Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Term Justification by Faith Does Not Appear in 11-04-2019 Christians News,
But Teaching the Chief Article is "Satanic."

 Knapp smiles at young Hale for endorsing the Calvinist translator's terms used for his Pietistic theology lectures - OJ and SJ. Calvin does not smile since Calvinists are almost as grim and humorless as OJists.

Hale's Rash, Raging, Reckless Thoughts on Defending OJ!

"It is satanic that people like Gregory Jackson and Paul Rydecki have used misleading and complicating rational arguments, incorrect biblical interpretation, and misleading historical evidence to make this such a difficult issue to grasp today. They attack and obscure Scripture, rather than clarify it, though. (This is why they hate and refuse to deal directly with 2 Cor. 5:19, since it is so clear and helpful on this issue.) In the same way, the 1979 Kokomo theses were uncarefully drawn up to make light of and mock objective justification, not to defend it or help bring about a right understanding." p. 6, 11-04-2019 CN.

Pastor Rydecki should object in print to the guilt by association logical fallacy hurled by Hale.



Hale spends a lot of time raving, almost no time in thoughtful meditation about the Scriptures, especially Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4-5:2. Both passages would do wonders for his nerves, his sermons, and his writing.



I could list the books I have written specifically about OJ being a rejection of Justification by Faith. Thy Strong Word - in the year 2000, before Hale was in seminary - convinced Bishop Heiser that OJ was no good, and he distributed my book. I can tell that Hale has not read much of anything and has no capacity to reflect upon what he might have studied. Since all my books are available for free and are in the public domain, I feel no need to provide a Justification for Dummies book for young Hale.



I hope Hale keeps writing, because each conniption fit provides addition support for the frailty and futility of OJ - the notion that God declared - in a place unrecorded - that the entire unbelieving world was absolved of all sin and saved.



Make a decision for OJ! - just like Pope Walther.
 Church Growth loves OJ.

 Not faith in Christ, but faith in world absolution.
Rambach, Pietism, and OJ.


Kokomo - Not a Place You Want To Go
Unlike Hale and other liars about Kokomo, I visited the place and spoke with the two men whose families were kicked out of WELS.

Hale's repetition of the WELS Kokomo deception does not do him credit for any research. The two men gave me xerox copies of the letters sent to them, kicking them out of WELS. That was affirmed upon appeal by Armin Panning.

First of all, the four statements were -

  • Statements1- 3, These are almost word for word from JP Meyer's Ministers of God, a book reissued, edited by Panning, with the same errors.
  • Statement 4 - This came from a dispute between Augustana and the Norwegian Pietists, the Norwegians favoring OJ.


The WELS liars, including the sainted Carl Mischke, keep trying to convince people they do not like or endorse these statements, which they have reprinted with pride, satisfaction, and glee.

I noticed that Ruprecht spoke up in favor of Papenfuss, who started the Kokomo furor. Papenfuss told the two men that he had never heard of Objective Justification, the first time hearing it at Mequon. As people must know by now, the original Gausewitz catechism taught Justification by Faith for decades, just as the LCMS (but not Pope Walther) taught Justification by Faith and switched over time - quite dishonestly.

The two men wrote down three statements from JP Meyer and Papenfuss added the fourth statement. They asked Papenfuss, "Is this what WELS teaches?" Papenfuss said yes and kicked them out.

Nota bene - The excommunication letter specifically kicks out the families for NOT endorsing all four Kokomo Statements.


From Thy Strong Word -
Exposing the Kokomo Error The Kokomo conflict began in July, 1978, in Kokomo, Indiana, at Faith Lutheran Church, WELS, served at that time by Pastor Charles Papenfuss, who was newly called to the congregation. When the parable of the Prodigal Son was being discussed by David Hartman for the upcoming Vacation Bible School, Pastor Papenfuss argued that the story “taught that God the Father has pronounced the entire world of lost sinners forgiven of all sins and that at the time of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection gave unto all sinners the ‘status of saints’… Pastor Papenfuss said that even Judas and all people in hell were declared righteous, holy, innocent of all sin and given the ‘status of saints.’ He said that they too were declared to be guilt-free saints at the time of the resurrection of Christ.”232 Hartman was surprised at the pastor’s statements and asked if that was the teaching of the WELS seminary. Papenfuss said it was. The pastor recommended J. P. Meyer’s Ministers of Christ to David Hartman. The conflict continued and the congregation voted on June 20, 1979, to endorse the four statements quoted below and to suspend the Hartman and Pohlman families from membership.

