The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) Are Together With Pride

 

Rick Strickert (Carlvehse) Senior Member Username: Carlvehse Post Number: 11203 Registered: 10-2003

Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - 11:16 am:       Here's a website of an LCMS Recognized Service Organization, Lutheran Community Services Northwest. "Pride is more than a month at LCSNW; it’s a mindset to serve LGBTQ clients" Here is the LCSNW Leadership. Their Board of Directors is a mixture of LCMS, XXXA, and Unknown affiliation. Here is the LCSNW 2020 DEI Action Plan.

Just As Stupid as Bethany Lutheran College (ELS) and Martin Luther College (WELS)...It's a Fad, Dad!

 

"I say e-sports!" 
"I say get an education!"
"I say e-sports!"

"Not specifically Valpo related, but another sign of the growing trend perhaps: In conversation with some friends over the weekend we learned that Wittenburg University an ELCA school in Ohio has done away with their entire music department, including all ensembles.  On the heals of that announcement it was also announced that they would be building a multi-million dollar e-sports complex." 

I did not know what e-sport$ were until I found the above from the ALPB Ovaltines.

This agrees with the blind-following-the-blind vision of the Lutheran denominations, large and small. Like the Church Growth Movement, this tired fad appeals to the stupidity and negligence of the Sect Presidents, District Potroons, Circuit Creampuffs, and Board Reprobates.

The ELS and WELS dinky colleges have reached across 30 miles of highway to have two $15 million gyms while dissolving academic program. Valpo is getting the flack at the moment, but more will come along.

Kamala Harrison Support Already Slipping

 

Charlie Sue - The Patterdale Terrier, Chihuahua Cuddler

 

This is not Charlie Sue, but it has Charlie Sue's know-it-all attitude.

I saw this photograph and had to save it. I have seen this superior look from Charlie Sue and from Sassy Sue before her. Drooping the ears suggests that the dog is thinking, "Don't you know what I want?"

Charlie is quite expressive with her ears, so I pay attention to her. 

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - "For when she was forsaken and had neither son nor husband, then Christ manifests himself to her and says: Learn to believe, trust God, know him to whom death and life are alike: have a good heart, be of good courage, weep not, there is no need of it. He then goes and awakens the dead, and gives him again to his mother."

 

Luther's Sermons - Luke 7:11-17. The Widow's Son.
Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. First Sermon

8. So it was in the case of this widow, in whom God lets himself be known, as to what kind of a God he is, what he thinks of us, and what we must think of him. This woman has two misfortunes around her neck. First, she is a widow. This is misfortune enough for one woman, that she is forsaken and alone, and has no one to whom she dare look for comfort. And therefore God in the Scriptures is often mentioned as the Father of the widow and orphans, as in Psalm 68:6 and Psalm 146:9: “God setteth the solitary in families. The Lord preserveth the strangers and orphans, he delivers the widow.” Again: she has an only son about to die, who should have been her comfort. Now, God comes and takes away her husband and son. She had much better have lost house and home, yes, her own life, than her son and husband. But the Lord turns it around. While the husband lived the woman did not appreciate what a blessing a husband was; but when he died she first became aware of it. When he lived, she thought: O, other women have husbands, too! And thought her husband was like other husbands. But afterwards when he was dead, she became aware what kind of a man she had lost. So, too, when her son was bright and well, she did not appreciate the blessing of God, but as soon as he died, she then first saw what a treasure she had lost. Before she did not desire to spend on him; but now, since he is dead, she spends all she has and even herself upon him. And thus it is also with us. There are many of you who do not expend ten dollars that your child may be reared better; if the child dies the parents wish and say: O would to God he were alive, I would give many hundred dollars! Why did you not give something before that he might have learned a little? What is the reason you do not appreciate the grace and blessings of God? In short, the world remains world, and it will not change into anything else. 

