Reported Late - The Entire ELDONA Seminary Graduated in June

St. Ignatius ELDONUT Seminary has delayed its new addition, since they no longer have any seminary students.

2018 Synod and Seminary Graduation 

This year’s Diocesan Synod will take place at Salem Lutheran Church (Malone, Texas) during the week of June 25– 29. (The 2018 Colloquium was held in January in Fort Wayne, Indiana.) Although the Colloquium and Synod usually occur during the same week, they were divided this week to accommodate the Seminary schedule, so that the clergy of the diocese would gather after the seminarian’s conclusion of his studies to conduct his theological colloquy. Josiah Scheck’s colloquy is presently scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 26. The seminary graduation is scheduled for Wednesday evening, June 27.

The ELDONUTs have reached critical mass, as they boasted at one of their recent conferences (theme: Greg Jackson is mean, because his congregation gave us all those books for free, plus the valuable Gerhard set we "borrowed" and kept.)

They are catching up to the Little Sect on the Prairie - "Graduates from the seminary with a Master of Divinity degree were Noah Thompson and Christian Walz." One hundred years of grace without the Means of Grace, and they only have two MDiv graduates.

The Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie bragged that Kincaid Smith's son "earned a PhD" but they failed to mention Michael's school. Here it is -

 Michael Smith has an PhD from Trinity in Indiana, a Babtist, unaccredited online school. "We are not affiliated (accredited) with any regional or national accrediting agency..."

Here is the Trinity catalog PDF.

 Did they colloquize the ex-ELS Rolf Synod before meeting, studying, and worshiping with them? The ELDONUTs treated the Chief Article as an adiaphoron. That was even though the Right Reverend James Milhous Heiser made it clear in 2000 that he rejected Objective Justification - once he knew what it meant - from Thy Strong Word.

Why Combine the Little Sect Story with the ELDONUTs?

 Jay Webber was deeply offended that Floyd Luther Stolzenburg was supported by the ELS/WELS - until Schwan money sent Jay to the Ukraine. How do the Ft. Wayne guys get mixed up with such unqualified clergy? Jay got the Rolf Synod guys back into the ELS, except for Rolf, who became LCMS again.

Herein lies a tale. Jay Webber and Kincaid Smith were midwives for the creation of the Lutheran Confessional Synod, headed by Bishop-for-Life Randy DeJaynes. James Heiser, bishop-in-waiting, was running the book business. For one brief shining moment, the LCS was in fellowship with the ELS. But no one wants to talk about that.

Jay got his STM from an ELCA computer,
so he is almost an alumnus with Michael Smith.

Central Lutheran School, St. Paul, Minnesota, LCMS - To Close

St. Paul's historic Central Lutheran School closing after 130 years

Declining enrollment, financial pressures cited in recent fundraising effort. 

Central Lutheran School, which for 130 years has educated children in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood, has suspended operations and will not be open in the fall, the principal announced this weekend.

The move follows a rough week during which the nearby Twin Cities German Immersion School decided against purchasing the building, and a last-ditch effort by other investors failed to come to fruition.

But Central Lutheran’s woes — dwindling enrollment, in particular — mirror those of other parochial schools locally and nationally.

An effort to save the school via a GoFundMe page asking for $450,000 raised just $10,551 following its launch this spring.

The school noted then that while it once relied totally on tuition for funding, now about 80 percent of students received some form of financial aid, and that more than half qualified for free or reduced-price lunches.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Principal Elizabeth Wegner wrote that the school board voted unanimously to suspend operations on Friday night after investors were unable to submit signed purchase agreements by a deadline set that day.

“This sudden turn of events, when everything was looking so optimistic, leaves us all sad, shaken, angry and maybe even questioning God’s will,” she wrote. “This is normal. It will take time for this to soak in and it will take more time as we go on to see the good our Heavenly Father has planned for each of us.”

The school is at 775 Lexington Parkway N., and serves students in preschool through eighth grade. Its mission is to “make Christian disciples of our students and to equip them with the fundamental knowledge and skills for responsible citizenship in the community and the world.”

In addition to Christian teachings, the school also offered music, art, physical education and STEM programming.

The school noted in its fundraising effort that it has attracted immigrant children from Eritrea, Laos, Ethiopia and Myanmar.

