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| Groeschel style countdown bar - so cool, so 2003. |
"I don't care what people say, NIV is here to stay." The marvels of Mequon decided on the New NIV years ago, filling their students' ears with mush about dynamic translations, dumbing down the language for the poorly educated - like the students themselves. The typical WELS pastor cannot spell common English words and does not bother to try. The Mequon library is in perfect shape because no one uses it.
Northworst Publishing House is committed to the NIV, which makes sense. When they advertised for a new staffer, they spelled the position wrong.
The new hymnal will be NIV as well, although Halle partisan Jay Webber thinks a push will be made for the Holman. To abandon an atrocious translation for a Southern Babtist one is tantamount to rejecting Mequon infallibility. Those durn Babtists humiliated NIV fans by openly rejecting the Murdoch effort and voting against displaying it in their bobble stores. To be Southern Babtist, one must say bobble. If you say Bible, you are suspect, one of them crick-jumpin' Northern liberals.
In short, WELS no longer has a Bible, since the classic bad NIV of 1984 has been rendered obsolete, illegal for continued use, and simply not bad enough for Wendland and crew. WELS has gone from a staged debate, with Tom Jeske mugging and Wendland fuming, to complete surrender.
WELS forgot the Means of Grace a long time ago, when Kuske replaced Gausewitz, so the slippage into apostasy was bound to be accelerated by an itch for something new. When Babtists say to WELS clergy, "Y'all need Jesus," they are correct. The Word - invisible in teaching and preaching, visible in the Sacraments - conveys the Savior to us. Lacking that, WELS is just another badly managed outlet for Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek disciples.
The move back to unionism and Pietism was clever, because WELS heavily promoted Fuller through its teaching cadre - a sorry lot - and got the business oriented Church Growth Movement established before anyone like Valleskey was forced to discuss it. Valleskey lubbed, lubbed, lubbed it - "spoiling the Egyptians" - as he plagiarized from a favorite guru of Fuller fans, who got it from Augustine.
Halle Pietism is an easy sell among the ignorant, as Buchholz and Webber know, because the Lutheran synods in America all came from Halle University:
- Henry Melchior Muhlenberg - taught at Halle - ELCA's founder.
- Martin Stephan studied at Halle and picked up an STD - Missouri's founder.
- Adolph Hoenecke graduated from Halle and became the main WELS theologian, perhaps the only one apart from Gausewitz.
- The Norwegians were all Pietists, too. Evangelical Lutheran Synod - The Little Sect on the Prairie.
- Objective Justification came from Halle, Knapp, Rambach and others.
Halle Pietism does not like:
- Fussing about sound doctrine.
- The traditional liturgy.
- Frequent communion.
- Lutheran hymns.
- Creeds and - horror of horrors - the boring Book of Concord.
- Sermons.
- Luther, the Concordists, and Gerhard.
Halle Pietism is cuckoo for:
- Everyone getting along, without making such a big deal about doctrine. We should link arms with ELCA, as WELS/LCMS/ELS leaders already have - covertly.
- Cell groups - share, care, koinonia, prayer, Bible study groups - lay led.
- Making sanctification the cause of justification: works righteousness. Do you know who my father is? I am growing my church with cell groups and a rock band.
- Sappy, sentimental songs instead of boring doctrinal hymns. A Babtist hymn festival will be 100% songs about me and my feelings. I know from experience.
- Sliding from emotionalism into rationalism, because the Confessional restraints are missing.
- New Age philosophies, because prosperity from visioning and "The law of Attraction" provide the goosebumps lacking in rationalism.
- Body-slamming anyone who questions their supreme sanctity and holy calling to improve the church their way.
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| SP Mark Schroeder spoke to the ELS, because Mark Jeske, the real boss, is too busy. |
