Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tim Glende's Anonymous Blog Hosts This Anonymous Person Code-Named Joel.
Joel Says Joe Krohn Cannot Think for Himself






Joel said...
Actually, I put the whole unfortunate situation with Joe and his family at the feet of Greg Jackson. If Greg hadn't gotten Joe all hot an bothered about the UOJ "controversy" (truly the lamest, insignificant religious controversy that there has ever been in the whole history of Christendom), Joe wouldn't have entered into a pointless dispute with his home congregation. How many other lives will this man ruin?
***
GJ - The first logical fallacy is calling Joe Krohn a mindless follower of Ichabod, but that ignores the fact that he was sympathetic with Church and Change. The anonymous comment is also a put-down of Joe Krohn, a common tactic in WELS and other Pietistic sects.
Second, the author makes justification a non-argument, although he repeatedly posts about it.Exactly why has WELS been pounding UOJ since Richard Jungkuntz (died in ELCA) beat the drums for this precious doctrine. The entire UOJ Stormtrooper sorority imagines that the absolution of the world is the message of the Gospel. They never tire of assassinating anyone who disagrees with their fallacies, but they are unable to engage the issues.

The brave guru, Joel by name, a leader of the Pharisees, claims that Joe and Lisa Krohn were excommunicated for NOTHING!!! I refuse to copy his earlier illiterate comment. With respect, here is his corrected version.

Here is my comment with grammatical corrections:
If the debate was between limited atonement (Calvinism) and universal atonement (Lutheran), it would be a big deal. The UOJ "debate" is between universal atonement (anti-UOJ) and universal justification (UOJ). There is not a warm bucket of spit's difference between those two sides since neither side says anyone gets into heaven unless they are brought to faith. Yes, this is a pointless debate and now Joe Krohn has had an upheaval in his family and church life over NOTHING!!!!!


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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Tim Glende's Anonymous Blog Hosts This Anonymous P...":

Tell it to Pastor Rydecki and the other 90+ Intrepid Lutherans... 

More Proof That Lutherans in Large Groups Are Dumber Than Babtists and Big Love Mormons.
The Synodical Sale of a Successful Campus Ministry Chapel


"Sold!"
University Lutheran Chapel To Be Sold:

The students were planning a bake sale to help raise finds to aid ULC's survival. I talked to some people who were simply perplexed as to why the MNS would want to destroy their chapel and evict them from such a beautiful facility so well-designed for Lutheran worship and so readily accessible for students. In fact, I took a photo of the ULC sign which captured in the same shot the 'Welcome to the University of Minnesota" sign.  One block down the street from ULC  (a block nearer to the heart of campus) was a fairly new Mormon temple, and next to that was the Baptist student church.  I was simply stunned by the fact the Mormons and Baptists see the value of campus ministry in Minneapolis, with the Mormons making an investment in a student church while the LCMS abandons the one they have.

Synodical Smokescreens Always Work the Same Way

This is another touching vignette from
The Sausage Factory, Mequon.


The denominational spin-doctors need to learn some new tactics. Their old methods worked well when they controlled the magazines and the grapevines.

But now, no one reads their insipid magazines, and anyone can search the web. Court cases are on the Net.

Aww.  Synodical Whac-a-Mole was so much fun. Maybe they will bring it back, like Missile Command, so the drones can play it again.




SP Schroeder needs to study psychology or read The Kidnapper's Law and Gospel. When he bans people from reading Ichabod, the forbidden fruit is that much more tempting. And word gets out - "I am not to read or even touch it - lest I die."

Any college teacher knows that the best way to keep students from studying something is to make it required reading.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Synodical Smokescreens Always Work the Same Way":

This is a stellar example of how the synodical leadership is out of touch with many members. Prohibition rarely achieves its desired effect. We live in a culture where many have become less trusting and respectful of authority. Furthermore, we are admonished to be like the Bereans. That is why personal study of the Scriptures and the Confessions by the laity drives the UOJ fanatics even more stark raving mad. Many of them would rather have you eat the cotton candy Kelmed from the Enthusiasts. The effects of false doctrine are like a festering boil that needs to be lanced. Synodical leaders do the members a great disservice when they ask them to follow them blindly.

