Thursday, February 28, 2013

Third World Skeptic Asks about The CORE, Ski, and Glende


My Email to the Editors of the Local Paper

DP Doug is owned and operated by the Mark and Avoid Jeske clan.



Dear Editors of the Post Crescent,

pcnews@postcrescent.com
 
I have read your flattering articles about Ski, Tim Glende, and The CORE in Appleton.
 
Now I am wondering about the incident at the bar involving both of them and a young woman.
 
On one side I hear nothing really is being done, because the District President sides with both of them, as he has in the past.
 
On the other side I hear from WELS members all over, who are furious that this will be covered up like other recent scandals.
 
I hope you look into it.

Sincerely,
 
Greg Jackson, PhD
1104 Letha Drive
Springdale, AR 72762-2727
479-381-XXXX  (I don't trust some readers with all my information, because of spam.)
 

Another Sergeant Schultz Scenario



bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "The Know-Nothings in Fox Valley, WELS...They Know ...":

Here's another Sergeant Schultz scenario:
Even though church members were tipping off the police about the music director's behavior around young boys, the senior pastor of an ELCA church NW of Madison says he was "shocked" when the police arrested the music director for sex with a 14-year-old boy, and gives the same standard St. Schultz blurb as WELS President Schroeder did about Hochmuth:

"We were unaware of any activities..."

---------

Man charged with sexually assaulting the same 14-year-old as a Mount Horeb police officer

http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/man-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-the-same--year-old/article_a96cf048-814b-11e2-815c-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz2MFPxJIOo

"We began receiving some tips from concerned neighbors (about) young men at Gillespie’s condominium late at night," Foulke said. "Then we started also receiving information from the church about some concerns about his activities with young men and his position as the music director."

Gillespie was music director at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 7337 Hubbard Ave. The Rev. Roger Eigenfeld, the church’s senior pastor, said Wednesday the church is "shocked" by news about Gillespie.

"We were unaware of any activities that caused the Middleton Police Department to arrest and bring charges against him," Eigenfeld said. "We have been and will continue to cooperate with the authorities as they continue their investigation. And certainly our prayers go out to any who have been hurt."

====

St. Luke's--ELCA, Middleton, WI (near Madison):

http://www.stlukes-elca.org/sl_contact.php

map: http://goo.gl/maps/gkESk

WELS Martin Luther College students:
"We were copying a homosexual video?
Party in the Fire Island Pines, with Mike Fudge,
was a gay romp?"
---

"We weren't aware."
"Those Fire Island Pines boys are...gay?"


http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/man-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-the-same--year-old/article_a96cf048-814b-11e2-815c-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz2MFPxJIOo


Man charged with sexually assaulting the same 14-year-old as a Mount Horeb police officer







The former music director of a Middleton church was charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting the same 14-year-old boy a Mount Horeb police officer has been charged with assaulting.
Middleton Police Capt. Chuck Foulke said the investigation involving James "Alex" Gillespie, 48, led to the Madison police investigation of Dennis P. Jenks, 44, a Mount Horeb police lieutenant who was charged last week with repeated sexual assault of a child.
The boy, who ran away from home in Beloit in October, allegedly lived with Jenks from October until Feb. 13, when Jenks was arrested. A criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court alleges Gillespie assaulted the boy in November and December.
Gillespie is charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child under 16. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
"We began receiving some tips from concerned neighbors (about) young men at Gillespie’s condominium late at night," Foulke said. "Then we started also receiving information from the church about some concerns about his activities with young men and his position as the music director."
Police began interviewing people who had been to Gillespie’s condo, which led them to the 14-year-old boy, Foulke said. They learned the boy was living at Jenks’ apartment in Madison, where detectives contacted the boy on Feb. 13.
Jenks was charged on Feb. 21 with repeated sexual assault of a child. He is due back in court in late March.
Gillespie was music director at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 7337 Hubbard Ave. The Rev. Roger Eigenfeld, the church’s senior pastor, said Wednesday the church is "shocked" by news about Gillespie.
"We were unaware of any activities that caused the Middleton Police Department to arrest and bring charges against him," Eigenfeld said. "We have been and will continue to cooperate with the authorities as they continue their investigation. And certainly our prayers go out to any who have been hurt."
According to the complaint:
On Feb. 13, the boy told police he knew Gillespie but denied having a sexual relationship with him. But five days later the boy admitted Gillespie performed sex acts on him, the last time three or four days after Christmas. The boy said each time afterward "he felt very guilty because he felt like he was cheating on another man," presumably Jenks. In the criminal complaint against Jenks, the boy described Jenks to police as his "best friend" and tearfully told police he loved Jenks.
The boy said he told Gillespie he was 18, and Gillespie never questioned that.
On Feb. 12, Gillespie told Middleton detectives he thought the boy was 18. He said he met the boy through social media and he would come over to Gillespie’s home late at night and leave early in the morning.


Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/man-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-the-same--year-old/article_a96cf048-814b-11e2-815c-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz2MFZs0fkk

Does Ski Skate?
Friday Is the Big Day for the Truth about The CORE, Ski, and Tim Glende.
Contact SP Mark Schroeder and Mission Honcho Keith Free



Pastor Joel Lillo has always spoken for the Church and Changers in Fox Valley, but this is much bigger than Fox Valley or the Northern Wisconsin District of WELS.

The CORE--which is only an evening service for Fox Valley members who lub, lub, lub Emergent Church--has the complete support of Synod President Mark Schroeder and his new Missions guy, Keith Free.

Remember how everything was going to change when that Church Growther Harry Hagedorn left Missions? And all those other eevul guys Schroeder was blaming for Church Growthism in WELS?

Wayne Mueller (CG) was replaced with Jim Huebner (CG!!). Hagedorn (CG) with Keith Free (CG!!). Hey, it got worse, not better.

Not what they say, but what they do - that is the way to judge. Schroeder and Free poured out the money on the extremes of CG/Emergent in WELS, just as Schroeder's "confessional" buddy Buchholz now cuddles with Emergent Jeff Gunn at every conference.

Milwaukee should rename Mayfair Road The Damascus Highway (Acts 9:3), because so many have conversions on the way there.

After years of blaming everyone else for Church Growth in WELS, Schroeder and Free funded Rick Johnson (a huge fan of Leonard Sweet - huge) and the purchase of the stinky old bar for The CORE. Yes, Schroeder has real problems with Emergent Church dogma. He must think that funding it to death is the best cure - a bold, deft move on his part.

But now WELS is debating more than which apostate dogma to follow, fine aged UOJ or fresh new Universalism.

This is a legal issue. Will the Wisconsin sect learn from its past mistakes and stop covering up for the abusive behavior of its clergy and teachers?


Mark Schroeder
President
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
2929 N. Mayfair Road
Milwaukee, WI  53222
414.256.3202 (Office)


You can also contact WELS by calling 414-256-3888. 

Or ask for Keith Free. 
1. How much did WELS give to buy that bar?
2. Who owns the title?
3. Does Keith approve of the mockery of the cross at The CORE (picture below)?
4. Does Ski skate?
5. Why not discipline Glende too?
6. Why is Glende's previous congregation stuck out in the cornfield, unable to make ends meet, because of Tim forcing the sale of the paid-for church on the U. of Illinois campus? Will the Board apologize to Star of Bethlehem and make amends?

This is one of those clever projects, probably suggested by Craig Groeschel,
really a mockery of the cross of Christ.
Does Mark Schroeder approve?
Keith?
Anyone?
Why fund it?


---

quercuscontramalum (http://quercuscontramalum.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Does Ski Skate? Friday Is the Big Day for the Trut...":

#2: County records show the dive is titled to St. Peter. No online data for mortgage holders.

The parking lot is separate property and is owned by a bank. The hobos in the target demographic all come by train, so actually buying the parking lot wasn't a priority.

Tim Glende got rid of this paid-for church building on the U. of Illinois campus.

This is the interior of the former Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
No room for a coffee bar? Dump it - and they did.

