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ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the National Council of Churches.
Friday, August 18, 2023
Alec Satin's Newest Newsletter - Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry - Matthias Loy
Efficacy - The Holy Spirit Always At Work in the Word - Psalm 1 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law [Torah - teaching] of the Lord; and in his law [Torah] doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Explanation
Long ago, the students at Gettysburg Seminary (now United in name only) learned Greek, Hebrew, and German to graduate. Lutheran seminary students now learn only a little Greek. As Ben Johnson said about Shakespeare, "Small Latin and less Greek."
Not only are seminary students throttled by activist fads but also deceived by Bad Bible Boosters (NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV) plus the Beck Bible. They graduate without knowing much of anything except intersectionality and the glory of cell groups. Like trained seals, they quack their disapproval of the King James Bible.
Psalm 1 could be called an introduction to the Book of Psalms. How it is read makes all the difference. The first verse is Trinitarian in structure, not a surprise for those who know the Holy Trinity in Genesis 1 and John 1.
The next verse is a model for all people to follow.
2 But his delight is in the law [Torah - teaching] of the Lord; and in his law [Torah] doth he meditate day and night.
When most people hear the word Torah, they think only about the Law. One scholar pointed out that the Hebrew word is not confined to the concept of law and punishment. The root of the Hebrew word has always meant "teaching," which encompasses all of God's Word.
The Torah scrolls, another name for the Five Books of Moses, are both Law and Gospel. Our adult class already discussed Exodus 3 (not to mention Genesis 1 and John 1) about the Son of God. The Exodus itself is packed with references to the Messiah.
Verse 2 is the model for the believer. We delight to read, hear, and think about the Law and Gospel night and day.
The Holy Spirit teaches the lessons of the Father and the Son (Gospel of John) and guides us in the truth. Throughout of the Bible, this means the Word is acting upon us - contrition, forgiveness, fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc).
The blessing is this always-effective Word having a powerful influence on believers. The efficacy also happens when people mock the Word, offer false explanations, and replace the truth with their imaginary world.
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| They know what they are doing - taking the easy route, enjoying the big bucks. After dancing with the devil in this age, they will find themselves widowers in the Age to Come. |
All of us have been subjected to these falsehoods, as the Apostle Paul and Luther were. If we test the false doctrine with the Word of God, we see the errors fading away and the Gospel shining in the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Neglect of the Word makes us more lethargic about the Scriptures, more indifferent, more prone to substitute something else for the revelation of God, which is so clear in the Teaching of Jesus Christ.
I have mentioned before that I know two WELS pastors who got caught up in the dubious Church Growth Movement. They deeply resented anyone who questioned that toxic fad. Their infatuation led to obnoxious atheism, as if their Father Below wanted them to make up for insulting a devil's dictionary of assaults on the Bible. The spiritual guides in their sect are especially at fault for jettisoning their ordination vows and embracing their Whore of Babylon, for leading others into falsehood.
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Holy Trinity Sunday - "Here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes man."
Complete Sermon Link ->Luther's Sermons - Romans 11:33-26. Trinity Sunday
11. Here there are, therefore, two distinct persons, one of whom becomes reconciled, and the other is sent to reconcile and becomes man. The former is called the Father, being first in that he did not have his origin in any other; the latter is called the Son, being born of the Father from eternity.
To this the Scriptures attest, for they make mention of God’s Son; as, for instance, in Psalm 2:7: “Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee ;” and again, Galatians 4:4: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son,” etc. From this it necessarily follows that the Son, who is spoken of as a person, must be distinct from the person of the Father.
12. Again, in the same manner, the Spirit of God is specifically and distinctively mentioned as a person sent or proceeding from God the Father and the Son; for instance, God says in Joel 2:28: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,” etc. Here a spirit is poured out who is God’s, or a divine spirit, and who must be of the same essence, otherwise he could not say, “my Spirit ;” and yet he must be a person other than he who sent him or who pours out. Again, because when he was sent he manifested himself, and appeared in his descent in a visible form, like that of a dove or tongues of fire, he must be distinct in person from both the Father and the Son.