The Kokomo Statements, 1979 

J-580 
I. "Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinner's attitude toward Christ's sacrifice, purely on the basis of God's verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of saint." 
II. "After Christ's intervention and through Christ's intervention God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints." 
III. "When God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not." 
IV. "At the time of the resurrection of Christ, God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints."

The letter sent to the two families quoted the statements and declared that the families were being expelled for denying them. Certain people have tried to confuse the issue by claiming the statements were made up by the expelled families to parody WELS doctrine. Three statements are almost verbatim from J. P. Meyer’s Ministers of Christ, now out of print. The fourth statement came from a controversy in the 19th century but was added by Pastor Papenfuss to the previous statements from J. P. Meyer. Although WELS has often backed away from the Kokomo statements, the synod continues to defend the content and reproduce the most obnoxious falsehoods found in them. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod teaches Kokomo justification in their seminary. After a layman wrote to Bethany Seminary professor John Moldstad Jr., the following statements appeared in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Lutheran Sentinel:

J-581 
“When Paul uses the word ‘reconciling’ here, [2 Corinthians 5:19] he clearly means that forgiveness of sins is really imputed to ‘the world.’


John Moldstad, Jr., “I have heard some Lutherans say they do not believe the Bible teaches objective justification. How can they assert this and still call themselves ‘Lutheran’?”  Lutheran Sentinel, October, 1996, p. 11. [GJ - This was not what my friend wrote to LS, and he was angry that the future Pope John reversed the wording to make a case for OJ.]

---

Letters to the Hartman and Pohlman Families

J-585a 

“Faith Lutheran Church 3215 West Judson Road Kokomo, Indiana 46901

August 30, 1979

Mr. and Mrs. David Hartman R. R. #1, Box 90 Kokomo, Indiana 46901

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hartman,

In response to your letter of August 18, 1979, it is our understanding that your ‘no’ vote on June 20th against supporting the biblical doctrine of the WELS was based at least in part, on your failure to accept the following statement – included in your letter – all of which are in agreement with the teachings of the WELS, namely that: 1. ‘Objectively speaking, without any reference to an individual sinners’ [sic] attitude toward Christs’ [sic] sacrafice [sic], purely on the basis of God’s verdict, every sinner, whether he knows it or not, whether he believes it or not, has received the status of a saint.’ 2. ‘After Christs’ [sic] intervention and through Christs’ [sic] intervention, God regards all sinners as guilt-free saints.’ 3. ‘When God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, He individually pronounced forgiveness to each individual sinner whether that sinner ever comes to faith or not.’ 4. ‘At the time of the resurrection of Christ God looked down in hell and declared Judas, the people destroyed in the flood, and all the ungodly, innocent, not guilty, and forgiven of all sin and gave unto them the status of saints.’

I trust this is the information you desire.

Sincerely yours in Christian love,



312
Michael Liebner, Acting Secretary Faith Lutheran Church Voters’ Assembly”238
 J-585b
 “Faith Lutheran Church 3215 West Judson Road Kokomo, Indiana 46901

November 19, 1980

Mr. and Mrs. David Hartman R. R. #1, Box 90 Kokomo, Indiana 46901

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hartman,

In accordance with the recommendations of the Southeastern Wisconsin District Panel of Review the voters of the Faith Lutheran Church have approved a resolution terminating your membership in the congregation unless and until such time as you accept the doctrine of justification as practiced by the WELS.

We encourage you to reassess your position on this matter and pray for a favorable decision so that once again we can work together for His Kingdom.

