Luther - Justification by Faith - Galatians Lectures

Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan,

But it is because, as I often warn you, there is a clear and present danger that the devil may take away from us the pure doctrine of faith and may substitute for it the doctrines of works and of human traditions.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 3

For if the doctrine of justification is lost, the whole of Christian doctrine is lost. And those in the world who do not teach it are either Jews or Turks or papists or sectarians.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 9

These new monks [Anabaptists] invent a new cross and new works, and they imagine that by performing these they will please God. In short, whoever does not know the doctrine of justification takes away Christ the Propitiator. Galatians 1:3
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 28

For until our death Satan will never stop attacking all the doctrines of the Creed in us. He is the implacable enemy of faith, for he knows that it is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Therefore it is our obligation to hold constantly to our faith and to establish it, in order that we may be able to stand up to Satan. Galatians 1:3
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 31

["The Church of Rome is superior to the Gospels because it approves the Gospels" - or today - "The synod has approved it.]

The Church approves Christian faith and doctrine. Therefore the church is superior to them. To refute this wicked and blasphemous  doctrine of theirs, you have here a clear text and a thunderbolt. Here Paul subordinates himself, an angel from heaven, teachers on earth, and any other masters at all to Sacred Scripture. Galatians 1:9
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 57f.

Besides, the question of justification is an elusive thing--not in itself, for in itself it is firm and sure, but so far as we are concerned. I myself have had considerable experience of this, for I know how I sometimes struggle in the hours of darkness. I know how often I suddenly lose sight of the rays of the Gospel and of grace, which have been obscured for me by thick, dark clouds. In other words, I know how slippery the footing is even for those who are mature and seem to be firmly established in matters of faith. Galatians 1:11-12.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 63f.

Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, Page 93 is the false argument - you weren't here from the beginning (not born in Wisconsin or didn't go to a Concordia Cemetery).

But those men look at Peter's high prestige; they admire his social position and forget the majesty of this doctrine. Paul does the opposite. He does not attack Peter sharply; he treats him with due respect. But because he sees that the prestige of Peter is endangering the majesty of the doctrine of justification, he ignores the prestige, in order to keep this doctrine pure and undefiled. Galatians 2:11
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 108.

The fall or error of one man can so easily bring on enormous ruin if it is not corrected. Therefore the doctrine of justification is nothing to be trifled with, and it is not without reason that we inculcate it and insist on it with such diligence. Galatians 2:13
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 111f.

Here let reason be far away, that enemy o faith, which, in the temptations of sin and death, relies not on the righteousness of faith or Christian righteousness, of which it is completely ignorant, but on its own righteousness, at most on the righteousness of the Law. As soon as reason and the Law are joined, faith immediately loses its virginity. Galatians 2:13
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 113.

Therefore the Christ who is grasped  by faith and who lives in the heart is the true Christian righteousness, on account of which God counts us righteous and grants us eternal life. Galatians 2:16.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 130

We must not attribute the power of justification to a "form" that makes a man pleasing to God; we must attribute it to faith, which takes hold of Christ the Savior Himself and possesses Him in the heart. This faith justifies without love and before love. Galatians 2:16
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 137

The only thing necessary is that we accept the treasure  that is Christ, grasped by faith in our hearts, even though we feel that we are completely filled with sins. Thus these words, "by faith in Christ," are very emphatic, not empty and vain, as the sophists think when they leap over them so boldly. Galatians 2:16
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 139

Then they ridicule us for inculcating and emphasizing faith with such diligence: "Ha, ha! Faith, faith! Just wait until you get to heaven by faith! No you must strive for something more sublime. You must fulfill the Law of God...." Galatians 2:17
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 143

Holy Scripture, especially the New Testament, always inculcates faith in Christ and magnificently proclaims Him. It says that "whoever believes in Him is saved, does not perish, is not judged, is not put to shame, and has eternal life" (John 3:16). Galatians 2:17
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 146

Meanwhile my old man (Ephesians 4:22) remains outside and is subject to the Law. But so far as justification is concerned, Christ and I must be so closely attached that He lives in me and I in Him. What a marvelous way of speaking! Because He lives in me, whatever grace, righteousness, life, peace, and salvation there is in me is all Christ's; nevertheless, it is mine as well, by the cementing and attachment that are through faith, by which we become as one body in the Spirit. Galatians 2:20
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 167f.

Thus Ephesians 5:30 says: "We are members of the body of Christ, of His flesh and of His bones," in such a way that this faith couples Christ and me more intimately than a husband is coupled to his wife. Therefore faith is no idle quality; but it is a thing of such magnitude that it obscures and completely removes those foolish dreams of the sophists' doctrine--the fiction of a formed faith and of love, of merits, our worthiness, our quality, etc. Galatians 2:20.
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 168f.

Thus "You received the Spirit either from the Law or from the hearing of faith. If it was by the Law, then it was not by the hearing of faith; if it was by the hearing of faith, then it was not by the Law.  There can be no middle ground. For whatever is not the Holy Spirit or hearing with faith is clearly the Law." We are dealing with the issue of justification. But there are only two ways to justification: either the Word of the Gospel or the Law. Galatians 3:2
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 203

But the doctrine of justification is this, that we are pronounced righteous and are saved solely by faith in Christ, and without works. If this is the true meaning of justification--as it certainly is, or it will be necessary to get rid of all Scripture--then it immediately follows  that we are pronounced righteous neither through monasticism nor through vows nor through Masses not through any other works. Galatians 3:5
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 223

This discussion of the example of Abraham involves at the same time Holy Scripture itself, which says that we are reckoned righteous by faith. Therefore this is a very powerful argument on two counts, both because of the example of Abraham and because of the authority of Scripture. Galatians 3:7
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 240

Therefore faith always justifies and makes alive; and yet it does not remain alone, that is, idle. Not that it does not remain alone on its own level and in its own function, for it always justifies alone.  But it is incarnate and becomes man; that is, it neither is nor remains idle or without love. Galatians 3:12
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 272

Who can adequately proclaim the usefulness and the effect of even one work that a Christian does in faith and on the basis of faith? Galatians 3:22
Lectures on Galatians, 1535. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 334

Christian prof says Jesus was Muslim. Luther College - ELCA - Once Conservative

Christian prof says Jesus was Muslim:


Shedinger said the issue arose when a Muslim student challenged his teaching about Islam, and he rethought not only Islam, but all of religion.

