. There is no “nice guy” category to excuse false teachers.
This parable is taught by Jesus Himself to show us how people fall into unbelief over time, due to a lack of watchfulness.
The virgins were eager to be at the wedding, so they all had faith. However, half of them were not prepared for anything except the immediate.
As the Parable of the Sower shows, the living Gospel seed is choked by the cares of the world. God creates faith in our hearts by the Word, but He also warns us to nurture that faith through the Means of Grace (John 15). Deadwood will be pruned away and discarded.
Salvation depends upon faith, because through faith we receive the forgiveness of sin. The purpose of the visible and invisible Word is to convey Christ to us, to bring His benefits and blessings to us.
Those who spend a lifetime of deceit will often linger, as Paul Tillich and Pope Pius XII did, filled with dread. At that point they are so blinded and hardened that they cannot see what true repentance means. A deathbed conversion is possible but unlikely for someone devoted to serving his Father Below.
“Let us in” is not sufficient. The invitations for the marriage feast of the Lamb were sent again and again, the humblest gathered to fill the halls. The great, noble, learned, and foolish are too busy, too important, or too hedonistic to accept the gracious invitation. Only at the end, when the feast begins, do they realize their error. Like those who mocked the building of Noah’s Ark, they want a reserved seat once reality dawns on them – too late.
Three Votes for Obama's Cuban Health Care To Pass
The first vote in the Senate was to start debate. That passed with all GOP Senators voting no. The Arkansas and Louisiana Senators could have killed the bill by voting no on opening debate. I believe one "no" could have done that. The Arkansas Democrat is up for re-election in 2010. Color Mrs. Lincoln gone. She is married to a physician.
The second vote is crucial, after debate begins on November 30. That is the vote to stop debate. Under Senate rules, that takes 60 votes too. Lieberman has threatened to filibuster because of his doubts. Another Senator has indicated the same thing. If they cannot close debate, the bill is killed for the moment.
The third vote is the easy one, if debate is closed. That would pass with 51 votes, letting the vulnerable Democrat Senators vote "no" to save themselves at election time.
Finally, a Senate bill, once passed, would go to reconciliation and a final version would be prepared for Obama to sign into law. I have heard that the Cuban Health Care Plan would not start until 2012, but I am certain that the worst aspects would begin at once.
This would be a good time to contact US Senators.
The Child Is the Father of the Man - Poet
Here is an old doctrinal bulletin, from paleo-Ichabod days:
FROM KEVIN HASTINGS
Dear Greg,
A person can easily understand how a fellowship principle can be broken on occasion in weakness, ignorance, or the suddenness of a moment. That is not the case at Wisconsin Lutheran College at all. I believe it started with the Annie Herring concert about seven years ago when she not only sang, but then led the assembly in prayer. Many squawked, but there was never any public renunciation of the folly of inviting her to perform.
Since then WLC has gone political and sensational. Cal Thomas, Congressman Neumann (WELS), Mayor Norquist, Charlton Heston, etc. While we might agree with what these men stand for, the church is not their forum. Is WLC church? Gurgel once claimed WLC wasn't WELS in the sense that the synod doesn't run the school. That was a simplistic excuse for avoiding decisive action.
Dr. Greenfield, who arranges these things must commune at some WELS church (St. John's in Wauwatosa is my guess). One wonders if he's a member in good standing after all this. WELS is grossly guilty of the same unionism it chided LC-MS for in the thirties. Didn't mind being in bed with her, but didn't like another sneaking in on the other side. Now WELS and ELS are going through the same thing, apparently with numerous partners, spiritual and political. At least you see a (lost?) fight in Missouri.
Wisconsin remains one happy family, which is what happens when you venerate an institution. The WLC situation is not an isolated 'problem'. It exists and flourishes amid the highest concentration of churches, pastors, and teachers in the synod. It is no isolated cult in a wilderness. Its guilt becomes the guilt of all as they support it. Besides, I seem to read "Wisconsin" and "Lutheran" in its name - now whom could that be a part of?
Pastor Kevin Hastings
St. John Lutheran (independent), Milwaukee
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Not Exactly One in Doctrine - But One in Speling Spelling
I've visited churches belonging to all of these, with the exception of Protes'tant, but I am well aquainted (sic) with several Protes'tant families. I also know one AFLC church and its pastor quite well, but because their denomination is so decentralized, I hesitate to say I know the denomination because I know one church.
I have visited at around 100 LCMS/LCC) churches in three countries, all the way from Hong Kong and the West Coast to the East Coast, the South, both the cities and rural Midwest, and the Great Plains. I have a good idea what Missouri is like. Missouri varies greatly depending on where you are. In some places, closed communion is not normal and not expected. In some places, churches are expected not to interfere with couples living together outside of marriage. I've communed with both a Protes'ant and an ELCA friend of mine together at the same time at an LCMS church. I've listened to a band perform "Carry On Wayward Son" for the offeratory (sic). I've taken communion from a woman distributing it. Once I even saw the deaconess do the litury (sic) and preach the sermon because the pastor wasn't there.
I am only well acquainted with one LCMS church that still practices male-only sufferage (sic), but I stopped going there because the pastor is a millenalist (sic). Still, otherwise he was quite orthodox, even devoting one sermon (the 5 year anniversary of the Benke incident) to condemning that act of unionism.
I've attended conservative political action meetings in the Missouri Synod. The last one I attended featured a speaker that held pastors had the right to excommunicate by personal fiat. Not a single pastor or layman there challeged (sic) him on that point, but one old-Missourian retired district president left the meeting in protest.
How much of the Missouri Synod are you familar (sic) with. How well do your experiences really match your claim?
I'm of the view that WELS, ELS, CLC, and Protes'tant pastors are more conservative than the vast majority of LCMS pastors. All four of these all practice male-only sufferage (sic). Church Growth has only made baby steps in the ELS and its intrusion into the WELS has met widespread opposition.
Username: Random_layman
Full Name: Jojakim Dettmann
E-mail Address: lutherquest@gmail.com
Last Logged In: November 21, 2009
Registered: May 03, 2006
Total Posts: 1462
Status: Senior Member
Denomination: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Positions Held (elder, pastor, layman, teacher, etc.): layman
***
GJ - Obviously he has not read this blog or FIC or paid attention to Growthism in WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie.
Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page
Lucky for me, Rock N Roll is near the Rock N River Family Aquatic Center.
They can do immersions there - on D-Day, Dedication Day.
I went to the Holy Word website (Kudu Don Patterson) and found Vicar Tiefel's photo missing. I thought they had a new, free vicar by now. Tiefel was still listed as the vicar, but his very large photo was erased. Not to worry - I have a copy I kelmed a few months ago.
Since I was in the neighborhood, I dropped by the Church from Scratch.net websty. Only one page was posted. Whiney sermon about having a cold and needing a $200,000 grant - gone. Photo of the lovely and highly paid assistant - gone. Sermons carefully copied from Schwaermer - gone. Little Rockers - my favorite - gone.
Perhaps they are revamping the ultra-cool website, to see if they can bump attendance higher than 30.
They already canned Joe Krohn, lead rocker and ex-blogger for Rock and Roll worship entertainment.
Everyone knows the only means of grace for Chicaneries is - money. As Luther warned, the very thing you demand from God will be denied by God.
