Romeward Bound - Another ELCA Leader Kisses the Shoes of the Fisherman. Is McCain Next?

Paul McCain used part of this painting, without his approving stance,
in his heavily plagiarized blog, which is now extinct and erased.
Neuhaus impressed him too.

Russell Satzmann has dropped the mask and joined the Church of Rome, after being an editor of Lutheran Forum, serving in ELCA, and moving to Ye Olde ELCA, aka The Bishop's Synod, aka NALC.

Here is his unfascinating account.

The late Richard J. Neuhaus, formerly of the LCMS, then AELC, then ELCA, continues to have a gigantic and inexplicable effect on influential Lutherans joining Rome as a priest.

Neuhaus was a gracious person, much more pleasant and consistent than Herman Otten, who worked dishonestly with McCain.

Supposedly these guys all want pure Lutheran doctrine, but they are all allergic to it. Otten was happy to make money from the most vile and error-filled books about Luther. He never answered me, but he told another person, "I sell to both sides of the issue."

"Buy my Roman Catholic books. Buy my Calvinist books.
Buy my ELCA books. Buy my Baptist books.
Buy my Church Growth books.
I refuse to mention or list Lutheran books."

Luther pointed out, long ago, what we should do with pastors who are not studious. I volunteer to supply the ammo from Sassy.

Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjoy the Superbowl

Joe Krohn found an interesting post denouncing Objective Justification and linked it on his blog.

http://heartoftn.net/users/gary27/Objectiv.htm

I usually Google new names, to see what comes up.

In this case, the author was Gary Ray Branscome.

The first thing I noticed was a new post on Herman Otten's blog that was not quite anti-OJ but could be read that way.

http://christiannewsmo.blogspot.com/2012/02/justification-by-faith-alone-material.html

I am always uneasy with affirmations that lack negative statements. Every clear confession needs the negative side to avoid ambiguity. "Error loves ambiguities." Mormons believe in the Trinity, they say, but they do not denounce three separate persons because they are not Trinitarian.

Herman Otten's Christian News is a UOJ shop, although he waffles toward justification by faith at times. Like Rolf Preus, he will always come down on the UOJ side when pressed.

That is why I found the Branscome post so oddly out of place when I just read an anti-UOJ post from the same author.

So I looked again, Google-searching the name.

Here is Gary posting against infant baptism:

http://heartoftn.net/users/gary27/caseagin.htm

---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjo...":

The UOJists who falsely accuse me of heresy when I contend for Justification by Faith Alone have blamed you, Pastor Jackson, for poisoning me against their doctrine of UOJ. But it was long before we met that the problems with UOJ were brought to my attention. I was speaking to a Baptist about works righteousness being a part of making a decision for Christ. He laughed and said that it was 'us' Lutherans who teach works righteous through faith since 'we' teach the world is forgiven before faith and we just need to make a decsion to believe it. Wha...wh...? I started to study after that.

---

LPC has left a new comment on your post "Going the Extra Mile in Research - So You Can Enjo...":

As you know I was accused of being a heretic myself, and to be shunned and avoided.

It is really insulting for me to say I was poisoned; it means, I have no mind of my own and could not discern things for myself.

LPC

***

GJ - Lito and Brett, they have nothing left but insults and logical fallacies.

---

http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=4190&cpage=3#comment-281918

Author: Lito Cruz
Comment:
<a href="#comment-281793" rel="nofollow">@John Standley #32 </a>

John,

Did you see what I mean? The condescension?

Read Dr. Kilcrease  at

<a href="#comment-281905" rel="nofollow">@Dr. Jack Kilcrease #36 </a>

Kilcrease brands Team JBFA as <i>Most of his followers tend to be people who are not very well versed in theology</i>. We are Galileans, we are unlearned that is why we are fooled.

Despite the fact that we have offered and given reasonable doubt on their famous UOJ verse, Romans 4:25 we are ignorant in theology, right. We can not read and we do not exercise critical thinking 101.

