The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau Online Forum has a long thread on Otten speaking at Concordia, Mequon.
I saw posts from "Nicholas Amsdorf" that were clearly Paul McCain's - no effort to disguise them.
| Name: | Nicholas Amsdorf |
| Posts: | 81 (27 per day) |
| Position: | ALPB Forum Member |
| Date Registered: | January 09, 2011, 02:54:03 PM |
I saw 27 posts per day for 3 days! I consider a 6-post day a good one here, but I have a real job, teaching adults at two universities. And I preach every Sunday, so I don't need to pose in a clerical outfit with a bishop's neclace hanging down.
The strangest part of this is McCain's endless rant against Otten. They were best buddies when it came to getting Al Barry elected covertly. As both of them explained to me, separately, McCain got all of Barry's materials to Christian News early, so Otten could pretend to be publishing what came in the mail.
Both of them later denied the collusion, but Otten has all the correspondence in his files.
McCain got a job at the Purple Palace as his reward, but he did not tell Otten. McCain told me but asked me to keep it a secret, so I did. When Otten told me, I said I already knew. He asked how that happened, so I told him. Otten was not happy, but they stayed in contact with each other for a period of time. Then, as always, Otten became the enemy and was shunned.
Barry and McCain spent 9 years placating the Left while dissing the conservatives.
According to Otten, McCain spiked the invitation that Barry extended to meet with Otten. According to CN, McCain reported to Barry that Otten refused to meet with the Synod President. Of course, Al could have jumped in a car and driven to New Haven (two hours) on his own.
McCain does not like his machinations known. ALPB has found him quite tiresome more than once, and that is really a debating web forum, where there is a fair amount of snarkiness, nastiness, and posturing. McCain seems to be a bottom feeder, even in that crowd.
The episode is a portrait of the Missouri Synod as it continues to sputter. The leaders all play a political game, biffing one another while complaining about being biffed. They all agree about UOJ, their one and only doctrine, but that does not unite them. McCain is more fanatical about UOJ than Otten is, but Universalism and Enthusiasm do not unite.
Here is another example of how Missouri works. The convention voted in SP Harrison by a margin slightly more than 50%. However, more than half of the voters who backed Harrison also voted to continue working with ELCA. That vote was more like 75-80%.
Yet Missouri pretends to be different from and superior to ELCA. McCain promotes that mirage whenever possible, even though he sought cuddle time with the pope via ex-LCMS, ex-AELC, ex-ELCA Father Richard Neuhaus.
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "McCain On an Otten Rampage":
I searched McCain's blog for references to Otten. Nothing current but certainly a significant mention when Pope worshiping Richard Neuhaus died.
Having said that, I am already cringing at the possibility that there will be featured in a certain newspaper from New Haven a graceless, ham-fisted tirade against Richard John Neuhaus the Catholic convert and more's the pity. But the Roman Church has its share of graceless, ham-fisted apologists and I suppose we must have our fair share too.
Clear reference to Otten and Christian News. Seems McCain takes offense that Otten would not be as kind as he when speaking of Neuhaus who died and went to Hell if he remained steadfast in his Roman Catholic confession.
The rest of the post must have made the Popes' wives all swoon:
"He [Neuhaus] opened several doors for me while I served The LCMS President, making it possible for LCMS leadership to make direct contact with the Vatican, when ELCA leaders were intent on cutting us out of formal conversation with Rome."
http://cyberbrethren.com/2009/01/08/a-grief-observed-richard-john-neuhaus-1936-2009/
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GJ - Brett did not do justice to the McCain post, so I have kelmed the whole thing. Here is an accurate portrait of the "confessional" leadership of the LCMS and "conscience" of the ALPB Online Forum.
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Richard John Neuhaus died today. I feel a sadness of heart and an emptiness of spirit. A place at the table of enriching conversation that I enjoy with a number of people across Christendom is now empty, a very large empty place, indeed. Father Neuhaus, once LCMS Pastor Neuhaus, then ELCA Pastor Neuhaus, was, for me, a source of ongoing inspiration and encouragement.
