I try to understand how people argue their position. For a few years I taught critical thinking to many college students, so we explored logical fallacies and the foundation for a sound argument. For instance, someone can argue a position well even if it is lost cause. That means adopting the formal restrictions of analytical thinking.
Thucydides wrote the best history of all time, about 24 centuries ago, because he observed details, did copious research, and always offered both sides of the question. In contrast, Herodotus relied on tall tales and anecdotes, so he was more entertaining but not as credible.
Thucydides had me digging my nails into my palms while reading about one battle, as if I were watching the good guys lose. I thought, "This was over a long time ago, and he has me emotionally involved."
Smoke and Mirrors
Many laity and some pastors are fully informed about the smoke and mirrors used to dazzle the uninformed. LutherQueasy addresses the issue of justification by faith by saying I have belonged to more than one synod.
They never act scornful about the late Al Barry:
- Attending a church basement seminary in the Twin Cities,
- Attending Bethany Lutheran Seminary, ELS;
- Vicaring in the Wisconsin Synod;
- Landing in the LCMS.
- Robert Preus graduated from Luther College (future ELCA);
- He attended Luther Seminary (future ELCA);
- He graduated from the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie (ELS) and served as an ELS pastor;
- He and brother Jack moved the breaking of fellowship between the ELS and the LCMS;
- Both brothers joined the LCMS as theology professors. Both became LCMS seminary presidents, and Jack became the Synod President.
- Yet Bob left his priceless library to the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie, and his children attended that school, post-ELS.
I believe we should include the Rolf Synod--which started small and ended up having one pastor--counts.
Don't the Queasies make fun of me for being independent? Where is Rolf on this?
Dr. Lito Cruz would have a merry time examining LutherQueasy logic, which suggests the entire Preus family is wrong about justification, whether they advocate UOJ, as Robert Preus once did, or they teach justification by faith, as his last book made abundantly clear.
The exact size of a congregation is a big concern of theirs, as long as they do not talk about their own glorious synods. The Little Sect on the Prairie is comprised of tiny congregations, with only a few of moderate size. The CLC (sic) is even more micro. The marks (notae) of the Church are...? One hundred members? One thousand? I am curious about this Fuller-inspired metric. The popularity fallacy is hotter than Georgia asphalt on LQ. "Every Lutheran synod agrees with us about UOJ, right? right?"
Yes, they do - including ELCA.
Now we have another benchmark for being right - the popularity of the opinion. That axe swings both ways. Precious few laity know UOJ or agree with it, if they do. Traditional Protestants teach justification by faith, even if Lutherans have been taken over recently by the Walther-Pieper-Otten lobby.
If we set aside their main argument, that justification by faith is wrong because I am an evil, multi-synod, Notre Dame graduate who publishes funny Photoshops of their heroes, is Luther's justification by faith doctrine refuted and abolished? Paul's?
Below you will see two graphics of quotations by orthodox Lutheran theologians, quoted favorably by Robert Preus in Justification and Rome. The Queasies never addressed themselves to those quotations or to Preus' own words in support of justification by faith, against UOJ.
