1) I keep seeing phrases like "logically it follows ... " in the UOJ literature that you print. Now that sounds very Calvinistic. It really sounds to me like they proponents are falling into the reasoning error - whatever God does, has to make sense to me. And I become the judge of what God can and has done.
2) It seems to me that I see the statements something like this, "our sins are forgiven and we have the status of saints in heaven because we have been justified by Christ's death ... " Now there are several things wrong with this statement but I keep coming back to Luther in the Small Catechism on the Lord's supper - "For where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation." But if I have life and salvation - what else is there? Does that not mean that logically (!) I am in heaven for how can the living be in the place of eternal death (hell)?
3) It seems to be me that you are fighting two different things.
a) the false teachings of UOJ
b) the refusal to admit that God's Word is efficacious,
reflected in Church Growth stuff, but also in Fort Wayne (some profs) statements that God's Word is only active through the Pastor (similar to the Catholic insistence on the captivity of God to the church).
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GJ - David Scaer, who is featured in a UOJ quotation graphic, seems to fit 3b rather well. The seminary needs to explain how they manage to turn out Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox priests. Men leave Ft. Wayne shallow on Luther but hotter than Georgia asphalt for smells and bells.