Yours in Christ,

Michael Liebner, Secretary”           

---
 He was wrong of course. Just pick up the German materials from the Missouri Synod and Gausewitz' Small Catechism.


J-584 
"The first three statements are taken verbatim from WELS sources."  Siegbert Becker, "Objective Justification," Chicago Pastoral Conference, WELS, Elgin, Illinois, November 9, 1982, Unpaginated.

Every reader of this chapter is invited to compare the first three Kokomo Statements with the corresponding verbatim quotations from J. P. Meyer’s Ministers of Christ, cited below. The fourth statement emerged from an earlier debate on the subject, in the 19th century, and not directly from J. P. Meyer’s book. That fact is irrelevant, since the pastor and the Wisconsin Synod included the rejection of the fourth statement as part of the reason for excommunicating the two couples. The fourth Kokomo statement was written by Pastor Papenfuss, included as a reason for expelling both families, defended by the circuit pastor Al Siggelkow, upheld by Armin Panning....


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The Problem with Pastoral Plagiarism


Plagiarism is pandemic in higher education, so much that online universities have mandatory "plagiarism checkers" for every single assignment. When they post their work, the software starts looking for text-matching, which is not perfect but certainly handy.

Apart from dishonesty and laziness, the problem with plagiarism is the lack of study and reflection on the text of the Bible. The popular sermons are quite shallow and manipulative, so their effect is to take the pastor farther away from the Word than before.

WELS has a great formula at Mordor. They hate Lenski for teaching Justification by Faith. The faculty encourages "good sermons writers" to share on a server so the overworked, hungover brothers do not have to write their own. WELS leadersare so full of themselves that they make the graduates think they have reached a genius level of Biblical studies, even though their education has been watered down year after year, following the LCMS-ELCA model.

In the past WELS has paid pastors to attend Fuller and Willow Creek, so they can grow their churches the way Calvinists do.

How you gonna keep them down on the farm,
After they've seen Church Growth?
How you gonna keep them away harm
After they've heard such things from Parlow?




At Gettysburg Seminary, in the good old days, seminary was a series of Greek and Hebrew courses in the Scriptures, with homiletical courses added - German preaching expected.

Many pastors were intellectual giants because of their constant study, as were the leaders of the Lutheran Reformation.

We are not all equally moved to study and write, but this formula is still true for all composition -

"Great writing comes from great research, because research is the energy behind thought and composition." - G. Jackson

I teach that to every class I have whether it is an MA in education or a graduate degree in theology. Those who linger and malinger at the textbook level have nothing new to say. They simply repeat the bromides they have learned from the text.

When I read the verbose volumes of liberal scholars, I usually see the endless repetition of rationalism from the past. The theologians are anxious to prove they have devoured the works of Karl Barth, or more honestly - his mistress Charlotte Kirschbaum. Thus we have Calvinistic human reason on both sides, with nothing to offer from the Word itself.

Halle University launched the Easter Absolution of the Entire Word (without faith, of course). Halle also promoted Biblical rationalism and culminated in Schleiermacher's pivot into modernism - faith without belief. He taught the academics to write enormous volumes where all the words of faith were used, but emptied of meaning. That remains the "genius" of Barth-Kirschbaum, the theology of Fuller Seminary, and the method of the modern Lutherans who ape Calvin so marvelously well.

 Barth and his Commie mistress - Charlotte Kirschbaum. He plagiarized the documents/research his colleagues sent him, kind of a Walmart of theology. Charlotte did all of his research and received no credit until very late.

Ow! - I need eye bleach. This is the after picture.

