Someone Who Doubts UOJ

There is no connection between these photos and the article below.

Lutheran Notes - some interesting comments about UOJ and translating.

Friday, January 25, 2008
Universal Objective Justification, or UOJ

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GJ - I expect to have a comment from Anonymous any second now. He is angry that UOJ is not in the Bible, the Book of Concord, the post-Reformation theologians, and Lenski.

I've only done preliminary research into the subject, but in the Lutheran Confessions and the Bible, there's no such thing as Universal Objective Justification (UOJ). Also, there's no such thing as Objective Justification (OJ) or Subjective Justification (SJ). There is only Justification by Faith via the Means of Grace, the Word and Sacraments, period.

Of course, I'll continue to study the issue more. Already , I've gathered information off the Web and blogosphere, as well as one of Martin Franzmann's pro-UOJ papers and his Roman's commentary (1968), and I'll have Dr. Gregory Jackson's book Thy Strong Word any day now. The book can be found online for free. Chapter 5 on Justification is the anti-UOJ chapter in Thy Strong Word, which can be found online, too.

The LCMS, WELS, ELS, CLC* synods, and perhaps other micro-synods, were all affected by European Pietists via C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887). It seems the doctrine that drove the Pietists' piety the most was UOJ. They believed that everyone was already forgiven, but the gift of forgiveness of sins was not accepted by everyone. Therefore, they felt compelled toward emotionalism so they would feel as though they really had faith, and feel as though they were saved. Not surprisingly, the role of the sacraments and the ministry of the keys
in justification were downplayed. In reality, UOJ is a form of decision theology, or enthusiasm, which separates justification from the Word and sacraments, and make it a matter of mere mental or emotional process.

*Concordia Lutheran Conference, not to be confused with the Church of the Lutheran Confessions.

Where did the Pietists get this UOJ doctrine? No one seems to have done the research yet, and that’s because the powers that be don't want to know. It’s similar to how SDA don’t want to know where E.G. White really received her inspiration from, i.e., plagiarism. The information is probably locked up in German Pietistic tracts and manuals on some dusty bookshelf in a library or archive back in Germany. However, we know that C.F.W. Walther transmitted some Pietistic doctrine to the LCMS, WELS, ELS and micro-synods such as the CLC. (Okay, ELS might qualify as a micro-synod, too. They only have a decent seminary and college thanks to Schwan’s generosity.)

I'm supposing that one of the main driving passages behind UOJ (and Pietism) was a common German mistranslation of 2Co 5:19, one of three passages commonly cited as supporting UOJ: Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25. Here is the NIV for 2Co 5:19:

that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

The Greek has the present active participle of katallassw, meaning "reconciling." The English translations as early as the KJV all have "reconciling," which is correct:

KJV 2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 2 Corinthians 5:19 how that God was in Christ -- a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and having put in us the word of the reconciliation,

ASV 2 Corinthians 5:19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

However, most German translations have the past tense "reconciled," as though Jesus didn't just kick start the ministry of reconciliation, but actually reconciled the entire world at some point, unbelievers and all. UOJ enthusiasts say that the world was plumb reconciled when Jesus died, or else when he rose. Here are the German mistranslations translated via an unbiased machine translator: German-English Translator: http://imtranslator.com/default.asp

EIN Einheitsubersetzung (1980) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Ja, Gott war es, der in Christus die Welt mit sich versöhnt hat,
Translation: Yes, it was a God who has reconciled the world
with himself in Christ

ELB Revidierte Elberfelder (1993) 2 Corinthians 5:19 nämlich daß Gott in Christus war und die Welt mit sich selbst versöhnte,
Translation: namely the fact that God was in Christ and reconciled the world with himself

LUO Luther Bibel (1912) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Denn Gott war in Christo und versöhnte die Welt mit ihm selber,
Translation: Since God was in Christ and reconciled the world with himself,

LUT Revidierte Lutherbible (1984) 2 Corinthians 5:19 Denn Gott war in Christus und versöhnte die Welt mit sich selber,
Translation: Since God was in Christ and reconciled the world with himself,

MNT Munchener NT (1998) 2 Corinthians 5:19 weil Gott war in Christos (die) Welt (mit) sich versöhnend,
Translation: because God was the world (with) being reconciled in Christos,

SCH German Schlachter (1951) 2 Corinthians 5:19 weil nämlich Gott in Christus war und die Welt mit sich selbst versöhnte,
Translation: because since God was in Christ and reconciled the world with himself,

Luther, and the writers of the Lutheran Confessions were familiar with the Greek, Hebrew and Latin, so they interpreted 2Co 5:19 correctly--as meaning Justification by Faith, not UOJ. Their German translations of 2Co 5:19 might have been a little sloppy, but they had no idea that years later people would contrive UOJ based on a mere three passages, and the tense of one verb in 2Co 5:19.

UOJ was an unknown concept to the Confession writers, and first emerged in the fevered imagination of the Pietists, yet some Lutherans today try to anachronistically read (i.e., isogesis) UOJ into Luther's Works, and other documents of the period. If you look at any such passages claiming to be UOJ in Luther or the Confessions, the justification is always connected with the Means of Grace, not some supposed declaration of the Father that the entire world is guilt free. Just thinking of how audacious it is to put such words in the mouth of the Father boggles the mind!

So this Pietistic doctrine, perhaps popular among many German Lutherans in the 19th C, came over to the U.S. When it was adopted as official doctrine for the first time in the LCMS' Brief Statement of Doctrine (1932), most German Lutherans probably were still reading from German Bibles where it said "reconciled" rather than "reconciling."

Major backers of UOJ include a handful of LCMS theologians, some deceased, including Martin Franzmann, the WELS theologian, Siegbert Becker. UOJ is found in the "This We Believe" NPH pamphlet put out by the WELS. Of course, all these theologians grew up with German spoken in the home, no doubt, so they imbibed the mistranslation of 2Co 5:19 early on, it would seem. Nowadays, all the synods with UOJ in their belief statements rigorously enforce this doctrine.

LCMS: Brief Statement of Faith, Adopted 1932: Of Justification
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=570
Excerpt: Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25;...

WELS: This We Believe: IV Justification by Faith
http://www.wels.net/s3/uploaded/4421/eng.pdf
Excerpt: 1. We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for "the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18). All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for "the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men" (Romans 5:18).

CLC: This micro-synod buys into UOJ as espoused in the LCMS’ Brief Statement of 1932:
http://www.concordialutheranconf.com/content/history.cfm
excerpt: At Okabena we reaffirmed our original subscription to Holy Scripture and the Confessions, including the Brief Statement of 1932, and rejected the false confessions aforementioned.

http://www.concordialutheranconf.com/doctrine/brief_1932.cfm
excerpt: Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod in the By-Gone Days of Its Orthodoxy (1932) Still by God's Grace the Scriptural Position of the Concordia Lutheran Conference

ELS: The ELS believes the same things the WELS does, basically:
http://www.evangelicallutheransynod.org/believe/els/webtc.html/
excerpt: By His perfect life and His innocent sufferings and death Jesus has redeemed the entire world. God thereby reconciled the world to Himself, and by the resurrection of His Son declared it to be righteous in Christ. This declaration of universal righteousness is often termed "objective justification."

ELS/WELS/LCMS:
The ELS is just as fanatical as the Wisconsin sect in promoting UOJ. Missouri has done the same, but tries to hide the UOJ behind justification by faith. The 1987 Theses of Abomination are an example of this verbal trickery.