Wegner wrote in her Facebook post to family and community members on Saturday that the school would keep them updated about a “farewell gathering” and that it planned to send them information about other schools.

According to data collected from private schools by the St. Paul School District, nonpublic enrollment in the city fell from 11,064 in 1995-96 to 7,455 in 2015-16, a 33 percent decline. The data did not include breakdowns for individual schools or school types.

The Marvels of a Lengthy Autumn in the South

 The strength of the KnockOut shrub rose is its growth. Therefore, plenty of pruning and watering will yield dozens of flowers, lots of longer stems for the vase. I often had 50 roses in bloom at one time.

We had one day of spring this year, moving from winter to summer with unusual speed. That meant heat and drought, but drought with high humidity. Soon we were in June Bug (Japanese Beetle) weather, which meant chewed rose blossoms and root damage. On the positive side, signs of Milky Spore Disease (toxic only to white grubs) were apparent in a weakened population of the Most Hated Bug in Gardening.

Hope abounds as a long rainy autumn is predicted, which means an absence of frost and a proliferation of roses. The favorite flower loves cooler, rainy weather and reaches its peak in blossoming during such weather, especially since I harvest the flowers often.

 These white KO flowers attracted aphids like crazy early in the spring, then beneficial insects and spiders stepped in to feast on aphids. Now I have lots of beneficial insect hosts and few problems with insect pests. Short version - many herbs for beneficial insects and no pesticides.

KnockOut sidebar - KnockOuts are a tough shrub rose, developed to be disease and fragrance free. Tough means they can be cut back with hedge shears, 30 - 50%, and rebound in weeks. I have done that. Ranger Bob told me to prune them back. I said, "I did, 30% a few weeks ago." The KOs were in full bloom with about 50 roses each. Mulch helps the soil retain water and build soil compost, since the wood, paper, and cardboard become rich soil over time. KOs need constant cutting of flowers to keep them producing. The software in a rose says, "The flower has bloomed and is ready to set seed by making hips. Now we can go to sleep for the season." To enjoy more branch and bloom growth, the gardener must cut away at the KO frequently, especially looking for death starts, the flower so far gone that only the sepals are left, making a five-pointed star. They hide especially in the lower parts.

 Double Delight lights up the garden, colorful and fragrant, related to Peace.

Another Creation Gardening effort will be lots of fun, free of everything except labor. I have numerous plants - hostas, daisies, mints - that can be dug up, divided, and multiplied. I even have hostas offered from Mrs. Gardener next door.

Joe Pye is large and easy to grow, just add water. The blooms create a butterfly frenzy, with various beneficial insects, bees, and wasps joining the party. They take on a brownish tint as they go to seed, which I am using for the spare garden.

I am already taking Joe Pye seedheads and spreading them over the spare garden in the back, assuming some seeds will germinate and populate that area with the same tall plant, a rival to Pokeweed in size.

Salvia

A member interested me in Salvia, because it is a mint, easily grown, and a hummingbird magnet. So far, Trumpet Vine has grown for 3+ years and used 10,000 gallons of water. Results: two trumpet blooms, a regular hummingbird magnet. Ha. I was ready to tear it down when it finally bloomed. Salvia should be better.

Getting a large area to bloom without weeds taking over is a challenge. I told Norma Boeckler that her garden is a marvel for its display of flowers.

  Norma A. Boeckler

I am trying to grow flowers between most of the roses, to fill in where the grassy weeds want to take over. Those weeds love a long rain followed by intense heat. The flowers hold back in the heat, but weeds burst through the layers of mulch.

 Norma A. Boeckler's Cardinals - they delight us all winter.

Questions from the Coast - About the LutherQueasies. Slander, Libel, and Telling the Truth

 The tu quoque fallacy is familiar from childhood and LutherQueasy - "and you are too."

I got an email from The Coast about libel, slander, etc on LutherQueasy, asking me to make some distinctions. I mentioned their tu quoque fallacy and got this graphic back in a few minutes. We were discussing slander, libel, and when those labels do not fit.

Slander is the term used for speaking falsehoods - the mother's milk of synodical administration today. Everyone is afraid of the "WELS Grapevine," as they call it, or The Slander Machine, as it really is. The leaders pump lies into their Grapevine to discredit anyone who has fallen out of favor. That is also part of gaslighting, an article everyone abused by the synod should read.

