Lutheran seminary education is so pathetic today that Rambach's dogma is hailed as Luther's Biblical doctrine. |
Let's be clear. This statement in the Book of Concord means:
1. Melanchthon's Apology of the Augsburg Confession teaches Justification by Faith as the Chief Article of Christianity.
2. Luther teaches Justification by Faith throughout his work, and considered himself a "theologian of the Augsburg Confession," expressed elsewhere.
3. The esteemed editors of the Formula and Book of Concord, 1580, including the great genius Martin Chemnitz (who was taught by Luther and Melanchthon) agree that Justification by Faith is indeed the Chief Article, the Master and Prince, the Judge of all other doctrines of Christianity.
The Big Five remind me of the old trick of smashing a puddle of mercury with a hammer, scattering the very toxic shiny beads in all directions. I did not know anyone stupid enough to do that, but it was whispered among my peers. Let's get the facts straight, since we have an abundance of evidence.
The Reformation in Germany was followed by wannabees who claimed to follow Luther and the Bible but veered off in different directions. Calvin and Zwingli absorbed rationalism and picked away at Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz.
The Big Five are not a variety within Lutherdom but the scattered shiny beads of mercury poisoning, a persistent heavy metal. They are perfectly in line with each other. ELCA in 1989 was already insisting on quotas, not even waiting for their nails to dry. They made gay dominance legal and official in 2009.
"One ring to rule them all..." or is this Eaton's test for pastors?
Effects can be traced back to the cause. Halle University moved away from Biblical Pietism and embraced promiscuity. The true founder of the LCMS was Martin Stephan, who studied at Halle and became syphilitic. Stephan was the genuine founder of the LCMS, and Walther used the scandal to become pope, organizing a riot
- to remove Stephan at the point of a firearm
- to force him across the river to Illinois
- to take away his land, and
- to steal all his gold.
And yet, the LCMS praised themselves while continuing to elevate Walther to a special place in the firmament.