9. Now, the woman went ahead and did not know what God had given her; but she was soon obliged to experience it. For before she turns around, and she thinks she is the safest, God comes, tries the wife a little and teaches her certain things, takes her husband and her son. This all has been written for us that we might have an example and learn to acknowledge God when he blesses us with a healthy body, a bright countenance, and bestows upon us other blessings. He does not give them to the end that you should rejoice in them; but that you may know what to think of him. When he takes a member out of your family, permits your wife to die, or destroys one of your eyes, all this is done that you may see what you have enjoyed from him. 

10. And this is now the common teaching through all the Gospels, that we may see what kind of a God we have. It is also shown us here in this Gospel that God will forsake no one; therefore he permits the wife to see in a new light what kind of a God she has. For when she was forsaken and had neither son nor husband, then Christ manifests himself to her and says: Learn to believe, trust God, know him to whom death and life are alike: have a good heart, be of good courage, weep not, there is no need of it. He then goes and awakens the dead, and gives him again to his mother. 

The Alleged Debate Between President Trump and VP Harris

 

I am used to rigged meetings, when some issue in a congregation is being managed by the denomination. It is so obvious that the agenda was already established so there is no real discussion and there are many ways to avoid the issues or distort them. The LCA, WELS, LCMS, and CLC (sic) were alike.

Kamala Harris did not cackle or fall into her strange, empty phrases and hand gestures. Instead, she used the whiny voice of someone constantly declaring - but actually faking - the most horrible crimes.

One hour was more than enough, but it went on. The female journalist at the debate was definitely on Kamala's side, but not as strident and prosecutorial as the guy. I do not watch TV news, so I did not know either one. The guy always attacked Trump to straighten the President out. The journalists (plural) never pounced on Harris.

Harris used a large number of false accusations, previously exposed in the press, many different times. While abhorring personal attacks, Harris used them 100%. Her approach was vicious and quite ridiculous.

Many Seminaries Are Well Endowed - Gay, Lesbian, And Undecided

 

 Higher Education

Seminary Endowments: Mainline Has Money, Southern Baptists Have Students

Jeffrey Walton on September 10, 2024

Southern Baptists have more students but mostly declining Mainline Protestant seminaries have more money, according to data collected by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS).

Seminaries affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) continue to hold the most long-term investments, just short of $2.4 billion total across nine seminaries. Remove Princeton Theological Seminary’s endowment ($1.358 billion, more than four times higher than its closest peer, the United Methodist affiliated Candler School of Theology, with $315.8 million), and the number shrinks to just over $1 billion.

Those seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, however, easily post the highest number of students, with 7,147 (FTE) enrolled in 2023-24, nearly seven times the number at PCUSA schools (the total combined FTE enrollment at PCUSA schools was 1,043 the same year). Southern Baptist institutions hold six of the top 10 spots on the list of schools with the most students enrolled based upon full-time equivalent ranking (e.g. two halftime students equal one FTE). This is despite those six schools having total long term investments of only $483.4 million, about one-fifth the investments of the PCUSA schools.

For more information, see the charts below.

The Association of Theological Schools collects data on investments held for long-term purposes in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The phrase “LTI” replaces “Endowment” in earlier editions of the ATS Fact Book. I’ve also calculated the total number of long-term investments held divided by the number of FTE students.

Another tidbit of interest: the disparity between student enrollment and long-term investment is perhaps most sharply seen at United Methodist affiliated United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. United has the smallest endowment of its peer group at $9 million. But, the school has the second-largest FTE enrollment of any UMC affiliated school (515, just behind Duke Divinity School’s 570).

Mainline Denominational abbreviations

PCUSA = Presbyterian Church (USA)
UMC = United Methodist Church
EPISC = Episcopal Church
DISCPL = Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
ELCA = Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
UCC = United Church of Christ
ABCUSA = American Baptist Churches