He came to perceive Islam as a social justice system instead of a religion, and found that he thought the same about Jesus.

“I had to rethink what Islam is,” Shedinger said in the interview. “I came to the conclusion that it was a social justice movement and I think that’s who Jesus was in the first century so I conclude Jesus is more like a Muslim.”

He admitted it would “be a stretch” for many to follow his process and consider Jesus a Muslim, but, “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable any more.”

“Even as a Christian I have to answer yes to that,” he said

“We’re not trying to aggravate nobody,” said the interviewer, Abdush Shahid Munir.

Noting that his audience included Christians, Muslims “and other denominations,” Munir asked Shedinger to explain this book.

Shedinger said he re-evaluated a lot of the research he’d encountered during his training, and he suddenly recognized “there were a lot of scholars out there who are arguing the points I make in the book.”

He described his book as a “call for Christians and Muslims to work together to promote social justice.”

His book is published by Fortress Press, the academic book imprint of Augsburg Fortress, which “is noted for its significant publishing in the areas of religious studies, Jewish-Christian studies, African American religion, religion and science, feminist theology, and ethics.”

“The Fortress Press is academic, ecumenical, inclusive, and international,” the company explains.

The college lists Shedinger as associate professor of religion, and cites his course teachings as Intro to the Hebrew Bible, The Bible and Imperial Politics, Intro to Islam, Life After 9/11, Unity and Diversity in Contemporary Islam, and Biodiversity.


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Dresden Catechism - Why Does Everything Happen in Dresden?Dresden Catechism

Arthur Repp, Sr - Luther's Catechism Comes to America.
The Dresden Cross Catechism of 1688
was approved by the Elector, Wittenberg, and Leipzig.
Compare the Dietrich Catechism.

Here is a link to the German Dresden Catechism, a PDF.

Steve Witte Is WELS Gordon-Conwell Drive-By DMin.A Founder of Church and Change, But Schroeder Made Him the Porta-Sem President

Lettuce Prey - the Change and Change mascot.
He can't spell either.

This is how to get ahead, boys and girls -
lead seminars at Church and Change conferences,
which have gone multi-site.

Church and Chicanery leader Witte says

preaching the Gospel is not enough. "The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is in crisis,
but revival is possible. Its leaders must get into the Scriptures, repent, and pray."



Title: Hope and a future : confronting the death of confessional Lutheranism / by Steve Witte.
Author: Witte, Steve.


Imprint: 2007.
Note: The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is in crisis, but revival is possible. Its leaders must get into the Scriptures, repent, and pray. The definition of faithfulness must be expanded--not "just preach the gospel" but also using means to shine the gospel light into a dark world.
Note: Typescript.
Subject: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
Subject: Church renewal.
Physical Description: xii, 235 leaves ; 28 cm.

Location Information
Hamilton
Circulating Coll.
BX8061.W6 W57 2007 [Available]
This item has been checked out 0 time(s)
and currently has 0 hold request(s).

[GJ - BX8061 is reserved for Lutheran denominations. This is a typescript about WELS, so how did it get to G-C?]

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Dr. Witte spoke at the last Church and Chicanery Conference.

Hmm. "Dr" - from where? Gordon Conwell? This seems to be an academic paper, probably a DMin paper. The Church and Chicaneries all want to be doctors if the process is easy enough for them: Paul Kelm (Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis); Larry Olson (Fooler Seminary), etc.

Witte was at Beautiful Savior in Green Bay. Under SP Schroeder Witte was promoted to Asian Cemetery Board, then president of the porta-seminary.

I was looking over the Asian Flikr site. An Asian woman graduated from their porta-sem. One photo has Dr. John Lawrenz (real PhD) with Steve Witte (DMin - fake doctorate). Both are called "Dr." - just as Paul Kelm, Larry Olson, Rich Krause, and John Parlow are - all DMins, all Church and Changers. Greed and deception, says Luther - the world is run on greed and deception.

Go thou and be continuously changing doctrine,
while denying it.
May our Father Below bless your work.

Penn State leaders disregarded victims, 'empowered' Sandusky, review finds - CNN.com

How could any man show friendship for a child rapist?
This is Joe Paterno, right, with Jerry Sandusky.

Joel Hochmuth's deviancy was known by the un-named counseling agency and his wife.
SP Schroeder publicly absolved Joel of all sin, because "Joel was sorry."
Then Joel pleaded not guilty.
Has any felon been kicked out of WELS? Al Just? William Tabor? Ed Werner? Scott Zerbe?

Darwin Schauer, LCMS, was a convicted child sex offender - and unrepentant.
So LCMS leaders got him into the lay pastor program, so he could rape again.

Penn State leaders disregarded victims, 'empowered' Sandusky, review finds - CNN.com:


State College, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Penn State's most powerful leaders showed "total and consistent disregard" for victims of child sex abuse and failed to protect children, according to the findings of a long-awaited internal review over how the university handled a scandal involving its former defensive coordinator.
In fact, the report says several former officials "empowered" Jerry Sandusky to continue his abuse, and investigators say legendary head football coach Joe Paterno could have stopped the attacks had he done more.

In a statement released along with the 267-page report, Louis Freeh, the former FBI director and federal judge who spearheaded the review, blasted several top former officials at the school, accusing them of forging an agreement to conceal Sandusky's attacks.

"There are more red flags here than you can count," said Freeh, who added that the abuse occurred just "steps away" from where Paterno worked in the university's Lasch Building.

"Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State," Freeh wrote. "The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized."

He went on to name four former school officials -- former President Graham Spanier, former Vice President Gary Schultz, Paterno, and former athletic director Tim Curley -- saying they "never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky's victims until after Sandusky's arrest."

Their failure "to protect against a child sexual predator harming children" lasted "more than a decade," the full report says.