Paul McCain's Expert on UOJ Gets His Answer


Phase One of Jack Kilcrease -

Dr. Jack Kilcrease has left a new comment on your post "Kansas City Bishop Is First To Be Charged Criminal...":

"ELCA paid $40 million for covering up the abusive past of a man they were too happy to ordain."

As a conservative Lutheran, I of course do not believe that we should cast stones at any one. In that you make a good point.

But, seriously, I mean, where do you get this stuff? Do you have any actual evidence of this? I personally don't care much for the ELCA, but this claim about the 40 million dollars doesn't sound very credible to me. I will totally believe it if you can come up with evidence.

Your response: Blah, blah, blah. You miss spelled (sic) a word. Blah, blah, you're secretly a Catholic. Blah, blah, UOJ is universalism. Blah.


No need for a response then.

Here is a lengthy response to Jack Kilcrease.

It included the entire article from Saltzmann, a well known ELCA writer and editor.

Phase Two of Jack Kilcrease -

Jack Kilcrease had to keep it up. Why should he concede anything?

Dr. Jack Kilcrease said... Where's the 40 million? I see that they sued for 300 million, but I don't see anything about paying out 40 million. Again, people sue for all sorts of absurd amounts, but paying out is another issue. That was what my question was about.

BTW, I enjoyed my titles. I sent it to my parents and my wife, and they got a big kick out it. It reminds me of that movie "A Knight's Tale" where the Geoffrey Chaucer character has all these amusing titles he gives to Heath Ledger's character when he announces him "The protector of Grecian virginity!" "trained by the ELCA and working for the Anti-Christ, it's Jack Kilcrease!!!"

Jack's approach--which always includes his title "Dr"--is simply to mock the facts, perhaps to cast doubts on everything published on this blog. He has tender toes about UOJ, his history with ELCA, and his velcro-like affinity for another lazy mocker, Paul McCain.

Unfortunately for Kilcrease and McCain, their puerile responses only emphasize the truth. I do not make statements of fact unless they are supported with evidence, a habit they have not yet acquired. I said $40 million because I knew the story well and linked it at one time. I do not have the time to do Jack's homework for him, especially since he claims two doctorates in his marriage.

So far, all the UOJ advocates encountered on this blog are allergic to the facts. So I will post more of the hideous details that Jack scoffed at twice. I never said Kilcrease was secretly a Catholic. His own profile at a Catholic school says he teaches for them. He is a Catholic employee, which is quite an accomplishment for someone whose father graduated from the Sausage Factory in Mequon.



Bishop says he regrets minister's actions


Posted: Saturday, April 24, 2004


WICHITA FALLS - Lutheran Bishop Kevin S. Kanouse apologized Friday to victims of a former minister convicted of molesting boys, a day after his synod was hit with a nearly $37 million verdict in a sexual abuse lawsuit.

Gerald Patrick Thomas Jr. is serving 397 years in prison; the abuse was at the center of Thursday's multimillion-dollar verdict.

"We do express our regrets. We pledge to make sure people like Gerry Thomas never serve a church again," said Kanouse, who heads the Dallas-based Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod.

Jurors sided with nine alleged sex abuse victims who sued the synod, part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, claiming a former bishop and his assistant ignored warnings about Thomas.

Earlier settlements involved the award of another $32 million. Church officials say the combined payout will be less than $69 million due to a complicated system of credits.
Kanouse insisted church officials did not know Thomas preyed on children.
"No one in the church knew he was a predator of children until he was arrested. Were there clues? Absolutely," he said.
The bishop maintained the synod already has a system in place for preventing ministers like Thomas from entering church service.
The verdict in the court case came a day before the synod began an annual three-day assembly in Wichita Falls.
Kanouse denied that going to court instead of settling was an act of defiance toward the victims.
"The bottom line is our insurance company thought it was worth taking it to trial," he said. "It was an act of trying to tell our story and see what the jury had to say. Well, the jury said we were liable and awarded against us."