You open every commentary on this, the only interpretation that slightly support their contention about Romans 4:25 is Everett Harrison's commentary on Romans, see Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol 10. There he speaks about accomplishment, but in the end of his long exposition he offers a caveat, he says, of course, the justification mentioned there in that verse is justification through faith.

Just for your info, I have 4 degrees, 1 degree is in Religious Studies (specialising in Biblical Languages, 2-4 years in Classical/Koine Greek,1 year Biblical Hebrew), it is a degree between a Bachelor and a Master's degree(http://www.latrobe.edu.au/). My prof was G H R Horsley who authored a multivolume set found here http://books.google.com.au/books/about/New_documents_illustrating_early_Christi.html?id=28YyARfAsesC&amp;redir_esc=y

Over here, we do not parade our academic accomplishments, it is bad form. We only do it for ethical reasons because if we are a doctor and we don't say it, we are misrepresenting ourselves specially when we are in a career situation.

John, the mark of a person who has no argument is to insult you.

LPC

***

GJ - Ach, Lito - do not fall for his anti-Jacobs rant. Academic qualifications often get in the way of discernment. Poor Jack was trained by ELCA and next by the Jesuits at Marquette, the little school where Notre Dame graduates go to do their student teaching.

Kilcrease is annoyed by people running circles around his pet opinion. Academic theologians like to start some new fad or flog some dog-eared theory. Going back and forth gives them visibility. One man, with far better credentials than anything on Kilcrease's light resume, argued that Jesus founded a mushroom cult. As the impressed book seller told me, "Look! He has 400 footnotes!"

My unscientific study of justification-by-faith stalwarts yields this conclusion - almost all of them are laity.

David Becker Laughs Out Loud

Pastor Herman Otten and his wife Grace.

----

David Becker has left a new comment on your post "Jury Trial Set for WELS Ex-Church Official Joel Ho...":

Hi Pastor Jackson, as you may know, after not submitting items to Christian News (and not even subscribing for six years) for a long time, I have picked it up again, and am sending CN stuff for whatever the editor may choose to print. Pastor Otten does not surf the Internet (not sure how much his wife or children do), but he has expressed his appreciation for my sending him whatever I believe to be potentially CN-worthy, from whatever I may find on the Internet. I have taken note of this article. There is nothing new in it except mentioning a jury date. Once a not guilty or guilty verdict is reached, or a change in plea is made, or some other significant new development is published and documented, I will forward it to CN for their consideration. (Of course there is nothing stopping CN from citing the article apart from me if they want to.)

I will also comment generally that although I don't agree with everything you say or how you say it (though you are frequently laugh-out-loud funny), I do appreciate your standing up for what you believe and do believe your voice is important and worthy of consideration. I did go through the PDF file of your new book on Justification by Faith and do believe it is worthy of reading. I did wonder about the statement in your Foreword, "This book is dedicated to all the faithful Lutherans, often unnamed, who have encouraged research into this vital topic of justification by faith. Two of them became Roman Catholics in their frustration with the pitiful ignorance of the so-called conservative Lutheran leaders and professors." Two of them became Roman Catholics? How is that good? [GJ - Missing word - "Unfortunately," two of them... I blame UOJ for their defection.]

One post that I agreed with that you wrote was at http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/08/universalism-everywhere-elca-rome-syn.html. You wrote, "Telling anyone 'You are saved' without discerning faith in Christ alone for salvation, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit at work in the Word."

God willing, I may address this issue in something I might send in the future to CN. I was concerned to read on Lutherquest, "the object of our faith is not something like; 'Jesus died for me and if I believe that, God will credit it to me as righteousness'. It sounds very pious to say that; 'Christ with his perfect righteousness and satisfaction is the object of faith', but our faith is not merely in the Atonement." I thought about arguing about that on LQ but figured it would be a waste of time and effort.

In any event, that's all for now, and hope you and yours have a blessed day.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

David Becker

***

GJ - David, you will have to explain the humorous parts to Tim Glende. He doesn't get it.