"They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky's victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child whom Sandusky assaulted in the Lasch Building in 2001. Further, they exposed this child to additional harm by alerting Sandusky, who was the only one who knew the child's identity, of what (Mike) McQueary saw in the shower on the night of February 9, 2001."

Then-Penn State graduate assistant McQueary reported to Paterno that he had seen what appeared to be a sexual attack involving Sandusky and a boy in the shower room on that night.

The report also says the four men, "unchecked by the board of trustees that did not perform its oversight duties, empowered Sandusky to attract potential victims to the campus and football events by allowing him to have continued, unrestricted and unsupervised access to the university's facilities and affiliation with the university's prominent football program. Indeed, that continued access provided Sandusky with the very currency that enabled him to attract his victims. Some coaches, administrators and football program staff members ignored the red flags of Sandusky's behaviors and no one warned the public about him."

The Penn State board of trustees issued a statement saying it is reviewing "the findings and recommendations. We expect a comprehensive analysis of our policies, procedures and controls related to identifying and reporting crimes and misconduct, including failures or gaps that may have allowed alleged misconduct to go undetected or unreported. We will provide our initial response later today."

The board added that it is "convening an internal team" to analyze the findings.

The report says investigators conducted 430 interviews of "key university personnel and other knowledgeable individuals."

"We tried to speak to Sandusky; he did not want to speak to us," Freeh said at a news conference.
More than 3.5 million "pieces of pertinent electronic data and documents" were analyzed, the report says.
The report found that janitors who were aware of the abuse took no action, out of fear.

"They witness what I think in the report is probably the most horrific rape that's described," Freeh told reporters. "And what do they do? They panic." One janitor, a Korean War veteran, said it was "the worst thing he's ever seen." He and other janitors were "alarmed and shocked," but were afraid that if they reported it they'd be fired.

"They said the university would circle around it. It was like going against the president of the United States. ... If that's the culture on the bottom, God help the culture at the top."

The review casts a dark shadow over the school's storied football program and over the career of Paterno, who was widely beloved for bringing Penn State football to national prominence. He died on January 22.

Attorneys for Spanier, Schultz, Curley, Paterno's family, and Sandusky did not immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment.

Barbara Dorris, a spokeswoman for a group called the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), applauded the work of investigators and called for the former top school officials who were implicated in the probe to be prosecuted.

Investigators found that even before May 1998, "several staff members and football coaches regularly observed Sandusky showering with young boys," but "none of the individuals interviewed notified their superiors of this behavior," according to the report.

It also found that university police "and the Department of Public Welfare responded promptly to the report by a young boy's mother of a possible sexual assault by Sandusky" in 1998, and top university officials were "kept informed of the investigation."

A year later in 1999, Paterno, Spanier, Schultz, and Curley decided to allow Sandusky to retire, "not as a suspected child predator, but as a valued member of the Penn State football legacy, with future 'visibility' at Penn State and ways 'to continue to work with young people through Penn State,' essentially granting him license to bring boys to campus facilities for 'grooming' as targets for his assaults. Sandusky retained unlimited access to University facilities until November 2011," the report says.

He was awarded emeritus status at the university in 1999 -- which provided Sandusky greater access to school facilities -- despite what Provost Rodney Erickson described as an "uneasiness" because of the ex-coach's "low academic title."

The university also approved a one-time lump sum payment of $168,000 to Sandusky in June of that year. Top school officials said "they had never known the university to provide this type of payment to a retiring employee," according to the report.

An effort to avoid bad publicity "is the most significant, but not the only, cause for this failure to protect child victims and report to authorities," the investigation found.

The scandal, which rocked the nation, led to the dismissal of Paterno, Spanier, Schultz and Curley.
Sandusky was convicted in June of sexually abusing young boys over a 15-year period. He maintains his innocence.

Victim No. 6: Violation and vindication
Freeh's internal investigation is separate from criminal investigations that have resulted in Sandusky's conviction and charges against Curley and Schultz over perjury and failing to report the abuse. No trial date has been set for the two ex administrators.

The cost of the investigation "is estimated to be in the millions," but is covered by the university's insurance policy, said Penn State spokesman David LaTorre.

"No one, no one, is above scrutiny," said trustee Kenneth Frazier, head of the committee addressing the scandal, when the review began in November 2011.

At the time, Freeh said to expect recommendations to improve possible leadership failures at the university "that allowed anyone to prey on children with impunity."

"Our mandate is clear," added Freeh. "We have been tasked to investigate this matter fully, fairly, and completely."

Those interviewed in the investigation included a former athletic director at nearby Juniata College.
In 2010, Sandusky requested to work as an unpaid football coach at Juniata College after retiring from Penn State in 1999, authorities said.

Video: Sandusky scandal part of Paterno legacy
A school background check turned up an investigation into the former defensive coordinator as well as a "do not hire" warning, prompting Juniata College officials to reject Sandusky's interest in the program, they said.
In June, eight young men testified in court, often in disturbingly graphic detail, of how Sandusky forced them to engage in sexual acts in various places, including in hotel rooms, the basement of his home and in the Penn State coaches' locker room.

In court documents, prosecutors say they have e-mails from university officials that allegedly contradict grand jury testimony of Curley and Schultz,

The alleged e-mails, which CNN obtained exclusively, were among other documents, including a Sandusky file maintained by Schultz. The Freeh review discovered the documents and turned them over to state prosecutors as part of ongoing investigations, according to both the university and prosecutors.

One of the alleged e-mails suggests Paterno had a previously undisclosed conversation with Curley about the shower incident from 2001.

On February 26, Penn State's vice president purportedly wrote to Curley about a plan to contact Sandusky, referred to only as "the subject," alert child welfare authorities and inform Second Mile, the charity the ex-coach founded for disadvantaged children, according to the purported exchange. Neither Sandusky nor the charity was mentioned by name. They were referred to as "the subject" and "the group."

After Curley spoke with Paterno, however, the athletic director allegedly told the school president that he had changed his mind about the best course of action to pursue.

Despite scandal, Penn State rakes in millions in donations
"After giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe yesterday, I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps," he allegedly wrote the following day.

