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| ELS-WELS-LCMS seminaries work at the bottom layer - and tell their kiddies - "Cooperate to graduate." |
How did so many men graduate from "conservative" Lutheran seminaries without knowing Luther's teaching? Were they never curious? Let's forget all the work, required reading, and other tyrants of time. Anyone can pick up a volume of Luther's sermons and read them. They are available in many forms and styles, even in little booklets like Luther's Christmas Sermons, edited by Roland Bainton.
How can grown men with a college degree go through three years of classes where the faculty teaches justification without faith - based on some recent yahoos with no standing in scholarship - versus the almost global understanding of justification by faith?
The answer may be that the "conservative" Lutheran seminaries only teach "repeat after me." That is the bottom level of Bloom's Taxonomy in higher education. The opportunists tell one another, "Cooperate to graduate," no matter what they pledge and promise when ordained. The typical WELS/ELS graduate will struggle to remember the talking points because they are taught not to think.
"Remember, my boys. Remember, repeat, and name the greats in theology - Larry Olson, Paul Kelm, Waldo Werning, David Valleskey, Curt Peterson." When Mequon passed out the quotations of Lutheran Orthodoxy that spelled out Justification by Faith, Mequon faculty stamped them MISLEADING.
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| Stephan left his dying wife and children at home, but took his main mistress on his own ship. He also took his healthy son - and Walther robbed him, too. Check out the link - Louise Guenther was Stephan's main mistress. |
The Missouri Synod builds on the sand of Watherian mythology. Everyone must follow the yes-man hatchet-man of Martin Stephan, STD. The prime requirement of leadership in the LCMS is following Walther - or at least pretending to follow him. That was Walther's gig too, wasn't it? Walther pretended to follow Stephan with the loyalty of a golden retriever puppy, but organized a mob to rob and kidnap the bishop as soon as it was convenient.
Walther did not want an early history of Missouri written because he was so much a part of it. To this day the LCMS does not want to admit its own history but idolizes Walther as the Founder rather than the kidnapper and mob organizer.
And this is the funniest part, still lived out in the entire Synodical Conference - Stephan's group did not sail across the ocean for religious freedom but for the sexual freedom of the cult leader - their Bishop-for-Life Stephan. Worst of all, he did not establish Book of Concord Lutheran doctrine, but an amalgamation of Lutheran doctrine and Pietism, UOJ imported from his partial education at Halle University.
Deadened Lutherans Burdened with Pietism, Romanism, and Fuller Seminary
From Boomers on down, the Lutheran clergy and laity have shown their willingness to be bamboozled by false doctrine, Pietism (gotta have cell groups), Romanism (dictatorships, smells and bells, and Fuller (conversion by entertainment, popcorn, and soda). And do not forget the efficacy of bar ministries - an ideal way to keep alcoholic pastors busy.
In this incredibly wealthy and free country, when have the post-WWII children rose up to revive the Biblical theology of Luther? The short answer is - never.
The Missouri Synod still beats its chest in triumph over having a partial renewal, one that includes working with ELCA and listening to Rome.
The Wisconsin Synod proves it superiority by a modified, limited standoffish attitude toward Missori. That is similar to pickpockets shunning pimps in public while making deals in private. Not impressive.
The ELS and CLC (sic) are happy not to be the others while coveting them in every way.