Former Marshall minister faces new charge


Published: Monday, June 03, 2002


LONGVIEW (AP) — A former Lutheran minister accused of sex crimes involving boys has been arrested on a new charge.
Gerald Patrick Thomas Jr., the 40-year-old former minister of Marshall's Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, was held Friday night by Marshall police on a Harrison County District Court warrant for aggravated sexual assault, according to jail records.
Thomas had been free on bond for three separate state charges of sex crimes. He was awaiting sentencing on a federal charge of possession of child pornography, said Marshall lawyer Don Stokes.
The former pastor had admitted in federal court in Tyler that he allowed two teen-age boys to photograph themselves engaging in sex acts at his home.
A civil lawsuit filed earlier this year claimed that Thomas molested eight boys over several years and that his actions should have been halted by church leaders. The lawsuit also named the Chicago-based Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and several other church-related organizations as defendants.
Thomas resigned from the denomination's clergy roster about a year ago. He now lives with his sister in Ocala, Fla.



Judge seals deal in Lutheran sex abuse scandal


Published: Tuesday, April 13, 2004


MARSHALL (AP) — A judge approved and sealed a settlement Monday involving the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and 14 alleged sex abuse victims who claim church officials ignored warnings about an errant minister who was later convicted of molesting boys.
Several church agencies also were included in the deal, which Harrison County District Judge Bonnie Leggat sealed pending the outcome of a civil trial against the remaining defendant — the denomination's Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod. Testimony is scheduled to start today.
The case of former Lutheran pastor Gerald Patrick Thomas Jr., who was sentenced last year to 397 years in state prison for sexually assaulting boys in this East Texas town, has drawn parallels from victims' advocates to some of the worst cases in the Roman Catholic abuse crisis.
Details of the pact will become public after the trial is over, he said.
Jennifer Ainsworth, attorney for the 5 million-member ELCA, said the denomination was pleased.
"We believe it's in the best interests of the ELCA and the kids," Ainsworth said. "We believe ELCA took responsibility for any involvement in this and the kids will be taken care of."
The victims and their families accused Lutheran officials of ignoring questionable behavior by Thomas. Private, internal memos detailed allegations against Thomas before his assignment to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Marshall in 1997.
Church officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly denied negligence.
Under the settlement, all money paid out will be put into trust funds for the victims; it won't be controlled by parents or guardians, attorneys said.
A jury of eight men and four women was selected last week before the settlement was confirmed.
Parents and guardians of most victims appeared before the judge to confirm they were satisfied with the settlement terms. In questioning of the victims' relatives Monday, the plaintiffs' lead attorney, Edward Hohn, characterized the settling defendants as "peripheral" and called the synod the "target" defendant in the case.
While allegedly aware of Thomas' "boundary issues" in seminary, the local synod did not share details of Thomas' background with the Marshall congregation later that year, court documents say. Court papers also claim that the church official in charge of pastor assignments at the time had himself been arrested twice for indecent exposure.
Thomas, 41, was charged in 2001 after a teenager found nude images of friends on the pastor's computer and tried to blackmail him.
Convicted on federal child pornography charges, Thomas is serving five years at the U.S. Penitentiary in Beaumont. His state sentence will start after that.
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Originally, I said - 








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Steven Goodrich has left a new comment on your post "Always Glad To Answer Jack Kilcrease, Son of WELS ...":

After doing some more research, here's the breakdown of who paid what.

Prior to the civil trial in April, several defendants settled with the plaintiffs: Good Shepherd ($750,000); the ELCA church wide organization ($8 million); the Michigan candidacy committee that approved Thomas for ordination ($1.2 million); and Trinity Seminary ($22 million).

Nine of the 14 plaintiffs continued their suit against the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod; its former bishop, Mark Herbener; and his assistant, Earl Eliason. On April 22, the jury awarded $36.8 million to the plaintiffs, assigning liability for the abuse at 35 percent for Eliason, 23 percent for Thomas, 20 percent for Herbener, 20 percent for Trinity, and 2 percent for the candidacy committee. The ELCA wasn't assigned a percentage of liability. The percentage allocation confused defendants and their lawyers since Trinity had already settled and was no longer involved in the case.

