Eastern Orthodoxy and the Church of Rome are havens for those who abhor the silliness of Church Growth, Emergent Church, Becoming Missional. Although EO and Rome seem to have enormous doctrinal structures, based on long histories and weighty tomes of dogma, they are big tent operations. Smells and bells are fine, but let's not upset the troops about doctrinal issues. There is a lobby, a little corner in the tent, for every persuasion, inclination and affection.
Long ago, Eastern Orthodoxy wore itself out on the Two Natures of Christ. Bloody riots started over the meaning of statues of Christ. That is why the Orthodox adopted the icon wall, the two-dimensional depictions. Concordia Seminary Ft. Wayne likes Eastern Orthodoxy and Rome because the faculty would rather avoid the real issues. The bickering of the Syn Conference Lutherans is just a way to feign doctrinal purity while chasing every fad since Moses. Those who hate Fuller cling to Rome like lint on Velcro.
The WELS Church and Change re-education brochure, above, reminds me of a cheerful used car brochure, absent check-marks about satisfaction guaranteed and quality control. Appearing on such brochures would be a career-killer if the sect actually knew what the Confessions taught. But no, this is a career-booster in WELS, just as the equivalent would be in Missouri or the Little Sect on the Prairie. All are dying - wonder why? My first guess is - not enough coaching going on. We need more clergy couple coaches coaching the coached, so they can learn how to coach the coachable in a winsome, inspirational way.
Somehow I missed a pilgrimage to the C. F. W. Walther shrine. Perhaps I could not get enough vibes going to make that trip, to stand in awe of a criminal who did not found a synod, but gets credit for it, a felon who did not stop at kidnapping his own niece and nephew from his father's parsonage, a mob organizer and thief who lectured on Law and Gospel without seminaries crying themselves hoarse - with laughter.