From location, location, location (on a major university campus)
to cornfield, cornfield, cornfield - Glende's idea.
The past is prologue.



Museum of Idolatry - Intrepid Lutherans


bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "The Know-Nothings in Fox Valley, WELS...They Know ...":

Good post on Intrepid--collection of sorry church growth videos from the past:

Real? Relational?? Relevant??? O THE HORROR OF IT ALL!!! FEBRUARY 28, 2013

http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2013/02/real-relational-relevant-o-horror-of-it.html


THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013


Real? Relational?? Relevant??? O THE HORROR OF IT ALL!!!

This is when it all started to happen. Relevance... back in the 1970's... sure ain't what it used to be. My, how the flower it doth fade... The fact is, THIS is what swiftly happens to man's version of "relevance." Thirty years from now, today's "relevant" and "relational" worship leaders are going to look just as "groovy."



"Jesus is a friend of mine (Jesus is my friend);
"Jesus is a friend of mine (I have a friend in Jesus);
"Jesus is a friend of mine (Jesus is my friend);
"Jesus is a friend of mine;
"He taught me how to pray, and how to save my soul;
"He taught me how to praise my God, and still play Rock 'n Roll;
"The music may sound different, but the message is the same;
"It's just an instrument to praise His name!"


That was "groovy," wasn't it? ...ZAP!



The sad thing is, I'm old enough to remember that stuff. I remember being tortured with it as a kid. Here's another one. This puppet-character was so "relational," I think Hollywood later made a slasher movie out of it.





This is the way it looks when you try to be "real," "relational," and "relevant." It looks like you're trying, and bless the man's soul, he is trying. Pretty obvious, too. But instead of trying to be something we're not, can we please be what we are as Lutheran Christians and do what we've always excelled at? Can we please just work at equipping the Church with competent Christian poets, composers and musicians who are trained in the Fine Arts?




The rest of the videos are at Intrepid Lutherans.

The Know-Nothings in Fox Valley, WELS...They Know a Lot


Pastor Joel Lillo has left a new comment on your post "Someone Should Read the Laws of the State of Wisco...":

Greg,

You're the one who mentioned Ski. I am not confirming or denying any "incident." I merely said that since you had heard something about him, you should ask him.

***

GJ - Joel - a palpable hit - except for one thing. I asked you a simple question - "Has Ski been suspended from the ministry or not?"

If that were completely out of the question, a bizarre request, you would have responded, "What on earth are you talking about?"

But you responded, "Ask him yourself," which assumed the issue was a live one.

I asked him, but he did not respond.

Ski and Lillo are clamming up using that all purpose WELS umbrella - The Eighth Commandment.

The only way to find out now would be to ask the following sources:


The District President - Deputy Doug’s email: nwdp@wels.net
 
home phone: 920-722-3218
 
cell phone: 920-841-2809
 
 
Ask the Post-Crescent what is happening at The CORE and St. Peter, Freedom:
 


Contact Information for St. Peter, Freedom, Wisconsin:

Pastor Glende - glende@new.rr.com

Pastor Sievert - dsievert@me.com

Pastor Koelpin - phil.koelpin@me.com

Phil Punzel - ppunzel@new.rr.com

Rhonda Dietzler - rdietzler@new.rr.com

Phone:
920-739-2009

Mail:
N2749 French Rd.
Appleton, WI 54913

Our Staff is confusing, because it omits Ski, who is on the staff. The CORE is simply the evening service at St. Peter, not a separate congregation.

The CORE website is full of gimmicks.
920-364-0200 is one phone number given.
The WELS annual gives that as his office number.
Another number given for Ski is 920-540-0879.

Leslye is at 920-716-2539. She replaced Bishop Katie.

pastorski@gotocore.com





This is the actual graphic used to promote Sex Ed at The CORE.
"Foward (sic) this newsletter..."
Ski also used the same Groeschel material to teach Sex Ed
at Fox Valley WELS High  School.
Can anyone think of someone more inappropriate for that role?
Oh yes - P- Boy - Mark Freier - highly paid consultant at Parlow's church, in Fox Valley: ex-WELS pastor. 



bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Someone Should Read the Laws of the State of Wisco...":

James "Ski" Skorzewski's sermon(s) on sex probably violated the obscenity laws of Wisconsin.