Mainline Protestant Seminaries	Denomination	LTI$ (millions)	Enrollment (FTE)	Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Princeton Theological Seminary	PCUSA	1358.2	276	$4.92
Candler School of Theology of Emory University	UMC	315.8	412	$0.77
Columbia Theological Seminary	PCUSA	268.8	140	$1.92
Duke University Divinity School	UMC	267	570	$0.47
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary	PCUSA	236.1	90	$2.62
Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University	UMC	231.2	145	$1.59
Virginia Theological Seminary	EPISC	182.2	152	$1.20
Union Presbyterian Seminary	PCUSA	171.4	155	$1.11
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary	PCUSA	165	91	$1.81
Christian Theological Seminary	DISCPL	155.7	98	$1.59
Phillips Theological Seminary	DISCPL	134.2	46	$2.92
Luther Seminary	ELCA	123.8	183	$0.68
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary	UMC	118.3	190	$0.62
United Lutheran Seminary	ELCA	113.6	161	$0.71
Boston University School of Theology	UMC	107.4	255	$0.42
Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University	DISCPL	103.1	64	$1.61
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary	PCUSA	86.5	100	$0.87
McCormick Theological Seminary	PCUSA	80	45	$1.78
University of the South School of Theology	EPISC	59.9	103	$0.58
Wesley Theological Seminary	UMC	56.8	302	$0.19
Methodist Theological School in Ohio	UMC	53.4	86	$0.62
Lexington Theological Seminary	DISCPL	49.4	29	$1.70
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago	ELCA	48.5	58	$0.84
Seminary of the Southwest	EPISC	40.7	92	$0.44
Iliff School of Theology	UMC	39.3	132	$0.30
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University	ELCA	37.8	41	$0.92
Drew University Theological School	UMC	37.7	304	$0.12
Wartburg Theological Seminary	ELCA	37.3	146	$0.26
Saint Paul School of Theology	UMC	34.8	66	$0.53
San Francisco Theological Seminary	PCUSA	34.1	65	$0.52
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University	ELCA	34	49	$0.69
General Theological Seminary	EPISC	33.9	22	$1.54
Church Divinity School of the Pacific	EPISC	28.7	28	$1.03
Eden Theological Seminary	UCC	26.3	66	$0.40
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School	ABCUSA	19.3	41	$0.47
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary	PCUSA	17.1	81	$0.21
Chicago Theological Seminary	UCC	16.6	128	$0.13
Claremont School of Theology	UMC	16.4	96	$0.17
Lancaster Theological Seminary	UCC	16.4	42	$0.39
Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University	ABCUSA	16.2	110	$0.15
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary	ABCUSA	11.2	79	$0.14
Berkeley School of Theology (CA)	ABCUSA	9.1	85	$0.11
Bexley Hall Seabury-Western Theological Seminary	EPISC	9	34	$0.26
Nashotah House	EPISC	9	76	$0.12
United Theological Seminary	UMC	9	515	$0.02
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities	UCC	9	130	$0.07
Central Baptist Theological Seminary	ABCUSA	0.1	262	$0.00
Berkeley Divinity School (Yale)	EPISC	0	0

Southern Baptist Seminaries	Denomination	LTI$ (millions)	Enrollment (FTE)	Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary	SBC	162.1	1,041	$0.16
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary	SBC	107	1,866	$0.06
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary	SBC	75.2	871	$0.09
Gateway Seminary	SBC	59.4	782	$0.08
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary	SBC	48.7	1,085	$0.04
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary	SBC	31	1,502	$0.02

United Methodist Seminaries	Denomination	LTI$ (millions)	Enrollment (FTE)	Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Candler School of Theology of Emory University	UMC	315.8	412	$0.77
Duke University Divinity School	UMC	267	570	$0.47
Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University	UMC	231.2	145	$1.59
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary	UMC	118.3	190	$0.62
Boston University School of Theology	UMC	107.4	255	$0.42
Wesley Theological Seminary	UMC	56.8	302	$0.19
Methodist Theological School in Ohio	UMC	53.4	86	$0.62
Iliff School of Theology	UMC	39.3	132	$0.30
Drew University Theological School	UMC	37.7	304	$0.12
Saint Paul School of Theology	UMC	34.8	66	$0.53
Claremont School of Theology	UMC	16.4	96	$0.17
United Theological Seminary	UMC	9	515	$0.02