Church and Change is now in epic fail mode. They will keep trying, but the ambitious ones tied their wagons to a star, forgetting it was a meteorite plunging to earth.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":
What ever happened at the C and C conference earlier this month? How many showed up?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":
All the gang was there: Kelm, Parlow, Becker, Ski, Patterson, et al. They held a special conclave to see if they could stem the WELS' slide back into Confessional Lutheranism.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":
Does anybody know what their plan is to regain their momentum? How many participants did they have? I hope somebody was taking names so they know to whom the left foot should be given. Were they really so bolden as to come out and say they want to keep WELS from being a confessional Lutheran church body? Pastor Jackson, have you heard from an eyewitness who was actually there at their conference?
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GJ - Church and Change does not forward attendance sheets to me. Someone reported on the main thugs being there. I urged confessional Lutherans to attend. Apostates infiltrate every conservative meeting, but they are very suspicious about who attends theirs.
Chicaneries do not mention the word "confessional." They use these words instead - "legalistic, hateful, bigoted, hidebound, old-fashioned, Christian-bashing, narrow-minded."
Sweden's First Lesbian Bishop
Sweden's first lesbian bishop consecrated in Uppsala
Click here for source.
Published: 9 Nov 09 07:43 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23148/20091109/
The Church of Sweden on Sunday ordained a female pastor as the country's first openly homosexual bishop, just weeks after approving gay marriages.Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23148/20091109/
- Anglicans snub Swedish lesbian bishop (4 Nov 09)
- Church of Sweden says yes to gay marriage (22 Oct 09)
- Swedish lesbians more likely to wed than gay men (21 Jul 09)
- Anglo-Swedish rift over church gay marriage (16 Jul 09)
Along with Brunne, another female pastor, Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund, was ordained to take over as Bishop of Härnösand in northern Sweden.
The ceremony marked the first time in the history of the Swedish church that two women had been consecrated as bishops at the same time.
Brunne is in a civil union partnership with another woman. Together they are the guardians of a three-year-old child.
The Church of Sweden, which was the state church until 2000, had backed the parliament's adoption of the gay marriage law, which took effect on May 1. But its synod only approved church weddings on October 22.
Sweden, already a pioneer in giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children, becomes one of the first countries in the world to allow gays to marry in a major Church.
Around three-quarters of Swedes are members of the Lutheran Church.
Global Warming Fraud - From Scientists?
Here is the link.
Global Warming Bombshell
Before the documents disappeared from that location, several people had downloaded them and posted them in other locations. I downloaded all of the material earlier today and have begun to review it. The emails are stunning. They are authored by many of the leading figures in the global warming movement: Michael Mann, James Hansen, Phil Jones, Keith Briffa, Stephen Schneider, and others. They are remarkably candid; these individuals talk to each other with the knowledge that they are among friends.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Typical UOJ Argumentation
DRB has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Stormtroopers Illustrating How They Get Their ...":
Since the well has been adequately poisoned, there should be no harm in my encouraging anyone confused about this topic to spend time carefully reading the source documents themselves. Here are a few passages from the Scriptures and Lutheran confessions that have been cited in support of the position that God in Christ reconciled (past tense) the world (not just part of the world) to himself, exhorting sinners to be reconciled to him (no Universalism here) -- 2 Cor. 5:19-20. I already pointed out Luther's agreement in a comment on a post from a few days ago.
These LCMS Theses on Justification succinctly distinguish objective justification from subjective justification and give the sedes doctrinae for the good news that God absolved the world by the work of his Son:
'In normal Biblical and ecclesiastical usage the terms "justify" and "justification" refer to the ("subjective") justification of the individual sinner through faith (Rom. 4:5, 5:1, etc.; AC IV, 3; FC SD III, 25). But because theologically justification is the same thing as the forgiveness of sins (Rom. 4:1-8; Ap IV, 76; FC Ep III, 7), it is Biblically and confessionally correct to refer to the great sin-cancelling, atoning work of the Redeemer as the "objective" or "universal" justification of the whole sinful human race. (John 1:29; Rom. 5:6-18; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col 2:14-15; 1 Tim. 3:16; Ap IV, 103-105; LC V, 31, 32, 36, 37; FC SD III, 57)'
That is the position of the Lutheran confessions (e.g., Ap IV, 103-105; FC SD III, 57), not a later development. More important, it is the position of the apostle, as can be seen from 2 Cor. 5:19-20, unless one either follows the Calvinists in changing the meaning of the word "world" or follows the synergists in changing the meaning of the word "reconciled."
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GJ - In a rare departure, the author of this comment has left his name - David R. Bickel. He is apparently this scientist, since the bio links to his religious website.
I am not impressed with the LCMS Theses. I addressed them at length in Thy Strong Word. Someone claimed that Robert Preus was involved in writing them or wrote them. If so, that was at the zenith (or nadir) of Church Growth at his seminary. The two go together. His Justification and Rome teaches the opposite of the comment posted above.
The comment struck me as typical Missouri. As Egbert Schaller wrote, Walther was not a Biblical theologian. He gave Missouri a heritage of propositional theology - offering theses and citing Biblical or Book of Concord sources for them. There is no better way to engage in circular reasoning. Valleskey did the same thing in his odious CG essay in the Wisconsin Schwaermerschrift.
I am glad a scientist is studying theology. I only hope that his investigates more thoroughly. The double-justification scheme is from Knapp, not the Book of Concord.
No one is obliged to believe in the publication of a Midwestern Lutheran sect. As Mudslide wrote in a brilliant essay, Lutherans seem to celebrate Reformation anniversaries with a new travesty. The LCMS justification theses were that.
I prefer the Book of Concord:
"These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved." Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #10. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 919. Tappert, p. 541. Heiser, p. 250.
More On Leadership
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Leadership Includes the Laity and Pastors":
you wrote
"Someone posted a few comments critical of Synod President Mark Schroeder's leadership of WELS. With the possible exception of Church and Change, most WELS members and pastors are favorably impressed with the SP's performance.
I thought the critical comments missed the mark completely."
Maybe conservatives are critical of Schroeder because they see a person who truly has been given authority but who is not decisive or strong. Do you think it would better to oust the C&C crowd quietly,or do you think it is better to publicly address public error? I vote for the second.
Laypeople (who aren't leaders) are being led astray by them, so wouldn't it be good if they were officially rebuked? That's why I see Schroeder as another game player. And I have not heard any decisive words from the man. Just hints; hints are not good enough when people's souls are on the line.
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GJ - I would like to urge people to use their time and energy constructively. Applying the Word means doing that at every opportunity and never flinching. We do flinch, of course, but we have to return to the battle again and again. Sadly, WELS and Missouri leaders decided that one battle per lifetime was enough. WELS did the split with Missouri, and Missouri kicked some of their liars out. After that, Holy Mother Synod could do no wrong.
I suggest writing SP Schroeder about what he is doing right and wrong, showing your own support for Biblical, Confessional principles.
However, the local congregation and circuit are just as important. I had to force the Columbus circuit to meet, even though regular circuit meetings were required by the constitution. Who was in that circuit? The District VP!
If the circuit meetings do not regularly address doctrinal concerns, the rot will spread quickly, as it has already. Fixing will take as long as the rotting, so get to work. Twenty years ago, only elderly ladies had the spine to contact me and talk about these doctrinal concerns. Now men with young families are actively engaged in these issues.
