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Polluted WELS Comment:
Still recovering, eh? New to blogging? Yup, it can be utterly wasting for the editor/moderator, especially as discussion goes deep and becomes empassioned. This is one of those topics.
Joel Dusek asks: "Suppose we enter into a post-synodical era, where geographic and ethnic histories, and synodical affiliations give way to adherence to the Scripture and Confessions. From where would pastors come, and how would a congregation be assured their pastor was qualified? Independent Lutheran Seminaries? A formal recognized colloquy process? Some other means?"
RE: post-synodical era...
We're already there. I recall seeing this term ("post-synodical era") for the first time few years ago on BJS, and I recall being offended by it. I thought, "Post-synodical for the LCMS, maybe -- they're a mess." But now, I'm convinced that those who stick with the Synods are on the fast track to a post-Lutheran era. And despite my initial offense to the term, LCMS has far more resistance to it than WELS. By the size of the organization, by the size of its Confessional movement, by the willingness of its pastor to publically put there names on a document and enter into Statu Confessionis. ELS and CLC aren't going to survive into the next generation, and they know it. WELS thinks it can survive, but only as an organization, if it has the numbers. It is swiftly becomming the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod (WES), and doesn't seem to be embarassed or concerned about this in the least. One way or another, I am convinced that the Lutheran diaspora -- clergy and laity committed to genuine Lutheran orthodoxy who purposefully embrace a robust Lutheran catholicy -- will be forced out of the old organizions.
RE: Where would pastors come from?
The Confessions make clear (APXIV or SCIII:X, for instance) that where a given church finds it impossible to recognize an orthodox ministerium, it is incumbant upon that church to establish its own ministerium, to call and ordain its own pastors. In our day, that could mean that clergy, who have been examined by the congregation beforehand and who satisfy Scriptural approval criteria, are called from other Lutheran bodies scattered across the country -- or even the world; or it could mean that knowledgable laity, who are known to the congregation to satisfy Scriptural approval criteria and respected by them, are called by their brethren out of the congregation into the Office and ordained by them.
RE How would a congregation be assured their pastor was qualified?
This is where Lutheran laymen simply need to grow up. The burden of responsibility has always been on the laity to continually examine their pastors, in order to maintain the "assurance" that their pastors are, and remain, qualified. It's called being Berean. It is NOT the responsibility of some organization outside the congregation, apart from the laymen being served, to provide these services for the congregation or to "guarantee" anything. The burden of responsibility is on the Bereans in the congregation.
My Opinion.
Joel Dusek asks: "Suppose we enter into a post-synodical era, where geographic and ethnic histories, and synodical affiliations give way to adherence to the Scripture and Confessions. From where would pastors come, and how would a congregation be assured their pastor was qualified? Independent Lutheran Seminaries? A formal recognized colloquy process? Some other means?"
RE: post-synodical era...
We're already there. I recall seeing this term ("post-synodical era") for the first time few years ago on BJS, and I recall being offended by it. I thought, "Post-synodical for the LCMS, maybe -- they're a mess." But now, I'm convinced that those who stick with the Synods are on the fast track to a post-Lutheran era. And despite my initial offense to the term, LCMS has far more resistance to it than WELS. By the size of the organization, by the size of its Confessional movement, by the willingness of its pastor to publically put there names on a document and enter into Statu Confessionis. ELS and CLC aren't going to survive into the next generation, and they know it. WELS thinks it can survive, but only as an organization, if it has the numbers. It is swiftly becomming the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod (WES), and doesn't seem to be embarassed or concerned about this in the least. One way or another, I am convinced that the Lutheran diaspora -- clergy and laity committed to genuine Lutheran orthodoxy who purposefully embrace a robust Lutheran catholicy -- will be forced out of the old organizions.
RE: Where would pastors come from?
The Confessions make clear (APXIV or SCIII:X, for instance) that where a given church finds it impossible to recognize an orthodox ministerium, it is incumbant upon that church to establish its own ministerium, to call and ordain its own pastors. In our day, that could mean that clergy, who have been examined by the congregation beforehand and who satisfy Scriptural approval criteria, are called from other Lutheran bodies scattered across the country -- or even the world; or it could mean that knowledgable laity, who are known to the congregation to satisfy Scriptural approval criteria and respected by them, are called by their brethren out of the congregation into the Office and ordained by them.
RE How would a congregation be assured their pastor was qualified?
This is where Lutheran laymen simply need to grow up. The burden of responsibility has always been on the laity to continually examine their pastors, in order to maintain the "assurance" that their pastors are, and remain, qualified. It's called being Berean. It is NOT the responsibility of some organization outside the congregation, apart from the laymen being served, to provide these services for the congregation or to "guarantee" anything. The burden of responsibility is on the Bereans in the congregation.
My Opinion.
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| No. Their Halle confession is Pietistic rationalism. |
