Pastor Tim Glende is fond of stating what a fabulous education he has, which means no one can dispute anything he does or says. Graduating from two unaccredited schools is enough to make anyone vain, I suppose, even though he was a mediocre student.
Therefore, all the Sausage Factory graduates should be in awe of my experience, since I have the advantage of their stellar education plus other schools as well, including (ptui, ptui) Concordia, Ft. Wayne. Tim's uncle Brug and I were both at Yale, at different times. The Mequon professors are using their spare time (no students to speak of) to finish their degrees, to catch up with people like me. Perhaps they will write books some day.
I was at the meetings preceding the ELCA merger, which united the LCA, The ALC, and the Seminex bunch, based on their common unbeliefs. The merger was consummated in Columbus and officially began January 1, 1988.
Mrs. Ichabod and I attended the Chicago LCA convention of 1979, the Toronto LCA convention of 1984, and the ELCA convention in the Twin Cities. Needless to say, I knew a number of participants, bishops, leaders, managers, seminary professors and president. I had lunch with Bishop Crumley one time and Bishop Chilstrom another time.
ELCA began with a process. Those who are doing their homework know that this was Diaprax. There was a great show of universal participation in the whole shebang, so that no one would be left out. "We will read and consider every single suggestion." The ideas poured in, of course.
I could tell from the beginning that the entire merger was a fraud. The Diaprax began with quotas. The radicals who left the LCMS got the most people on the Commission for a New Lutheran Church. The other quotas were Black, female, and homosexual.
Anyone with an IQ higher than room temperature knew that the quotas would determine the outcome, because the outcome necessarily demanded quotas. That meant the straight, white male pastors with large churches lost decision making power to the misfits of society. The pro-abortion feminists logrolled with the homosexual lobby, and they dominated everything. Straight white male pastors with large congregations were the new minority. Bishops were set aside and made impotent, with the new Church Council ruling the roost. The bishops were allowed to meet and pass resolutions, which had no power.
Retired pastors previously had a voice and a vote at all district meetings. They lost both, but no one minded, since they were bound to oppose the Brave New Church Body envisioned by the quota people.
Traditionalists had to argue to include Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the ELCA constitution. The vote itself was a squeaker, 33-30, as I recall. The Commission denied that it happened, of course.
So, 22 years later, many in ELCA were rocked and shocked that their own quota-driven synod voted for homosexual, lesbian, bi-sexual, and trans-sexual pastors.
About 350 congregations have joined the LCMC since that assembly. Another group, the NALC, has formed under the leadership of six former ELCA bishops, including my first one - Kenneth Sauer.
That is why Missouri and WELS are headed exactly the same way. Both synods employ the same methods to control the agenda and quash dissent. That also explains why WELS and Missouri work happily with ELCA on a wide variety of projects while acting superior and holier than ELCA about doctrine. They all have the same doctrines - UOJ and Diaprax.
UOJ = everyone is forgiven, so there is nothing to argue about.
Diaprax = join in the process for making a brave, new world.