Martin Chemnitz insisted on regular meetings of his diocese when he was made a bishop. The diocese also insisted on him earning a PhD in theology. His leadership and superb education did not make his life easy. Jack Preus' biography of Chemnitz is good to read in these "last days of an old, insane world."
The Lutheran Church fell into schism when Luther died in 1546. The Book of Concord was published in 1580. Do the math: it took 34 years to repair the damage, and that was done by the greatest theologians of the age - the Concordists. Even then, the struggle continued as men were urged to sign this new confession of faith. Romanticizing the Reformation is dangerous. It was much more dangerous and difficult than today.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More On Leadership":
We're workin' father, we're working. We just get frustrated.
Your advice is like gold: Write SP Schroeder "about what he's doing right and wrong", I will do that. But my fear is that he's got 1000 emails to read daily, and most of them involving bureaucratic trivialities from people he knows personally. Why would a stranger writing pique his interest?
I want him to be bold (and I have personal connections that tell me he IS the man for the job) but I wonder if the political pressures of his position (being in the WELS) would castrate the strongest of men. We have many examples in history of men being rendered impotent simply because they continue on within the established framework.
Never-the-less I will write Schroeder and encourage him to be fearless.
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GJ - I imagine there are a lot of emails to read. Personal letters can be more effective than emails because they are so rare. Face-to-face comments are worthwhile, too.
More needs to be done at the local level. That may be as basic as getting an adult class going on the Book of Concord, or providing copies of the Book of Concord for the congregation to use. I am not sure which books are in print for studying the Book of Concord. People need to become familiar with the text itself. I used to read the Large Catechism, printed in a solo volume by the ALC, whenever I had the chance.
Since everyone wants a new translation again, why not get a bunch of New KJVs to use in the congregation, along with KJVs? The KJV is the most precise translation and the New KJV is the next best. Why do Lutherans have to settle for the worst? The two are closely related. If a KJV reading seems too opaque, the New KJV will provide the modern words. If the New KJV goes Reformed ("make disciples), the KJV offers the original language.
A lot of dirty tricks are going on in all the synods. ELCA Bishop Kenneth Sauer was no pal of mine, but he was so alienated by the extreme trends in his synod that he now urges people to leave ELCA with their congregations. For a master politician and ELCA loyalist to make such a break is remarkable. But look at how ELCA started - the ex-LCMS liars were given a lot of power. The final meetings to approve the merger were chaired by lawyers who accepted no opposition. Everything was a steamroller. ELCA ACORNed itself. Sauer participated in that debacle and found himself spit out after decades of labor for the liberals.
Jerry Kieschnick is leading Missouri as far away from the Lutheran Confessions as possible. I was predicting years ago that he would shut down Ft. Wayne in the name of merging the schools and saving money. Now they are discussing shutting both schools. Good riddance, I say. Ft. Wayne could keep its charter and land by pretending to be another school for Missouri. It was a Missouri college before it was a seminary. Jack Preus moved people around to scatter the liberals. When he was done, Seminex was a pimple instead of a 400-student school.
Members of WELS are frustrated? I imagine they are. Let me give one little example of how things are handled by apostates. As many readers know, I get raging, insulting anonymous comments on a regular basis, especially when I dare to expose Church and Chicaneries and their heroes. Below is a summary of one incident that I researched from multiple sources and published.
- Church and Change board member and Perish Services boss Bruce Becker kept angling for another consultant for his empire.
- Due to budget fears, SP Schroeder urged that board not to call another Perish Assistant. If they did, he cautioned them not to hire a polarizing figure.
- The board did not listen to the Synod President, so he stopped meeting with them.
- As the economy went into a five spiral crash, the board went ahead and hired Paul Calvin Kelm, the worst possible candidate. For some reason, St. Mark Willow Creek let him go!
- Calling anyone was one slap in the face. It also burdened the synod with an unnecessary expense. You may recall that no First VP was hired to replace Wayne Mueller, even though Schroeder could have insisted on that and used a friendly face to help him with his work.
- Calling Kelm was another slap in the face.
- The dirtiest trick (almost) was keeping this information from the SP until he read it in the call list.
- Next the Chicaneries insisted that Schroeder knew about the Kelm call. That was tantamount to calling him a liar.
- I knew these facts from various people, who relayed them to me. Finally, I was called a liar for publishing something known around the synod.
- Multiply this many times over, and that has been the experience of SP Schroeder. Every issue of FIC is another ad for Church and Change false doctrine. I imagine that is frustrating too.
In Mark Jeske's eyes, squozen shut, I see the panic of a man running around trying to prop up his empire with more foundation grants and Thrivent loot. That is why he needed Missouri RSO status. Bad news will arrive for at least another year. America has $1 trillion in bad commercial mortgages coming due. Like home mortgages, the bad loans are divided among a zillion investors. Many huge commercial projects are now in foreclosure. Banks are using "extend and pretend" to keep bad loans from becoming liabilities. This latest crisis will hit foundations and insurance companies for some time to come. Schwan is cutting back severely. So is Thrivent.
I expect Jeske to take his Church and Change gang out in the future. It is nothing more than an extension of his maladroit leadership. Several--like Ski, Gunn, and Doebler--are pastors only because of huge subsidies. They may be making tents too - intentional ministry, if you will. Every region seems to have its Church and Change experiment. Why has this happened? The local pastors and members have tolerated the intolerable. All they need to do is confront the miscreants and aim them back to the Word and the Confessions. The extent of the rot must frustrate anyone trying to deal with it. Defunding error is the second step.
UOJ Sermons
One cannot be a Lutheran and an Enthusiast.
People should read a few UOJ sermons to see how absurd they are.
Here is one from Atonement in Plano, Texas.
Pastor Gabb says everyone is forgiven. The statement of beliefs repeats this notion. The inept analogy in the sermon is having money put in the bank account of every single person in the world. S'funny how he misses a good analogy from the Book of Concord and Luther - treasure distributed by the Means of Grace. This congregation is teaching Universalism.
For example, if I told you that I put $25,000 into your bank account, I wouldn’t say, "If you believe I put $25,000 into your bank account, then it’s there. But if you don’t believe it, then it’s not there." Whether the money is in your bank or not is not based on whether you choose to believe it or not. I’ve complet-ed the transaction without your cooperation.
And so Jesus completed the work of salvation without our co-operation. Jesus said to more than one person whom we read about in the Bible, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mt 9.2). He didn’t say to those people, "If you believe that I paid for your sins then I paid for your sins." Justification is complete. You don’t have do anything to complete what Jesus started or cooperate with Jesus in some way to be forgiven.
On the other hand, it’s also true that we are "justified by faith," that is, the forgiveness is yours through faith in Jesus but does not benefit someone who does not believe in Jesus.
The name on the church says Atonement, but the pastor does not understand the Atonement. Texas is like that. Patterson's church is named Holy Word but he is smitten by Enthusiasm.
Here is Pastor Gabb on faith. Like most UOJ advocates, he contradicts his "everyone forgiven" sermon by repeating that people are sinful. Valleskey does the same thing in his wretched Church Growth textbook. Somehow Gabb talked about "Taking Care of Your Faith" without ever mentioning the Means of Grace. That is like talking about getting to the other side of the Mississippi without ever giving directions to the bridge across it.