Ironically, Hollywood actors often have morals, obscenity and community standards clauses written into their contracts, so just think how bad Hollywood would be without those contracts.

Ever heard of a Hollywood actor giving a sermon on sex? It's because people would think it wasn't good acting, and it wasn't realistic. Most people haven't been to The CORE or another emergent church.


Someone Should Read the Laws of the State of Wisconsin.
The Sixth Commandment Is Not Set Aside for the Eighth

Joel Lillo said he would not help me violate the Eight Commandment.

The Antinomians argue that they are born forgiven, so the Ten Commandments no longer matter.

Obscene Behavior Laws, State of Wisconsin

---

Joel has left a new comment on your post "Pastor Joel Lillo Did NOT Answer My Question, But ...":

Greg,

Here is an honest answer to your question: I know so little about the situation that anything I say would be nothing more than rumor and would probably hurt, not help, the situation.

I repeat. If you want to know more, please contact Ski.

***

Hey, Joel. I wrote Ski, but he did not answer.

---

Joel Lillo has left a new comment on your post "Pastor Joel Lillo Did NOT Answer My Question, But ...": 

Greg,

My question to you is this: "Why would you expect me to provide you with ammunition so that you can break the Eighth Commandment?" You should be thanking me that I'm not being an enabler for your sin.

Antinomian, indeed! Pshaw!!!!

---

Book of Concord, Luther's Large Catechism, Eighth Commandment

284] All this has been said regarding secret sins. But where the sin is quite public so that the judge and everybody know it, you can without any sin avoid him and let him go, because he has brought himself into disgrace, and you may also publicly testify concerning him. For when a matter is public in the light of day, there can be no slandering or false judging or testifying; as, when we now reprove the Pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books and proclaimed in all the world. For where the sin is public, the reproof also must be public, that every one may learn to guard against it.


***

GJ - The CORE was promoted as a coffee house ministry, but that was not what developed. Tim Glende and Ski have been meeting people in bars and calling it "ministry." Some people should not spend much time in bars, and that applies especially to WELS pastors.

The laws of the State of Wisconsin were broken in a public bar.

The Northern Wisconsin District, helped by the helplessness of SP Mark Schroeder, is doing as little as possible. A secular business would have fired both men on the spot. The warnings have been out there for decades. The dilly-dallying ever since speaks eloquently about an abusive sect that learned nothing from Ed Werner, Al Just, William Tabor, and Joel Hochmuth.

Deputy Doug Englebrecht's endorsement of clergy plagiarism has blossomed into something beyond debate.

This graphic is from Mark and Avoid Jeske, a Church and Change leader.
Turn it upside-down and it spells - "Ew-w-w-w-w."


---

WELS Pastor Joel Lillo has left a new comment on your post "Someone Should Read the Laws of the State of Wisco...":

It's just eating you alive that you don't have all the information that you want, isn't it, Greg?

***

GJ - I know plenty, Pastor Lillo. Thanks for boosting the page-views.

One of your fellow pastors was surprised that you were willing to admit on this blog that the incident involved Ski.

Rabid Steadfast Lutherans

Almost.


Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Sisters of St. John the UOJist - Liberal Comment P...":

Ichabod -

I cannot but help think that the Steadfast Lutheran's website (aka, Steadfast Scrubbing {Deleting} website) is attempting to turn over an impossible new leaf. Does a leopard change its spots?

After reading this latest posting of yours about the Steadfast website, I recalled the following:

Pastor Nathan Bickel's Experience with Steadfast Lutherans
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/08/pastor-nathan-bickels-experience-with.html

Excerpt:

>>>>>> ..... Next comes a forum personality called, "McCain," who then launched into some personal vindictives. He ended up charging me with being a false prophet, after offering me his phone number. [Who is this guy?] After looking at the posted thread this morning, I notice that a number of his comments were apparently deleted. Personally, I cannot blame the Steadfast moderators for taking down these particular "McCain" comments. I too, would be embarrassed to leave them up.