Anglican / Episcopal Seminaries	Denomination	LTI$ (millions)	Enrollment (FTE)	Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Virginia Theological Seminary	EPISC	182.2	152	$1.20
University of the South School of Theology (Sewanee)	EPISC	59.9	103	$0.58
Seminary of the Southwest	EPISC	40.7	92	$0.44
General Theological Seminary	EPISC	33.9	22	$1.54
Church Divinity School of the Pacific	EPISC	28.7	28	$1.03
Trinity Anglican Seminary	ANGOTH	27.3	90	$0.30
Bexley Hall Seabury-Western Theological Seminary	EPISC	9	34	$0.26
Nashotah House	EPISC/ANGOTH	9	76	$0.12
Reformed Episcopal Seminary	RFEPISC/ANGOTH	1	8	$0.13
Berkeley Divinity School (Yale)	EPISC	0	0

PCUSA Affiliated Seminaries	Denomination	LTI$ (millions)	Enrollment (FTE)	Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Princeton Theological Seminary	PCUSA	1358.2	276	$4.92
Columbia Theological Seminary	PCUSA	268.8	140	$1.92
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary	PCUSA	236.1	90	$2.62
Union Presbyterian Seminary	PCUSA	171.4	155	$1.11
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary	PCUSA	165	91	$1.81
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary	PCUSA	86.5	100	$0.87
McCormick Theological Seminary	PCUSA	80	45	$1.78
San Francisco Theological Seminary	PCUSA	34.1	65	$0.52
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary	PCUSA	17.1	81	$0.21

Reformation Seminary - The Second Miracle in John's Gospel - John 4

YouTube

KJV John 4

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. (esophagus)

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (food)

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

41 And many more believed because of his own word;

42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 16 - "But since it occurs daily, that the sun rises and shines at the appointed time, no one considers it a blessing. So it is with the rain from heaven, with the grain in the field and with all God’s creatures. They exist in such abundance, and we are daily so overwhelmed by their abundance that we fail to see them. "

 

Luther's Sermons - Luke 7:11-17. The Widow's Son.
Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. First Sermon

5. If I only kept in mind that he gave me eyes, truly a very great treasure, it would be no wonder if shame caused my death, because of my ingratitude in that I never yet thanked him for the blessing of sight. But we do not see his noble treasures and gifts; they are too common. But when a blind babe happens to be born, then we see what a painful thing the lack of sight is, and what a precious thing even one eye is, and what a divine blessing a healthy, bright countenance is: it serves us during our whole life, and without it one would rather be dead; and yet no one thanks God for it. Examine the entire body, and you will everywhere see traces of God’s grace and goodness. Hence Psalm 33: says: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” He had pure eyes and could see far, that the whole world was full of the goodness and loving-kindness of God. From whom, however, has this goodness come? Have we deserved it? No, but it pleased God to cast his gifts thus promiscuously into the world, which the unthankful receive almost as freely as the thankful. We are grieved when we are obliged to throw away one or two dollars, or less, or even to give them to the poor; how much does God daily cast away of his goods into the world and no one thanks him for anything? Yes, who even acknowledges their receipt? 

6. Thus we may observe all creatures and become convinced of God’s goodness in them. Christ says in Matthew 5:5: “He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” As though he would say: I give it to the whole crowd; but who thanks me a single time for it? He enlightens my and your eyes, but no one acknowledges that it is God’s blessing. If some morning the sun should not rise, or rise three hours late, what distress and loss would that cause? How we would open our mouths and eyes? Then everyone would say: God be praised and thanked, who has given us such a light! But since it occurs daily, that the sun rises and shines at the appointed time, no one considers it a blessing. So it is with the rain from heaven, with the grain in the field and with all God’s creatures. They exist in such abundance, and we are daily so overwhelmed by their abundance that we fail to see them. 