(V 21-24). The word ‘justify’ means to declare someone inno-cent, not guilty. You are justified, not guilty of sin (Rom 8.33; 2 Cor 5.19). WE ARE JUSTIFIED means there is no charge of sin against us. When someone is accused of a crime and the judge declares that person to be justified, the accused is free to leave the judge’s courtroom, free to walk out the door and the judge will not stop that person and say, "I’m not done with you yet; your trial isn’t over yet." No, the judge is done; the trial is over; there is no crime, no offense. And so it is with God. There is no trial awaiting us because there is no sin that can or should condemn us. We are justified, free to walk out of this life through the door into eternal life in heaven.
Pastor Gabb worked faith into the sermon, but in the context of his UOJ pronouncements, that really meant little. The words in blue, above, are the typical UOJ court language. Everyone in the world was pronounced innocent, the moment Christ died on the cross, or the moment He rose from the dead. Perhaps the next WELS convention will vote on the Moment of Justification. Recently someone wrote me that Jesus declared everyone in the world forgiven the moment He left the tomb. I have not found that anywhere on my Bible software (BibleWorks) and I have the NIV.Faith is an appendage to Kokomo Justification, because they spend all their time on Universal Justification and cannot reconcile that with the Biblical doctrine. However, they try to weld the two together with disastrous results.
In my experience in reading such material, UOJ has always been accompanied by silence on the efficacy of the Word and almost total neglect of the Means of Grace. The troubles of WELS and the Lutheran Church in general can be attributed to their neglect of this excellent summary statement:
"The doctrine of the means of grace is a peculiar glory of Lutheran theology. To this central teaching it owes its sanity and strong appeal, its freedom from sectarian tendencies and morbid fanaticism, its coherence and practicalness, and its adaptation to men of every race and every degree of culture. The Lutheran Confessions bring out with great clearness the thought of the Reformers upon this subject."
"Grace, Means of," The Concordia Cyclopedia, L. Fuerbringer, Th. Engelder, P. E. Kretzmann, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1927, J-101 p. 299.
Passing Information To Me
Someone asked me about some sermons on justification. One way to be specific while staying under the radar is to send a comment, marked - "Do not post this." I get that in my email right away. I do not know who sends comments unless they identify themselves. I reject the comment and no one else can read it.
Therefore, answering the question asked in a recent comment, I do need more information.
Fifty Congregations Have Already Voted To Leave ELCA
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
October 29, 2009
Some ELCA Congregations Vote to Leave or Redirect Funds, Find It's Not Easy
09-241-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), leaders and members have responded in a variety of ways to changes in the church's ministry polices, a decision made by voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Some members agreed with the decision. Some were opposed. Some weren't sure how to react.
Since the assembly, some ELCA congregations have taken votes to leave the denomination or redirect funds away from the ELCA. Leaders and members in a few such congregations report it's not always easy to make such choices, and there can be unintended consequences.
The 2009 assembly, which met Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis, adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies. One change makes it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
For some ELCA leaders and members, the assembly directive was inconsistent with their understanding of biblical authority. They often repeat the assertion that "the ELCA has left them."
The assembly also adopted by exactly a two-thirds majority a social statement on human sexuality. The statement addressed a wide range of matters related to human sexuality, but a portion of it addressed same-gender relationships, causing disagreement among the voting members.
Through Oct. 27, the ELCA Office of the Secretary reports an estimated 50 of the ELCA's 10,396 congregations have taken first votes to leave the denomination or have scheduled them, nearly all because of the assembly's actions on sexuality. Five such votes have failed. The estimate is based on reports from synod bishops, said David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary.
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GJ - ELCA's Gospel Reductionism (everyone is saved) is exactly the same as UOJ, with slightly different wording and identical results. All the Pietistic excuses for The CORE can be used to promote "a ministry to, by, and for homosexuals."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
New Blog Link
I added a blog link on the left side of the first page:
http://extranos.blogspot.com/
The author is LP, who has posted many good insights about UOJ. Some readers are doing extra research about UOJ, so that makes it more convenient for people to be in touch.
I am going to try to get copies of the Vernon Harley (LCMS pastor) essays on UOJ posted in some way. I lost my copies.
Leadership Includes the Laity and Pastors
Someone posted a few comments critical of Synod President Mark Schroeder's leadership of WELS. With the possible exception of Church and Change, most WELS members and pastors are favorably impressed with the SP's performance.
I thought the critical comments missed the mark completely. As one 19th century Lutheran sociologist (Stuckenberg) wrote, "Authority is not taken. It is given." Too many individuals and congregations have handed over all authority to their synod and a handful of leaders.
A few individuals I know through this blog have done the opposite. Without having any titles, they have contacted various Lutheran leaders and asked them about doctrinal issues. People with some authority have also taken action instead of waiting for one person to do everything for them.
Many have provided information for all Lutherans through the information they have sent me for publication, often after many hours of research. The posts with the highest number of comments are usually those supplied by a vast network of informed Lutherans.
Freddy Finkelstein started his own blog. I hear many encouraging comments about ff's blog and Brett Meyer's posts on Icabod.
The faithful teaching of the Word and our study of the Confessions will yield God's results in God's time. It will also bring the cross.
One couple I know from long ago said, a few years back, "Gurgel doesn't want to hear from us again." They made a point of expressing their disapproval of his unionism. The ex-SP left office because he was urged to do so, encouraged by the downside of refusing to leave. Likewise, the previous Arizona-California DP was advised to leave office, and he did.
Seminary Deflation - Seabury Did It - Concordias Discussing It
Northwestern Acquires Seabury Seminary Buildings, Land
Use of residential and classroom facilities will continue.
By Charles R. Loebbaka
EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University has purchased the buildings and land owned by Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, officials from the University and Seminary announced today (July 17). Some of the buildings are on land already owned by Northwestern that had been leased to Seabury; the remainder of the land is adjacent to the Northwestern-owned property.
The property encompasses the block bounded by Sheridan Road on the east, Orrington Avenue on the west, Haven Street on the north and Garrett Place on the south, with the exception of two houses that are not currently owned by Northwestern or Seabury. Northwestern already owns more than half of the land. All of the land purchased already is exempt from property taxes.
Northwestern has no plans to propose changes in zoning, which governs the use of the buildings, said Eugene S. Sunshine, Northwestern’s senior vice president for business and finance. Those buildings that are currently used for classrooms, offices and other academic purposes will continue to be used in that manner. Buildings used for residential and related purposes will continue to be used for those purposes, Sunshine said.
Northwestern students have been living in one of the residence halls on the property since last March when Seabury leased a portion of one of its residential buildings to the University. That use will continue next fall, and Northwestern students eventually will occupy the other residence hall as well.
Northwestern will lease back a portion of the administrative building and residential buildings to Seabury, which is changing from a residential-based seminary with full-time students to offering degrees and courses through short residential and online courses.
“With this agreement, we’re doing several important things,” said the Very Reverend Gary Hall, Seabury’s president and dean. “We’re positioning ourselves for a new mission as the People’s Seminary, meeting the demands of a changing world and church, providing flexible education to all -- clergy, church professionals, lay community and congregations. In addition, the sale allows us to eliminate our debt, balance our budget so that we will enter our new life with adequate resources to fund our ministries,” he said.
“We’re very pleased to have worked out this arrangement with Seabury for acquisition of the property and its continued use for the same purposes,” Sunshine said. “This will provide the University with contiguous space needed for academic and residential uses without having to acquire land that is currently on the property tax rolls.”
