Ghost-written for Matthew C. Harrison
July 21, 2023
In June, Thrivent — a fraternal benefit society born of a merger of two Lutheran organizations — exhorted its Instagram followers, with a rainbow heart, to “Celebrate Pride Month.” Many folks who own Thrivent products have asked us for alternatives for life insurance and investments. I especially feel for the many faithful LCMS people who serve or have served as Thrivent agents whose consciences are burdened. I think of J.A.O. Preus I (father of former LCMS President Rev. Dr. J.A.O. “Jack” Preus II), who founded Lutheran Brotherhood. I think of the Lutherans (like my family) who served so well in these institutions for so long, and all the charitable dollars to worthy causes.
In other news, a congregation in Minnesota bearing the name “Lutheran” — though not one with which we are in fellowship — has gone viral for its use of the so-called “Sparkle Creed” at a Pride Sunday service in June. Again, our voicemails and inboxes lit up with those concerned that the Synod needed to issue a statement about this “creed,” which includes phrases such as “I believe in the non-binary God whose pronouns are plural. I believe in Jesus Christ, their son, who wore a fabulous tunic and had two dads.”
These are shocking developments, but not unexpected...
***
 |
| "Soon, everyone will have a fish-hat, stick, and cope." |
GJ - This blog had Sparkle posted already in June. It took Matt the M-Div a month to be shocked, perhaps because of ELCA's obsessions being funded so lavishly by Thrivent, which also uses its insider benevolence loot to fund their favorite Left-wing fevers.
Like his convention two-step, Matt danced around the issues.
Matt (or his helpers) wrote -
This — the doctrine of justification, on which the church stands or falls — is what it means to be Lutheran. Everything else flows from it. Original sin and the preaching of the Law (apart from Christ, all of us are “lost and condemned persons”) are about justification. Because we know that God justifies sinners, we aren’t afraid of man’s sinful condition, nor do our sins terrify and oppress us. God reckons us righteous, by grace, for Christ’s sake.The "stands or falls" statement is not from the Book of Concord, not that Matt has comprehended that source or even a decent Bible. Here his team is babbling as incoherently as confirmands "answering questions" on the big day of confirmation, as it used to be.
The Feeble Four (LCMS, WELS, ELS, CLC) agree with ELCA about Objective Faithless Justification - "the whole world was declared forgiven" though their dates and methods are in motion, like clouds of vape circling the florescent lights.
The corruption is so thorough that anyone objecting to ELCA-Thrivent's pro-abortion, gay activist, Universalism will be squelched quickly and consigned to the lower depths of Church Growth plagiarism. "Nothing to see - move on."
"Don't spill the beans - we need the grants."