Bruce Church

Sexagesima Sermon

The Sower and the Seed, by Norma Boeckler

Sexagesima Sunday

KJV 2 Corinthians 2:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool ) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

KJV Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Collect
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank You that through Your Son Jesus Christ You have sown Your holy Word among us: We pray that You will prepare our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, that we may diligently and reverently hear Your Word, keep it in good hearts, and bring forth fruit with patience; and that we may not incline to sin, but subdue it by Your power, and in all persecutions confront ourselves with Your grace and continual help; through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Sexagesima

The Hymn #123
The Invocation p. 15
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 2 Cor. 11:19ff
The Gospel Luke 8:4-15
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #295
The Sermon
The Sower

The Offertory p. 22
The Hymn #294
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #49

The Sower

This is one of the easiest parables to understand and one of the most important. Jesus explains each section, but people ignore His explanation or substitute their own.

The disciples wanted to know what this parable meant, indicating that there were two levels of teaching. Jesus taught the Word to the masses and explained His Word in detail to the disciples. That is why people heard and did not comprehend. The same continues today. Many people are glad when they first hear the Gospel. They do not receive continued instruction and never really grasp the Promises of God.

Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

So we have directly from Jesus that the seed represents the Word of God. Seed is quite a marvel in itself. Seed is completely alive and yet only a potential plant. The seed will germinate with just a little water. There is a whole industry in making sprouts from the germination of certain seeds. The sprouts are quite fragile and need tender care to take root and grow.

One of the first errors of new gardeners is to plant seed in good soil, water the seed, rejoice when it pokes above the ground, and neglect it at its most fragile time. I used to do that until I learned to keep watering the new seed.

The Word of God is alive and full of potential, but it needs to be scattered. When I bought seed, I got large amounts of it. Knowing that certain kinds of seed, like lettuce, will grow like grass, I scattered it wherever there was soil and sun. One person asked, “Is there lettuce growing in your planter?” Lettuce was growing everywhere.

When people get timid about the Word of God, they fail to spread the Word as they might. The big fear, stoked by Reformed doctrine, is that God’s Word is ineffective unless it has man’s help, man’s reasoning power, and man’s marketing ability. Jesus used the metaphor of the seed for a good reason. Seed is just waiting to grow.

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

The Word of God is effective (efficacious – same word) but Satan pounces on every opportunity to get rid of it. This can be seen in every faithful congregation. As soon as the Gospel begins to take root, people rush in to invent turmoil and destroy it.

This part of the parable, as Luther said, includes those who begin to have faith and lose that faith. They are apostates, fallen from the Christian faith. A biography about John D. Rockefeller describes one such Baptist. The young man was brilliant and graduated from Harvard, winning a prize in philosophy, a chance to study in Europe. The rationalism at Harvard began to eat away at his faith. At one point he told his father, a Baptist seminary president, that he no longer believed in the basic truths of the Christian faith. This also happened to a lesser extent to the Baptist theologian (Yale professor) who helped found the University of Chicago. The man became fascinated with the higher criticism (so-called) and had many doubts about the Bible. He was supposed to establish a school of Baptist orthodoxy, but he was cautioned not to speak about his views. Thus the ultra-traditionalist Rockefeller created a school run by and for liberals.

Now there are many young people with no background in the Bible. When they are converted by the Word they are like seedlings needing protection and nourishment. One big foot of rationalism will crush that fragile faith. Cults know that and take advantage of new Christians. Apostates who cannot teach God’s Word but still teach religion work hard to destroy that faith. I told one college class how I did not fit in with world religion departments because I believed in God. One woman who took world religion classes at the school I mentioned said, “That’s true. They are atheists.”

Another Baptist-Evangelical example is Billy Graham’s early professional friend, Templeton. He was so well known as an evangelist that he was able to enter Princeton as a graduate student, without going to college. Templeton was thrown to the wolves who took over Princeton after its liberal-conservative split. Guess who won that one? Templeton lost his faith completely. Late in life he was asked about Jesus. Tears filled his eyes and he said, “I miss Him.” There is some evidence that he died in faith.

There are many ways that Satan crushes the Word growing in people’s hearts. It’s good to remember that the word sabotage comes from the French word for wooden shoe. Sabot is still used as a military term. When the peasants were angry with a farmer, they used their wooden shoes to stomp the fields where the new grain was growing – sabotage. Now they make crop circles and charge for tours.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

These are the short-term believers. Paul warned against ordaining new believers as pastors. They are the ones who have great joy at first but fall back into temptation. No one can really tell at first.

Many people have dealt with shallow-rooted plants. Maple tree seeds love to helicopter down into gutters where wet leaves provide them a good start. We had a gigantic tree in our backyard in Moline. I remember a spring when we had hundred of maple trees growing in the rain gutters. Not one had a chance to turn into a tree. Likewise, bird seed on a flat roof will sprout in the soil and leaf litter, grow a little, and wither away.

Those who exploit the joy of new faith hasten the fall of their disciples. If people measure the Christian faith by a lack of trials, a life without the cross, they are mistaken. If they think believing in Christ will make them money, they may make tons of money while becoming unbelievers. (One group of professional Gospel singers confessed, if that is the word, that they did not believe what they sang. That was no surprise to me, since I noticed how choreographed they were, just too packaged.)

False assumptions make people leave the faith. The assumptions often come from bad teaching, which appeals to the Old Adam in all of us. We do not want to suffer for the Gospel, but it is pleasant to read about others who have. If we turn an experience of the cross into God hating us, then we have missed the whole lesson of the crucifixion, that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in Him might not perish but have life eternal.

The experience of the cross deepens our faith and helps us understand, as best we can, what the true cross of Christ was. God lets the cross bear down on us for a time, but not forever. When relief comes, we see how God works.

The false assumption is – the cross is never laid on the shoulders of those who are faithful to God’s Word.

The correct teaching of the Bible is – the cross always accompanies God’s Word, because our sinful flesh, the devil, and unbelieving world rebel against the Gospel of forgiveness.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

This parable sounds ominous. People lose the Word from it being snatched away from them, from being shallow when trials come along, and even from riches.

History shows that riches and luxury destroy the Gospel by choking it, just as rank weed growth destroys a crop. Many successful ministers and congregations have fallen from luxury rather than persecution. If someone is too handsome, too eloquent, and too popular, he often falls into snares and disgraces himself along with the Gospel.

America has more Christian ministers and churches than the rest of the world combined. America is the richest of all countries where Christianity is found. But the Third Word is where the faith is growing.

I talked with one layman about the irony of a future pastor’s son paying $8,000 per year for high school, even more for college, then spending 4 years in seminary. Congregations and synods are rich, but they will not share their wealth with their future pastors. Who will sow the seed? Their millionaire donors? Not likely.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.

Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

In spite of all the failures, the Word grows 100 fold. This happens through birth and baptism, through the family nurturing the children in the faith, and through conversion.

First they hear the Word with an honest and good heart. That is, they do not say, “How can I use this to sell more houses, more funerals, more flowers?”

Having heard the Word, they hold it fast. That is another way to translate – keep it. They bring forth fruit with patience. The Gospel will always bear fruit, but not from man forcing or demanding it. God is a very good manager. He has been running the universe for a long time.

One time my maple was covered with cottony maple scale. Some scientists from Dow told me how to cure this. They were all wrong, as I learned later. God sent a horde of ladybugs to the tree. Yes, they were the natural predators of maple scale. No human could arrange such a non-toxic destruction of a pest, but God does this every day, with infinite complexity. Yet we doubt how He manages His Word and will.

This parable teaches patience and trust in God’s Word. Sadly, one false teacher said it teaches people to test the soil. (He was promoting the demonic doctrines of Fuller Seminary, as a Lutheran.) One thing this parable does not teach is judging the soil or judging anything the sower does. The sower scatters the seed because he knows God will bring the bounty.