The property encompasses the block bounded by Sheridan Road on the east, Orrington Avenue on the west, Haven Street on the north and Garrett Place on the south, with the exception of two houses that are not currently owned by Northwestern or Seabury. Northwestern already owns more than half of the land. All of the land purchased already is exempt from property taxes.
Northwestern has no plans to propose changes in zoning, which governs the use of the buildings, said Eugene S. Sunshine, Northwestern’s senior vice president for business and finance. Those buildings that are currently used for classrooms, offices and other academic purposes will continue to be used in that manner. Buildings used for residential and related purposes will continue to be used for those purposes, Sunshine said.
Northwestern students have been living in one of the residence halls on the property since last March when Seabury leased a portion of one of its residential buildings to the University. That use will continue next fall, and Northwestern students eventually will occupy the other residence hall as well.
Northwestern will lease back a portion of the administrative building and residential buildings to Seabury, which is changing from a residential-based seminary with full-time students to offering degrees and courses through short residential and online courses.
“With this agreement, we’re doing several important things,” said the Very Reverend Gary Hall, Seabury’s president and dean. “We’re positioning ourselves for a new mission as the People’s Seminary, meeting the demands of a changing world and church, providing flexible education to all -- clergy, church professionals, lay community and congregations. In addition, the sale allows us to eliminate our debt, balance our budget so that we will enter our new life with adequate resources to fund our ministries,” he said.
“We’re very pleased to have worked out this arrangement with Seabury for acquisition of the property and its continued use for the same purposes,” Sunshine said. “This will provide the University with contiguous space needed for academic and residential uses without having to acquire land that is currently on the property tax rolls.”
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GJ - The mainline seminaries are tumbling, in spite of their enormous endowments and gender bender inclusiveness. They should be packed from admitting men and women into the ministry, straights and gays into the preaching office. Instead, just the opposite is happening. Church and Change take note. People are abandoning the most with-it denomination of all. They are headed for traditional, yea even liturgical services. They want to worship God instead of self.
UOJ Stormtroopers
Illustrating How They Get Their Theory
From the Scriptures And The Book of Concord
UOJ Twister
- Put you hand on everyone in the world is forgiven.
- Good, now emphasize that everyone in Hell is a guilt-free saint.
- Next - explain how each person has to make a decision about this eternal truth.
- Now for the big stretch - Luther taught this! Watch it, watch it, watch it, you are going to fall.
L P has left a new comment on your post "Scaery Rationalism - Typical Non-Biblical UOJ Argu...":
DK, You cannot conduct a sane discussion with UOJers. For UOJers, UOJ is true, end of story. In my field, if you offer no proof for your theorem, this is called hand waving. Also you cannot get away and say "this is obvious or trivial". LPC
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L P has left a new comment on your post "Scaery Rationalism - Typical Non-Biblical UOJ Argu...":
DK,
but I can't shake the feeling that this is a circular argument.
Yes indeed DK, in UOJ, you believe you are already righteous and so you are. Try suggesting that to a UOJer and see if you do not get bullied to submission.
I was a babstistcostal before, we had the same type of reasoning from the stable of Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin, the prosperity preachers.
Believe that you are already healed, prosperous etc and so you are and if you are not, it is your fault, you just did not exercise your faith enough.
This is the reason why UOJ to me, after a while, sounded similar to the Word-Faith Prosperity preachers.
LPC
Scaery Rationalism - Typical Non-Biblical UOJ Argumentation
DK has left a new comment on your post "Trying To Fathom the Newest ELCA Breakoff":
Hi Professor, this is a little off topic, but I was wondering if you'd help me parse out a quote from David P. Scaer's essay "The two sides of justification".
>>"Unless justification is prior to faith but without ever denying that it actualizes itself in faith, the gospel is no longer indicative in describing an already existing condition of God’s contentment with the world, but it becomes a conditional offering of terms that must first be fulfilled before and in order for the sinner to be justified. Conditional justification, even if it is dependant (sic) on faith, is no longer an act that God universally accomplished for all men in Christ: it degenerates into separate happenings occurring in the life of each individual believer. The theocentric or Christocentric view of justification is lost to an anthropocentric one."<<
Maybe I'm slow, but I can't shake the feeling that this is a circular argument. Isn't he really saying that: "justification must happen prior to faith (i.e. it's Universal) otherwise it wouldn't be Universal."?
In any event I disagree with him. If Faith is created solely through Word and Sacrament, how can he claim that "justification given as a result of faith" makes justification Anthropocentric?
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GJ - Scaer began with the assumption that Walther's Easter Absolution sermon is the ruled norm. When I took Klemet Preus' class on argumentation, we had to list logical fallacies we heard. I listed a few from Scaer's class. Klemet said, "That was too easy, using Scaer."
This Scaer quotation is a Straw Man fallacy. Scaer offered up a false version of justification by faith and demolished his own Straw Man. In fact, he poured scorn on the Biblical concept - not a good way to build up UOJ. So it does appear to be circular reasoning. The trouble with logical fallacies is that their definitions overlap so much.
The boogey-man is faith. The UOJ Stormtroopers assume faith is a virtue or a meritiorious work. In this case, the argument misses the entire emphasis upon receiving the Means of Grace in faith. Therefore, Scaer made forgiveness conditional, gliding from justification by faith to synergism. And yet his own final result is synergism or semi-pelagianism.
The Holy Spirit creates faith through the Gospel Promises. Man receives forgiveness in faith (justification by faith). The Atonement means that Christ has already paid the price, not that the entire world has been pronounced forgiven. Confusing the Atonement with justification is typical of Calvinists, who cannot grasp the Means of Grace.
In the double-justification scheme of Knapp, Walther, Kokomo, and Scaer, everyone is already forgiven. But to be really forgiven they have to accept the truth of universal absolution. That is synergism at best, although most synergists would be shocked at the universalism of UOJ. Synergism means that man cooperates in his salvation.
No wonder Ft. Wayne pastors run screaming to Rome and Constantinople! A few lost along the way turn to Pentecostalism and Babtist dogma. UOJ, Romanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Pente-babtistry are flavors of Enthusiasm.
Another Incoherent Defense of the WELS Gay Video
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Lutheran College Paper Defends "Party in...":
Ichabod can continue to deny change, but it will come. It is much more than just MLC and WLC, it is Lutherans who realize that we have become so old school in our ways that we are losing our youth. While the video may have been one extreme Ichabod is indeed the other, for you cannot have one without the other. C&C is appealing to the next generation, those who are living for Jesus through confessions, services, and reaching out to others. Not waiting for them to see our sign and come in.
Also, Ichabod is accusing them of knowing what FIP meant, not truly being repentant, and that they were simply upset that they got caught, which is absurd. Other than God, who can know men's hearts? While we may, in Christian love judge their actions, Christ alone is in charge of judging the motivation of the students and no one else.
It is probably related to Beavis and Butthead's in the first place, who will continue to defend the contemporary changes in the WELS. It is the rock and roll churches who are so blatently corrupting Lutheranism. Correct?