Instead of alerting authorities, Curley apparently wrote that he would prefer meeting with Sandusky, telling him they knew about another incident in 1998, and offering him professional help. He then suggested notifying the charity "at some point" if Sandusky is cooperative, and "maybe" child welfare officials.
Paterno did not report the shower incident to police.

"We determined that his decision to do his minimum legal duty and not to do more to follow up constituted a failure of leadership by Coach Paterno," the board of trustees said in a report that explained his firing.

That decision prompted rioting by Penn State students, overturning a news van and clashing with police, who used tear gas to break up throngs of angry protesters.

Wick Sollers, a lawyer for the Paterno family, issued a statement following CNN's disclosure of the purported e-mails asserting that "the e-mails in question did not originate with Joe Paterno or go to him as he never personally utilized e-mail."

Sollers noted that Paterno, "from the beginning ... warned against a rush to judgment in this case. Coach Paterno testified truthfully, to the best of his recollection, in the one brief appearance he made before the grand jury. As he testified, when informed of an incident involving Jerry Sandusky in 2001, Coach Paterno followed university procedures and promptly and fully informed his superiors. He believed the matter would be thoroughly and professionally investigated and he did not interfere with or attempt to compromise any investigation."

The Pennsylvania attorney general's office is also investigating what Penn State knew about the 2001 incident and how it was handled.

Meanwhile, Spanier, the ousted president, has maintained that he was never informed of any incident involving Sandusky that described sexual abuse or criminality.

Spanier's attorneys have said he "wanted the Freeh Group to create an accurate report and has been determined to assist in any way he can."

According to the board of trustees, Spanier was fired in November because "he failed to meet his leadership responsibilities."


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Twisting Gausewitz into Universal Objective Justification

Gausewitz died in 1927.
A Man of Unusual Talents.

Compare the final question under the First Commandment from these edtions of Gausewitz's catechism:

1932: "What blessings do we derive from this obedience of our Savior? He that believes in Him is justified in the sight of God, and learns to follow Him."


1956: "What blessings are ours through Christ's perfect obedience? We are justified in the sight of God and learn to follow our Savior."

***

GJ -  This proves what California has argued for a long time - that the odious changes in WELS began long before people suspected. If a congregation did not recycle their old Gausewitz edition, the 1956 prevailed ever since, setting up the sect for the blatant Kuske UOJ blue catechism.

Almost everyone confirmed with the older Gausewitz is already retired or shovel-ready.

The editing with this sentence is subtle. There is no obvious denial of justification by faith. Naturally, the liars who promote UOJ still claim they support justification by faith - even though they oppose it. 

False doctrine does not openly oppose sound doctrine. The better scheme is to supplant it slowly, gradually, stealthily. Anyone can understand the 1956 sentence as justification by faith, even though "he that believes in Him" has been removed.

Thus, according to UOJ, everyone in the world has already been forgiven of all sins, even before birth, so "we are justified in the sight of God" really means grace without the Word, without the Means of Grace - and most importantly - without faith.

The language of the revision can also be used with Jay Webber's phrase about everyone forgiven "IN CHRIST" when he clearly does not know what he is talking about.

So the chief article of the Christian faith, justification by faith, has been supplanted by rewriting a faithful catechism and bending it toward apostasy. Error loves ambiguities.

Now several generations have been so completely brainwashed in UOJ that they imagine it has always been taught. 

I am holding a 1982 Robert Preus essay, printed by Concordia Cemetery, Ft. Wayne, distributed at Bethany Cemetery, Mankato, where justification without faith (Huber's position) is clearly and unequivocally repudiated. The same quotations were used in Justification and Rome, but Rolf Preus, who grew up after that essay was written, insists that his father always taught UOJ. Two publications say otherwise.

There is a definite UOJ strand in the Synodical Conference, which was founded by Pietists, where Halle University was the Jerusalem, and Knapp the last of the Old Guard. Walther taught the Pietist flavor of Easter absolution, beloved by Rambach and Jay Webber. 

Walther made sure his obedient disciples took over the training at St. Louis. Some of them founded the repugnant Wauwatosa theology in WELS.

But justification by faith was and is still being taught in Missouri and WELS. The German LCMS catechism taught justification by faith, without veering off into UOJ. The original Gausewitz did too.

I also have a copy of the CPH catechism, KJV style, which is also silent on UOJ but teaches justification by faith. The KJV catechism is still in print at CPH.

But Rolf Preus, preening for his pals at the Skunk Patch, said Pastor Harley "soiled himself" in teaching justification by faith. No one ever brought charges against Pastor Harley or had much to say against his exegesis.

The provocateur of Kokomo, Papenfuss (WELS), admitted to his members that he never heard of UOJ until he got to Mequon. Nevertheless, two families were kicked out of WELS for NOT agreeing with J. P. Meyer's three statements and the fourth statement from the Norwegian/Augustana debate. Sig Becker and the seminary defended UOJ.

VirtueOnline - News.WELS Has Practiced Open Communion for Decades, Without Admitting It

How many things are wrong with this photo?
It is real, relevant, and relational.

VirtueOnline - News:


GC2012: The Episcopal Church Moves One Step Closer to Open Table

Michael Heidt in Indianapolis
www.virtueonline.org
July 11, 2012

On passing resolution C029 in the house of Deputies, the Episcopal Church is now one step closer to tacitly recognizing the practice of "open table", in which unbaptized persons are admitted to Holy Communion. By acknowledging the increasing incidence of "open table", and failing to censure it, the House of Deputies encourages the Episcopal Church to break with its own canons and the practice of the wider church since the days of the Apostles.

C029 reaffirms that the sacrament of Baptism is "is the ancient and normative entry point to receiving Holy Communion and that our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to go into the world and baptize all peoples." However, while stressing that Baptism is normative, the resolution does not state that it is prescriptive.

At the end of its second Resolve, C029 states, "We also acknowledge that in various local contexts there is the exercise of pastoral sensitivity with those who are not yet baptized." In this instance, "pastoral sensitivity" is the admission of people to Communion without being baptized. This is against the law of the Episcopal Church as stated in Canon 1.17.7: "No unbaptized person shall be eligible to receive Holy Communion in this Church."