The Grapevine works because the SP, DP, or CP says, "This is confidential and you cannot tell anyone." Hoo boy. That has to be good. Of course it gets repeated but no one can credit the original person, who is protected by the Seal of the Anti-Confessional. This approach breaks up potential alliances, which terrify the synod leaders. That is why their first question about a scandal is, "Who told you?" The slander follows.

Once I mentioned to Kuske that we were going to a gathering, which was a birthday party. He got all frightened and asked what it was about. It was purely social. When I got back from a CLC (sic) church, the sect president's mother got out of her car and asked all about the meeting.

Slander is speaking a falsehood with an intent to harm someone's reputation, and it is roundly condemned in the Large Catechism, proving once again that the leaders do not know or follow the Confessions.

 Not according to Luther, Melanchthon, and the editors of the Book of Concord. Therefore, they are also blind guides leading others into the pit.

There are several defenses against slander. One is - the matter is true. So it is not slander to call Matt Harrison "Matt the Fatt." Nor is it slander to identify Matt, Mark, and John, as blind guides and scoundrels, because they are - by definition - since they oppose the Gospel, Luther, and the Book of Concord.

Tim Glende had to admit to the judge, when he and three others sued a WELS man for the "crime" of defending his wife and telling the truth - the charges against Ski were factual. Therefore, Tim and Ski and two women on the staff had no case at all. And yet, after Tim's lawsuit was tossed out of court, the other three wanted to pursue their phony case. Are Tim and Ski the Booze Brothers? They pretended to start a coffee shop ministry and turned it into bar-hopping. Booze Brothers - not slander.

Libel is publishing harmful, false information. Cardinal Jack Cascione realized that his anonymous gremlin was getting him into serious legal difficulties. So Jack admonished the miscreant, which prompted a hollow apology and more of the same.

Some would say it is cowardly to publish libel under the guise of a fake name. Cascione and the webmaster know who it is, so they are hardly innocent. Cascione often reminds his disciples, "This is my website. I pay for it."

Am I wrong in calling them poorly educated, inarticulate, and lazy? Their bunch calls me a Calvinist for publishing Luther. The LutherQuashers can call me a heretic all day - that is a matter of opinion, easily clarified by detailed, factual information. Do they provide any? No, they just like to whine and accuse.

I publish provocative terms to make the UOJ Stylists angry enough to answer back. The real issue is - are they accurate terms? They cannot condemn me for polemics. If they read Luther once a year or so, they would find many polemical passages in his writings.

Faking the foul is not only popular in soccer but also on websites. I will encourage them to do more of that, because they expose how weak their dogma is. They lack the courage to confess how much they hate Luther and Justification by Faith.

I have lavishly quoted their favorite authors, like Eward Preuss and Rambach, to compare them with the Scriptures and the Confessions. They simply whimper and accuse.

Copy and Paste These Graphics Below,

Then Defend the UOJ They Teach.

Show How They Agree with the Scriptures, Luther, and the Confessions

And Yet There Is Always Hope

 Why pay $100,000 for an education in apostasy at the Concordia seminaries?

Doubtless the ancient Romans thought the world was coming to an end. The greatest engineering empire collapsed abruptly, though they saw it coming centuries earlier. But Constantine had already founded a New Rome, in what became Constaninople, and that lasted 1100 years.

The fall of Constantinople, conquered by the Muslim Ottoman Empire, led to the Renaissance and established the Reformation. The Turks drew the Christian forces away from Germany long enough for Luther's reforms to become established.

America has gone so far downhill - and so fast into the arms of Fuller and Rome - that I cannot imagine a recovery. Yet God changes history in a flash, and triumph turns to ashes.

I am encouraged by the interest in sound doctrine by the younger generation of men. There is a parallel with retail and other parts of our economy, like publishing.

Higher education, publishing, and other mainstays were local. Big rich families controlled publishing, and shooling was often an issue of location, whether teaching or enrolling.

The fancy publishing companies are collapsing while independent news gathering on the Net is taking over. The denominations turn out their laughable, expensive PR magazines (the few remaining) but everyone can blog the truth faster than the establishment can print.

Higher education is continuing to leave giant piles of carved stone and brickwork empty. The seminaries are their own competition, because people need online courses to study and pay their expenses. I lived in the Gilded Age, when seminary tuition was $150 a year and a Heick hardbound doctrinal volume cost $7, likewise the Book of Concord.