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GJ - I remember District VP Schroer phoning me and shouting, "You are judging men's hearts. Only God can do that!" What was my crime? I quoted various WELS Church Growth gurus and matched their verbatim statements with Fuller quotations (thanks to Megatron). Worse, I also printed Book of Concord statements to contrast Fuller and WELS with Lutheran doctrine. Patiently, I pointed out to Schroer that we can--and must--judge published doctrine (Book of Concord, Large Catechism, Eighth Commandment). As a young pastor, Schroer thought it was unionism to watch Lawrence Welk. I thought it was torture, but that is another topic.
Let me hasten to point out that I did not participate in filming the video or uploading it to You Tube. Advocates for this video continue to bring up the topic they supposedly want buried. WLC not only published an editorial on this topic, but printed it on the first page of the student newspaper. What better way to keep it alive?
I found the supposed interview in "The Sword" a farce. A real journalist, even a sophomore reporter, would have checked out both sides before objectively siding with the MLC students. The students sounded resentful, pouty, ready to cry.
I found the college students' excuses difficult to believe. I teach college students year around, and I know they are savvy about finding out information on Google. The excuses contradict the other statements in the editorial. The students innocently created a parody of another video! Why did they make it even gayer than the first one, if they just fell off the beet wagon?
The MLC video is rather professional, so these Internet-digital savvy guys did not know what they were doing? I am not judging their flinty hearts but their mushy alibis.
"Party in the MLC" is the wave of the future, according to the comment above. That will draw the young, say the wizards of Church and Change.
I see a bunch of old white liberals on the board of Church and Change. The CG founders in WELS are retired and soon to retire, older than dirt. Their AARP cards are worn and smudged.
"Attracting the young" is a dubious argument. MLC claims that the Fire Island Pines guys just loved the knock-off of their video. And why not? They probably watched it more than any other demographic. What a recruiting tool!
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Lutheran College Paper Defends "Party in...":
Obviously what this group of students did was, more or less, not the best decision.
But how do the actions and words of these MLC students, or even the words of the author of the article in the WLC student newspaper honestly represent the views/opinions of their colleges or that of the WELS as a whole?
The students at MLC obviously didn't consult with the administration before they posted the video. And was the author of article at WLC really defending such actions, or simply explaining the events of this issue as an example of how what you post online has its consequences?
There are likely plenty of students who lower their heads in shame in regard to what their classmates at MLC have done. Likewise, there are likely plenty of WELS Lutherans who don't completely agree with everything done in the synod or what their president says.
Faith is an individual thing, between a person and God. That relationship will ultimately affect what they do and say to others, the decisions they make, etc.. And they may belong to a certain religion, group, or even sect, but the whole does not always believe the exact same thing as the individual because everyone's relationship with God differs. No religion is perfect because everyone has fallen short of God's glory.
Trying To Fathom the Newest ELCA Breakoff
When the ALC, LCA, and AELC were taking their last steps into merger, to create ELCA in 1987, my family was leaving the LCA. I was never a part of ELCA and made it clear why. I published Out of the Depths of ELCA in Christian News. WELS was embarrassed that I wrote about their favorite partner in ministry. They even had Kincaid Smith (ELS) phone to warn me against any further publishing in Christian News.
I have reposted news from ELCA, from time to time, but I am not in touch with current dissenter trends. Word Alone has been gathering dissenters for some time and guiding them into independence. I am puzzled that The Core is doing the same thing, while working with Word Alone.
Meanwhile, Word Alone says: "This new website is meant to provide practical guidance to those interested in affiliating with LCMC (Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ) and/or the proposed "Free-Standing Synod" of Lutheran CORE."
When Herb Chilstrom was the Minnesota LCA bishop, there were moves to pack up and leave the LCA. That dust-up concerned the porno tapes shown to entire families when a child was being counseled for sex offenses, under the auspices of Lutheran Social Services or another agency. The Minnesota Synod grew in numbers during that time and Herb became the first ELCA Presiding Bishop. Wikipedia says: "With Lowell O. Erdahl, he is the author of Sexual Fulfillment: For Single and Married, Straight and Gay, Young and Old (2001) ISBN 0-8066-4047-2." The odd couple promoted their book together. Awkward.
Merger itself provided almost no ripples. I heard of a few congregations (ALC) leaving. The LCA people were overwhelmingly in favor of merger, no matter what the warning signs were. Some of the former leaders did some squawking afterward. The Ft. Wayne seminary treated one of the LCA bishops as a god for stating the obvious. The same man made fun of inerrancy when he was in charge.
Readers can only imagine my shock when I read that one of the leaders of The Lutheran Core (not to be confused with Ski's money-gobbling operation in A-town) is Kenneth Sauer. I hardly knew him, but Sauer was the new bishop of the Ohio Synod, LCA, soon after I was ordained. Later, I heard him speak when Missouri had a free conference to promote another Sauer as their Synod President. Kenneth Sauer defended the obsolete and ridiculous JEDP thesis about the Pentateuch, because a "three-stranded cord is stronger."
Kenneth Sauer was re-elected a bishop in ELCA, when they divided the state up, due to its large concentration of ALC and LCA congregations. ELCA ended up with more jurisdictions than the ALC and LCA had separately. ELCA also ended up with half the total income of the two combined (roughly). They aimed at $150 million in 1987, but now are at $70 million. Those figures are probably off, but the trend is obvious, especially when inflation is considered over 20+ years. ELCA just cut 10% out of the new budget and anticipates more cuts.
Kenneth Sauer, an ambitious man, was head of the Conference of Bishops, ELCA. He was mentioned as a possible Presiding Bishop at times. In other words, Sauer was as loyal as a puppy and ready to wag eagerly at every ELCA notion.
All the leaders of The Lutheran Core were active in the ministry when I pointed out the present and future apostasy of ELCA, during its ignoble birth. Paull Spring was an ELCA bishop. The pastors and other leaders were silent for the longest time. Their political success implies that they were robotic loyalists for the last 20 years until something woke them up. The pastor often quoted from the ELCA convention (as a dissenter from the overwhelming vote) was also an old guy. When did he wake up to the smell of brimstone and fire (Genesis 19:24)?
Naturally I see a parallel in WELS with the born-again opponents of Church Growth apostasy. I wonder where they were 1987-1992, when I published hundreds of articles exposing the doctrine of Fuller Seminary and the aping done by WELS, the ELS, and the LCMS. I recall one of them saying and writing, "Greg, you should write about Enthusiasm and CG. Here are the passages." Did he ever write about CG? No. Did his foxy silence and consent help his career? Yes.
Two factors work together to leverage apostasy. One is the extreme nastiness of the Left. There is a Satanic energy in apostasy, which never hesitates to engage in the worst sins to advance their cause. In the name of love and unity, they divide and sling mud. Nothing is too low for them. Crying "slander!" when doctrinal issues are addressed publicly, they engage in backdoor campaigns against anyone in their way.
The other factor is the willingness to compromise with the Left to appease them for the moment. How enticing. Should I say something or accept the call I always wanted?
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A freestanding' synod?
With the 2009 Churchwide Assembly’s decisions on human sexuality (September, page 18), the ELCA has “fallen into heresy,” said Paull E. Spring, chair of Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform). The group planned to discuss becoming a “freestanding synod,” carrying out ministries apart from the ELCA, at a meeting scheduled Sept. 25-26 in Fishers, Ind. (after presstime). The group also may consider conversations with CORE member congregations and reform movements in the U.S. and Canada toward a possible reconfiguration “of North American Lutheranism.” Lutheran CORE is a coalition of pastors, laypeople, congregations and reform groups in the ELCA.