Calvinist Copycats Cleverly Cover Up for Each Other



The Lutheran Librarian sent me a link about Calvinists covering up plagiarism for each other.

https://thouarttheman.org/2019/10/29/plagiarizer-derek-w-h-thomas-offers-opening-prayer-in-u-s-house-of-representatives/

Start of quotation from the article linked above:

Derek W.H. White and Mark Driscoll have proven that plagiarism matters little in the American Evangelical subculture.
Fresh off a slap on the wrist from the Catawba Presbytery for what the nameless group of men classified as “unintentional plagiarism,” The distinguished Dr. Derek W.H. Thomas had the honor of offering the Opening Prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday.
According to Wikipedia, Dr. Thomas, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, SC and a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, has yet to make a public statement about his plagiarism. It appears likely he never will, choosing instead to let his good friend, Dr. Ligon Duncan speak for him.
Duncan, Chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary, appears to be a man of poor discernment, first defending C.J. Mahaney and now Derek W.H. Thomas.
Quoting from Wikepedia: “Reformed Theological Seminary, which he [Thomas] works for as a professor, also cleared his name, saying, “an RTS committee reviewing the Acts incident had cleared Thomas of ‘any knowing and intentional plagiarism.’ He [Ligon Duncan] added that Thomas will continue to teach. ‘From the standpoint of RTS,’ Duncan wrote, ‘the case is now closed.'”
Of course, it is. Who would dare argue with the influential Chancellor?
End of quotation from the article linked above.
***
GJ - I wrote back that there are many cases like that in Lutherdom, especially among those who want the label only when convenient.
CPH editor Paul McCain copy and pasted material from other blogs and copiously copied from The Catholic Encyclopedia, forgetting the quotation marks and almost completely eliminating the sources. LutherQuest (sic) let McCain post his links for a long time, even after I proved how much plagiarism existed in those LQ links. 
No apology. No retraction. 
Likewise, though I repeatedly asked McCain's boss about an editor engaged in blatant plagiarism, it was not Kintz' business for some odd reason. The plagiarized blog disappeared.
No apology. No retraction.
Glende and Ski engaged in the same kind of plagiarism, but they were defended by the WELS DP at the time.
No apology. No retraction.
Discipline followed in the Glende/Ski situation. They excommunicated the lawyer who pointed out the truth and spoke to them about it. 
WELS Church and Changer John Parlow posted "his" sermons on the church website. They were clearly taken from other sources. He addressed the situation by stating - Copies of the sermon may be obtained from the church secretary. 
In one hilarious incident, WELS pastors Parlow/Limmer had the same reaction as the Willow Creek skirt chaser, verbatim. Maybe I can find it in my archives.
----- Original Message -----
From: jp (this is how John Parlow sends his messages)

Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 2:47 PM
Subject: Letter from Pastor Limmer (not sure how Limmer got added, but he was)

Dear St. Mark Family,
I have never been an early riser all my life. And so for someone like me to be tossing and turning two hours before sunrise, after a fourteen hour work day at St. Mark...well that is worth trying to figure out. Jet lag? Nope. I have been in the same time zone for weeks. Family trouble? Nope. My family still graciously puts up with all my quirks. Anxiety? The world has its share of troubles, and I like many of you, have felt the need to pray more fervently for so many who are suffering. But after reflecting on that for a little while, I knew that wasn't the root cause of my sleeplessness.

Being the seasoned spiritual leader that I am, I finally resorted to a formula that has been a secret embarrassment to me for decades: "When all else fails...turn to God and ask for help." When I quietly breathed a prayer for insight from above, the Spirit whispered, "It is old fashioned excitement, Bill. You felt it in years past when Holy Week services were filled with a sense of anticipation and wonder and you are feeling it again now. It is a good thing. In fact, why not revel in the fact that you have been doing something for fifteen years and you love it so much that you can't sleep come ‘game day’." Duh.

Last night I prayed for Scott as I knew he would be putting on the finishing touches for the three Maundy Thursday Services. And today I'm contemplating the final rehearsals for our Good Friday services, and felt a sharp pang of sadness that it is not being broadcast all over the world. It was that touching to me. I was completely convinced that any and all who experience it will be moved to tears as I was, and as irresistibly drawn to the Crucified One. The Tenebrae services are at 12:30, 3:30 and 6:30 tomorrow.