And, as far as I can recall, Diers, Preus and McCain were only reacting; they weren't interested in anything I actually stated, but only to pounce on my use of the "universalism" word. It seems apparent that a person who desires to comment on the Steadfast site won't be allowed to first base if his terminology doesn't match that of the rest of the Steadfast crew.

Consequently, I suppose I'm more comfortable commenting on a more tolerant site, such as Ichabod. At least I know that its author is supportive of Scripture's integral doctrine of grace through faith and that a human soul is justified by faith alone as Luther and the Lutheran Confessions ascribe. [Why, after I have left the Steadfast site, do I go away with the distinct impression that some of the people commenting there, are tormented by their beliefs?]

Finally, I must say, that I have participated in my fair share of secular forums; but, my experience yesterday was unparalleled. I will grant that I am not the best (by any means) at expressing myself; but, I never would have imagined the rabid experience which I encountered on the steadfastlutherans.org website. <<<<<<<<<<<

Nathan M. Bickel – pastor emeritus

www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org

The CORE Website Background Is Black - Thus



[GJ - Black backgrond and 

this text/links above and below.]The s

 feel free to drop us a note, or give us a call, or drop in anytime. Someone is usually around.

We look forward to hearing from you!
Address: 222 W. Franklin Street. Appleton, WI 54911
Phone: 
Email:

Talk to Pastor Ski
Talk to Katie
Share The CORE:


----

GJ - Announcements for the week ahead stopped after February 17th.

3,333 Page Views Yesterday


Page-views were 3,333 yesterday - an unusually high number. Something must be brewing.


Sisters of St. John the UOJist - Liberal Comment Policy - Just Before They Erase Entire Threads



bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Catholic Church Conservation: Pope's brother slams...":

BJS already bans Ichabod commenters, but says its comments policy is not strict enough:

http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=27656



Tim Rossow - Sisters of Perpetual Emotion -
refers to justification by faith advocates as "you morons."


A Tighter Review of Comments, by Pr. Rossow & Pr. Scheer

February 27th, 2013Post by 
We are proud of our liberal comments policy here at BJS. We like to say “It’s the only liberal thing about us.” We do not censure people who disagree with our editorial views or even those who post foolish comments. We do censure inappropriate foul language and incessant personal attacks but for the most part we have allowed comments to stand.
We are now going to exercise more control on our comments. The thing we are really going to be looking for is the assigning of motivation to other commenters or to our writers. Unless a commenter has empirical proof of someone else’s motivation we simply will not allow the assigning of motive. There are acceptable ways to ask questions about motivation but to outright assert that someone said or did something for a particular motive will not be allowed.
We ask all our readers to help us police this matter.
It has never been a total free for all here at BJS. We have censored several comments and commenters through the years. We even have commenters who are banned because they could not moderate their personal attacks. We have erred on the side of generosity, typically giving them two to three probation periods. In some case the warnings have worked to change behavior but in other cases it has not and so we have banned certain commenters.
Do not misunderstand this move. We are not banning hard or negative talk in some sort of politically correct manner. We are passionate about the truth of the Gospel. There is a time and a place for righteous anger. Jesus himself and the other authors of Scripture do not hesitate to use harsh and strong language. Likewise Martin Luther was known for fierce attacks on those who twisted and distorted the Gospel. We will be keeping a tighter control on comments but we shall also not hesitate to continue in the spirit of Scripture and Luther.
Tim Rossow, Editor
Joshua Scheer, Associate Editor

***
Darwin Schauer - endorsed by the LCMS.
How does that make the CRM (expelled) pastors feel?
Missouri is still nostalgic for Bishop Stephan and his young, female groupies.