Here is a link to the story in the Lutheran, but you need a subscription to read the entire thing.

http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=2390 

Steven Goodrich has left a new comment on your post "Always Glad To Answer Jack Kilcrease, Son of WELS ...":

Here's you a link, Jack.

http://amarillo.com/stories/042404/tex_regretact.shtml

Monday, October 17, 2011

Atheist help for the clergy who are closet unbelievers | Christian News on Christian Today

Atheist help for the clergy who are closet unbelievers | Christian News on Christian Today:

'via Blog this'

***

GJ - The Church Shrinkage Movement produces a lot of them, like Bob Schumann and Curtis Peterson, both of WELS. Mark Freier, another ex-WELS pastor, said on his rent-a-minister website that he would marry anyone - Hindu, atheist, whatever. I assumed he is an atheist or completely indifferent.

Churchmouse Campanologist - ChurchMouse and Rogue Lutheran on Financial Markets


Churchmouse Campanologist:

'via Blog this'


My thanks to Rogue Lutheran who wrote in last week with links to a story with which I was unfamiliar but had been wondering about.
For over 15 years, I have pondered how our global economy puts so much emphasis on trading newish financial instruments such as derivatives, collateralised debt obligations and credit default swaps.  Yes, they make big money, but whatever happened to simpler trades of commodities or foreign exchange rates — what used to be known as ‘speculation’ — and was something that most people could understand?
The next two posts will explore this phenomenon


UOJ Spin-Doctors Are Perfect Examples of Luther on Sects



The UOJ Stormtroopers keep proving that they are sectarians who specialize in one error and only think in terms of that falsehood.

The modern term is pixelation, soon to be added to the Icha-slang Lexicon. The Stormtroopers magnify one phrase from one verse and make their false view the epicenter of the Biblical witness. Nothing can dislodge them.

In this case, the issue is universal absolution--without faith--and calling that The Gospel.

They hate admitting their common origin with ELCA.

Although not everyone from the Big Four graduated from Halle University, many Lutheran founders are directly connected with Halle,  the center of Pietism, established to promote Pietism.

Muhlenberg, the founder of ELCA (on the ULCA-General Synod side) was a Halle graduate. The Scandihoovians were Pietists. Walther took over the Pietistic sect of Bishop Stephan and kept cell groups going for a period of time. Stephan attended Halle.

Adolph Hoenecke, the WELS theologian, graduated from Halle.

Apparently, the arrivals known in America as Old Lutherans were really just the latest Pietists from Halle (Europe's Fuller Seminary). The New Lutherans of the General Synod were simply following  the natural progression of Pietism and got themselves involved in sweating, dancing, fainting revivals, where more souls were conceived than saved, as my church history professor once observed.

The separatism of the various Lutheran sects had a lot more to do with culture and language than with doctrinal differences. The groups were fairly similar, except the revivalists were more honest about their longing to return to the Rome of Pietism - Evangelicalism.

WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie have proven their affinity with ELCA by working with the apostates in every possible area of ministry, including worship, while pretending like true Pietists that they loathe the doctrine and practice of ELCA. Pietism breeds hypocrisy, which is why a Pietistic country has the worst abortion-on-demand laws in the world.

Richard Jungkuntz easily moved from a tiny college in Watertown to leadership of Seminex, because Northwestern College was the fertile womb of Seminex and the AELC. That radical element took over the Chicago seminary and controlled the merger documents that produce the ELCA. The common doctrinal element was UOJ.

My quick read of American Lutheran history is this - Each group came from Pietism and engaged in a struggle between genuine orthodoxy and Pietistic unionism. In every case, Pietism won and expelled partisans of Luther and the Book of Concord.