Now they want ransom payments for tuition and books - $90 for regurgitated Barth - Missouri's UOJ Dogmatanic.

Congregations used to get people excited about a new building program, but now those aging buildings are their tombstones, not their anchors. They drive people away with their false doctrine, abuse, and gaslighting, then complain about the results. When one restaurant made my wife violently sick, do you think we went back? When a famous chain served rancid food and refused a full refund, can you imagine us going back for more?

The apostates of the Pan-Lutheran Synodical Corporation (ELCA-WELS-ELS-LCMS-CLC sic) know they are failing, but they hope to wring whatever salaries and benefits they can before the slide accelerates.

The Word will still accomplish God's will, no matter what they plot. Braver men than they burned dissenters at the stake, and what did that accomplish? The Reformation spread even faster. Smarter debaters argued against the Scriptures, and that only sped the forging of the Book of Concord.

Now the opponets are poorly trained, lazy, and prone to let their lupine fangs show. What are they against the Word of God? Better men - coached by Holy Mother Rome - had the power of the sword, the best dungeons in the world, the slowest torture devices. But still Rome raves against Luther, for defeating them. They cannot tell the truth - the Word defeated them - not Luther. However, Luther was not afraid to use the double-edged Sword of the Spirit against the murdering horde.

This parallel will give you goosebumps. 

What did Rome use against the Scriptures?

Answer - Theses. Philosophical statements that cited the Scriptures at times but never related to the actual issues at hand. Can you name another example like that, equally weak in the Scriptures, but impossible to derail from his domineering statements? Walther, Walther, anyone, anyone?

The Lutheran Church Continues To Prove It Is Dead to Faith, Crawling with Apostasy

 Kolb is the LCMS fig-leaf for the ELCA's many blasphemies, not that LCMS academics disagree with ELCA - not at all.

Commissioned in 1993: lie down with dawgs, git up with fleas.
Jane Strohl is an ELCA pastor with a PhD in church history, so the question about women's ordination in Missouri has been answered: No Problem!

 Exactly why did the LCMS jointly publish a Book of Concord with ELCA, notably with Timothy Wengert in the title: The Kolb-Wengert BOC?

Guy Erwin, the ELCA insta-bishop, held the 

Gerhard and Olga Belgum Chair in Lutheran Confessional Theology at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. WELS-LCMS-ELCA-Christian New - united against the Word of God, happy to flaunt it: UOJ triumphant.

Timothy Wengert resources at Reconciling Works.

 Face the facts - these scoundrels agree with ELCA's dogma - World Absolution without Faith - UOJ. They work with ELCA on all kinds of religious projects, and recently rejoiced in their triple-base hit: total agreement about UOJ.

 The LutherQuashes, who imagine themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy, fall all over themselves in agreeing with ELCA. 

Note the three advantages this blog has over the rowdies on the Internet.

• I know their sects' history better than they do. 
• I researched the LCA/ALC documents and deceits long before the 1987 merger - and I left.
• I studied modern theology, and recognized their affinity with Barth, Tillich, and the rationalistic Pietists at Hall. 

ELCA and the Olde Synodical Conference have intermingled histories, but one bad thing in common - being founded by Halle Pietists or Norwegian Pietists or Swedish Pietists.

Pietism is anti-Creed and therefore quickly succmbs to rationalism.

The Olde Synodical Conference postures about the Book of Concord but look at their bed-fellows for the Kolb-Wengert Book of Concord. When it was published, I was shocked to see it even attempted. However, that was really the final signal that all Lutheran groups promote apostasy, approve the blasphemies of the Left, and cannot wait to do even more damage.

The Reformation's 500th Anniversary was their chance for a 99.9% unified voice against Luther, against the Book of Concord, and above all - against the Chief Article of Christianity.

As many laymen have noted, the "conservative" UOJ fanatics cannot define or defend their hatred of Justification by Faith. A Greek exegesis of their favorite passages has taken away their weapons of deceptions. For good reason Jesus warned us about wolves wearing the finest woolens - they still growl, slaver, and gnash their teeth, waiting for a chance to murder, scatter, rend, and destroy.