In an attempt to bring the resolution into accordance with Episcopal Church law, Canon Michell of the Diocese of Dallas moved that the last two lines of the resolution be struck out. Deputy Newman from the Diocese of Los Angeles disagreed, arguing that "the reality we all live in is the tension that we experience when someone puts their hands out (to receive Communion) and the law book says no."

Deputy Loeb from the Diocese of Georgia believed that open table was wrong, "make the font open," he said, "have that be the way to the table." But a clerical deputy from the Diocese of New Hampshire spoke vehemently in favor, "We are crazy Christians." she exclaimed, "because we have a crazy God. Many of us do offer open table." For her, the resolution was a "both and."

Canon Michell's motion to amend failed and C029 went to the vote as written. The resolution passed and will now go to the House of Bishops for final approval. If it passes through that House, the Episcopal Church may be justly accused of breaking the universal law of the wider catholic church of which it claims to be a part and the Prayer Book's Article XXIX, which states:

"The Wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as Saint Augustine saith) the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ: but rather, to their condemnation, do eat and drink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing."

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The CORE's Statistics - During Mark Schroeder's Watch: "We Are Getting More Confessional"

WELS members should ask why Holy Mother Synod has over $500,000 to buy a failed bar in downtown Appleton, a few blocks from a real WELS church, and even more money to fix up the bar.

---

Your offering money at work, WELS.
Why it hardly got out the door, down the street, and it landed here.
Recycle.

My secret Appleton source:

Reader question: I have driven past Revolution on Franklin Street a couple times recently and noticed that the “available” sign is down. Did somebody lease finally lease the building and what is going to be in there?


Answer: That vacant building at 222 W. Franklin St., at the corner of Superior Street in Appleton, was purchased in a deal that closed Friday.

The new owner is The CORE, a church group that previously held services in the former Big Picture theater and then the OuterEdge Stage in downtown Appleton.

The Core is an outreach ministry of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Freedom.

“We’re not a standalone congregation. We’re a second campus,” said campus pastor Jim Skorzewski, who is known as Pastor Ski. “The Revolution building fell into our lap. It’s been a blessing.”

His congregation tends to be on the young side, mostly under age 35. Worship includes live bands. The Core will continue to hold its Sunday evening worship services at OuterEdge until this building is ready in September.

“We were never looking for a building, but we we’re always looking for a building,” he said. “We didn’t want to be a church that gets a building and then its vision and mission fall to the back burner because everything turns into paying the mortgage. We wanted to put our dollars into flesh and blood, people and relationships.”

Online, real estate listings show the asking price was $850,000. Outagamie County records listed its 2011 fair market value at about $523,000.

“We paid closer to fair market value,” said Jeff Ulman, a member of the church’s executive committee. “George Karl worked with us and helped us out extensively.”

George Karl, head coach of the Denver Nuggets and former coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, owned the building.

The purchase was handled through a church extension fund, said Skorzewski.

“We received a wonderful grant and loan from WELS, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Our remodeling was covered by the loan from WELS.”

Church volunteers are already inside working on the renovation. The church draws about 250 people on a typical Sunday.


Revolution was the last nightclub that operated in the Franklin Street building. It was open for about six months, until July 2010. Prior to that, the club had been opened and closed by several operators under the names Tom’s Garage, The Garage and Pulse Nightclub.

Skorzewski said the church would not keep the full liquor license that went with the building. If they chose to host wedding receptions in the building in the future, he said they would apply for a beer and wine license.

This is at least the fourth building in the Fox Cities to be converted from a business into a church in recent years, including structures that previously housed the Vineyard (now Living Faith), SK Flooring (now the Mission Church) and Big Picture (now Christ's Church of the Valley).

Note that in the printed version of this story in The Post-Crescent, the church in the Big Picture was incorrect. It is correct above.

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"We don't have any loan money left for your congregation.
We gave it to Ski and Glende for remodeling their bar,
the one with Craig Groeschel on tap.
But we are getting more confessional."

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Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "The CORE's Statistics - During Mark Schroeder's Wa...": 

Ichabod -

You say:

"WELS members should ask why Holy Mother Synod has over $500,000 to buy a failed bar in downtown Appleton, a few blocks from a real WELS church, and even more money to fix up the bar."

Here's my theory:

There are no limits to which the WELS will go to attempt to keep up with the culture. I think that certain personalities in WELS high places desire to change the public perception, that WELS is cosmopolitan - and, that it is a place for all people to make their "church home." Such perception though, is not Scriptural, as all one has to do is read and think about Christ's Parable of the Sower and the Seed. When a church body basically ignores the Holy Spirit and His work, its efforts to permeate the culture will always be of a fleshly nature. Hence, the shift to the teaching and preaching of universal objective justification, contrary to Christ's words found in Matthew 7 about the Narrow Gate.

Nathan M. Bickel

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org

Robo-Plagiarist: A Good Plan for Fox Valley and Paul McCain?

Swindle-all would be a good feed, says Bethany WELS in Appleton.
Didn't they host a Church and Change conference?
Deputy Doug says everyone does it - they sure do in his district.

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Zorro - on WELS Salaries":

The CG crowd is way ahead of "corporate news America." For new sermons, the CG pastors just surf, copy and paste. Journalists now have a program that turns stock and sports statistics into readable prose:

New reporter? Call him Al, for algorithm:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/reporter-call-him-al-algorithm-190751150.html

The new reporter on the US media scene takes no coffee breaks, churns out articles at lightning speed, and has no pension plan.

That's because the reporter is not a person, but a computer algorithm, honed to translate raw data such as corporate earnings reports and previews or sports statistics into readable prose.

Catholic Melinda Gates defies the Vatican over birth control funds - Health News - Health & Families - The Independent

Catholic Melinda Gates defies the Vatican over birth control funds - Health News - Health & Families - The Independent:


Melinda Gates, billionaire philanthropist and practising Catholic, yesterday laid down the gauntlet to the Vatican by vowing to dedicate her life to improving access to contraception for women in the developing world.