Each group has a set of legalistic rules designed to hide the fact that they are all working together. Thus SP Schroeder condemns ELCA while working with ELCA through Thrivent programs. Schroeder's lucrative job is not to promote or maintain sound doctrine, but to keep people from finding out the truth about WELS.

Ditto, Pope John the Malefactor in the ELS.

Ditto, Matt Harrison in the LCMS.

A fraction of the pastors want the false image kept up, because they get to skim the loot for their fancy trips, luxury conference stays, and sinecures. The rest keep silent because they want those perks for themselves.

UOJ Exemplies the Spirit of the Sects.
Therefore, WELS and Missouri and the ELS Love Babtists, Mefodists, and Pantingcostals -
But They Practice Safe Sects




"The insect-minded sectarian allows the Reformation very little merit except as it prepared the way for the putting forth, in due time, of the particular twig of Protestantism on which he crawls, and which he imagines bears all the fruit, and gives all the value to the tree.  As the little green tenants of the rose-bush might be supposed to argue that the rose was made for the purpose of furnishing them a home and food, so these small speculators find the root of the Reformation in the particular part of Providence which they consent to adopt and patronize.  The Reformation, as they take it, originated in the divine plan for furnishing a nursery for sectarian Aphides."
Charles P. Krauth, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology, Philadelphia: United Lutheran Publication House, 1913 (1871), p. 5.                                                                                                       

"For every sect has always had one or more particular hobbies and articles which are manifestly wrong and can easily be discerned to be of the devil, who publicly teach, urge and defend them as right certain and necessary to believe or to keep  For the spirit of lies cannot so conceal himself, but that he must at last put forth his claws, by which you can discern and observe the ravenous wolf." Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 282f. Eighth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 7:15-23.         
                                                                                            
"This article concerning justification by faith (as the Apology says) is the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine, without which no poor conscience can have any firm consolation, or can truly know the riches of the grace of Christ, as Dr. Luther also has written: If this only article remains pure on the battlefield, the Christian Church also remains pure, and in goodly harmony and without any sects; but if it does not remain pure, it is not possible that any error or fanatical spirit can be resisted. (Tom. 5, Jena, p. 159.) And concerning this article especially Paul says that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Formula of Concord, SD III. #6, Righteousness of Faith. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 917. Tappert, p. 540. Heiser, p. 250.                                                                                                     

"If this only article remains pure on the battlefield, the Christian Church also remains pure, and in goodly harmony and without any sects; but if it does not remain pure, it is not possible that any error or fanatical spirit can be resisted."
Dr. Luther Formula of Concord, SD. III. #6. Righteousness of Faith. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 917. Tappert, p. 540. Heiser, p. 250.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

"It is a curious fact in denominational history, that, as an ordinary rule, the more large, catholic, and churchly the title of a sect, the smaller, narrower, and more sectarian is the body that bears it." Charles P. Krauth, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology, Philadelphia: The United Lutheran Publication House, 1871, p. 115.   ELDONA.                                                                                                               

"The second class of hearers are those who receive the Word with joy, but they do not persevere.  These are also a large multitude who understand the Word correctly and lay hold of it in its purity without any spirit of sect, division or fanaticism, they rejoice also in that they know the real truth, and are able to know how they may be saved without works through faith...But when the sun shines hot it withers, because it has no soil and moisture, and only rock is there.  So these do; in times of persecution they deny or keep silence about the Word and work, speak and suffer all that their persecutors mention or wish, who formerly went forth and spoke, and confessed with a fresh and joyful spirit the same, while there was peace and no heat, so that there was hope they would bear much fruit and serve the people."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p. 116. Sexagesima. Luke 8:4-15 (par. Mark 4: Matthew 13:)                                                                                            

"The liberal movement in Lutheran circles is not a thing of sudden growth.  In our circles it began half a century ago.  In its early stages it showed itself by an aping of the sects in external things, while our doctrine remained sound.  Perhaps the first thing to go was the Lutheran hymn...Many of the pastors and congregations gave up the ancient Gospels and Epistles, and began to preach on free texts, in imitation of the sects.  There was a fad at one time for series of sermons on Old Testament characters.  Lent was still observed, but the sermons became mere character sketches of Pontius Pilate, Judas, Simon Peter, and the Roman centurion."
"Contributed," "The Development of Liberalism, The Confessional Lutheran, 10/45. p. 121.                                                                                                         

