Factual about the Mainline Denominations - ELCA, LCMS,WELS, ELS, etc.

 

Navel gazing at its best - and the results follow.

Someone wanted "his book" - which he did not write - published for the glory of...(deep, dark secret). And yet they knew that they were covertly glorifying a serial adulterer. "Nothing to see here, move on. You better not say a word anywhere, got that?"

How many lies and secrets are locked up forever in the CFW Walther Museum of Syphilis and Adultery? The glorification of Dr. Walther (ahem) continues to this day. Lutherans are supposed to be above and beyond but the truth is too obvious now, and the final generation is fading away fast.

Rauschenbusch and the Social Gospel

The pivotal figure was Walter Rauschenbusch, and the slogan was "The Social Gospel." A few people got together and promoted a form of socialism that spread over the years. Yale Divinity School was rationalistic already before World War 1. The fermentation grew slowly.

The mainline denominations were Calvinistic, liberal Baptist,  many flavors of Methodism, and the liberal apostate Lutherans. They wanted to use the church bodies to "make the world a better place," so the denominations had to be activist at all levels. The Social Gospel became the Gospel, so various tags were used to signal the actual goal of denominational politics.

By the time the Lutheran Church in America was founded, along with the American Lutheran Church, the road to Social Gospel Lutherans was straight and narrow full speed into the abyss. But no, they had more to go - from LCA/ALC mergers to the ultimate face-plant, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - January 1, 1988.

It was definitely a face-plant for the peacocks - male laity and pastors - because the peahens lifted themselves up to be bishops and quickly took over the entire shrinking shrieking flocks.

Seminex struck me as a hilarious label from the start, as if they wanted to buy a potent spray from the hardware store or pharmacy. The participants are proud and always work together to keep the magic alive. That is why Matt the Fatt is so close to ELCA. 

Rauschenbusch gave his lectures on The Social Gospel at Yale Divinity and died the next year, 1918. WW1 was over and the phrase "Social Gospel" disappeared but the same content remained. Ask any synodical leader (be subtle) and see if he or she is following the same theme.

"Reconciling Works" is not what you think.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 3 - "Hence this Gospel is very comforting to sinners. But whilst it is friendly to sinners, it is a source of great fear to Pharisees. Had this Gospel been nothing more than a good counsel, it would not have been so comforting; but now that it has been commanded I can recognize the mind of God in Christ, since he will have it so, and enjoins that we are to cover the sins of others. Yea, what is still more, Christ himself does this, and to this end was he sent; for no man fulfills the law of God as perfectly as he. We are scarcely a spark amid the divine fire and light. He is the fire of which heaven and earth are full."

 

Luther's Sermons - Luke 15:1-10.
Third Sunday after Trinity

19. Hence this Gospel is very comforting to sinners. But whilst it is friendly to sinners, it is a source of great fear to Pharisees. Had this Gospel been nothing more than a good counsel, it would not have been so comforting; but now that it has been commanded I can recognize the mind of God in Christ, since he will have it so, and enjoins that we are to cover the sins of others. Yea, what is still more, Christ himself does this, and to this end was he sent; for no man fulfills the law of God as perfectly as he. We are scarcely a spark amid the divine fire and light. He is the fire of which heaven and earth are full.

20. The Gospel is spoken to those only who acknowledge their sins, and their sins they acknowledge when they repent of them. But this Gospel is of no use to the Pharisees, for they do not acknowledge their sins. To those, however, who do acknowledge them, and are about to despair, the Gospel must be brought. But at this point the devil sets up a game, and suggests to the consciences of those who acknowledge their sins and long to be freed from them, that this one should resort to Saint James, that one to Rome, this one should take refuge in prayers, the other in confession.

And then they are told: “Give six pounds of wax, have so many masses said, do this, do that, and thus you will be freed from your sins.” Thereby they are led farther and farther from the Gospel, and are brought to the standpoint of works. In this way they must certainly despair at last.

21. Therefore, when you feel your sins gnawing at you, and feel your heart trembling and agitated, place yourself beside the publicans where they are standing. These are the very ones who shall receive the Gospel. Do so joyously, and say: “Oh, God! it is thy word that says there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance, and that all the righteous and angels are to interpose and cover up sins. Now, Oh, God! I have come to this that I feel my sins. I am already judged. I need but the one Shepherd who seeketh me; and I will therefore freely venture on thy Gospel.”

22. It is thus that you come to God. You are already the sheep placed upon his shoulders. You have found the Shepherd. You are the piece of silver in the hand. You are the one over whom is joy in heaven in the presence of all the angels. We are not to worry, if we do not experience or feel this at once. Sin will daily decrease, and its sting will drive you to seek God. You must struggle against this feeling by faith, and say: “Oh, God! I know thou hast said this, and I lean upon thy Word. I am the sheep and the piece of silver; thou the shepherd and the woman.”

23. You might say: Yes, this I will gladly do; but I cannot atone for my sins. I can render no satisfaction for them. Consider then the publicans and sinners. What good have they done? None. They came to God, heard his Word and believed it. Do the same. His are living words. The Gospel is too deep to be fathomed by human words. Conscientious men who tried it readily understand this.

24. The learned and idle may determine the meaning of the ninety-nine in the desert. It is enough for us to learn the main thought of this Gospel.