At an extraordinary summit in London, Mrs Gates announced that the charitable foundation she set up with her Microsoft founder husband Bill was donating $560m to family planning services.

The size of the donation is intended to emphasise the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s commitment to reducing unwanted pregnancies in poorer countries, which experts say lead to more than 100,000 women dying prematurely every year.

A life-long Catholic, Mrs Gates said she had grappled with her faith before deciding to speak out against the Vatican’s opposition to contraception.

“Of course I wrestled with this. As a Catholic I believe in this religion, there are amazing things about this religion, amazing moral teachings that I do believe in, but I also have to think about how we keep women alive,” she said in an interview in advance of the summit.


'via Blog this'

Zorro - on WELS Salaries

Zorro says:

Speaking as a WELS pastor to WELS pastors, let me suggest the best thing to happen for us all might be  to experience a substantial reduction in income. I know that sounds harsh, counter-intuitive, laced with  envy. Here me out, please.

When the synod salary code was reworked in 2003, those who most of "benefited" were those belonging to a "calling body" who could afford, so to speak, to bump up the pay.  The code was and still is onerous and unattainable for many small to mid-sized congregations. Remember, at this point,  we're talking only about salary.  Tack on WELS VEBA  insurance, pension, housing (if provided), mileage assistance, and allowances for technology, continuing education--and now we're talking a pile of money!  If a voters assembly or church council is monitoring the compensation, then it is no slam dunk you will be at "code",  much less receive the other goodies. That is as it should be.  A pastor serves; the congregation supports. Both have their part to do. But, our Lord is the one who does the providing for all!

Those who did "benefit" most immediately and consistently from the updated salary code are those called workers whose paychecks are written by synod. If the synod code was constructed to feather that nest, then I have no applause to give.  Sure, there have been some salary freezes for synodical workers.  But, I've known of parish pastors and teachers who salary was "frozen" years ago and still has not thawed.  Yet, pardon me, but those who insist a pastor should always be getting a yearly bump up also need to man up.  If that is the unspoken assumption, sooner or later then the door will open for envy and covetousness and dissatisfaction to enter. And if this is not recognized and rooted out by repentance, then instead of seeing that the joy of the Lord is our strength, we will be pinning our satisfaction on the size of our paycheck, and harboring resentment toward the very  people whom our Lord as called us to serve.

Again, consider how you may profit from an income reduction. You'll pray like you've never prayed before. You'll admit you are not worthy of any goodness. And only out of His pure favor, for His Son's sake,  our Lord God will supply our needs.  If it takes a pay reduction to bring that truth into greater clarity, then indeed, we can profit from a pay reduction. So yes, that's a paradox. But paradoxes are meant to teach by absorption. Just consider that those among us who have two incomes--if the wife works outside the home--are doing very, very well. Owe up to that. No one begrudges you this. But, at all times, be prepared to let it go, lay it aside, and walk away from it. Will it rise to dominate your decision if a call comes to you from a congregation whose compensation is a lot less? Only you yourself can answer that.  

Many problems pastors have with a perceived inequity of income on their part can be attributed to a comparison with other church members and their vocations .  Here I make confession, too. Must we have the same level of affluence based our our perceptions of what the demands of our callings are in comparison with others, that somehow we are "owed" more, A shiny vehicle (or two+)? Expensive vacations? Latest cell phone? Substantial retirement  portfolios? A nicer cut of clothing? Pricey, private, prep education for the kids? Dining out? Weekend getaways? A fish shack, a hunting camp?  Where will the list end?!   

The words of the apostle Paul aren't just vapory theory; they are reality: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

This pertains to the men of the cloth, also. Especially so.

Pastors of previous generations served in situations most of us would be too soft to endure.  We're such pansies.

Guys, the word is out: pastors are tempted by materialism no less than anybody else. Am I one? Could I actually forgo and live on less and, profit from it? Your members will  pick up real quick if you have a predilection for greed. Ouch. I speak for myself first and foremost about that.

The insidious temptation at the root level is what used to be called "fear of men."  Will I shirk my duties, fawn at the feet of the heavy givers in order to protect my income for fear that if I step on toes, then, I'll take a hit in the pocketbook or get shouldered out of the congregation?  Will I shut up for fear of reprisal if my patient, but firm admonition of others on false doctrine and practice pegs me as a troublemaker, and therefore, renders me as undesirable to serve other than where I am?  Again, only you and I can answer such questions ourselves. Only let us be honest in doing so.

A pastor is not the member of a privileged cast. He is a servant of Christ and therefore, is given many a blessed cross to carry. And that does not automatically exclude what our Lord--who had no place to lay his head--experienced in this world. We should expect it. And, fear, if we don't.

We are rich in Christ, poor without him.

Therein is the key to contentment with the compensation we receive from our Lord through his people.

That's priceless.

Good Lord, open our eyes to that.

***

GJ - What applies to pastors is also true for congregations. The mission boards have pushed for running congregations into large debt packages so they can have the right lot, the right building, which will guarantee success.

Starting with nothing is a good lesson. The Apostles had nothing. Jesus had nowhere to lay His head.

The less we focus on material things, the more we appreciate the Means of Grace, and sound teachers like Luther and Chemnitz.

I would be ashamed to be in a congregation that talks about building more space while holding a Junk for Jesus rummage sale in the parish basement and promoting chicken wings to support their program. 

Pastors have mocked me for being a tent-maker (like Paul?) but I have managed to publish globally while they plagiarize locally. 

The top two at Concordia Publishing House earn a total of $500,000 in salaries and benefits. That money comes from the price of Lutheran books. It is part of the overhead at CPH. But when I point out the plagiarism of Number Two to Number One, he responds by unfriending me on Facebook. 

Plagiarism is a serious issue in academics and publishing, but the LCMS rewards it because politics come first. The same is true of WELS - the more destructive a pastor has been, the more he is rewarded.

VirtueOnline - News

ELCA is already in fellowship with Andy Griffith's Moravian Church

VirtueOnline - News:


The Episcopal Church and Anglican Church in North America Vie for Ecumenical Partners

By David W. Virtue in Ridgecrest, NC
www.virtueonline.org
June 11, 2012

The Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) are vying for ecumenical partners as each jockeys for recognition by the wider Christian community.