KJV 1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

"Now, although both, the planting and watering of the preacher, and the running and willing of the hearer, would be in vain, and no conversion would follow it if the power and efficacy of the Holy Ghost were not added thereto, who enlightens and converts the hearts through the Word preached and heard, so that men believe this Word and assent thereto, still, neither preacher nor hearer is to doubt this grace and efficacy of the Holy Ghost, but should be certain that when the Word of God is preached purely and truly, according to the command and will of God, and men listen attentively and earnestly and meditate upon it, God is certainly present with His grace, and grants, as has been said, what otherwise man can neither accept nor give from his own powers."
Solid Declaration, Article II, Free Will, 55?56, Formula of Concord, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 903. Tappert, p. 531f.

How Low Can the LCMS Go?

Kent Hunter (left), The Church Doctor,
To Heal St. John's, Marysville, Ohio

St. John's in Marysville is one of the founding congregations of the LCMS. The Loehe congregations began a synod and invited the Missouri (Walther) guys to join. Later, the Loehe contribution was overlooked in the histories, as if Walther founded the LCMS.

St. John's is reputed to have a lot of members, but only a few of them come to church on Sunday. So The Church Doctor will fix things up. I met Kent Hunter and talked to him on the phone. He is close with Paul Kelm (WELS, DMin in Church Growth, Concordia, St. Louis).

Kent Hunter and Waldo Werning were the featured speakers--with Leonard Sweet--for the much lamented 2005 Church and Change Conference. It was euthanized by popular demand, not without some bellowing from The Moose Report.

Kent has a double doctorate, one might say. The first is from an ELCA seminary. The DMin is from Fuller Seminary, which, as Larry Olson bragged, has more LCMS graduate students than both Concordias put together. Larry forgot to mention all the WELS trainees.

Here is what one website said about The Church Doctor:

About Church Doctor Ministries
The purpose of the Church Growth Center is to participate in the transformational change of Christians and churches for the effective implementation of the Lord's Great Commission to make disciples of all peoples (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Church Growth Center is a non-profit ministry, evangelical in tone and Christ-centered. Ministry is conducted through three primary channels, reciprocally related: resources, educational events, and consultation services. These ministries are headquartered at the Church Growth Center in Corunna, Indiana. The scope of this ministry is interdenominational and international. Many of the ministry's resources have been translated into other languages.

"It is my passion, as founder and president of the ministry, to come alongside churches and help them be more effective at reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. It is my perception that there are already enough Christian in the world—to easily reach the world for Jesus Christ. But, they need to be motivated, focused and directed. It is this leveraging activity of ministry that summarizes the efforts of the Church Growth Center." – Dr. Kent Hunter

Joy Lead Partners

Mike Breen – President
As rector and team leader of St. Thomas' Church in Sheffield, Mike used LifeShapes to grow the largest church in the north of England, with 80 percent of the congregation under age 40. On staff at Community Church of Joy in Glendale, AZ, and as a teacher for Fuller Seminary in California, Mike helps church leaders in transition and coaches church planters on how to be effective in our contemporary culture.

Kent is a true missionary in every sense of the word. He loves the Church and loves creating healthy mission-oriented congregations. Kent has helped Community Church of Joy in developing a real heart and skills for mission. As a Board member for our Leadership Center and a speaker at many of our conferences, Kent has brought tremendous passion and breakthrough thinking to Joy and a multitude of leaders.

Dr. Walt Kallestad
Community Church of Joy

Note that Breen is on the staff of Community of Joy. Dr. Walt likes Hunter. Breen teaches at Fuller. Hunter and Kallestad have DMins from Fuller. Larry Olson has a DMin from Fuller. The world mission, American mission, and synodical leaders of WELS and Missouri are Fuller trained. It's one big happy family.

Community of Joy is an ELCA congregation. Many in ELCA are ashamed of Joy. Kallestad believes in entertainment evangelism. His article in The Lutheran shocked and appalled Lutherans.

The Synod Minder asks - "But have you actually been to a Joy service, Greg?"

Yes I have. It was superficial and tedious at the same time, with a big focus on how many ways someone could give money to the organization.

"But did you tell Dr. Hunter his sin?"

I spoke to him on the phone. Frosty Bivens declared it was slander to suggest Paul Kelm endorsed a Kent Hunter workshop. I had it in writing, but Bivens immediately claimed that it was possibly some kind of trick or accident. Hunter explained that he asked for and received an endorsement from Kelm, in writing. Thus Bivens cried "Slander" because the plain facts were told. I gradually learned that this was pandemic among the Church Growth syndicate members.

I questioned Hunter's non-LCMS education as an LCMS pastor. He said, "You ask a lot of questions." Later I met him at the Purple Palace, during the McCain administration, when he was speaking to the Council of Presidents. Boy, the LCMS sure has grown since then. Or maybe they did not listen to him.

Funniest Comment - Ever

You are a gutless coward!

Signed

Anonymous

***

Repeating his hilarious triumph:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Funniest Comment - Ever":

Although it's signed anonymous, it doesn't make the observation any less true.

Commentary on WELS Schools

A Model WELS Church Worker Family And Their Beloved School, Wauwatosa

Sunday, April 1, 2007

From Lutheran Notes, Bruce Church.

Future Class-Action Lawsuit Versus The WELS

What follows is an advertisement that will be sent to students of the WELS prep schools and MLC (Martin Luther College) in in future, say, around 2011:

Do you not exactly feel prepared for college and life, at least outside the WELS system?

Did you:

o Attend a WELS prep school, either Martin Luther Seminary (MLS) or Martin Luther Prep (MLP)?
o Have a parochial school certification but cannot teach in public schools without further training, and cannot teach in Lutheran parochial schools because there are no jobs available?
o Did you drop out of MLC along the way, but now cannot place decently in a good secular college because you lack credit in many hard classes?

If you answered yes to at least one of the questions above, that is because you attended one of the WELS prep schools and/or WELS college, and they provided a religious-classical education when what you really needed for life was a modern education, that being shop class, or advanced placement classes in, to name a few, physics, calculus, statistics and economics. These are normally provided free from your local public high school, but you missed the boat. What's really scandalous is the prep schools made the students learn Spanish and German (formerly Latin and German) all out of books with no audio visual aids. So even in 2007 a prep student will have 4 years of Spanish and 2 of German and still not be able to speak the languages, much less remember much of it--because a language one has never conversed in is a language one forgets most of.

Do you wonder why your WELS pastor and/or teachers encouraged you to attend prep school and/or MLC in the first place when you really weren't all that particularly spiritual, nor all that interested in doctrine, history, languages and the classics, and certainly was not pastor and teacher material then, and never would be?

What you need to know is that back in 2007 the WELS was faced with a 5 million dollar operating expense deficit. How the synod got into this predicament is they allowed too many students into MLC in the 1990s. Then during the Dot Com Bust of 2001 they didn't have calls for the deserving candidates, much less the students whom the WELS customarily tells to hit the road and get lost after pocketing a lot of their student money. That's right, each student pays 10,000+ dollars per year to attend MLC, much of it in the form of student loans the student must pay back. Since then MLC has been running behind by a few million dollars, but then in 2007 it became
5 million dollars in the red. What is really scandalous is that even though the synodical schools have been around for over a hundred years, they just started to form endowment funds in the last few years. So the synodical schools have been living hand to mouth, and lately from students' pockets to mouth.

So in 2007 a synod advisory body suggested closing MLS to close the gap between expenses and revenue, but the pastors would have none of it. At first the pastors were going to sign a petition asking the synod to downsize its bureaucracy and solve the deficit that way, but that fizzled out. The reason is that in the WELS the pastors and teachers hold fifty percent of the vote at conventions. They also control most of the news since there is hardly any scandal sheet worthy of the label. Only the Christian News of the LCMS occasionally contains un-censored information on the WELS. Since the laymen only read the glossy WELS magazines about the synod, and hear only what the leaders want them to hear, the WELS is similar to a fully employee-owned corporation even though the clergy and teacher only get half the votes at conventions. Employees are not about to lay each other off, nor tell synod desk jockeys to go out and start mission churches, because that's hard work. Also, the route where the WELS downsizes by not filling positions as people move or retire doesn't work too well since many pastors work in the WELS until they are 70 or older.