Martin - 10/6/2009
I disagree with Mr. Spring and believe that "with the 2009 Churchwide Assembly's decisions on human sexuality the ELCA" has risen above heresy and has looked deeper into the word of God in the Scriptures. Homosexuality is one of several sexual issues in the Scriptures that we ignore or no longer practice. For example, we now do not allow prostitution or polygamy or concubines things discussed in the Old Testament.
We ignore Jesus and Paul on the matter of divorce. Jesus tells us that for a man or woman to divorce and marry another is adultery. Paul tells us bishops and deacons should only be married once. We have pastors and other church leaders, including members of church councils, living in adulterous relationships and have been married more than once and we overlook it.
For the ELCA to allow pastors, council members, and other leaders who have been divorced and remarried and to perform ceremonies for second or subsequent marries and to not allow homosexuals to be pastors or perform "commitment ceremonies" for homosexuals is hypocrisy. The ELCA has taken a step away from the hypocrisy.
There are a half-dozen verses regarding homosexuality and to focus only on these an ignore the deeper message of love for God and neighbor of Jesus and Paul is the heresy. What the ELCA has done is to affirm the message from the Holy Scriptures and I stand as proud to be a part of the ELCA.
Paul - 10/19/2009
Bishop Paull Spring was absolutely correct. The ELCA has indeed fallen into heresy. It has disregraded the clear witness of the Holy Scriptures in order to take up a new "social gospel," so that decisions can be made based on how people feel. For some, the ordination of practicing homosexuals "feels" right. For many others, holding fast to God's Word (no matter how painful) is the only option for Christians.
The ELCA has rejected the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and its own Constitution (2.03), and now finds itself mired in apostasy. In making room for the blessing of PALM same-gendered relationships and ordination of the same, the ELCA has become a splinter from the one holy, catholic and apostolic church.
As the faithful look to protest this state of apostasy, they are encouraged and strengthened by the witness of the Holy Scriptures, by the Lutheran Confessions and by the faith and witness of our forbears-- for the sake of our children's children.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Lutheran CORE - New Lutheran Synod Forms Because of ELCA Gay Vote:
What Would WELS Say?
Ryan Schwarz, left, and Rev. Paull Spring, chairman of Lutheran Coalition of Renewal (CORE), talk with reporters about the creation of a new Lutheran church body for those who wish to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, at WordAlone Network offices in New Brighton, Minn., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009.
(AP Photo/Craig Lassig) New Lutheran body to form after gay pastor vote
By PATRICK CONDON, Associated Press Writer Patrick Condon, Associated Press Writer – Wed Nov 18, 6:58 pm ET
NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. – The split over gay clergy within the country's largest Lutheran denomination has prompted a conservative faction to begin forming a new Lutheran church body separate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Leaders of Lutheran CORE said Wednesday that a working group would immediately begin drafting a constitution and taking other steps to form the denomination, with hopes to have it off the ground by next August.
"There are many people within the ELCA who are very unhappy with what has happened," said the Rev. Paull Spring, chairman of Lutheran CORE and a retired ELCA bishop from State College, Pa.
At its annual convention in Minneapolis in August, ELCA delegates voted to lift a ban that had prohibited sexually active gay and lesbian pastors from serving as clergy. The new policy, expected to take effect in April, will allow such individuals to lead ELCA churches as long as they can show that they are in committed, lifelong relationships.
Opponents, led by Lutheran CORE, said that decision is in direct contradiction to Scripture.
At a September convention, Lutheran CORE members voted to spend a year considering whether to form a new Lutheran denomination. However, its leaders said Wednesday that a heavy volume of requests for an alternative from disenfranchised congregations and churchgoers prompted them to hasten the process.
John Brooks, spokesman at the ELCA's Chicago-based headquarters, said Lutheran CORE's move was not unexpected. He expressed hope that church members would ultimately opt to stay in the denomination as it strives to be "a place for all people despite any differences we might have on any issues."
Neither Brooks nor Lutheran CORE leaders would guess what kind of numbers a new denomination might attract. Lutheran CORE leaders believe there is deep opposition to the new policy among rank-and-file churchgoers, but said some may not be willing to actually depart the ELCA over it.
Brooks said the ELCA has not seen significant departures yet, but he cautioned it's too soon after the August decision to read much into that.
So far, he said, five congregations nationwide have voted to leave the ELCA. More have started the process, with 87 taking a first vote to leave the denomination. Of those, 28 did not achieve the two-thirds vote necessary to leave the ELCA. In all, there are 10,300 ELCA churches in the country with about 4.7 million members.
If a congregation passes the two-thirds bar on its first vote, it must then wait 90 days before taking a second, final vote that also requires a two-thirds majority.
Other Christian denominations have seen factions split off over the gay clergy debate. In 2003, the 2 million-member Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly gay bishop, a move that alienated American Episcopalians from its worldwide parent, the Anglican Communion. The divide has led to the formation of the more conservative Anglican Church in North America, which claims 100,000 members.
In addition to helping birth a new Lutheran church body, Lutheran CORE leaders said their organization would continue its recent move toward creating a free-floating synod within the ELCA for congregations opposed to the liberalized policy but who don't want to leave the denomination.
Lutheran CORE has also urged supportive congregations to stop paying so-called mission support funds that help supplement the ELCA's operating budget. Last weekend, ELCA leaders reduced their 2010 operating budget by $7.7 million, a move Brooks said was motivated mainly by the U.S. economy but also in part by an expected drop in the mission funds.
Ryan Schwarz, a Lutheran CORE member from Washington, D.C., is charged with leading the organizing effort for the new denomination. He said a committee would begin work immediately on drafting a constitution, building a budget and other steps needed to form the yet-unnamed denomination. They hope to have it ready to go by next August, he said.
"Many of us have spent years now struggling to call the ELCA to remain faithful to the Orthodox Christianity of the last 2,000 years," Schwarz said. "While this is of course a wrenching decision, there is also a sense of hope in refocusing on our true mission, which is evangelizing the Lutheran faith."
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http://www.lutherancore.org/papers/spring_pre_convoc_ltr.shtml
Update on Lutheran CORE's Convocation
Rev. Paull E. Spring
September 4, 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,This is an exciting and hopeful time for confessional Lutherans in North America. I am glad to report that in the past couple weeks we have received an incredible outpouring of support for Lutheran CORE's ministries and plans for the future. People and churches are joining at a rate with which we can barely keep pace. During the churchwide assembly and after we have made connections with important leaders of other Lutheran groups in the ELCA and beyond. We are most encouraged by these responses.
We look forward to being with many of you at the Convocation at Christ the Savor Lutheran Church in Fishers (Indianapolis) Ind. on September 25 and 26. We want you to know in more detail what we hope to accomplish at the Convocation. Our goal and vision for Lutheran CORE is a re-forming and a re-newal of our coalition. With God's help, we intend to be . . .
- A confessional and confessing movement, rooted in Scripture, creeds, and confessions, open to all Lutherans in North America
- A churchly community, grounded in Word and sacrament and congregational mission
- A free-standing synod, carrying out synodical ministries, apart from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- An umbrella group for other Lutheran reform movements
- A coalition of synods, congregations, individuals, and reform movements both within and outside the ELCA
On Friday, September 25, we will convene at 4:00 p.m. There will be an introductory presentation by Bishop Kenneth Sauer, former chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, and a response from Mr. Ryan Schwarz, the runner-up in the election for ELCA Vice President last month. After dinner, I will present the vision for Lutheran CORE to be followed by general discussion. The evening will conclude with Evening Prayer.
