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| We met WAM II at the funeral of Fred Rutz Senior. Maier was just as sociable as he looks here. OJists glare and fume a lot, I have noticed. |
I am not sure about the logic or sanity of people telling me what to write or ordering me not to publish. I seldom respond to other Facebook or social media posts, except to agree, sometimes to add a Constitutional or Biblical point.
The Maier essay is linked here.
One reader asked about the Walter A. Maier II essay lodged alone in the precious WELS Essay File, which has grown faster than the Oxford English Dictionary, without adding much to theological knowledge. I am so old that I remember when it was an accordion file folder left on the circulation desk at the seldom used Mordor Library. In fact, I remember an excellent paper by Fredrich that never made it into the current digital monstrosity, a clear case of metastasis. No room at the inn? He was an excellent teacher, writer, and historian. His essay was about the disasters every time Lutherans were marking the Reformation - like 2017.
The Holy of Holies contains two (2) contradictory essays by Jay Webber. The first questions whether the upcoming ELCA is truly Lutheran, based on Braaten-Jenson's hideous Dogmatics. However, his "Oh Jay!" essay, 30 years later, adopts the same Universalism condemned in the first one. One can expect no less from someone who just got an STM from an online ELCA school.
Why Write about WAM II?
WELS ->In this paper Maier opposes the Synodical Conference view of objective justification. Many of Prof. Siegbert
Becker's papers on objective justification were in part directed against Maier's views. Similar views were held
by some members of the WELS congregation in Kokomo, Indiana, who objected to WELS position on this
doctrine. The LCMS rejected Maier's position in their statement on justification, though they do not mention
his name.
GJ - Big lie above. The Gausewitz catechism taught Justification by Faith. The LCMS KJV Small Catecism did the same.
An anonymous scribe, perhaps Brug, added the warning in red to the essay. Someone gave me proof of Mordor doing the same with dogmatics quotations that actually teach Justification by Faith! The nerve. Is Mordor a bit insecure about their demonic dogma? I think so.
First, Some Criticism and Sympathy
I do not like slogans, because they become dogmatic weapons several steps removed from the Scriptures. Supposedly, WAM II used "The Atonement plus faith = forgiveness" or something similar. That sounds like a loose construction, if I am quoting correctly.
On the other hand, I do not like essays written only for a few theological professors. That is not in the style of Luther, the Book of Concord, or the Bible. This essay is ponderous.
Sympathy
The Righteous Brothers, Jack and Bob Preus, were using this issue to crush WAM II as a leader of the LCMS. They were wrong in the content of their claims and disgusting in the methods. They evoked the cowardly nastiness of the first Missouri Pope, CFW Walther, who led the riot to overturn Bishop Stephan, rob him of all his gold-land-books, and kidnap him to Illinois.
They demoted WAM II for teaching the truth!
I can see WAM II unleashing his academic ability to show that Justification by Faith is indeed the Chief Article, without feeding the hunger of the Norwegian Dobermans. Nevertheless, I wish WAMII would have confronted the horrible errors of Objective Justification, which cannot be excused, explained, or made palatable.
For example:
- Justification by Grace! through Faith - is now used as a deceptive introduction to OJ. Because of this, the slogan should have been euthanized rather than employed.
- Quoting errorists of the LCMS tradition - Walther, Franzmann - elevates them to undeserved deutero-canonical status. What happened to a brief summary of the Scriptures - with notes and condemnations from Luther and the Book of Concord?
- Using a lot of Greek in English form does not help. A supplement afterwards might have helped.
Conclusion
WAM II is not a false teacher. The Righteous Brothers and their evil comrades were using a little understood term to usurp authority through deception, bullying, and well-understood threats. Synodical vengeance is visited onto the third and fourth generations, but the truly perverse are rewarded.
Epitome of Justification by Faith
Genesis 15:6 clearly states that Abraham was Justified by Faith because he believed the Messianic Promises of God.
Romans 4 uses Abraham as the prime example of Justification by Faith, extending that lesson to include everyone who believes the Gospel. They too are Justified by Faith.
This teaching is hated, vilified, persecuted, and distorted beyond all human understanding so the radicals can crow on top of their manure pile.