Here's some of what laymen should hear but will never hear it from the top, nor from their pastors. The WELS schools utilize their resources and campuses poorly.
o There are few teachers assistants, but full professors do everything from giving repetitive lectures to grading papers. This robs the graduate students of good jobs, ones that could be part of the federal student jobs program even, and not cost the synod a dime.
o The class sizes are just 15 to 25 when many classes could easily be held in larger rooms and auditoriums so professors or teachers assistants would not need to give the same lecture to two or more classrooms per day or per week. There should be no, say, History 101 Section A, B, C and D, since all 200 students should be in one section.
o The facilities are not rented out much, but just sit idle when they could be making the synod money.
o Before closing MLS, or along with closing MLS, the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) should be combined with MLC at New Ulm. That's because there is more than enough room to fit 150 seminary students on New Ulm's campus now that enrollment there has dropped. Besides, there are many eligible women for the future pastors to date on MLC's campus, especially now that MLC has a masters degree program. This means many women students will be the same age as the seminarians, and have about as much education to boot. Besides, the WELS is tired of pastors who found their wives while dating in bars in Milwaukee because driving to New Ulm is too far. The trip across "the River", an allusion that compares the Mississippi River to Isaac's obtaining a wife, Rebbecca, from across the Mesopotamian River, is a whopping 399 miles, or about 7 hours and 6 minutes without any breaks.

The 1920s-era seminary in Mequon is built in the old brick style without insulation, and wastes a lot of heat. At anyone time there are only 150 students there. Also, there is a lot of mowing and grounds work. The sem property in Mequon is in a prime location just a couple miles from the shore of Lake Michigan, and could sell for many millions of dollars, enough to build nice dormitories and a better chapel at MLC. That brings up another scandal--that the WELS can't build anything over a few stories tall, thereby wasting a lot of real estate and money per square foot of livable area, and wasting a lot on heating.

o The Synod could be downsized in two says. Some ministries could be spun off so they fund themselves. For example, WELS Lutherans for Life need not be anywhere in the synodical budget (if it is now). Also, retired pastors could be utilized who would be paid for their services as they deliver them rather than a more expensive salary for full-time workers. The synod's administrative budget should be only 10% at most. Missions could also be spun off, just like the ELS synod has Thoughts of Faith fund and control all their missions overseas.

Ok, back to the latest scandal. After twiddling their thumbs in a meeting, someone suggested that the MLC and the two prep schools just increase their enrollment. That's pretty much how the budget for these schools was met in the past. Many students who had no business being in a school meant to prepare people for the ministry and parochial school teaching were allowed to attend for various reasons--all of them bad reasons. Often the reason was the parents were too busy working to parent, and the prep school served as a surrogate parent. So the other students had to put up with these unruly, unparented students who often had a lot of money to spend on entertainment.

So these WELS pastors, all of whom make well north of 40 grand per year when housing, insurance and perks are factored in, decided to balance the synodical budget on the backs of students who will be lucky to make even 30 grand if they face the job market or college market with only a classical education. Yes, they said that they figured the WELS would grow and there would be enough pastor and teacher slots, but if they had to bet on it with their own money, they'd pass. In other words, these WELS pastors pulled a "Jim Bakker" on you. That's the evangelist who sold condominiums in a project that his accountants said would go bust. However, Jimmy Bakker had faith that it would all work out. Anyway, a lot of people lost their shirts, Bakker went to jail, because the judge did not buy off on Bakker's assertion that having faith in the project was not the same as transacting business in "good faith":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bakker

So, please sign the attached form to join the
the lawsuit. Thank-you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Lawyer

***

MLS Veteran has left a new comment on your post "Commentary on WELS Schools":

I agree with many of the criticisms in this article.

If you are seeking an education with the intent of going on to a secular university or college, you may want to rethink attending a prep school, especially if you would not be a day student.

I was always told by pastors, professors, teachers what an elite education I would be receiving.

After graduating, I was shocked at how well some of the public school students I was competing against were trained in math and science.

This was particularily a weak spot for MLS. The humanities were definitely emphasized at the expense of math and natural sciences.

Also, there are no career counselors at MLS (aside from encourage you to continue on to becoming a Lutheran teacher or pastor). Nor was there any "college fairs" where secular universities would come to school to talk about their institutions or academic programs. Finally, there was no help in finding scholarships or grants to the secular universities.

However, I must emphasize that MLS and Luther Prep are not in the business of educating students for the outside world. Technically, you cannot fault them for that.

HOWEVER, STUDENTS WHO WANT TO ATTEND A PREP SCHOOL SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE SHORT COMINGS OF ATTENDING A WELS PREP SCHOOL !!!

That, and the infamous freshman, "Zex" year at MLS, should be factors in considering whether or not to attend a WELS prep school :)

Beautiful, Beautiful Zion...

Anonymous said...
Let me give you one little example that teaches UOJ- Romans 3:23,24, that PCK quoted earlier. You probably don't want to discuss Greek grammar because they probably didn't teach that to you at that wonderful Roman Catholic institution, Notre Dame.

***

GJ - Notre Dame was not very Roman Catholic when I was there. My doctoral advisor was John Howard Yoder, a Mennonite. Another reader on my dissertation was Stan Hauerwas, Methodist, considered one of the best theologians in America. The head of the graduate program in theology was Robert Wilken, LCMS, who studied at Concordia Seminary with Herman Otten. My program advisor was T. Hommes, Dutch Reformed. My professor in Talmudic Judaism was Jewish. One professor left the convent to marry her Jesuit priest beau. Another professor left the convent to marry her book seller beau. One professor was a Biblical feminist (Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza). She is married to a liberation theologian, Frank. Both were kicked out and upstairs to endowed professorships at Harvard.

I was known for defending traditional Lutheranism in class and for making fun of liberals like Paul Tillich. One doctoral student said goodbye to me after I disagreed with Elisabeth Schussler-Fiorenza in class. He assumed I would be kicked out of the program. She told me soon after that she liked having students in class who had actually been out of school, who were able to form their own opinions.

What most MDivs from unaccredited seminaries miss is this simple fact - universities do not try to impose the robotic obedience expected at the liberal seminaries of WELS, ELS, LCMS, and ELCA today. The free exchange of ideas (at the Sausage Factory? - never!) is a normal experience at a good school. People from all traditions have a chance to question and to debate.

The Romans Catholics gave an LCA pastor a free ride for a PhD and tossed in some extra pocket money to write a dissertation on - buckle your seatbelts - a Lutheran seminary professor. Get over it, Rev. Mouse. After all, it's not the ecumenical study that's a crime. It's the cover up. Bivens, Valleskey, and Werning have all denied their study at Fuller. Olson's buddy blew smoke in the faces of CN readers, claiming that Olson went to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl Parade. Ahem.

If Fuller is so wonderful, why do these syncretists deny studying there? If Fuller is so bad that they lie about it, why did they go there in the first place? I am looking forward to a sensible, sober answer to that question.

UOJ in Romans 3?
Someone, probably Mouse, posted a comment proving Romans 3:22ff was UOJ. I took the Romans class with Panzer (nickname for Panning). I think Panning was pretty good. He did not push UOJ, which is why it took me time to absorb the truth about the Synodical Conference's UOJ error.

KJV Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

UOJ is an excellent example of propositional theology. First a well-intentioned dolt declares a proposition, then ignores Scripture while proving his case. All his followers march in step. They think they are marching to Zion even when they smell brimstone.

This passage clearly states that the righteousness of God comes by faith to all believers. Yes, all have sinned. NT Greek has no punctuation. We have to supply it. The logical antecedent (that which goes before) for being justified (v. 24) is all that believe.

