I attended several LCA conventions (Chicago, Toronto) and one ELCA convention (Minneapolis) with Mrs. Ichabod. I heard many examples of synod worship. No one dared dissent from the infallible, inerrant leaders. The bishops, as they came to be called, were told what to do and say. In ELCA, the bishops were stripped of their power on the national level, reducing them to an advisory panel. Imagine my surprise when one of the bishops, Ken Sauer, began urging everyone to leave ELCA and join his new denomination.
The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau has always been an outfit somewhat to the right of ELCA and to the left of Missouri. Many soon-to-be Roman priests comment on the site as well. That is often a topic, but the current debate concerns leaving ELCA. Two great points have been made.
One. The doctrinal debates are making people look at the Scriptures and the Confessions. They are no longer relying on the seminary intellectuals to tell them what to think. Wide open ordination of pan-sexual couples was the final straw about the integrity of ELCA leadership.
Two. The previous crisis in forcing a doctrinal union with the Episcopal Church made one thing clear. There is no possibility of reconciling the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper with the Biblical Lutheran view. They are incompatible. Hence, no legitimate fellowship is possible. (Hear that - WELS, ELS, LCMS?) That claim was based on the Formula of Concord, argued by an ELCA pastor.
If things get worse in WELS and the ELS, their pastors and laity may be moved to study the Formula of Concord, too. Beware, the ELCA members are not looking to join another Emerging Church circus with Whoopie Worship. They had plenty of that, done better, in ELCA. They are leaving ELCA informed and aware. Synod worship will not impress them.