GJ - I get a colossal yawn from the BJS. They agreed with Synodical Pope Harrison in removing the entire thread about Darwin Schauer, the sex offender the LCMS endorsed so he could offend again.
I copied, pasted, and preserved the information so future lawyers could use the evidence in their lawsuits against corrupt, dishonest, unfeeling, and felonious church officials. 



---

LPC has left a new comment on your post "Sisters of St. John the UOJist - Liberal Comment P...":

We are proud of our liberal comments policy here at BJS

What a moronic self description.

***

GJ - I was moved by that description, Dr. Cruz. Moved to laughter. They are so afraid of justification by faith teaching that they will not allow a Word about it on their precious site. One American writer said it well - the more they depart from the Scriptures, the more they call themselves the real Lutherans.

Vatican in flux | Harvard Gazette - Ichabod's Theology Professor - On the Papacy

Vatican in flux | Harvard Gazette:


Vatican in flux

HDS professor discusses pope’s departure, possible successors

By Colleen Walsh
Harvard Staff Writer
Monday, February 11, 2013
In a shocking move, Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he would step down at the end of the month, citing age (85) and health issues. Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, a professor of Roman Catholic theological studies at the Divinity School, spoke with the Gazette’s Colleen Walsh about the resignation — the first in six centuries — and possible successors.
GAZETTE: There is no precedent for replacing a living pope in the modern era. How do you think the process will proceed?
FIORENZA: I don’t think the procedure is much different … within nine days, or so many days, the cardinals who are under 80 would be called together by [Cardinal Angelo] Sodano, who is the head of the College of Cardinals, and then they have a vote for the new pope. So in a sense, the procedure for electing a new pope hasn’t changed. What some of us are speculating is: [Pope Benedict XVI] obviously can’t be a part of the conclave because he is over age, so will he try indirectly to influence who he likes or doesn’t like as a successor? That is the interesting question.
GAZETTE: Is there anyone you think he would like to see as his successor?
FIORENZA: That is a difficult question. He has defended Cardinal [Tarcisio] Bertone, his secretary of state, against criticism, but I think he is too old [78] to be considered if they go for a younger person. [Austrian Cardinal Christoph] Schönborn has been a student of his and friend.
GAZETTE: Can you describe the papal conclave process?
FIORENZA: John Paul II [changed the rules] so that after so many votes all you needed was a majority … Benedict changed the rules back to the original rules, and the original rules state you need a two-thirds majority. Now that’s really important. … This means you’ve got to elect someone whom at least two-thirds would agree upon, so if a conservative majority gets 51 percent, then they could have forced [the person] through. … That you’ve got to get someone that two-thirds would agree upon is a good decision.
GAZETTE: Would the cardinals ever select someone from the United States?
FIORENZA: I don’t think anyone from the United States stands a chance. I think the United States is a superpower and it has so much of an important role in world politics, that to have the pope identified with the United States, I think from a political religious standpoint, is a no-go. So I don’t think [New York Cardinal Timothy] Dolan, [Archbishop of Los Angeles José H.] Gomez, anybody from the United States stands a chance. Maybe 100 years from now.
GAZETTE: Potential candidates?
FIORENZA: Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, heads justice and peace at the Vatican. Argentine [Cardinal] Leonardo Sandri, now heading the Vatican department for Eastern Churches. Cardinal João Braz de Aviz from Brazil. Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec.
GAZETTE: What would it mean if the next pope were not from Europe? How would that impact the influence of the leadership? Would it reflect a real shift in power?
FIORENZA: I do not think it will reflect a shift in power immediately. Several of the names mentioned have appointments in Rome. It will lead more to a cultural change and perhaps in time a power change. Christianity has been identified with Western if not European civilization, especially European colonization. Such an appointment would then be a shift and over time a change.
GAZETTE: Many liberals complain that Benedict was too conservative. How will that reputation affect the selection of the next pope?
FIORENZA: [John Paul II and Benedict XVI] tended to appoint more traditional bishops, and that I think will have an influence. Remember that under Paul VI, Vatican II wanted to deal with the issue of birth control and Paul VI removed it from the council and set up a commission, and then the commission of cardinals came out and recommended that the church change its position on birth control. Then Paul VI disagreed with the commission and said “I refuse to accept this, because to accept this would admit that the previous popes were wrong.” … There were enormous protests [around the] world, of a lot of bishops saying “If you are a Catholic, follow your own conscience.” The papacy under Paul VI was furious, as was John Paul II, so that they often asked bishops if they support the pope on birth control. And … what’s the one thing the American bishops are concerned about? It’s birth control in terms of Obamacare, and they have a very conservative position. So I think the legacy will be that you have a much more conservative episcopacy now than you had, let us say, 50 years ago, and that’s clear in the United States. [Benedict’s legacy] would be to continue John Paul II’s appointing of conservative bishops and ultimately cardinals, and that is going to have an impact on the election, I would assume.
GAZETTE: How important is the Vatican’s relationship with other religions? John Paul II and and Benedict XVI made some inroads there.
FIORENZA: Many felt that Benedict didn’t go far enough, because he was very much concerned about religious relativism, and he was always warning about pluralism. And so the biggest question that they are now facing is where the church is changing. If you look at the United States or you look at Europe, [you see] many marriages that are taking place that [are] “mixed marriages.” I once read statistics that right after World War II, both in the United States and Germany, nine out of 10 Catholics married fellow Catholics. And now [in the United States] … around eight of 10 Catholics are marrying either Protestants [or people from] other religions. And that type of switch is leading to a type of religious pluralism that the church is not used to. … So I think the question of religious pluralism is going to be really important, especially if you get a pope from Asia, where you have more awareness of other world religions.
The Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) at Harvard Divinity School will host an open discussion on the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI as part of the center’s “Religion in the News” series. The event will be held Friday (Feb. 15) from noon to 1 p.m. in the CSWR Common Room, 42 Francis Ave., Cambridge. The event is open to Harvard faculty, staff, and students only. Due to limited space and the possibility of high turnout, RSVPs are appreciated. Please contact Lexi Gewertz,