The labored rationalism of PCK (aka Mouse) would have God's grace come to every single person on earth, without faith, without the Word, without the Means of Grace. That is the doltish opinion of J. P. Meyer in Ministers of Christ, NPH. That is what WELS promotes and Pope John the Malefactor endorses. His Beatitude, Rolf Preus, endorses UOJ some days, justification by faith alternately.

Professor Lenski is the only Lutheran to publish an extensive commentary on the entire New Testament. Here is what he said about the passage in Romans:

"The fact that this declaration of righteousness is only for believers, is pronounced only upon them, has already been stated in v. 22 in the plainest language and need not be repeated; the fact that unbelievers exclude themselves has thus also been clearly implied." (p. 250)

The Sausage Factory at Mequon teaches its bovine and ovine students to reject Lenski, so the typical Wisconsin product will automatically denounce Lenski.

The aptly named pastor, Papenfuss (Pope's Foot), admitted to the Kokomites he excommunicated that he knew nothing of UOJ until he went to seminary.

One reader said UOJ was ideal for Lutherans who want to pope. I thought about it and had to agree. UOJ is another name for Universalism. Pope JP II (or Deuce, as he was known around the Vatican) promoted a kind of Universalism. The bottom line for those poping is - believe whatever you want, disbelieve anything, but join the biggest and the best: Rome.

Hindu Episcopalian Open Communion - Syncretism

Hindu God Shiva, Dancing
When controversy speaks for itself (updated)
Posted by Mollie

From Get Religion:

Los Angeles Times reporter K. Connie Kang had another interesting story on the Godbeat or, in this case, the gods beat. Yes, the Episcopalians are involved.

It seems that the Diocese of Los Angeles hosted an interfaith service with Hindus at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral there on Saturday. Kang simply reported it without any analysis, which I think is good for an initial story on what turned out to be a rather controversial event. She described how a Hindu nun blew into a conch shell to begin the Indian Rite Mass. A band from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (aka Hare Krishna) chanted during the service.

The article is full of fascinating quotes from participants and observers:

During the service, the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, issued a statement of apology to the Hindu religious community for centuries-old acts of religious discrimination by Christians, including attempts to convert them.

“I believe that the world cannot afford for us to repeat the errors of our past, in which we sought to dominate rather than to serve,” Bruno said in a statement read by the Rt. Rev. Chester Talton. “In this spirit, and in order to take another step in building trust between our two great religious traditions, I offer a sincere apology to the Hindu religious community.”

The bishop also said he was committed to renouncing “proselytizing” of Hindus.

***

GJ - As Reu taught, doctrinal indifference and unionism go together. Just ask David Valleskey, Paul Kelm, and Larry Olson (DMin, Fuller Seminary). This goes beyond unionism (different Christian confessions worshiping and studying together) to syncretism (worshiping with a non-Christian).

But Fuller Seminary is not just unionistic. The school has embraced syncretism for decades. They welcomed Paul Y. Cho (S. Korea) as a special lecturer. Cho combines ancestor worship, occultism, and Pentecostal cell groups. Cho was so blatant that his own denomination, the Assemblies of God, kicked him out. ("Big Trouble for the World's Largest Church, Christianity Today) The Lutherans said, "This is where we want to study!" And they did. LCA and ALC (ELCA now). LCMS. ELS. WELS. Olson bragged about the hordes of LCMS pastors studying at his alma mater, Fuller. Makes a man proud to see the ranks of syncretists growing.

Even the mini-micro Lutheran groups flock to Fuller. Several Lutheran break-away sects have made Fuller their seminary, just as much as WELS and Missouri have.

The Wisconsin and Missouri sects are completely saturated with Fuller doctrine and methods. They are apostate synods, embracing a pagan materialistic philosophy.

The way to succeed in the LCMS and WELS is to study at Fuller, mouth the silly platitudes of Fuller, and march in step with the other praying predators.

ELCA Exiles Like Fuller Too - Fuller Is Clearly the Seminary for All Alleged Lutherans

http://www.lcmc.net/seminary_info.htm

SEMINARY INFORMATION

The following seminaries are in a working relationship with LCMC. This is not an exhaustive list of seminaries, nor is it an endorsement of any of these seminaries.

Many of these seminaries have made special provision to meet LCMC’s expectations for Lutheran historical and theological training. Individuals are encouraged to contact these seminaries and find out which can meet all, or some, of our general expectations.

Individuals interested in preparing for ministry in the LCMC are encouraged to approach a district’s ministry committee for guidance and fulfillment of the candidacy process.

(It is important to individuals and ministry committees to remember the list of general academic expectations serves as a guideline. Remember also that the wording, “or its equivalent”, may be considered by ministry committees when assessing academic or other expectations of a candidate for ministry.)


---------------------------------------

Bethel Seminary
Joseph Valentine Dworak, M.A.
Director of Admissions and Recruitment
Bethel Seminary
3949 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112
work: 651-638-6288
fax: 651-635-2479

www.Bethel.edu
____________________

ILTEP (The Independent Lutheran Theological Education Project)
The Claus Harms House
429 N. Sawyer Ave.
Oshkosh, WI 54902
(920) 231-1287

www.iltep.org
____________________

The Master's Institute Seminary
2700 Rice St.
St. Paul, MN 55113
(651) 765-9756
info@themastersinstitute.org
Seminary Coordinator: Wanda Newgren
President: Rev. Michael Bradley

www.themastersinstitute.org

_____________________

North American Baptist Seminary

Admissions Office
1525 S. Grange Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57105

info@nabs.edu
1.800.440.6227

___________________

Salt Lake Theological Seminary
Dr. James L. Wakefield
Salt Lake Theological Seminary
PO Box 2096
Salt Lake City, UT 84110-2096

Street address:
Dr. James L. Wakefield
Salt Lake Theological Seminary
699 East South Temple, Suite 324
Salt Lake City, UT 84102-1142

jlw@slts.edu
801-581-1900

www.slts.edu


--------------------------------------------

LCMC also has (or has had) students attending the following seminaries: (District Ministry Committees will assist the student in how to fulfill the LCMC Lutheran educational requirements.)

Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio
Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
Trinity Seminary, Newburg, Indiana
Trinity Southwest University, Albuquerque, New Mexico

(ELCA seminaries may accept students as ecumenical students – further conversation with the seminary can clarify these options).


--------------------------------------------------

Other theological and ministry training options are available for those interested in contract calls, for lay theological training, and for continuing education for pastors. District ministry committees may have more information than noted here.

Beyond the River Academy

(Training for Rural Ministry)
Pr. Keith Mentor
4313 Main St.
Elkhorn, IA 51334
712-764-5678

http://beyondtheriveracademy.org

***

A. Nony Mouse has left a new comment on your post "ELCA Exiles Like Fuller Too - Fuller Is Clearly th...":

Have you ever discussed the LCMC beforeon your blog? By not explaining what this group is all about, I'm sure you're thinking your readers will pass over the initials and think you're talking about the LCMS. I know what the LCMC is, so don't berate me for writing this--but I'm sure many of your readers are totally unfamiliar with it. Why don't you enlighten them?

GJ - I assume a high level of literacy and motivation among my readers, two qualities sadly lacking in you, Mouse.

1. I have discussed the LCMC before.
2. I provided a link, so even the dyslexic could unravel the mysteries of LCMS versus LCMC.
3. The headline gives away the topic - ELCA exiles. Missouri Synod Lutherans are ELCA wannabees, not ELCA exiles.
4. People can look up more on the topic by using the label list. As most people can see, the LCMC has already appeared before.