UOJ Enthusiasts are a perfect example of this passage:


KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Universalism Everywhere: ELCA, Rome, Syn Conference. Let Us Disbelieve Together in Love

Herman Otten was bewailing Universalism in the Church of Rome but not in the LCMS. I saw an editorial that sound Universalistic, by Scott Murray, LCMS, another UOJ friend of Paul McCain and Otten, the odd couple who elected Al Barry and Matt Harrison. 

Scott asked, "What must I do to be saved?" He answered himself, not from the Scriptures, but from his UOJ talking points. The answer is "literally. Nothing. It is done."

Christian News, 8-22-2011, "Nothing To Conquer," p. 4.

Acts of the Apostles
KJV Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel of John
KJV John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.

The Apostle Paul
KJV Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

KJV Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

The Holy Spirit moves us to faith through the Means of Grace
The UOJ fanatics want to say they are devoted to grace, but they obliterate faith and the Means of Grace. They have to eliminate the Holy Spirit's work in the Word because their foundation is Halle Pietism - not Biblical, Lutheran doctrine.

I know something about modern theology because my professors studied under Barth, Tillich, Bultmann, and Moltmann. Stan Hauerwas, on my dissertation committee, is the best known theologian in America. Martin Marty recommended the publication of my dissertation, and so forth. Marty was good enough to lecture at Wisconsin Lutheran College, so he must be kosher for WELS.

The names are relevant because my studies meant reading hundreds of books of modern theology, not to mention writing essays based on those studies and lectures.

UOJ, mainline theology, ELCA, and modern Romanism all share the same basics of Universalism, expressed with a little variety. As someone said about gardens, "Each one is unique, but few are original."

When Team Ichabod was discussing What Happened To Knapp, the Founder of Double-Justification?, I found the clue. Knapp is largely forgotten, overshadowed by men like Schleiermacher, but the old Halle Pietist is still in print. My English copy is dated from 1830, and Knapp's Halle lectures began long before that. But people are still printing and buying his lectures from 180 years ago.

More importantly, Knapp became the gold standard for mainline theology.

Knapp's double-justification scheme, starting with the justification of the entire world, turned easily into Step One as a solo. Schleiermacher, considered the father of modern theology, studied at Halle and taught at Halle, specializing in Step One Universalism.

I remember many a mainline theology book warning. "We must not make this contingent upon faith." Similarly, Syn Conference types glare and say, "Do not make faith a work of man." Those who are giddy with UOJ love to emphasize unbelief as a virtue.

God creates and nurtures faith through the Gospel in the Means of Grace. Since faith is the foundation for the Christian life, unbelief is the basis for all sin and evil.

Many are in deep pain as they realize their synods teach against Luther's doctrine, contrary to the Book of Concord. The results are everywhere. One friend went to  a WELS service where the congregation was involved in worshiping with the help of their volunteer kazoo band. 

Rehabilitating Paul McCain, MDiv

Paul McCain, without his clerical regalia


I will not attempt to kelm the article and comments, which I picked up from Brother Teigen's blog.

Here is the link on rehabilitating Martin Stephan about one of the pioneers of the Missouri Synod. Actually, Loehe started the synod and invited the Walther-ites to join in. That is almost always forgotten. Loehe is officially the bad guy in official Walther-centric histories.

The point of the new publication is that Walther deposed Stephan in an underhanded way, stole property from Stephan, and even kidnapped his children for a time.

McCain's line of argumentation, in defending Walther, is rather strange.
1. The ALPB should apologize for its support of Seminex. That seems to come rather close to McCain's own extended family.
2. Guilt by association - see #1 - with Christian News. As I recall, McCain worked closely with Herman Otten to get Barry elected. They both denied it. But they agree about UOJ.
3. McCain must not be a Waltherian. His most frequently published photos have him in a clerical collar. He fashions himself as Pastor McCain. But he has not had a congregational call since his first one of three years, in Iowa. Perhaps I am mistaken. Or maybe "Everyone a Minister" has taken hold in Missouri, too. Blogging to promote one's business is a legitimate divine call, no?