'via Blog this'

***

GJ - I took a course from Frank and another course from his wife Elisabeth. Frank was definitely in the Liberation Theology camp (regurgitated Marxism) and his wife was already known for being a feminist theologian. Notre Dame did not want either ideology at the time, so they were edged out.

Frank and his wife had to live apart for a period of time, but both of them got the big prize with endowed professorships at Harvard.

---

churchmousec (http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Vatican in flux | Harvard Gazette - Ichabod's Theo...":

Thank you for the extra information at the end.

Before reading that, I'd checked Fiorenza's Harvard bio (alarm bells):

'His writings on political theology engage recent theories of justice, especially those of John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas, and have dealt with issues of work and welfare.'

Then, at the end, something I'd not heard of (but had adopted myself whilst I was in Christian spiritual wilderness from Catholic high school in the 1970s until the late 2000s -- still attending church at that time, too):

'twentieth-century Roman Catholic theology, namely, the direction known as la nouvelle théologie.'

I'd not heard of 'la nouvelle théologie' as such but it is updated Modernism (explored here -- cfnews.org/gg-newtheo.htm):

- truth is always in a state of becoming

- man ought not to rest in the dogmas of religion

- Adam is a collective

- the Incarnation of the Word would be merely a moment in universal evolution

Overall, it is a 'theology [with] a contrary meaning to that of the teaching of the Councils of Orange and Trent'.

I know any number of mainline Protestants who would align themselves with the aforementioned points.

This quote was particularly pertinent --

'The[se] writings ... are much read in France. It is true that they exercise a huge influence on the average type of soul.'

Apologies for hogging the comments space here. I'll follow up on my site.

Thank you again, Dr Jackson. I learned something new today.

Churchmouse

PS -- Also appreciate your mention of my cholesterol post on your Bethany site!

***

GJ - You are welcome, Sir Mouse.

Frank and I did not agree about theology or theologians. He loved Paul Tillich's work. I read aloud a passage from a new Tillich biography that identified the idol as a pagan. Even his peers at Union Seminary considered Tillich a pagan, the bio said.