However, I could see how people might think this post was about WELS. One WELS pastor suggested his members join a Baptist church if they moved to a place where WELS was not (most of the US). WELS leaders and pastors have people reading non-Lutheran material all the time. The way to get ahead in the WELS ministery is to be as non-Lutheran and anti-Lutheran as possible, drinking in wisdom from Trinity (Deerfield), Willow Creek, Fuller Seminary, and that Moses of the Twenty-first Century - Leonard Sweet.

We're Marching to Zion...

PCK has left a new comment on your post "UOJ and Church Growth Presentations, Disguised as...":

"GJ - Sorum is the WELS equivalent of Leonard Sweet. Valleskey is the Fuller-trained liberal who espouses UOJ and evangelism. Why bother? Everyone is forgiven and righteous, especially the guilt-free saints in Hell. (That's WELS doctrine, not Luther's.)"

I guess I just don't see how objective justification is that hard to understand. WELS certainly does not solely teach Objective Justification. There are passages such as 2 Corinthians 5:19: "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." When Paul uses the word "world", is he referring only to those who believe? I can't say he does. He must mean that the whole world was reconciled to God through Christ payment on the cross. Through that payment God is not counting their sins against them.

Consider Jesus' final words on the cross "It is finished." What is finished? His work of paying for the sins of the world...that is what is finished. His complete payment, his perfect sacrifice is finished. God the Father was pleased and appeased. His anger over sin subsided. His payment was perfect.

Consider Romans 3:23-24: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Note that the Greek word for justified is a present passive participle, nominative masculine plural. What modifies it? That's right, all, the Greek word pantes,in verse 23 which happens to be a nominative masculine plural pronoun. Therefore all have sinned (no one can be excluded) but also all have been justified, declared not guilty, through the redemption, the buying back from sin that came by Christ Jesus.

While this is true, that Christ paid for the sins of the whole world, this gift is not automatically given to all people. People are not automatically saved. That is where subjective justification comes in. You have passages such as John 3:16-18: "John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." From this passage, this forgiveness and eternal life only comes through faith, the organon leptikon, the receiving hand given to us by God through which we receive Christ's blessings.

Consider Ephesians 2:8-9. For it is by grace you have been saved (we have been saved through God's undeserved love, as seen through his perfect sacrifice on the cross) through faith (however, this salvation through God's grace, displayed in Christ on the cross, is only ours through faith.)

Christ did pay for the sins of the entire world, but unless that blessing is received through faith, it is of no value to the unbeliever. It is a gift they reject. And due to their rejection they are condemned to hell. It is only through faith that Christ's complete payment for the sins of the world is credited to man.

If you plan on posting this, please post the whole thing, and not bits and pieces. Thank you.

***

GJ - This guy has pluck, posting anonymously and telling me how to use the comment. I copied it verbatim.

I am not going to argue Greek grammar on a blog aimed at everyone. I quoted Lenski before, and all other Greek exegetes agree with him - justification in the New Testament is justification by faith alone. The same can be said about justification in the Book of Concord: justification by faith.

Robert Preus was clear about this in his last book. I quoted him on the subject. He also quoted theologians who have been paraded as UOJ advocates, deceptively so, I might add.

Reconciliation is not justification. I wrote a chapter on this, so everyone can read that. It is linked on this page - and my name is on the book. I do not have to defend the truth anonymously.

Let me give one little example that destroys UOJ. "Abraham believed and it was reckoned as righteousness." What did Abraham believe and when? He believed in the coming Messiah, long before the Atonement. He was justified by faith, Paul's inspired doctrine in Romans 4. How could he have righteousness before the Brief Statement Moment of Absolution? UOJ contradicts itself consistently.

Let us look at the Moment of Absolution itself, which varies by three Jewish days. For some, it happened when Christ died. For others, it happened when Christ rose from the dead. If God declared the entire world righteous, then where is that Word of Universal Salvation. The ELS partner of WELS says the world was saved.

I would like to see one Scripture passage or one Book of Concord passage where the entire world is forgiven of its sin, without faith, without the Word, without the Means of Grace.

UOJ emerged from Pietism in the 19th century, as its advocates must admit. UOJ is new. UOJ is not Christian.

Rev. Mouse Needs Anger Management And - A Lutheran Education

A. Nony Mouse has left a new comment on your post "Rev. Mouse Unleashed: Frog in Kettle Simmers":

You wrote: "Anyone who has preached a sermon according to the Scriptures, taught according to the Word, baptized, or communed someone has spread the Gospel."

Your explanation of the word "evangelism" is correct, but let's use it in the sense almost everyone uses it today--What have you ever done that could be considered deliberately sharing law and gospel with an unbeliever? Have you ever worked in a mission field? HAve you ever done a door to door canvas? Have you ever had a Bible class with your former congregations about how to share law and gospel with their friends, neighbors, family and co-workers?

***

GJ - Correct, but... That is Kelmian logic. I could list many things that Baptistic WELS clergy call evangelism. They have to go to Fuller and Willow Creek to understand real evangelism. Le't not trouble ourselves with the Means of Grace when we can entertain people into the Kingdom. My purpose now is to convert the synodical leaders to Lutheran doctrine. The evangelism work I do goes all over the world, and I will leave it at that.

***

More Mouse:

I' ve never seen anyone make such a big deal about the schools he attended--accredited or not. By the way you brag about your schools so much, methinks you're trying to impress your readers. It even seems as if you're trying to equate the words "accredited" with "orthodox."

***

GJ - Since we do not know who you are, Rev. Mouse, your statements are difficult to judge. We all know WELS has a thing against education, unless it is in-house, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, or Fuller Seminary. I have noticed Olson and Kelm calling themselves Dr. on the strength of a D.Min. in Church Growth. I would call that bragging about nothing. The D.Min. was invented by seminaries as the equivalent of an STM. No one wants to pick up an STD today, even from Fuller.

I read Olson's D.Min. paper from Fuller, jabbing myself with a compass to stay awake - or was it to keep from laughing out loud in the sanctum sanctorum of the MLC library?

Doctorates are rare in the Wisconsin sect. So is intelligent debate. Get out the yellowed dog notes and repeat after me: WELS is perfect.

I would not equate unaccredited with orthodox, if that is what you imply. I have the advantage of age, experience, and education. Everyone has a unique perspective, but few have an original one. Obviously Mouse has a deep need to engage my arguments. For that I am glad. Perhaps I can rescue him from the swamp of apostasy.

I follow Wesley's maxim: "If you can't convert them, at least make them angry." In that I consider myself a rousing success.

Rev. Mouse Unleashed: Frog in Kettle Simmers

The Frog in the Kettle is a Church Growth book promoted by WELS to get congregations and pastors involved in Reformed doctrine and practice.


Rev. A. Nony Mouse has left a new comment on your post "UOJ and Church Growth Presentations, Disguised as...":

You wrote: "Valleskey is the Fuller-trained liberal who espouses UOJ and evangelism."

So, if you espouse evangelism you're a liberal? Dr. Jackson, what have you ever done that could be considered evangelism? And please don't mention this blog. All I've ever seen here is slander and libel.

On another note, if you condemn these men for the schools they attended, you should be condemned most of all--Augustana? Waterloo? Yale? Notre Dame?

***

GJ - Anyone who has preached a sermon according to the Scriptures, taught according to the Word, baptized, or communed someone has spread the Gospel. I am surprised Mouse knows so little of Lutheran doctrine. In fact, that is why so many Lutheran ministers are discouraged and demoralized. They listen to the doctrine of demons and think they need a a palace with a 20 acre parking lot to be considered evangelists. The apostates are only gathering more materialistic apostates around them, giving them what their itching ears want to hear.

People who spread the doctrine of Fuller Seminary in the name of evangelism are apostates, not liberals. I should have used a more precise term.