McCain, as the former head of the Concordia Historical Institute, wants to protect the Walther legacy, which is enshrined there. Not Walther, but rather his hagiographic defenders, are the problem for Missouri. If Walther must walk six feet above us mortals, then no one can question the double-justification scheme CFW borrowed from G. C. Knapp and his Calvinist translator, Woods.

McCain is an example of how the current MDivs work. They are experts in everything and yet allergic to higher degrees. They want to run their synods, but their work is anonymous. How can a pastor be a "Confessional Lutheran" when all his work is secretive, and - dare I say it - underhanded?

Stephan took long walks with women back in the old country. The police were suspicious of his behavior. One of the odd things about the early LCMS history is Walther's sworn allegiance to Bishop-for-Life Stephan when this behavior must have been fairly well known. To say Walther was schocked, schocked at Stephan's adultery seems duplicitous.

History is quite messy and should not be left in the hands of bedroom bloggers for books. C. S. Lewis said history is analogous to all the libraries in the world being burned down. Only one book is left, and only one sentence from that book can be read. That is all we know about history.

I was using the official archives of the LCA to find out about the life and death of A. D. Mattson, the subject of my PhD dissertation. The official archives had him dying in Rock Island, Illinois. His daughter, who worked with Lutheran Forum, said no, he died in Minnesota. That is a minor point for almost everyone, but it shows that official information can be wrong.

My best professor at Notre Dame was a Jew who taught Jewish studies. He proved many times over that the neat, three point summary of history is often wrong.

Herman Otten, the Accidental Editor Who Changed a Denomination

Jack Preus is on the far left (for once), cousin David Preus, ALC President, on the far right (for once). Robert Marshall, LCA president, is standing next to David Preus. I met all three men.

Herman Otten began a mimeographed newsletter to inform his fellow believers about covert changes in their synod’s doctrine. But he ended up changing the denomination, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, electing new and more conservative leaders, and splitting its largest seminary, Concordia in St. Louis.

Otten was a young pastor in a small town, New Haven, Missouri, when he decided to start a newsletter called Lutheran News. Using some extra Christmas money from his wife Grace, about $40, he sent out the first issue of the newsletter on December 15, 1962. Since then the mimeographed newsletter has changed into a tabloid newspaper with a circulation of 11,500. The non-profit Lutheran News Corporation has published the Beck Bible (An American Translation) and many books related to Christian doctrine, such as the first translation of C. F. W. Walther’s Pastoral Theology.

Otten has published 2, 154 weekly issues of Christian News, its name changed from Lutheran News to include more denominations. Otten volunteered in one conversation that his paper broke ground by photocopying controversial material. Liberals would claim, “We never said that.” Otten countered by photocopying their exact words for the paper. This alerted many people to the changes in the LCMS that his opponents joked, “Otten was not born – he was photocopied.”

Otten began his career heading toward teaching. He earned a master’s degree in history from Washington University, located conveniently near the St. Louis Seminary. His accidental career in journalism nixed all possibilities of advancement within his denomination. His congregation stood by him as the liberals tried to remove him from preaching. The liberals even kicked the congregation out of the LCMS more than once. Except for his annual vacation, Otten kept publishing the paper, laying out the columns by hand each week.

Otten said, “I don’t even have to go to town on Thursday for layout. They send it all by computer. Can you imagine that? Oh, you can.” When I told him I teach and take classes on a computer at home, he said, “On a computer? I don’t even know how to turn one on.”

Otten is now 75, healthy from a lifetime of athletics. His wife and children help with the computer side of publishing. Otten often fields calls from all over. Although he is officially a pariah in the Lutheran groups, the same officials who shun him also want their spin on news stories. Christian News offers a cafeteria selection of stories from the Religious News Service, official denominational news, and independent stories.

John Warick Montgomery, another conservative Lutheran outcast, said, “Reading Christian News is like opening one of those old police gazette magazines. You wonder – what is he going to shock me with.”