 The UOJ simpletons call the Chief Article "Calvinism," but look who gave them their favorite terms - OJ and SJ - the Calvinist translator of Knapp the Pietist.

---

 Is the Chief Article Calvinism, as various beanbrains claim?
They do not even know the Book of Concord or the Bible.

 While you are reconciling, reconcile this with UOJ.

More Fun with LutherQueasies

Aco-Lite is doing his work, leaving toxic waste behind.

Edward Buck (Melanchthon) New member Username: Melanchthon Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2018

Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 1:46 pm:       As to AcolyteJohn's assertions: It is doubtful you know if Pastor Jackson has a call or not. It may come as a surprise to some that you do not require a synod to issue a call. To characterize a divine service as pathetic and hilarious is a rather serious sin, of which you Acolyte should immediately repent. Confidential to Acolyte: Consider changing your user name to Caiaphas or Emser.

Edward Buck (Melanchthon) New member Username: Melanchthon Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2018	Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 2:27 pm:       I have always wondered if WELS as an organization is using this as a means of control, gaslighting? The WELS tells it's laity that everyone else sans ELS is part of a major apostasy. The mandated isolation may give them more control. Been there, bought the T shirt. Don't let that nice LCMS lady play your organ but read the 2011 NIV....huh?
AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) Junior Member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 36 Registered: 7-2018	Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 5:21 pm:       Edward Buck...are you a "member" of Greg Jackson's "fake news" congregation? That is, are you one of the pathetic souls (and that would be around five people) who actually watch on the Internet his pathetic worship services and then "takes communion" when he plays make-believe with the elements?

