Many years ago, the LCA began promoting abortion on demand through its many different power centers. These included the women's association, the social ministry committees and agencies, and the World Hunger Appeal. They showed photos of starving children to raise money for "World Hunger" but funneled large chunks of it to its lobbyists across America. They also found ways to send money to the Communist National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches, not to mention the Lutheran World Federation.
Do not be too shocked or too smug. WELS sent money to the United Nations, through the Michigan District's charity fund.
The Pro-life Moment
At some point, so I can establish a benchmark, the LCA officially denounced abortion on demand. They added that statement at the 1978 Chicago convention, which said abortion was not to be used as birth control. That was not clearly pro-life, but they seemed to be moving away from their radicalism.
Neuhaus, then in the LCA, reported that the people responsible for the pro-life codicil were removed from their positions. A number of LCA pastors became Roman Catholic in time.
Later, my mother's LCA pastor, the senior minister of one of the largest congregations in the US, was also removed - one month after making a pro-life statement in an informal setting.
So 1978 was not the beginning, but the end of pro-life statements in the LCA. The Seminex radicals, who owed much of their ideology to Jungkuntz (WELS, Northwestern College; then Springfield; then LCMS doctrinal board; then Seminex board leader) turned upon the LCA, led the ELCA merger, and devoured it with their unified radicalism.
Parish by parish, the pro-abortion forces divided each congregation. The Lutheran magazine published pro-abortion articles. If a pastor reacted to their propaganda, he was identified and suffered for it.
One little girl said to me, "What if someone raped me? You would be against an abortion?" She was the treasurer's daughter.
For a certain segment, the issue was beyond debate or discussion.
Women's Ordination - The Fruits
Women's ordination, which could not even be discussed under Franklin C. Fry, began quite slowly under Robert Marshall, the darling of Fry. Marshall had the LCA ordaining women before Fry's tombstone was finished, but the yield was quite slow for a long time.
Quotas--thanks to Jungkuntz and Seminex and WELS--guaranteed that a newly ordained woman would have seniority over most men on all committees and commissions. The newly ordained women were consistently pro-abortion, and they log-rolled for homosexual ordination as well.
By that time, being pro-life was equal to being anti-woman. I was called a "red-neck," a "Bircher," and a "Right-to-Lifer." I did not join groups, but I was put down for expressing my opposition to the prevailing trends. The enlightened pastors had no qualms about interfering with another congregation, mine, because I was so ee-vul. Speakers at the last convention made a point of talking against me while glaring at me. I was also called a "moral crusader," so I responded, "That's better than being a crusader for sodomy."
I recall Pastor Vince Lavieri denouncing me at a meeting for not agreeing with the Leftist positions of the Michigan District. After all, I never went to the social
"Was."
Synod Minders
Back in the 1980s, much like today, most congregations were not filled with fire-breathing Marxists and former ballet dancers. But there was bound to be a small contingent who would take offense at traditional statements and report immediately to the synod. Every denomination has synod-minders, and the pastors know who they are. They do not necessarily go to the pastor and say, "I disagree with you because..." They do not need to, because they know that the minister who goes against the newest fads is ee-vul.
The ultimate happened with this scenario, because ELCA got exactly what it wanted with the Jungkuntz-Seminex quotas: total control of the agenda. So far, 900 congregations have left the Leftists, and the end is not in sight. ELCA has more goodies prepared by the Lavender Lobby. Moreover, their attempt to make an exit more difficult has only increased the pace out of the synod.
Two other methods are being used successfully by the traditionalists. One is to do nothing except affiliate (or not) with another group and stop giving any money to ELCA. Another is to give only those funds designated to ELCA, usually an enormous drop in donations. I count four ELCA seminaries (out of 10) in deep yogurt from lack of funds:
- Berkeley.
- Southern.
- Chicago.
- Dubuque - Wartburg.
ELCA Divided
The ELCA is polarized because the ELCA deliberately and maliciously pitted a minority group against the majority, constantly favoring the minority with quotas, funds, flattering articles, and promotions. Notice how well it worked in Missouri-WELS-ELS.
The Little Three Divided
Missouri, WELS, and the ELS did exactly the same thing with Church Growth, which was not unknown in the LCA/ALC. They all met at Fuller Seminary, their Mother Ship.
WELS did some things to lay the groundwork for going public about Church Growth, which debuted with TELL in 1977.
Step by step, all three groups introduced Fuller education to their ministers and leaders. They slipped their moles into committees and commissions. They promoted the new doctrines (old heresies) in their publications. They paid for training at Fuller and other doctrinal-brothels. Best of all, they rewarded everyone who bowed the knee to McGavran. They still do.
Anyone who opposed them was lazy, brain-damaged, senile, or--gasp!--against reaching out with the Gospel.
Anyone who questioned their doctrine was slandering them while violating Matthew 18.
No leader in WELS has identified the Church Growth Movement with false doctrine. SP Schroeder continues to reward the Shrinkers with promotions and extra calls. Kelm had two calls at the same time, so he could choose. Heather may have two mommies, but Jeske has two synods. The two WELS colleges are Shrinker-controlled, and so is The Sausage Factory.
I do not subscribe to FICL, so I am probably violating several commandments and 10,000 unwritten rules. As far as I can tell, the magazine is still the Xerox room for Church and Change, which continues to exist with the blessing of WELS and the SP and the Conference of Pussycats.
WELS is not dividing but shrinking. Ditto Missouri and the Little Sect on the Prairie.