Earlier in the day John, a few others and I reviewed the Easter message. (Remember we are at West High, 966 Shawano Ave. at 7:30 and 9:30 a.m.) As the group left my office, I sat with John and we grieved over the fact that we would only be having eight Holy Week services! All John and I could talk about was the redemptive potential of the next four days. Who knows what God might do--in how many lives?!

Friends, don't miss anything these next few days. Don't miss private promptings from God regarding what He wants you to reflect on this Holy Week. Don't miss a single opportunity to ask additional friends and family to come with you to the services. Don't miss the teaching moments with young children that this season affords. Miss a little sleep...but don't miss anything else. Deal?
Bill

[Milwaukee -- Cardinal Stritch Coll
(F) Rev Bill F Limmer
The Point of Grace, Milwaukee WI
414-963-2047
pastorbill@thepointofgrace.net
Wisconsin Lutheran Student Center Worship Facility]



---

But two and one-half hours earlier, this message had already arrived from Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church:


----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Hybels
To: enews@arrow.willowcreek.org
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 12:08 PM
Subject: Sleepless in Barrington (from Bill Hybels)

Dear Enews Family,

I have been an early riser all my life. It goes back to growing up in a family that owned a fresh produce business. But for someone like me to be tossing and turning two hours before sunrise, after a sixteen hour work day at Willow...well that is worth trying to figure out. Jet lag? Nope. I have been in the same time zone for weeks. Family trouble? Nope. We recently returned from one of the most enjoyable vacations we have ever had. Anxiety? The world has its share of troubles, and I like many of you, have felt the need to pray more fervently for so many who are suffering. But after reflecting on that for a little while, I knew that wasn't the root cause of my sleeplessness.

Being the seasoned spiritual leader that I am, I finally resorted to a formula that has been a secret embarrassment to me for decades: "When all else fails...turn to God and ask for help." When I quietly breathed a prayer for insight from above, the Spirit whispered, "It is old fashioned excitement, Bill. You felt it in years past when Good Friday and Easter services were filled with a sense of anticipation and wonder and you are feeling it again now. It is a good thing. In fact, why not revel in the fact that you have been doing something for thirty years and you love it so much that you can't sleep come ‘game day’." Duh.

Last night I sat through the final rehearsals for our Good Friday services, and felt a sharp pang of sadness that it is not being broadcast all over the world. It was that touching to me. I was completely convinced that any and all who experience it will be moved to tears as I was, and as irresistibly drawn to the Crucified One. The first service starts tonight at 7:00 p.m. (And then we get to do it three more times on Friday--at 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 p.m.!)

Earlier in the day God had graciously given my Easter message to me, after which the team and I reviewed the Easter program one final time. As the group left my office, I sat alone for just a moment and grieved over the fact that we would only be able to do it seven times! At the end of my workday Greg Ferguson and I did our typical run, but at a ridiculously fast pace, because all we could talk about was the redemptive potential of the next four days. Who knows what God might do--in how many lives?!

So, that's why I'm pecking at my laptop well before the guys with broken exhaust systems deliver the newspapers . . .raw spiritual amperage. And at my age...it is a good thing.

Friends, don't miss anything these next few days. Don't miss private promptings from God regarding what He wants you to reflect on this Holy Week. Don't miss a single opportunity to ask additional friends and family to come with you to the services. Don't miss the teaching moments with young children that this season affords. Miss a little sleep...but don't miss anything else. Deal?

Bill

-------------------------------
To find out about this weekend's service or what's happening around Willow Creek Community Church, visit http://www.willowcreek.org.
To unsubscribe from E-news, send a blank message to enews@willowcreek.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you have questions about Willow Creek, you can e-mail info@willowcreek.org or call (847)765-5000. Thank you.


---
2009 Links
2010 Links




2008 Links

St. Mark DePere - removes evidence of plagiarism from their websty

GJ - St. Mark is the home of Church and Change, a political lobby funded by your offering money, WELS members. 