TEC recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Episcopal-Lutheran Concordat wherein the Episcopal Church USA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) entered into full Communion. While this was initially met with much enthusiasm and idealism in the hope that the two denominations would usher in a new era of inter-denominational cooperation, the occasion went mostly unnoticed.

In February of this year, the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church in North America celebrated full communion between their two churches. Talks between the Roman Catholic Church and TEC have gone essentially nowhere. The distance between the two churches has only widened in time over the consecration of gay non-celibate New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, the recent advent of the Ordinariate, and the ongoing issue of the ordination of women to the priesthood.

'via Blog this'

VirtueOnline - News. Discipline Is for Traditionalists, Not Radicals.Ask LCMS and WELS.

The yellow highlighted Mequonites took over WELS
in the name of Fuller Seminary and Enthusiasm.

VirtueOnline - News:


Nine Episcopal Bishops Faces Disciplinary Charges: Four active and five retired accused of Ecclesiastical Misconduct

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
June 30, 2012

Nine bishops, four of them sitting diocesan bishops, have been charged with misconduct. They now must face disciplinary proceedings that could lead to their being dismissed from the Episcopal Church.

One bishop, outgoing Bishop of Western Louisiana, D. Bruce MacPherson has been charged twice.

The Rt. Rev. Dan Martins of Springfield told VOL that he has heard nothing from 815 and only learned about the charges second hand.

California-based canon lawyer Allan S. Haley broke the story. Three bishops, Ed Salmon, former Bishop of South Carolina, and Dean of Nashotah House seminary, Peter Beckwith former Bishop of Springfield and D. Bruce MacPherson, Bishop of Western Louisiana (he retires in July) have all been charged under provisions of Title IV for having endorsed a legal pleading filed in the Quincy lawsuit.

Each bishop received an email from the Rt. Rev. F. Clayton Matthews, in his capacity as the Episcopal Church's intake officer for allegations regarding bishops of the church, stating that charges had been leveled against them.

He wrote, "I am obliged to inform you that a complaint has been received against you for your action in signing affidavits in opposition to a motion for Summary Judgment made by representatives of The Episcopal Diocese of Quincy and The Episcopal Church in the Fall of 2011 to secure the Diocesan financial assets from a breakaway group. In the next few weeks, I will initiate a disciplinary process according to Title IV Canon 6 Sec. 3 & 4 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church."

Canon Lawyer Allan S. Haley described the actions as "Stalinist tactics deployed to silence ECUSA Bishops in Court."

Hours later, seven other bishops received notification from Matthews with similar "charges". In a letter to them he wrote, "I am obliged to inform you that a complaint has been received against you for your action in filing of Amicus Curiae Brief in the pending appeal in the Supreme Court of Texas in opposition to The Episcopal Diocese of Texas and The Episcopal Church. In the next few weeks, I will initiate a disciplinary process according to Title IV Canon 6 Sec. 3 & 4 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church."

For daring to sign an amicus brief addressed to the Texas Supreme Court in the Fort Worth litigation: The Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, former Bishop of Texas, The Rt. Rev. John W. Howe, former Bishop of Central Florida, the Rt. Rev. Paul E. Lambert Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Dallas, The Rt. Rev. William H. Love, Bishop of Albany, The Rt. Rev. D. Bruce MacPherson Bishop of Western Louisiana (he retires in July - this is his second "misconduct charge), The Rt. Rev. Daniel H. Martins, Bishop of Springfield and The Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, Bishop of Dallas face charges.

"[This is] one more instance of Johnson's First Law of Episcopal Thermodynamics: 'Every joke you make about the Episcopal Organization eventually comes true,'" writes Haley.

"We know, from postings on the HoB/D list serve, that one of ECUSA's attorneys in the Fort Worth litigation, Kathleen Wells, Esq., who is the chancellor for the faux diocese of Fort Worth has been agitating for a 'litmus test' for all new bishops to determine whether or not they agree with 815's view of ECUSA as a total hierarchy, as it has been proclaiming in all its litigation.

"Needless to say, these 'charges' should never have made it past the Intake Officer, and would not have done so without the implicit approval of the Presiding Bishop herself," noted Haley.

There is apparently no intent in Bishop Matthew's email notifying the bishops that he is dismissing the charges. To the contrary, he states that he will "initiate a disciplinary process according to Title IV Canon 6 Sec. 3 & 4 ...".

"Those Canons spell out the offenses for which clergy may be charged, and would be irrelevant if the charges were being dismissed. Consequently, either Bishop Matthews wanted to dismiss the charges, and the Presiding Bishop objected; or else Bishop Matthews truly believes the charges may constitute an offense under the Church canons, and so he is proceeding with his investigation," added Haley.

"If the Presiding Bishop did approve the bringing of these charges, then she herself should be charged under the provisions of Canon IV.3.1 (c): Sec. 1. A Member of the Clergy shall be subject to proceedings under this Title for: (c) intentionally and maliciously bringing a false accusation . . . in any investigation or proceeding under this Title."

Those who know the history of the Presiding Bishop's disregard for the canons will have no hesitation in answering that question, he concluded.

FOOTNOTE: As VOL hears back from these bishops we will post more.

See Albany Bishop Bill Love's Letter here: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=16210#.T_CgY7Vtq6M

Bishop John W. Howe wrote to say that he too had not heard anything from Bishop Clay Matthews regarding these charges.

Bishop Lambert wrote to VOL and said, A "Complaint" has indeed been filed! No charges have been forthcoming at this time. That will be determined by a Court of Review which has yet to be impaneled.




'via Blog this'

VirtueOnline - News. Their Partnership with ELCA Means Fellowship with WELS And LCMS through Thrivent

Someone in the front row is thinking, "And I will be the next presiding bishop."

"Thank you, Larry Olson, for all you do for the cause."

VirtueOnline - News:

GC2012: Landslide Victory For Gay Marriage 

By Michael Heidt in Indianapolis 
www.virtueonline.org 
July 10, 2012

The House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church's 77th General Convention in Indianapolis made history on July 10, 2012, passing gay-marriage by a landslide majority.