On Saturday, we will begin the day with Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m. We will then consider and, hopefully, adopt a constitution for our ministry. Then we will consider the following proposed resolutions from the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee:
- That those currently serving on the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee retain their offices for one year, until an election at the 2010 convocation.
- That the Steering Committee be authorized to prepare and implement a fiscal plan for Lutheran CORE for the calendar year 2010; and that the Steering Committee prepare a proposed fiscal plan for the year 2011, for action at the 2010 convocation.
- That the Steering Committee be directed to begin implementing the provisions of the constitution beginning, October 1, 2009.
- That the Steering Committee be authorized to initiate conversations among the congregations and reform movements in Lutheran CORE and with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ and other compatible churchly organizations, leading toward a possible re-configuration of North American Lutheranism, whether through existing or newly created structures; and that the Steering Committee present a report and recommendations to the 2010 convocation of Lutheran CORE.
We anticipate a large attendance at our convocation. If the registrations keep pouring in at the present rate, we will have to re-locate the convocation site to another church near Fishers that has a much larger facility. The hotels listed on the registration brochure are conveniently located for either church so no one will need to make any changes in their accommodations. We will keep you informed and let you know as soon as possible if we need to move the convocation to another church.
We will place the draft of the proposed constitution on the Lutheran CORE website next week. Because of limited time at the convocation, we ask that you send us suggestions for revision of the constitution ahead of time. Doing this will assist us greatly in making efficient use of our time. Please send your suggestions no later than September 16th. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. You may send your suggestions to me at my email.
Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement in the past month. I look forward to our time together at Fishers with great hope and in the confidence that Gods Spirit will guide and lead us. If you have questions, please be in touch with me or with another member of the Steering Committee.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Paull E. Spring
Lutheran CORE Chair
Lutheran CORE Chair
Lutheran CORE Steering Committee
- Rev. Mark Braaten, Tyler, Texas - oslc@suddenlinkmail.com
- Rev. Mark Chavez, Landisville, Pa. - info@lutherancore.org
- Rev. Scott Grorud, Hutchinson, Minn. - ScottG@faithlc.com
- Rev. Rebecca M. M. Heber, Lake Mary, Fla. - w.c.heber@att.net
- Rev. Kenneth Kimball, Waterville, Iowa - pastrken@acegroup.cc
- Rev. Pastor Victor C. Langford III, Seattle, Wash. - faithvcl3@aol.com
- Mr. Ryan Schwarz, Washington, D.C. - rschwarz@mba1994.hbs.edu
- Rev. W. Stevens Shipman, Lock Haven, Pa. - prsteveshipman@gmail.com
- Rev. Paul Ulring, Columbus, Ohio - pulring@ualc.org
- Rev. Erma Wolf, Brandon, S.D. - easwolf@me.com
http://www.lutherancore.org/menu_call_pages/newsrel111809.shtml
Lutheran CORE leaders announce that a new Lutheran church body will be formed for those leaving the ELCA
NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. — Leaders of Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) have voted to begin work on a proposal for a new Lutheran church body for those who choose to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, they announced Wednesday, Nov. 18.
The votes by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August to allow pastors to be in committed same-sex relationships have created a biblical and theological crisis throughout the ELCA and have generated conflict in local congregations. Many congregations and individuals are considering the possibility of leaving the ELCA or have chosen to redirect giving away from the national church.
More than 1,200 Lutherans gathered in Fishers, Ind., Sept. 25-26 unanimously voted to authorize the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee “to initiate conversations among the congregations and reform movements in Lutheran CORE and other compatible churchly organizations leading toward a possible reconfiguration of North American Lutheranism” and to bring a recommendation for action in 2010. The Lutheran CORE Steering Committee decided Tuesday that a new church body likely will be necessary and directed that work begin on a church body proposal.
“Many ELCA members and congregations have said that they want to sever ties with the ELCA because of the ELCA’s continued movement away from traditional Christian teachings. The vote on sexuality opened the eyes of many to how far the ELCA has moved from Biblical teaching,” said the Rev. Paull Spring of State College, Pa., Lutheran CORE Chair.
“Along with the WordAlone Network and our other renewal movement partners, Lutheran CORE will aid in the formation of a Lutheran church body for those congregations and individuals that choose to end their affiliation with the ELCA. This church body will stand where Lutherans have always stood and will center its life on the mission of the church to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Spring, the retired bishop of the Northern Pennsylvania Synod.
A special working group will draft the church body proposal in consultation with the WordAlone Network and the other reform movement partners of Lutheran CORE. The recommendations are to be released in February to allow interested individuals and congregations time for feedback. Final proposals will be brought to the Lutheran CORE Convocation Aug. 26-27 in Columbus, Ohio.
The working group will also bring recommendations for the continuation of Lutheran CORE as a free-standing synod that will serve both Lutherans in the ELCA and those in other church bodies. This working group will be in conversation with other Lutheran church bodies about ways to work together. Lutheran CORE has been in conversation with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, an association of Lutheran congregations which many ELCA congregations have joined, and will continue to work closely with LCMC. The proposed new church body is intended to provide a place for congregations that desire a more traditional denominational structure.
“We have not made any firm decisions about what this church body will be or how it will be structured. That reality will come into focus as the working group meets with the members of Lutheran CORE who are looking for a new church body and with other Lutheran church bodies and reform movements in North America,” explained Ryan Schwarz of Washington, D.C., a member of the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee, who chairs the working group.
Lutheran CORE to continue as free-standing synod
Lutheran CORE will continue to exist as a free-standing synod. Both those within the ELCA and in this new church body will be able to continue in fellowship through Lutheran CORE.“Lutheran CORE is committed to be a church fellowship for Lutherans who are committed to the teaching of Scripture — both those who choose to remain affiliated with the ELCA and those who choose to end their affiliation with the ELCA,” Spring said.
“It is important that those who want to uphold Biblical teaching work together. We need each other. To be an effective witness, Lutherans — both those who remain affiliated with the ELCA and those who end that affiliation — need to work together. Lutheran CORE hopes to continue to provide that church fellowship and serve that common mission,” he added.
“This new church body and the Lutheran CORE free-standing synod will make it possible for faithful congregations to work together in mission and to relate to other Lutherans worldwide,” Schwarz said. “Lutherans around the world have been scandalized by the ELCA’s actions. Lutheran CORE will work closely with Lutherans around the world who share our commitment to Scripture as it has been understood by generations of Christians.”
“We are not leaving the ELCA. The ELCA has left us. Lutheran CORE is continuing in the Christian faith as it has been passed down to us by generations of Christians. The ELCA is the one that has departed from the teaching of the Bible as understood by Christians for 2,000 years,” Spring said. “The division in the ELCA is not only really sex. It is about the authority of Scripture in the life of the church. The crisis in the ELCA is a direct result of the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.”
“We grieve that it has become necessary for so many to leave the ELCA and for so many others to alter their relationship with the ELCA, but we are heartened by the clear sense of mission and ministry that is motivating these changes,” the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee said in a letter to members of Lutheran CORE announcing the decision.
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