Creepy Plagiarism - Church and Changers Copy Each Other and Their False Teaching Idols

Church and Change Misbegotten Ideas - Including Ski from St. Marcus and Cross-Dressing Pastor Adam Mueller

Church and Change Board Member Ski Evacuates to Appleton

Another Coven of Changers Offering Their Toxins - Ski Again

You Must Read This - Parlow and Timmer Plagiarize Hybels Words and Emotions


The LCMS Is a Born-Again Seminex under Matt the Fatt and His Iago, Paul McCain. "Conservative" in LCMS-WELS Means - Still Believes in God, More or Less.

Jaroslav Pelikan's grandfather was a bishop in the Slovak Zion Synod, which is now the SELC in the LCMS. We knew Dr. Pelikan at Yale, and I met his father in the hospital in Cleveland, where Jaroslav's brother Theodore served as a pastor. NY Times Obituary

Dear Pastor Jackson,


In your writings, you’ve made the point that the leadership of the conservative Lutheran synods no longer believe in Biblical principles.  

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is generally regarded as a theologically conservative synod. Within the LCMS, the SELC district is generally regarded as one of its more conservative districts.

 The banner photographs on the SELC website includes this photograph of a Bible and Rosary, apparently to help lead pastors and laity to Rome. Compare it with this Roman Catholic website.


The SELC district October monthly newsletter included an article titled “A Lutheran Christian View of Biblical Inspiration.”

In this article, the author (a Lutheran minister) rejected the principles of Biblical inerrancy and infallibility. The author began by ridiculing the idea that the writings comprising the Bible were divinely inspired:

“Contrary to the popular opinion of certain pious believers, as suggested by a picture of a balding elder, John, on the Aegean island of Patmos, a wasp-nest-like opening protruding from his     forehead through which, seemingly hypnotically, he is receiving from the Holy Spirit the words of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (or some other New Testament writing). Such a mechanical view of inspiration is clearly not a Biblically accurate portrayal of how the written Word came to be. [GJ - The Straw Man argument is enhanced by vapors. So did we miss the accurate view?]

Those of us privileged to have studied the Biblical languages of koine Greek and Hebrew cannot help but gain at least a tiny insight as to differences in each writer’s literary style. In other words there is no uniform Biblical language of the Holy Spirit.” [GJ - Sarcasm plus "I studied Greek and Hebrew!"

He went on to mock the belief that the inspired writings were divinely preserved:
     
“Consecrated lay people and even seminarians occasionally become seemingly traumatized when told that their Christian faith rests on the Triune God revealed to us in the verbally inspired original autographs of the canonical Scriptures all of which, likely irretrievably long lost, would probably never be recognizable with any degree of certainty, even if ever found.” [GJ - His Unitarian, rationalistic perspective would make the scholars of ELCA or Fuller Seminary proud. There is no Bible; it is not preserved; disputes distract us from Mission. Some boys reach seminary not knowing this - and are traumatized. Publishing such tommy-rot should traumatize more than one reader.]

His statement that we don’t have the authoritative Word of God contradicts God’s promise to preserve his inspired Word (for example, Mark 13:31).

I would ask, of what use is it to believe that the original text of the Bible was inspired, if the original text no longer exists?  And, if God didn’t keep his promise to preserve his inspired writings, why then should we trust any other promise that God made?

The author then went on to disparage the principle of the Bible as a reliable source of divine truth -

“Christians need not endlessly debate the authenticity of the inspired word of God, they do however, very much need to seek the same Spirit’s help and guidance for the proper interpretation of the Biblical text.”

So, the Holy Spirit did not inspire the writers of Scripture, and even if he did, we don’t have reliable copies of those writings. Nonetheless, we should ask the Holy Spirit to guide us for proper interpretation of the non-inspired, non-authoritative Bible.
  Finally, the author made the following statement which I find disturbing, coming from a Lutheran minister:
     
“In our felt need at times perhaps to defend the written Word of God, there is an ever present danger of exerting overly much time or energy disputing the meaning of undeniably theologically loaded
words at the expense of ever applying the Word to our daily lives.” [GJ - He pities the people who get wound up about inerrancy, which damages the efficacy of his practical wisdom derived from his heavily edited Bible.]