Author Message   Joe Krohn (Jekster) Advanced Member Username: Jekster Post Number: 574 Registered: 4-2011 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 8:18 pm:       The Predestination Controversy of the late 1800's distilled two major views on Election that blew up the Synodical Conference. One says we are elected on the account of faith. The other says we are elected on the account of God's grace. Lenski is trotted out frequently on Ichabod and it is quite evident that the blog's author agrees wholeheartedly with Lenski; who held to the "In View of Faith" scenario. Jackson's pedigree is ALC/LCA. The acorn did not fall far from that tree.   Joe Krohn (Jekster) Advanced Member Username: Jekster Post Number: 575 Registered: 4-2011 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 8:46 pm:       "FC SD XI" as quoted earlier in the thread points this out; Grace first then Faith. Redemption and reconciliation (Christ's merits) are in place first for faith to grasp. If your redemption and reconciliation are dependent on your faith, how sure can you be? In my experience, the biggest ranters are usually the least confident in their position.   Pastor Cascione (Cardinal) Intermediate Member Username: Cardinal Post Number: 412 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 10:35 pm:       I've been busy planning powerpoints for the seminars on the Bible Encounter in Dearborn, MI, on October 5-6 and New England, on October 13. I met Oracle on June 14th and invited him to participate on Luther Quest, which he has agree to do. You should ask him a question. It is a strange feeling to have a layman correct my Hebrew pronunciation while looking over my shoulder at the computer screen. Christ’s declaration of Objective Justification for the world from the cross in Luke 23:34 includes fulfillment of the sacrifices for involuntary sin in Leviticus and Numbers. The following is an abbreviated list of animal sacrifices for involuntary sin. Notice the last verse includes a startling provision for a sacrifice for involuntary sin for those who are not Israelites. 'If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, (Lev 4:2 NAS) 'When a leader sins and unintentionally does any one of all the things which the LORD God has commanded not to be done, and he becomes guilty, (Lev 4:22 NAS) 'Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, (Lev 4:27 NAS) "If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD's holy things, (Lev 5:15 NAS) "Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty, and shall bear his punishment. (Lev 5:17 NAS) then it shall be, if it is done unintentionally, without the knowledge of the congregation, (Num 15:24 NAS) You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them. (Num 15:29 NAS) Not only does this sacrifice anticipate forgiveness for believers who did not know they sinned, it anticipates forgiveness for aliens who have sinned and do not know they have sinned. Therefore, this sacrifice exists to forgive sins prior to sin, and prior to the knowledge of sin, for everyone. I’m sure the Israelites were astonished and wondered how God would plan forgiveness for someone who was not an Israelite? How was a priest to administer this sacrifice? What should he say? “All of you aliens, you do not know you have sinned, but you did sin, and we a have a sacrifice for you.” I’ve noticed that the commentaries do not know what to do with Num. 15:29. I do not think it makes any sense until Luke 23:34.   Rick Strickert (Carlvehse) Senior Member Username: Carlvehse Post Number: 8271 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 11:19 pm:       In his Christian Dogmatics (pp. 587-8), Mueller explains: quote: Two basic truths, then, must be borne in mind whenever the article of eternal election of grace is being considered : a. God's eternal election of grace did not take place in view of man's foreseen final faith (electio intuitu fidei finalis), but rather embraced this faith together with the whole way of salvation (ordo salutis, media salutis), such as conversion, justification, sanctification, and final preservation. Hence the believer is not elected because of his foreseen faith (ex praevisa fide finali); on the contrary, he has become a believer in time because of his eternal election to salvation. In other words, a person is brought to saving faith in time just because God from eternity has graciously elected him to salvation, Acts 13, 48; Eph. 1, 3-6; Rom. 8, 28-30. So also the Formula of Concord testifies (Thor. Decl., XI, 8): "The eternal election of God, however, not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect, but is also, from the gracious will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation and what pertains thereto."... b. With respect to the doctrine of election all those are sure to err who reject the sola gratia and so teach that a sinner is saved (elected and converted) not by grace alone, but also by some good quality or worthiness in him (aliquid in homine; aliqua causa discriminis) which God foresaw and on account of which He elected him (synergism). Similarly also those err with respect to this doctrine who teach that God's eternal election of grace consisted merely in the appointment of the means of grace (ordinatio mediorum -- election in a wider sense, used in this sense by the errorists).   Pastor Cascione (Cardinal) Intermediate Member Username: Cardinal Post Number: 414 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 9:30 am:       Thank you Rick: The field is the world. Since we are all by nature hard, rocky, thorny, ground (original sin) the seed must create its own good ground. In the parable the distribution of the seed (word) is indistinguishable from Objective Justification, objectively offered and subjectively believed. The Ethiopian has the word but doesn't know what to do with it. The Sanhedrin had the word and hated it.   Joe Krohn (Jekster) Advanced Member Username: Jekster Post Number: 576 Registered: 4-2011 Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 10:30 am:       Election in view of faith = conditional election = conditional grace. It puts faith before God's grace. This is a form of Arminianism.   Pastor Cascione (Cardinal) Intermediate Member Username: Cardinal Post Number: 415 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 11:48 am:       Jesus is the sower. The sowing is an act of grace. Prior to sowing, the field has no faith nor anticipation of faith. Prior to sowing, there is no faith. After the sowing, some and not others. Some believe by grace, by no credit to themselves, and the others are guilty of rejection, sin we were all born in.   