Encouragement? Yes, encouragement to be and remain the very best Lutheran God allows me to be. Now why do I say this? I fervently differed with Father Neuhaus on several core issues of the confession of the Christian Gospel, and he knew that. Over the many long years I had struck up a very informal and not-frequent-enough conversation with him, as I'm sure thousands of other people. I know he kindly entertained my letters and thoughts because of our shared Lutheranism, a Lutheranism he believed fervently was realized fully in communion with Rome, a Lutheranism I believe must remain apart from Rome as long as Rome clings to its Gospel-obscuring errors.
Having said that, I am already cringing at the possibility that there will be featured in a certain newspaper from New Haven a graceless, ham-fisted tirade against Richard John Neuhaus the Catholic convert and more's the pity. But the Roman Church has its share of graceless, ham-fisted apologists and I suppose we must have our fair share too.
I always enjoyed my back-and-forths with Father Neuhaus. He opened several doors for me while I served The LCMS President, making it possible for LCMS leadership to make direct contact with the Vatican, when ELCA leaders were intent on cutting us out of formal conversation with Rome. Father Neuhaus was able to make direct personal appeal to Pope John Paul which led to direct contacts with Cardinal Ratzinger, with the result that the The LCMS was again given a place at the table of discussion and dialog with Rome, and most importantly, a point sadly lost on some, the chance in this formal context to make the good confession of faith. I learned from Father Neuhaus how the highest levels of the Vatican looked with considerable appreciation on the bold confession The Missouri Synod made at the time of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, and it was from Father Neuhaus that I learned that Cardinal Ratzinger had made the point, "If the Lutherans do not take their Confessions seriously, why should we?" But then he would always say, "But there is the Missouri Synod!"
Father Neuhaus kindly asked me to write a couple pieces for FIRST THINGS and he was always interested in what The LCMS was up to. He introduced me to George Weigel and others through the years. Like I said, these kindnesses were commonplace and I know many, many others shared my experiences with Father Neuhaus.
As much as I disagreed with Father Neuhaus, I agreed with so much of what he wrote in
First Things. Of course, he was a constant advocate for his "new" church, but he was fair and even-handed in his criticism, liberally applied, from a conservative point of view, of all trends and movements in Christendom. I admired his rhetorical and writing skills and the first section I always turned to in First Things was his column at the end. I suspect most First Things readers did! His wit, wisdom and breadth of engagement with contemporary trends in our culture was breathtaking. What a noble and bold spokesman for unborn human life he was!
I will miss Father Neuhaus. Through all the years he was a Roman Catholic priest there was no doubt that his Lutheran piety and catechesis was clearly a part of his very being. I felt Richard John brought to the Romanism he embraced a hearty and full measure of the joyful Gospel rediscovery of Martin Luther, for which I am grateful.
I will miss Father Neuhaus, and I join with many others in expressing my appreciation for his life and work, both for what he did that I fervently agreed with, which was much, and that which I had to disagree with, which was substantial. In both cases, he challenged me to think, to reflect, to grow and to strive for excellence in our common confession of Christ. Here is a nice reflection from a fellow Lutheran who worked with Father Neuhaus, Anthony Sacramone.
And here are comments from Fr. Neuhaus, reflecting on his own death, written a number of years ago:
“When I come before the judgment throne, I will plead the promise of
God in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I will not plead any work that I
have done, although I will thank God that he has enabled me to do some
good. I will plead no merits other than the merits of Christ, knowing
that the merits of Mary and the saints are all from him; and for their
company, their example, and their prayers throughout my earthly life I
will give everlasting thanks. I will not plead that I had faith, for
sometimes I was unsure of my faith, and in any event that would be to
turn faith into a meritorious work of my won. I will not plead that I
held the correct understanding of “justification by faith alone,”
although I will thank God that he led me to know ever more fully the
great truth that much misunderstood formulation was intended to
protect. Whatever little growth in holiness I have experienced,
whatever strength I have received from the company of the saints,
whatever understanding I have attained of God and his ways – these and
all other gifts received I will bring gratefully to the throne. But in
seeking entry to that heavenly kingdom, I will…look to Christ and
Christ alone.”
