I sure wish this was a misquote!
The Santa Cruz Sentinel has a story from last September headlined “Local Evangelical Lutherans applaud church’s decision allowing gay clergy.” It’s about the ELCA’s then-recent move to ordain clergy who are in committed same-sex relationship (they actually had allowed gay clergy prior to the 2009 decision).
Anyway, check out these three paragraphs in the middle of the story:
“Scripture is not clear on a lot of sexual issues,” said the Rev. Stan Abraham, pastor at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Soquel and Trinity Lutheran Church in Watsonville. “And because it is not a cut-and-dry issue, the ELCA’s decision is reasonable at this particular time.”
The Missouri Synod’s position is that you can be a gay or lesbian member of the church, but not a practicing clergy member, celibate or not.
“It was a good decision for the ELCA to allow each congregation to decide whether or not they want to allow for the ordination of gay men and lesbians in committed relationships,” said Abraham. “The decision will not impact the good relationships we have with our colleagues at the ELCA.”
Unfortunately it’s not a misquote. I don’t know why but District President Robert Newton apparently hasn’t had the time or inclination to deal with this false teaching.
What’s more — I’m told that Stan Abraham isn’t even just on the clergy roster of the LCMS. He’s the circuit counselor.
I know that Newton is a big supporter of President Kieschnick. I hope that President Kieschnick can talk to DP Newton and get him to handle this unfortunate scandal.
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GJ - I thought WELS had the corner on explaining that every example of apostasy was a g-r-e-y area of Scripture. I use the dashes so the word is stretched out for maximum effect. That style of exegesis comes from the Roman Catholics, who look to the pope to conjure something up for an answer. The Holy Spirit is always at work through the pope, but never in the Scriptures, according to the Antichrist. The Scriptures are a backup for the pope.
Papal exegesis has found a home in the Missouri Synod too. This particular rube is part of the Leftist mob supporting Quiche-nik. I think Pope Jerry is gone.
The article is by Mollie Z., one of my favorite authors on Lutheran topics.