"Yes, the drift toward sectarian liberalism went on and on.  When the sects conducted Boy Scout investitures, we began to do likewise.  When the sects preached the social gospel it had its echo among us.  When the sects decided on fervent prayer as the one mighty means of grace that rules the world, men in our circles began to buy books on that subject and to preach on its invincibility." "Contributed," "The Development of Liberalism, The Confessional Lutheran, 10/45. p. 122.                                                                                                                 

"I often say that there is no power or means to resist the sects except this one article of Christian righteousness.  If we have lost it, we cannot resist any errors or sects."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1225. Galatians 2:20.                                                                                                               

"The sects have two great advantages among the masses.  The one is curiosity, the other is satiety.  These are the two great gateways through which the devil drives with a hay wagon."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1268. 1 Corinthians 15.                                                                                                              

"But now these sects are our whetstones and polishers; they whet and grind our faith and doctrine so that, smooth and clean, they sparkle as a mirror.  Moreover we also learn to know the devil and his thoughts and become prepared to fight against him."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1269.                                                                                                              

"When one heresy dies, another presently springs up; for the devil neither slumbers nor sleeps.  I myself--though I am nothing--who have now been in the ministry of Christ for twenty years, can truthfully testify that I have been attacked by more than twenty sects.  Some of these have entirely perished; others still twitch with life like pieces of dismembered insects.  But Satan, that god of factious men, raises up new sects."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1270. Preface, Galatians Commentary Galatians.                                                                                                       

"Four people from each of 61 growing congregations gathered to share their congregational development experience, to react to the utility of toolbox items uncovered in Sections 2B and 2C above, and to exchange views with church body officials.  Approximately 125 church body officials [ELCA, WELS, LCMS] and other guests observed these congregations and participated in the discussions."
Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 20.                                                                                                                

"But dissensions, sects and divisions are sure signs that the true doctrine is either ignored or misunderstood, men thus being left in a condition to be 'tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,' as Paul says (Ephesians 4:4); which is indisputably the case with these same schismatics who condemn the Church and her doctrines because of some discordant ones." Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 204. Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:4                                                                                                        

"Thus Paul rejects the glorying and boasting of the sects over their offices and gifts--they who pretend to be filled with the Spirit and to teach the people correctly, and who make out that Paul and other teachers are of no consequence...More than that, they demand a higher attainment in the Spirit for Gospel ministers, deeming faith, the Sacrament, and the outward office not sufficient." Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 206. Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;                                                                                                       

"The same is true of other factions--the Anabaptists and similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's Supper when they pretend that the external [spoken] Word and outward sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do that?"
Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 208. Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;                                                                                                           

"However, we see that although Satan causes many sects and factions to rise up soon they war among themselves and disappear again.  What countless cliques and fanatical tyrants Satan has produced to oppose the Gospel during these fifteen hundred years, endeavoring to rend and destroy the kingdom of Christ!"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 235. Ascension Day Mark 16:14-20.                                                                                                        

"The devil does not rest yet, and hence he stirs up so many sects and factions.  How many sects have we not already had?  One has taken up the sword, another has attacked the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, others that of baptism."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 266. Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, John 4:46-54; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12                                                                                                          

"For every sect has always had one or more particular hobbies and articles which are manifestly wrong and can easily be discerned to be of the devil, who publicly teach, urge and defend them as right certain and necessary to believe or to keep  For the spirit of lies cannot so conceal himself, but that he must at last put forth his claws, by which you can discern and observe the ravenous wolf." Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, IV, p. 282f. Eighth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 7:15-23.                                                                                                       