God in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I will not plead any work that I
have done, although I will thank God that he has enabled me to do some
good. I will plead no merits other than the merits of Christ, knowing
that the merits of Mary and the saints are all from him; and for their
company, their example, and their prayers throughout my earthly life I
will give everlasting thanks. I will not plead that I had faith, for
sometimes I was unsure of my faith, and in any event that would be to
turn faith into a meritorious work of my won. I will not plead that I
held the correct understanding of “justification by faith alone,”
although I will thank God that he led me to know ever more fully the
great truth that much misunderstood formulation was intended to
protect. Whatever little growth in holiness I have experienced,
whatever strength I have received from the company of the saints,
whatever understanding I have attained of God and his ways – these and
all other gifts received I will bring gratefully to the throne. But in
seeking entry to that heavenly kingdom, I will…look to Christ and
Christ alone.”
- Richard John Neuhaus. Death on a Friday Afternoon. New York: Basic Books, 2000) p. 70.
Requiescat in pace***
GJ - I knew Richard Neuhaus; I heard his father preach on Easter Sunday in Canada. We met at the Ad Fontes conference in Pennsylvania and corresponded for years. I found him to be a great sparring partner, but it saddened me that he joined Rome after calling himself a "confessional Lutheran" for years.
McCain has tossed the mantle of "confessional Lutheran" on himself--the one thrown down by Neuhaus. McCain likes to brag about his collection of Book of Concord editions. Like most librarians, he is more concerned with the title page than the contents. We confess that the papacy is the very Antichrist, so all self-righteous comments posted by McCain reveal one thing alone - he is a confessed apostate, an anti-confessional Lutheran in Name Only.
It is indeed sad that so many graduates of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, which had so much to offer, will end their careers as life-long advocates of UOJ, teaching against Luther's Biblical doctrine, proud of the corpses they have left behind.
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "McCain On an Otten Rampage":
McCain quotes Neuhaus above: "I will not plead that I held the correct understanding of “justification by faith alone,” although I will thank God that he led me to know ever more fully the great truth that much misunderstood formulation was intended to protect."
Pure RCC blasphemy. Says a lot about Paul McCain as Paul prefaces that blasphemous self eulogy with, "In both cases, he challenged me to think, to reflect, to grow and to strive for excellence in our common confession of Christ."
Common confession of Christ?!? That I do not doubt. Especially considering McCain's attacks on Justification by Faith Alone while defending UOJ on Extra Nos.
This situation reminds me of an ELS essay that rivals the UOJ mishmash of Buchholz, Zarling, H.A. Preus, Becker, Wendland, Beckman, Webber, Deutschlander etc. It's titled, The Birth that Gave Rebirth to the Doctrine of Justification, by The Rev. Wilhelm W. Petersen. In it he quotes Quanbeck discussing Lutheran and Catholic confession on Justification which ties in with an Ichabod post a few days ago where (W)ELS Pastor Seiltz' confession is identical to that of the Antichrist regarding Justification By Faith Alone.
Petersen:
Dr. Warren Quanbeck, a spokesman for the American Lutheran Church, is quoted as saying, “Today biblically informed theologians in both traditions can agree on the teaching of the New Testament concerning justification by grace alone through faith, and can agree on theological formulations of the doctrine without denying or betraying their theological heritage.” In other words there is a Roman Catholic/Lutheran convergence today on justification. This is also evidenced by Dr. Hans Kung, a Roman Catholic theologian, who says “that neo-Lutheran doctrine is quite compatible with that expressed by Trent.” Page 19
http://www.blts.edu/essays/petersenWW/Birth%20that%20Gave%20Rebirth%20to%20Justification.pdf
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LPC has left a new comment on your post "McCain On an Otten Rampage":
And further...McCain said I felt Richard John brought to the Romanism he embraced a hearty and full measure of the joyful Gospel rediscovery of Martin Luther, for which I am grateful.
What da?
How can a so called confessional Lutheran say such a thing unless he is warped in the head?
Romanism rejects the Gospel Luther rediscovered! How can one say that Neuhaus brought to Romanism the Gospel rediscovered by Luther?
Only when one has embraced absurdity as something authored by God! This confuses God with the devil, the one who authors confusion.
LPC
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GJ - The ALPB writers are a tolerant bunch, a rainbow coalition, but they find McCain's self-serving diatribes difficult to bear.