I attended accredited schools when I was a member of the LCA. The Wisconsin sect looks down on all other sects and their schools but their leaders run off to Fuller, Willow Creek, and Concordia Seminary for training. I suggest that Mouse go after Kelm for being a WELS pastor and earning a Concordia D.Min..

Here are some other known Fuller Seminary alumni from WELS:
David Valleskey
Frosty Bivens
Wally Oelhaven
Fred Adrian
Larry Olson
Reuel Schulz
Harry Haggedorn
James Huebner
Robert Hartman
Joel Gerlach
Norm Berg.

Rev. Mouse should condemn me for attending the unaccredited Sausage Factory in Mequon. The faculty condemned Reformed doctrine in one classroom and promoted it in another. I count at least three Mequon professors who have studied at Fuller Seminary, according to their own boasts.

Rev. Mouse - when you write to these gentleman, please copy me. I will post your messages, one and all, to Ichabod. The readers will patiently wait for your response.

Perhaps you would like to read the hundreds of quotations from orthodox Lutheran authors. All you see is slander and libel? Pehaps that is all you see. I will concede that statement about what you see.

LQ fanatics condemned me for graduating from Notre Dame as an LCA member. Meanwhile, their favorite faculty members (Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne) were earned doctorates from the same school. When I pointed that out, they fell silent.

Sabre of Boldness

Rev. Aaron Moldenhouer Receives Sabre of Boldness for 2008

The Sabre of Boldness was awarded to Rev. Fr. Aaron Moldenhauer, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, on Thursday night, January 17th, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the thirteenth annual Sabre ceremony, sponsored by the editors of Gottesdienst. Fr. Moldenhauer is a recent graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, who for reasons of conscience was compelled to leave the Wisconsin Synod during his vicarage year and colloquize into the Missouri Synod. For this he has endured considerable scorn by many who were close to him. Fr. Moldenhauer was unable to attend the ceremony, but his wife Tabitha was present to receive the award for him.

Bearers of the Sabre
1996 The Rev. Peter C. Bender
1997 The Rev. Jonathan G. Lange
1998 The Rev. Dr. Edwin S. Suelflow
1999 The Rev. Gary V. Gehlbach - Eastern Orthodox Mole
2000 The Rev. Peter M. Berg - Eastern Orthodox Mole
2001 The Rev. Dr. John C. Wohlrabe
2002 The Rev. Erich Fickel
2003 The Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz
2004 The Rev. Charles M. Henrickson - UOJ
2005 The Rev. Edward J. Balfour
2006 The Rev. Bishop Walter Obare
2007 The Rev. Dr. Ronald Feuerhahn

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GJ - I admire Pastor Balfour and Dr. Feuerhahn, but this award is rather comical, especially since the judges think joining another synod is something akin to martyrdom. The battles during the Reformation and after the death of Luther meant: burning to death (Dr. Robert Barnes), dungeons, exile, and persecution by the government itself. Today Christians in China are gladly going to prison for the faith. Christians around the world are still being slaughtered, especially by Muslims.

I see no one on the list in prison. One man did risk his life.

Kelm Understands Universal Objective Justification

UOJ Stormtrooper on Vacation

Paul Kelm, WELS (D.Min. in Church Growth, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) is one of the few to grasp the real meaning of Universal Objective Justification.

Probably no one has been taught the weirdness of forgiveness without faith until he has studied at the Sausage Factory (Mequon), the Frozen Food Seminary (Mankato) or the two Concordias. Many of those students think UOJ means the Atonement, but it does not. As I have told various people, the misinformed and badly educated have had their eyes opened by the actual statements of UOJ champions. The scales fall off their eyes when they realize that UOJ is not the Atonement but an alien religion divorced from the Christian faith.

Apart from the Midwestern sects of Lutheranism, the same ones flocking to Fuller and Willow Creek, no organizations have embraced UOJ in all of Christianity.

But Paul Kelm has an important insight, which may explain matters for people. He likes to make everything upside-down. He has this statement in one of his theological treatises:

"It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism]
Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

Moravian Pietism starts with the Gospel and works back to the Law. That explains the peculiar nature of WELS. On the one hand, they publish articles in FIC (False Teachers in Collusion) and books at NPH (Valleskey, et al). They always say, "The whole world has been forgiven." The ELS says the whole world is saved.

On the other hand, they lash people with the Law. WELS blames its members for its financial meltdown and loss of members. The ELS extends the Left Foot of Fellowship to anyone who dissents, even UOJ warrior Preus.

LutherQuest (sic) chants "Anathema sit. Anathema sit (Let him be damned)," if anyone questions their beloved UOJ. Wait guys. Everyone has been forgiven, declared righteous. It's over, man, as you say so eloquently. How come the Book of Concord fans are condemned while the Hottentotts are forgiven? Why is Hell filled with guilt-free saints while Ichabod is full of condemned sinners?

Paul Kelm has explained it well. Start with the Gospel, move to the Law.

Luther said if we do that, the listener will look at us the way a cow looks at a newly painted fence.

And that is the proper look for UOJ laity.

LutherQuest (sic) Fulminating for Universal Objective Justification

UOJ Stormtroopers Reason with a Layman.

The word sic is Latin for thus, meaning - that is their error not mine. LutherQuest (sic) is anything but a quest for Luther.

The sign of a weak argument is fulmination. False teachers literally foam at the mouth when they are challenged with God's Word, Luther, and the Confessions. Brett Meyer, a layman, chose to ask LQ denizens about their robotic advocacy of justification without faith.

A Missouri Synod pastor posted this on LQ:

Brett,

Your words are very frightening to me. Why? Because I fear that you are leading people to believe that there is no forgiveness for people...

You also frighten me, because you are flat-out lying about Rev. Preus' position on justification. Here are his words, from the beginning of his forward to Herman Preus' paper....

The same pastor used Methinks on one of his signed LQ posts at the same time an anonymous poster used Methinks on Ichabod while accusing me of being a follower of Osiander! That could be a coincidence, but I did find it odd that a pastor in his prophetic role of rooting out false doctrine would make a charge anonymously, whatever his name might be. UOJ Stormtroopers have their own rules, I have seen.

Brett Meyer has been excruciatingly polite with these people.

To clarify matters about Rolf Preus - he is on both sides of the issue. He has agreed with the Book of Concord and swung over to UOJ again. He asked for and received a rough draft of the justification chapter of Thy Strong Word. He responded by email that he agreed with it. Subsequently, before the book was available, Rolf falsely declared on LQ that he had my book, and denounced it. As I recall, he publicly agreed with justification by faith again, but doubled back on his own words.

A dentist posted some good comments on LQ about the weakness and falsity of UOJ. He persisted for a long time. Then he reappeared to rescind all of his previous posts. He sounded pulpit-whipped to me.

If the UOJ Stormtroopers on LQ had a case, they would not need to be so nasty to a layman, resorting to name calling and false accusations. Their defense of forgiveness without faith can be summarized as:
1. Read our previous posts.
2. Read Walther and his disciples.
3. Ignore Luther, the Book of Concord, and historic Christianity.

Lambeth the Bellwether of Protestantism

Note the density of Lutherans in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

From Virtue Online:

First of all, Lambeth 2008 will mainly be made up of liberals, as most of the orthodox will be attending GAFCON in the Holy Land with only a handful attending Lambeth 2008. Most of the orthodox will stay away from Lambeth thus saying, in so many words, '"We have had enough and we will discuss what it means to fulfill the Great Commission." The predominant voices at Lambeth will be liberals, not conservatives, with the loudest most strident left wing voices coming from the U.S., Canada, the UK, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

While V. Gene Robinson, the openly homoerotic Bishop of New Hampshire, has not been given an official invitation to Lambeth he will attend "on his honeymoon" with his partner and will hold seminars on sodomy to anyone who wants to attend. Dr Williams made it clear in an announcement about Lambeth that Gene Robinson has not been invited to the Lambeth Conference. "It is proving extremely difficult to see under what heading he might be invited to be around," said Williams.