Otten was instrumental in turning out the liberal administration and electing Jack Preus to the presidency in 1969 (Time Magazine, 1975). Preus gave Otten information to leak in Christian News. Once elected, Preus began working on the liberals at Concordia, St. Louis. The result was Seminex, a melodramatic “Seminary in Exile” and the religious news story of the year. Preus consolidated conservative control of the synod, with the help of Otten and voting lists at conventions. Preus also moved away from support of Otten to outright antagonism. This process was continued with the next two presidents, Ralph Bohlmann and Al Barry. Bohlmann and Barry sought Otten’s support, worked with him covertly, and then became antagonistic once they were elected to the president’s office. The current LCMS president, Jerry Kieschnick, belonged to the liberal faction in the synod. Kieschnick made a major effort two years ago to get rid of Otten, but that also failed.

Has Otten been influential? The editor responded, “People don’t read anymore. We have a website, but I never bother with it. Lutheran pastors have all these conservative blogs, but they never quote books. They just offer opinions and respond back and forth. They are not reaching people. They are just reaching the elite.”
Otten discussed the decline of printed newspapers, so I mentioned the slippage of the Arizona Republic in Phoenix. He is opposed to putting Christian News online. “If they want my wisdom, they can get a subscription.”

Reference
Time Magazine, (1975, July 21, 1975). Preus' Purge. Time, , . Retrieved December 16, 2008, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913312,00.html

***

GJ - For my class in print journalism, I had to interview a journalist about his job, so I phoned Herman Otten. We had a long talk about a variety of topics. God willing, I will write my MA thesis on Otten and Christian News. I expect to have all the credits earned by the end of 2009. He was a bit shocked that I was working on a journalism degree.

Herman Otten's Sister - Marie Meyer

From the ALPB Online Forum, ipsissima verba:

mariemeyer
ALPB Forum Member

Posts: 22


Re: Lesbian Pastor Tests ELCA Celibacy Rule
« Reply #512 on: Today at 08:46:49 PM »

---------------------------------
Posts on this topic have come primarily from persons who are members of the ELCA. I'd like to comment "up close and personal" as an LCMS women.

Today's article in the NT Times first caught my attention because I grew up in the shadow of Fordham Lutheran Church. When my husband and I returned to the area that now comprises the Metro Synod I served on the Board for LSS of Metropolitan NY and so had the opportunity to meet Bishop Bouman. IMO his stated defense of Pr. Foster, "She's not afrasid to tell people that she loves God and that God loves them" sounds so generic. His reference to a genuine faith that she lives in an "inclusive" way will be ammunition to those in the LCMS who claim that Lutheran bodies who ordain women do so on the on the basis of inclusivity.

Throughout the LCMS it is maintained that Lutherans who ordain women do so on the basis of equality, inclusivity, love and fairness. Thus, LCMS women who openly speak up for an open discussion of how the LCMS defends a male only pastorate are assumed to base their request on "inclusivity and equality." The specter of a "slippery slope' leading to the ordination of persons in a same sex relationship is an insurmountable barrier to any discussion of how the LCMS defends a male pastorate.

I suspect few in the ELCA realize the degree to which how the ELCA deals witrh the ordination of gays and lesbains impacts upon the lives of LCMS women who maintain that the LCMS defense of a male only pastorate ought to be open for discussion.

Marie Meyer

***

GJ - Pastor Herman Otten's sister, Marie Meyer, is an advocate for women's ordination in the Missouri Synod. So is Ralph Bohlmann. I understand Jerry Kieschnick favors women's ordination as well. I met Marie at Concordia, Ft. Wayne and thought I knew her from before. She said we had never met. When I mentioned this to Herman, he said, "She's my sister!" Then I realized her Ottenesque gestures, voice, and looks made me think we had met.

I put the errant words in bold. Several passes through the inspired text were required to find all the mistakes. But truly, Marie's final paragraph, er ah, statement, er ah, paragraph, is worthy of an award.

From this blog I see that Marie Meyer was speaking on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin. However, her brother Herman is not allowed to speak at either LCMS seminary.