7. At times God permits some man to fall into anxiety and need, into pain and distress, so that the world seems as though it had no God, and it makes a person blind, lame, dropsical, and lets anyone die, as here the widow’s son; for they are his creatures, he can do with them what he will. Now, why does he do this? He does it in such an abundance only that we may continually experience his lovingkindness. Therefore as the disciples in John 9:2 asked the Lord concerning the man blind from his birth, whether he or his parents sinned, the Lord answered and said: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” As though he would say: God desires to be praised in this blind person, for he sees that the treasures of the whole world do not move us, wherefore he floods us with his goodness out of pure grace, that he may present a blind person before our eyes, for us to see what a costly treasure we have in the blessing of our sight, although we cannot recognize his grace and kindness in our fortune, that we at least might know and identify them then in our misfortune. Therefore this man had to be blind in order that the others might know themselves, and say: Alas thou good God, what a precious gift I have, what a good thing a healthy body is and a bright countenance! But no one takes it to heart! Yea, it is true we say: have not the cows eyes also! Now, if you were blind you would of course feel the loss, which you do not now feel, because you are well and overshowered with God’s blessings. 

Notre Dame Was Like This When I Graduated in 1982. Notice My Postscript

 

Matt Walsh

"If you walk onto the campus of pretty much any allegedly Catholic university today, what you'll find is unrecognizable from just a few decades ago. For instance, just last year, several groups at the University of Notre Dame hosted an event series dedicated to reproductive justice. The series attracted criticism for its decidedly pro-abortion slant: an abortion doula with a tattoo of abortion equipment was one of the speakers. The series was sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s "gender studies program," which apparently exists for some reason. And evidently the Catholic perspective on abortion — actual Catholic teaching on the subject — wasn't even presented at these events, even though that's supposedly university policy. Catholic teaching is supposed to be the fundamental guiding principle of a Catholic university. 

Pretty much all the major Catholic universities are like this now, from Georgetown to Fordham to Villanova. There's been a lot of coverage of what's happened at these schools, so there's no need to belabor the point. What hasn't been covered to anywhere near the same degree, is the extent to which left-wing radicalism has infiltrated Christian churches all over the country more broadly. And, trust me, once you dive down that rabbit hole, the reality is bleak."

***

GJ - Postscript -

The Fiorenza class (he is now retired from Harvard) agreed that the Pope was not infallible. One parish pastor went nuts over their response. He said, "How can you be a Catholic?!" Of course, I agreed with the liberal Catholics.

A priest and a Christian Brother (retired now as the president of a Catholic University) were disgusted that I believed in the Virgin Birth of Mary and the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ. They stomped away saying, "There is no use to talking to you." That took place at the Notre Dame seminary, and all of us earned a PhD. The priest got married and continued teaching in Catholic schools.

Fiorenza loved Tillich, an adulterer who slept with his students' wives and published a ludicrous, myth-using dogmatics book and also borrowed his student's ideas in The Courage To Be. When I mocked Tillich in class, Fiorenza said, "Lutherans do not understand Luther." I responded, "Lutherans do not understand Luther?" Silence.

Fiorenza had been the president of the Karl Barth Society, so he told us that the Barth scholars agreed with Barth living with his mistress (Charlotte Kirschbaum) and letting her do most of the work in the fabulous, windy Dogmatics, but not giving her the any credit of authorship.

My advisor adored Tillich and was very upset about my criticism of Tillich's work. I refused to have him on my dissertation committee, because he blocked the work of anyone who wanted to finish. I said, "No deal!" to Stanley Hauerwas, who was the chairman.

My other advisor, John Howard Yoder, was also a Barth scholar, and was disciplined for his many sexual escapades with Mennonite women. I did not know that until many years later.

Dick Cheney And His Lovely Daughter

 

 

I like to collect newsworthy photos of people.

Mark Jeske started the WELS gay ministry program, part of the Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - their crafts and assaults.

Just don't knock Objective Faithless Justification.

WELS Richard Starr and Scott Barefoot had their gay ministry going, but Pastor Mike took over that when he was assumed into Time of Grace, a perfect title for those five sects that teach "grace" without faith, not to mention other aberrations.

Just don't knock Objective Faithless Justification.

 Just don't knock Objective Faithless Justification.