Meeting in legislative session, the House of Deputies debated resolution A049, which proposed provisional blessing rituals, or liturgies, for same-sex couples, entitled, I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing. The debate began with a Minority Report, given by the Very Rev. David Thurlow of the Diocese of South Carolina. 

Thurlow told the House that did not expect to change the outcome of the vote and then spoke against the resolution, saying that gay-marriage contradicted scripture and tradition. "For two thousand years the church has had clear teaching on marriage," clear teaching that would be broken by voting in favor of the resolution. Referring to the ecumenical damage that would be caused by gay-marriage, Thurlow stated that "the bishops of the (Anglican) Communion and Provinces have spoken, our ecumenical partners, Rome and Constantinople have spoken. Consider what's at stake." 

Thurlow concluded, "This motion, if passed, will result in the Episcopal Church marching off not simply out of step, but out of line with the faith once delivered by Christ to the saints."

The report over, debate began, with many deputies speaking emotionally in favor of the resolution. One deputy stated that "gays and lesbians are human beings. Gays and lesbians happen to make lifelong commitments to each other like other human beings. I was moved to tears when a gay man told me of his lifelong relationship with his deceased partner." Tears continued with Jack Zambone from the Diocese of New Jersey. For him, the gay-marriage ceremony proposed by A049 was a "wonderful piece of work," and that "the lesbian couple in the parish where I serve burst into tears when I told them about it. They never thought it would happen in their lifetime."

Another deputy, Hallas from Chicago, was on the point of crying himself as he told the story of his lesbian sister. The thought of her "civil union" gave him an "unspeakable thrill," said Hallas, who stated that he felt bound to ensure that his sister had the "same rights and privileges as myself."

Jenna Guy from the Diocese of Iowa, declared that the matter was "very close to my heart," and that she took "great pride in the in the inclusive nature of my church." Guy also said that same-sex blessings would help evangelism, "For the sake of the future growth of this church, I urge all of you to vote in favor of this resolution."

But not all deputies spoke in favor of the resolution. Rev. Canon Neal Michell, of the Diocese of Dallas, moved that A049 be referred back to committee because insufficient work had been on its pastoral and theological implications. Passing and implementing the resolution at this point would be "like throwing a piece of spaghetti against the wall and seeing if it'll stick," he said. Michell's motion was defeated.

Rev. Lewis, of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, stated that the resolution "represents a turning point." She told the deputies that it was a "new teaching about the nature and significance of marriage," and even though the blessing ritual in question was not properly speaking a marriage, it is "being seen as a marriage rite." She recommended the House not pass the resolution because "reformation takes time," in the same way that a large barge takes time to turn around.

Deputy Holt, from the Diocese of Central Florida, stated that the debate was divisive. "What I want is for us to be faithful to what we have in the Book of Common Prayer," which teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman. This, argued Holt, was the teaching of "Our Lord Christ." A lay deputy from the Diocese of Albany was more forceful; passing the resolution was, for him, an exercise in the "majority wielding power."

After procedural delay, in which deputy Kimbrough, of the Diocese of Tennessee, attempted to divide the vote along its second Resolve, the debate closed with a meditation by Rev. Frank Wade of the Diocese of Washington DC.

The House of Deputies then voted by orders, with 86 lay members and 85 clergy voting overwhelmingly in favor of the resolution; a victory for gay-marriage of 78% and 76% respectively. 

Shortly after the vote, the traditionally minded Diocese of South Carolina issued the following statement, grieving the decision to authorize same-sex blessing rituals.

"It is with heavy hearts that Bishop Mark Lawrence and the South Carolina deputation to General Convention must report the final passage and adoption of Resolution A049, the Resolution to Authorize Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships. Our deputation, in voting against its passage, remains united and unanimous in our support of the historic understanding of "the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them." In the debate prior to the vote being taken, we spoke in favor of the minority report authored and presented by the Very Rev. David Thurlow. The Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina, in its statement of June 15 has articulated the clear position of our diocese on marriage. The South Carolina deputation wholeheartedly endorses that position. We grieve that General Convention has further departed from these values and adopted a resolution to permit pastoral license to violate the existing canons on marriage. We believe this decision will seriously wound the Church and ask to you join is in prayers for God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."

In contrast, the Episcopalian gay rights group, Integrity, stated that the passage of a church-wide ceremony for blessing same-sex unions was a "milestone in the journey toward achieving full inclusion, and being able to truly declare that 'all means all' in the worship life of the denomination."

The Episcopal Church will now implement I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing. The gay blessing liturgy is authorized for use on the first Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2012. 

'via Blog this'

Out of Touch Clergy

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Remember the Past":

rlschultz is right. Many pastors are out of touch because they don't visit the member's homes, or they only visit the well-off members' homes too much. Not visiting 100% of members once per year (or over two years) is going to skew their salary and benefits expectations one way or the other. Visiting only the homes of the wealthy will make a pastor dissatisfied with his salary and with living in a parsonage.

Our last pastor was like that and his salary was never enough, according to him, and he wanted to double the size of the parsonage. Finally, an addition was built, but nothing like he had hoped.

Meanwhile, the poorer people in the congregation were amazed he wasn't satisfied with what he made, but they could agree the parsonage was small for having grown kids there. (Previous pastors sent them off to prep school, so that never became a concern before.) Later, the vacancy pastor, who had retired, said he never earned anything close to what the former pastor made during his entire career.

Some say the pastor's salary is supposed to be middling based on his congregation member's sslaries. Whatever the median bread earner made would be a guide for the pastor's salary. The WELS guidelines say the base salary ought to be whatever a public school teacher makes with the same amount of years experience, but tack on more based on the size of the congregation, the degree level of the pastor, etc. LCMS guidelines can be found online with some looking.

***

GJ - There is no reason for this to change, Bruce. When a pastor is known for visiting the gym and not his own shut-ins, he is put on the Synodical Council as the pastoral delegate. The only thing that matters is - being a buddy of the SP.