Dave Schumacher (Lex) Senior Member Username: Lex Post Number: 1228 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 12:40 am:       Whatever else Jackson may, or may not be, he is not Lutheran. I don't believe he ever was.   Pastor Cascione (Cardinal) Intermediate Member Username: Cardinal Post Number: 417 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 10:43 am:       I think he was once absolutely straight arrow, but he is also a reactionary. If all the participants on Luther Quest railed against Objective Justification, he would eventually defend it. Robert Preus once told me that about Alvin Schmidt. When Schmidt was forced out of the Seminary and took a job at a college in (I think) Illinois, within five years he reversed course. I don't think we should try that experiment on Luther Quest.   Pastor Rolf David Preus (Rolf) Senior Member Username: Rolf Post Number: 9820 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 11:35 am:       Dad told me the same thing about Al Schmidt. You and I remember when he was championing the cause of women's ordination while at CTS and now he supports every conservative issue. To your knowledge, did he ever publicly disavow what he had said about women's ordination? Pastor Rolf David Preus   Rick Strickert (Carlvehse) Senior Member Username: Carlvehse Post Number: 8272 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 12:36 pm:       Here is a excerpt from Al Schmidt's book, Veiled and Silenced: How Culture Shaped Sexist Theology (Mercer University Press, 1989, pp. 215-6), in which Schmidt (CTS, 1963) gives a sympathetic history of women's ordination: quote: "The position of deacon in Acts 6:4 is used in reference to 'even the highest Christian office [activity]. the preaching of the Gospel.' [13] Hamilton Hess believes that the diaconate was the first universally established formal ministry by A.D. 70, and that the deacons performed several functions, including liturgical functions.... "Even though many leaders in the postapostolic church greatly curtailed the activities of female deacons and even coined a new word-deaconess-to make their biased theology credible, many women deaconesses were still ordained.... "[Regarding the previously mentioned 5th and 6th century bans on ordination of deaconesses] These decisions of the church councils and synods clearly demonstrate that the church in time became more and more sexist in its theology. The New Testament, which considered the position of deacon appropriate for male and female, was ignored. Thus, by the fourth and fifth centuries the ancient, pagan view regarding women not only had made great inroads into the church, but it had in fact become victorious. The influence and actions of Jesus and the apostles had lost their impact and effectiveness."   Walter Raffel (Bluebird) (Walt) Intermediate Member Username: Walt Post Number: 226 Registered: 7-2004 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 4:20 pm:       Dave Schumacher. To make a statement that G. Jackson is not Lutheran is uncalled for. How can you make that statement. Have you read his books? Have you seen the Luther sermons that he has translated? Be careful in what you state.   Pastor Cascione (Cardinal) Intermediate Member Username: Cardinal Post Number: 418 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 4:32 pm:       Rolf, I never heard he had changed his mind, he just stopped discussing it.   Alan Lubeck (1431) Senior Member Username: 1431 Post Number: 1701 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 5:19 pm:       Mr. Raffel, From my standpoint and confession, I'd consider Jackson to be a heterodox Lutheran. However, if someone is calling himself a pastor and is preaching and teaching/administering the Sacraments apart from a call to/from a congregation, I would consider that very problematic. I know I just can't make myself a pastor apart from a call, if that were to be my desire.   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) New member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 11 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 6:29 pm:       As for Jackson, this is based on what I've noticed in the past and present and based on what many others have said about him: He is not a Lutheran pastor. He does not have a Lutheran congregation. His "online" church has, at most, 5 viewers per service. His video and audio skills are greatly amusing. He got kicked out of ... two or three Lutheran church bodies. He indulges in cutting edge early 1990s graphic technology on his blog. He works for an online university. He loves to attack people and insult them personally. He screams bloody murder when he gets a dose of his own medicine. He claims to be a "publisher" but all he does is copy and paste public domain texts and posts them on the Internet. He loves attention. He has little to no viewers. He does not understand the difference between "unique visitors" and "page count" on his web site. He is, in my opinion, a very sad, pathetic individual. He delights in attacking people and posting things that an 8th grade boy would enjoy. He seems completely unaware he is a laughing stock. He is a constant source of entertainment. But, frankly, it is like beating a retarded child. On a more positive note: There is no doubt he earned his degrees. He is not stupid, just deeply misdirected and has squandered all that money and time he spent getting advanced degrees. Sad. He like to garden. He loves his wife. He loves his children. He loves WalMart. He loves his dog. He has been through horrible personal suffering with two children dead at an early age and an invalid wife. Anyone who is a family, dog and nature lover can't be all bad. He spends his days lurking on the Internet, reading anything he can referencing him. He will read this comment, and post it on his blog site and probably use a silly graphic with it. He is to be pitied. Unfortunately, he has led a few laypersons astray in his holy quest to advance a heterodox belief system. Why? Who knows. He is, in my opinion, a deeply confused man. Fortunately he has no position and he fools himself by thing he has any influence. When he gets an email or a comment, he celebrates it with a separate blog post. In my opinion, he would do more good by volunteering a local hospital and devoting his blog to gardening advice. That's about the only thing he would provide by way of positive contribution to the Internet and his community. I think we should probably just commend him to the grace of God and totally ignore the man. Romans 16.   