"The doctrine of the means of grace is a peculiar glory of Lutheran theology.  To this central teaching it owes its sanity and strong appeal, its freedom from sectarian tendencies and morbid fanaticism, its coherence and practicalness, and its adaptation to men of every race and every degree of culture.  The Lutheran Confessions bring out with great clearness the thought of the Reformers upon this subject."
"Grace, Means of," The Concordia Cyclopedia, L. Fuerbringer, Th. Engelder, P. E. Kretzmann, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1927, p. 299.                                                                                                           

"When the Gospel begins to assert its influence, everybody wants to become a Christian.  All seems well, and everybody is pleased.  But when a wind or rainstorm of temptation comes on, people fall away in droves. Then sectaries arrive, as worms and bugs, gnawing and polluting the fruits of the Gospel, and so much false doctrine arises that few stay with the Gospel."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 37. John 4:46-54.                                                                                                        

"Why do so many people in our country fall in with the preachers of fanatical sects?  Because these sects spread the glamour of great sanctity about themselves.  Alas! man regards the works of God as trifling, but esteems the works of men highly.  That is nothing but one of the sad results of man's fall into sin."
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 372.   The CORE.                                                                                                           

"The world is now full of sects which exclaim that Baptism is merely an external matter and that external matters are of no use.  However, let it be ever so much an external matter; here stand God's Word and command which institute, establish, and confirm Baptism.  However, whatever God institutes and commands cannot be useless but must be an altogether precious matter, even if it were worth less than a straw."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 43. Large Catechism Matthew 28:19.                                                                                                      

"We should be on our guard against the Anabaptists and sectarian spirits, who speak  contemptuously of Baptism and say that it is nothing but ordinary water, which helps no one.  They look at the sacred act as a cow looks at a new door; for they see a poor preacher standing there or some woman who baptizes in an emergency, are offended at the sight, and say:  Indeed!  What might Baptism be?  Moreover, they state:  Whoever does not believe is really not baptized. In this way they dishonor and blaspheme the most worthy Sacrament, not seeing any farther than a horse or a cow sees...."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 45. John 1:30-32.                                                                                                    

"Error and heresy must come into the world so that the elect may become approved and manifest.  Their coming is in the best interests of Christians if they take the proper attitude toward it.  St. Augustine, who certainly was sufficiently annoyed by wretched sectaries, says that when heresy and offense come, they produce much benefit in Christendom; for they cause Christians industriously to read Holy Scriptures and with diligence to pursue it and persevere in its study.  Otherwise they might let it lie on the shelf, become very secure, and say:  Why, God's Word and the text of Scripture are current and in our midst; it is not necessary for us to read Holy Scripture." What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 639.                                                                                                    

"Error and heresy must come into the world so that the elect may become approved and manifest.  Their coming is in the best interests of Christians if they take the proper attitude toward it.  St. Augustine, who certainly was sufficiently annoyed by wretched sectaries, says that when heresy and offense come, they produce much benefit in Christendom; for they cause Christians industriously to read Holy Scriptures and with diligence to pursue it and persevere in its study.  Otherwise they might let it lie on the shelf, become very secure, and say:  Why, God's Word and the text of Scripture are current and in our midst; it is not necessary for us to read Holy Scripture." What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 639.                                                                                                     

"All the others also say that they are teaching the Word of God.  No devil, heretic, or sectarian spirit arises who says:  I, the devil, or a heretic, am preaching my own views.  On the contrary, all know how to say: This is not my doctrine; it is God's Word."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 640.                                                                                                               

"For as truly as I can say, No man has spun the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer out of his head, but they are revealed and given by God Himself, so also I can boast and given by God Himself, so also I can boast that Baptism is no human trifle, but instituted by God Himself, moreover, that it is most solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be baptized or we cannot be saved, lest any one regard it as a trifling matter, like putting on a new red coat. For it is of the greatest importance that we esteem Baptism excellent, glorious, and exalted, for which we contend and fight chiefly, because the world is now so full of sects clamoring that Baptism is an external thing, and that external things are of no benefit. But let it be ever so much an external thing, here stand God's Word and command which institute, establish, and confirm Baptism."
The Large Catechism, Part Fourth, Of Baptism. #6-8. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 733. Tappert, p. 437. Heiser, p. 205.