I would ask, wasn’t the Lutheran Reformation all about correct discernment of Biblical doctrine and the defense thereof? Does the author believe that Martin Luther ‘exerted too much time and energy’ in studying the Scriptures to discover the pure doctrine hidden beneath centuries of accumulated Roman Catholic errors? Does the author believe that Martin Chemnitz ‘exerted too much time and energy’ compiling the Book of Concord to create a summary of the correct teachings of the Bible upon which the Lutheran Church is based?

Regarding ‘undeniably theologically loaded words’ over which we may ‘exert too much time and energy’ disputing, would the author consider ‘justification by faith alone’ to be one of those terms that we should not bother defending? 


 The LCMS clergy I knew, who never took the Reformation seriously, became Roman Catholics - Neuhaus and Wilken.


I’m dismayed that a conservative district within a conservative Lutheran synod would publish an article in their official monthly newsletter rejecting the principles of Biblical inerrancy and infallibility. Worse yet, they published this article in October, the anniversary month of the Lutheran Reformation. How can they be so tone-deaf as to reject the principles of Biblical inerrancy and infallibility in the anniversary month of the Lutheran Reformation, which was predicated on Biblical inerrancy and infallibility?

In light of their position that the Bible is neither inerrant nor infallible, perhaps the churches of the SELC district should change their declaration of the Reformation principle of
“Sola Scriptura” to “Sorta Scriptura.”



***
 Does the ending of Mark require a separate author? What does this say about the rationalism of Matt the Fatt's LCMS?

GJ - This is an excellent analysis of one article in the SELC newsletter. Another article, on science and Creation, is equally patronizing and sarcastic.

The ALC adopted the same attitude and logical fallacies when moving toward union with the LCA and Seminex (AELC). The Bible "did not fall from heaven," they said. So who claimed that concept of inspiration?

I cannot find the author's description of John on Patmos, but I would caution the pastor not to leave the lid loose on his pot of airplane glue.

The Rosary is one of many signals from the Harrison-McCain team - we are really Catholics and will wait for the backward ones to join us, if they become enlightened. Both seminaries - Ft. Wayne and "the other one" (as ELDONA often says) - promote Romanism and that elite intellectualist snobbery so abundant in the half-educated.

David Scaer is a perfect example of one who disparages Justification by Faith, which he does not describe accurately, and promotes the doctrinal laxity of Rome/Eastern Orthodoxy.

At the heart of the doctrine was that God justified the entire world in the resurrection of Christ. The contrary position was that faith made justification or forgiveness effective, and hence justification was not prior to faith, a position that has reappeared in the theologies of Gerhard Forde, Steven Paulsen and James Nestigen.

Scaer, David P.. Surviving the Storms: Memoirs of David P. Scaer . Luther Academy. Kindle Edition. 

Pity those poor boys who graduate after years of such brain-washing! Bishop James Rodham Heiser, STM, was so addled by his years at Ft. Wayne that he did not remember being taught Objective Justification by his hero, David Scaer.

The Chief Article is that "faith makes justification or forgiveness effective"? Scaer is either intoxicated by Rome and EO - or he is a clumsy liar. Simply put, following Paul and the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the Atonement creates faith because of the efficacy of the divine Word. Faith receives the Gospel Promises.

I highly recommend Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4 - 5:2, a short reading assignment that will clarify and elucidate the true meaning of Justification.

Romans 10 teaches the Means of Grace and traces Gospel preaching back to Isaiah 53 - faith comes from hearing the Report - Jesus dying for our sins.

Notice that Scaer is using a Straw Man fallacy against Justification by Faith. Is it any wonder that the Ft. Wayne and St. Louis students are so bereft of Biblical understanding? They learn slogans and say to each each - "Cooperate to graduate." Ah, there is the Reformation spirit. No wonder the 500th was such an embarrassment to them, shaming their porcine greed for easy calls and plush benefits.

Scaer failed his PhD in Germany and never recovered from it.
He finished a ThD at Our Lady of All Sorrows Seminary, St. Louis.