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) New member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 12 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Friday, July 20, 2018 - 8:02 pm:       As proof for the assertions above, witness the fact that within minutes of its posting Jackson already posted a response, sans puerile graphics, but he can't control himself. Not to worry, he will indulge in his "expert" web site design very soon, if not already. He is a master of copy and paste and blog technology that reached its zenith in 1995. One can always depend on Jackson for amusement and free entertainment. LutherQuest is living rent-free in his head.   Joe Krohn (Jekster) Advanced Member Username: Jekster Post Number: 577 Registered: 4-2011 Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 10:22 am:       Reactionary? Words like paradox and enigma come to mind. His allegiance to the Church of Sweden through the the old Augustana Synod & his claim to apostolic succession explain alot of things. Confidential to Greg Jackson; Luther was against apostolic succession.   Dave Schumacher (Lex) Senior Member Username: Lex Post Number: 1229 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 10:28 am:       I don't know that it is true; but wouldn't it be amazing if Acolyte John was actually Pr. Cascione?   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) New member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 13 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 11:24 am:       Wait...Jackson is claiming he is in apostolic succession? "What misery I beheld." -M. Luther   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) New member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 14 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 11:25 am:       @Schumacher: We are brothers from a different mother. LOL.   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) New member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 15 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 1:28 pm:       As for Jackson...He has NO call from any church body to be a pastor, yet, claims to be. He claims to hold to the Lutheran Confessions, he does not. He believes his ordination in the "Augustana Synod" gives him Apostolic Succession. It does not. Apparently this is why he thinks his "church services" which records in a bedroom of his house in Arkansas it somehow a legitimate call to the ministry. His "church" has 5 viewers on any given Sunday. It is good for amusement. If it was not so pathetic, it would be hilarious. But the false doctrine that he perpetuates, the libel and slander he perpetuates on his blog site, is not funny. Pathetic. Sad. Disgusting. All of the above. He should have stuck with his life insurance career with Northwestern. Again, he needs to focus in his Golden Years on his dogs and gardening. I feel sorry for his disabled wife and his son.   Edward Buck (Melanchthon) New member Username: Melanchthon Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 1:46 pm:       As to AcolyteJohn's assertions: It is doubtful you know if Pastor Jackson has a call or not. It may come as a surprise to some that you do not require a synod to issue a call. To characterize a divine service as pathetic and hilarious is a rather serious sin, of which you Acolyte should immediately repent. Confidential to Acolyte: Consider changing your user name to Caiaphas or Emser.   Rick Strickert (Carlvehse) Senior Member Username: Carlvehse Post Number: 8310 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 3:25 pm:       On its What to expect webpage St. Matthew Lutheran Church-Grand Rapids states: quote: Our Lord Jesus Christ comes to us in a special way in Holy Communion. As Lutheran Christians, we simply believe what God’s Word says – that Jesus’ Body and Blood are in, with, and under the elements of bread and wine in order to bestow forgiveness of sins on all believers, and with it, life and salvation. Baptized Christians who share this belief and understanding are invited to join us in the Lord’s Supper. Communion is served in both services every Sunday. [Emphasis added]   Rev. Robert Fischer (Fischer) Advanced Member Username: Fischer Post Number: 939 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 4:28 pm:       Following is the 1993 LCMS "Model Communion Card Statement": quote: The Lord’s Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as he says, our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but his very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with him and with one another. Our Lord invites to his table those who trust his words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as he forgives and loves us, that they may show forth his death until he comes. Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the sacrament, are asked first to speak with the pastor or an usher. For further study, see Matthew 5:23f.; 10:32f.; 18:15-35; 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:17-34.   AcolyteJohn (Acolyte) Junior Member Username: Acolyte Post Number: 35 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 5:20 pm:       "Edward Buck" ... do you "take communion" with Gregory Jackson during his "fake news" congregation worship services? Do tell.   Edward Buck (Melanchthon) New member Username: Melanchthon Post Number: 3 Registered: 7-2018 Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2018 - 8:17 pm:       "AcolyteJohn" What is your real name? Do you take communion while harboring this venomous attitude toward Pastor Jackson in your heart? Are you really a Lutheran? Discontinue stalking him and repent, you will feel better. I think you need a break from Ichabod, go play outside.

GJ - Aco-Lite picked a strange time to make a fool of himself again. A member of the congregation from the Coast came to our house to visit. We had a Holy Communion service in our chapel, which a a room in "a rented house" (Paul Rodham McCain's words)

I receive no criticism from:

1. The American Atheist Forum,
2. The United Church of Christ, 
3. NRAL, or
4. Fuller Seminary.

But LutherQuest (sic) criticizes me for publishing Luther's Sermons, for posting a Luther sermon each week, for all kinds of things directly related to Luther's Biblical doctrine, the Book of Concord, and Martin Chemnitz.

If they would just do something for the guy they list on their banner, I could work less each day. But since they are too lazy and self-indulgent to do the work, I have to make up for their intellectual torpor.