Recently, a Church of England bishop opined that if homosexuality was not on the table at Lambeth, then it would be the 800 pound gorilla in the communion that would come back to haunt it.

Furthermore, it has been the singular concern of the Archbishop of the West Indies, the Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, that if the conservatives stay away from Lambeth, then the Liberals will use it as an opportunity to overthrow Resolution 1:10, the lynchpin resolution of Lambeth 1998 that says sexual behavior is only appropriate between a husband and wife. Certainly the liberal bishops will be ably assisted in this action by the Anglican Consultative Council with acquiescence from Dr. Williams and a hearty push by liberal and revisionist TEC bishops.

***

GJ - The Lambeth Conference is significant because the Archbishop of Canterburgy calls it once every 10 years. Bishops have to be invited to attend. As readers can see, the confab has some legislative authority, but that is easily overlooked. If the traditionalists pass a rule, it is bypassed. If the apostates pass a rule, it is the Eleventh Commandment.

The Episcopal Church in America has repeatedly violated its own guidelines in order to make the new radicalism the norm. That began with the illegal ordination of women and moved forward from there. Why wait to change the rules? Violating the rules will change them without a vote.

The socialists in England worked on incremental changes in their country, until England was almost completely bankrupt. This method has worked well for Episcopalians as well.

Let us not start clucking our tongues. Only a comatose Lutheran could say things are different in his own synod. The radicals nibble along the edges the same way. Synodical leaders do not read Luther and cannot spell Chemnitz, so they ape what they learn at joint meetings with ELCA, whether sponsored by Thrivent Insurance or blessed by the Fuller/Willow Creek bunch.

Lutherans follow the Episcopalians, a few years later.

WELS Schools - Lower Enrollment, Higher Costs

Enrollments

• Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI: 173
On-campus: 132 (seniors–40, middlers–45, juniors–46, PSI–1)
Off-campus: 41 (vicars–40, emergency service–1)

• Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN: 692 on-campus (education–509, pre-seminary–171, unclassified–12)

• Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, MI: 218
111 boys and 107 girls (seniors–56, juniors–56, sophomores–55, freshmen–51)

• Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, WI: 328
166 boys and 162 girls (seniors–80, juniors–75, sophomores–95, freshmen–78)

***

GJ - Let's do the math. They once had four preps and two colleges, with higher enrollments and much lower tuition. Now they have closed two prep schools and one college, raised tuition to a Lexus level, and...

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MLS Veteran has left a new comment on your post "WELS Schools - Lower Enrollment, Higher Costs":

Wow, those enrollments at the 2 prep schools really are low.

Perhaps we are comparing apples to oranges, however,

Back in my day, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, there were almost no area WELS Lutheran High Schools.

Now, there are quite a few.

So perhaps many of the students who normally would have went off to high school away from home now attend a nearby Lutheran high school.

It really is a big decision for both parents and students to leave home at 13 or 14.

How many would really want their young 'uns to face the infamous "Zex" year?

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Schools - Lower Enrollment, Higher Costs":

After what poor MLS had to go thru just to stay alive for another year, who would be inspired to go there? Who knows when the threat of closing will pop up again and no doubt it will. It's hard to get someone interested in spending that much money with the 'powers that be' forcasting doom and gloom.

GJ - The Church Growth wolves want missionaries so they can travel all over the world to supervise them, have global conferences, and feel important. CG gurus do not like synodical schools at all. Schools are trending downward, to use the management-speak WELS loves to use.

UOJ and Church Growth Presentations, Disguised as Evangelism, Martin Luther College

Or - The Blind Leading the Bland

Forty-one pastors, teachers, and staff ministers from across the synod are making presentations at Martin Luther College (MLC) in New Ulm, Minn., on Wed., Jan. 23, as part of the school's annual Evangelism Day.

MLC is presenting the one-day event in partnership with WELS Commission on Evangelism and WELS Commission for Parish Schools

Among the speakers is Rev. David Valleskey, former president of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, who will be one of the leaders of a workshop on "Preparing a Personal Witness."

Rev. E. Allen Sorum, seminary professor, will be giving the keynote address.

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GJ - Sorum is the WELS equivalent of Leonard Sweet. Valleskey is the Fuller-trained liberal who espouses UOJ and evangelism. Why bother? Everyone is forgiven and righteous, especially the guilt-free saints in Hell. (That's WELS doctrine, not Luther's.)

California Suit Against WELS High School Rejected by Judge

Will Tinky-Winky Join the Appeal as a Friend of the Court?

A judge rejected the claim against the WELS California Lutheran High School that the school discriminated against two students because of alleged lesbian inclinations. The attorneys will appeal the decision. The Ninth Circuit is great for writing new laws people never imagined before.

The judge ruled that a religious school has a right to religious opinions. My question is: WWFS?

What Would Frosty Say?

The specific nature of homosexual sin is different from heterosexual sin, but its essence is identical: a failure to be and behave as God’s revealed will demands. Divine law remains the perfect tool to expose and convict sinners of their sin, and the unconditional gospel remains the perfect tool to comfort and empower forgiven sinners to enjoy life in Christ. God’s Word remains “living and active” for us and others. There is no need or room for revulsion or pessimism as we share the pardoning and purifying Word with our sometimes weak and wounded family members in Christ.

Share proper information

It is likely that you won’t always have the perfect words to say, and it is almost certain that you won’t have all the answers. But you can do some homework and choose your words carefully. Don’t weigh in prematurely with an inflexible answer to the “nature vs. nurture” question. Consider the possibility that both genetic and environmental factors may be involved, just as they often are in heterosexual sin, alcohol and drug abuse, or a variety of other addictions. Be quick to acknowledge that issues of sexual orientation can sometimes be challenging, but God’s grace and power is more than sufficient to give his people power to cope with reality.

In fostering fruits of faith, keep in mind that sanctification is not to be equated with marriage and heterosexual activity. Christians who lack heterosexual impulses may please God with celibate chastity that might involve a lifelong struggle against homosexual tendencies. To counsel them to “go and get attracted to the opposite sex” betrays a misunderstanding of sanctification and invites unnecessary frustration for those already burdened.

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GJ - I am a little confused. No, not about that.

Frosty Bivens, a Fuller Seminary liberal, seems to be promoting the line that people are born homosexual (a fact I have never witnessed in a hospital nursery). Also, he has repeated a previous WELS declaration that there is no difference between homosexual and heterosexual sin. This moral equivalency argument was copied from ELCA, by the way.

Moral equivalence is a popular logical fallacy. The Communist Revolution was just the same as the American Revolution (minus the slaughter, torture, and tyranny). The Boston Tea Party was terrorism, we are led to think by the elite. I know some fish and crabs got over-caffeinated, but how many humans died in the Boston Tea Party?

Sinful inclinations are inherently sinful, even though they are internal or mental.

KJV James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

WELS cannot even hold to the doctrine of Creation. God created men and women to long for a permanent, married, heterosexual relationship. Without desire there would be few marriages and even fewer babies.

I hate to bring up Luther when discussing doctrine with Lutherans. Luther makes them angry while Sweet calms them down. Luther consistently emphasized the impact of mental sin, that prevention of mental sin by force only inflames the sinful nature. The only solution is the Gospel Promises for those who realize their sin. Frosty seems to approve of an unnatural mental sin, as long as it is repressed.

Frosty is a major cheerleader for UOJ, so he is not likely to understand the Biblical concept of godly contrition and justification by faith.

Notice how easily one moves from UOJ to Situation Ethics. Naturally one can find enough in his article to fool a traditionalist. This is just a half-way step to outright advocacy, which will arrive when the closets empty in WELS.

Confidential to Frosty - the judge says, "It's OK to be Biblical."