Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "The LCMS Case - Darwin Schauer - Convicted Sex Off...":
I partially blame the 1989 Wichita Recension of the Augsburg Confession for this, which officially allowed for lay ministers. Since we all know that the SynCon only uses the BOC for door stops, what about Scripture? 1 Tim 3 and Titus 1 are pretty clear on the qualifications for clergy and elders. I don't think "husband of one wife" is solely addressing polygamy. This guy is reportedly on wife number four.
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GJ - I heard Dave Scaer (LCMS) and DP Robert Mueller (WELS) say--independently--that the passages refer to polygamy only and not to divorce and remarriage.
The worst Pharisees of the New Testament could take lessons from the Synodical Conference (tm) on honoring the Word with their lips but not their hearts, canonizing the traditions of man.
The untold secret of the Synodical Conference (tm) is how many rich supporters have dumped their wives for their mistresses, how many pastors have done the same. One of the pastors told the youth conference in Columbus that it made him a better pastor, because he understood divorce better.
Hear that? It's time to abuse coke and meth, so we can empathize with drug addicts.
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Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "The LCMS Case - Darwin Schauer - Convicted Sex Off...":
To continue, I guess we can conclude that episcopal polity isn't the catalyst for all evil in the Church. This is not said to gloat, for lives have been virtually ruined by this. However, the "Congregational Polity Utopians" don't have much room to roll their eyes in disgust at Rome, ELCA, ECUSA et al.
As already evidenced on BJS, look for the standard replies. Here are a few samples:
(1) "The SP can't discipline the DP's, for his authority is only advisory in nature."
(2) "We didn't know the guy had a history; he must have slipped through the cracks."
(3) "It's because of the pastor shortage."
It it amazing, though, how the hierarchy can exert their authority when a fast buck is involved. Look at the UMinn ULC being sold out from under that parish. Look at the attempt to kick the little old ladies out of their parish in CA. I would bet that the LCMS has had enough gumption to assemble a team of enough lawyers to fill a stadium in short order over this situation.
Remember, LCMS laity, you finance this when your "coin in the coffer rings." Think this won't touch you? See what happens to your liability insurance premiums.
I recall a discussion several years ago about my parish's insurance company strongly suggesting background checks on Sunday school teachers. Someone cracked that we're not Roman Catholic, and everyone howled. Who's laughing now, other than Satan?
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GJ - Church Growth got a steroid shot in WELS, Columbus, Ohio with the invention of Lutheran Parish Services, established to employ two divorced ex-pastors. They did their best to destroy each congregation.
How ironic - they began at St. Paul, German Village, where the Glende boys grew up. St. Paul is hardly more than a building and an endowment fund now. Thus - Church Growth and the employment of divorced pastors: WELS made sure both men got congregations again.
WELS leaders, like the LCMS drones, carefully read the Scriptures and do the opposite.