13. But in this article of faith, in which we say that the Son of God became man and that he was of the same nature as we ourselves are, in order that he might redeem us from sin and death and give us eternal life without any merit or worthiness of our own, we give Jews and Turks no less occasion for laughter and mockery than when we speak of the three persons. For this is a more absurd assertion by far, in the estimation of human reason, which speculates in its Jewish and Turkish—yea, heathenish—teachings, on this wise: God is an only, almighty Lord of all, who has created all men and given them the law according to which they are to live; accordingly it follows that he will be merciful to the good and obedient, but will condemn and punish the disobedient. Therefore, he who does good works and guards himself against sin, God will reward. These are nothing but heathenish conclusions drawn from earthly, worldly experience and observation, as if God’s government must be conducted on the same principles as that of a father among his children and domestics; for those are considered good rulers and masters who make a distinction with regard to their own interests.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Marvin Schwan Memorials Renamed Yelloh!
ALPB Online Ovaltines, LutherQueasies Bury LCMS Higher Education Scandals.
Three or More in Trouble.
LCMS Higher Education Seems To Be Collapsing
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| The seminary needs a new coat of paint. |
In Phoenix I moved from taking computer science classes at the community college to teaching there. One teacher - a favorite - mentioned the University of Phoenix, where he also taught. Soon I was trying out to teach there - the initial person, Janie Sullivan, serving on the panel testing the newbies. She became the final editor of almost all my books.
When UOP began forcing DEI on faculty members, I requested no more class assignments. (Our cul-de-sac of 10 houses has four separate ethnic groups; we put the D in diversity.)
In two decades I saw UOP add online courses and finally drop face-to-face classes altogether. They are merging into the University of Idaho now.
When I was earning the MA in education (online, of course), I argued that online would become the biggest part of career education. Few people could work fulltime and finish a graduate degree. Even the people who worked fulltime for UOP usually took the online version.
At one state university the students were taking their online classes while staying in the dorms, shutting down a lot of classroom courses. The school had to limit campus residents online. Some of us found that hilarious.
The online movement in LCMS higher education seems to be - Close It Down. They keep giving up on historic colleges, like Selma. NYC had one which another entity quickly took over. Two are in crisis mode.
- The Oregon campus is being sued for $300 million over its fatal union with HotChalk (online software).
- The Texas campus is thumbing its nose at the national convention.
The itty-bitties are no better off - WELS, ELS, CLC (sic), ELDONUTs. The fatal combination is:
- Much smaller classes
- Higher costs making classes even smaller
- Building maintenance devouring the budgets.
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| Here is another LCMS battle - Concordia, Mequon. |
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Holy Trinity Sunday Guest Sermon - "Such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of God’s works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will."
Complete Sermon Link ->Luther's Sermons - Romans 11:33-26. Trinity Sunday
But, even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the exalted, eternal, divine Godhead essence. For even though I have learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, I do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far as God himself reveals it in his Word.
9. Now we Christians have the Scriptures, which we know to be the Word of God. The Jews also have them, From whose fathers they have descended to us. From these, and from no other source, we have obtained all that is known of God and divine works, from the beginning of the world. Even among the Turks and the heathen, all their knowledge of God—excepting what is manifestly fable and fiction—came from the Scriptures. And our knowledge is confirmed and proven by great miracles, even to the present day. These Scriptures declare, concerning this article, that there is no God or divine being save this one alone. They not only manifest him to us from without, but they lead us into his inner essence, and show us that in him there are three persons; not three Gods or three different kinds of divinity, but the same undivided, divine essence.
10. Such a revelation is radiantly shed forth from the greatest of God’s works, the declaration of his divine counsel and will. In that counsel and will it was decreed from all eternity, and, accordingly, was proclaimed in his promises, that his Son should become man and die to reconcile man to God. For in our dreadful fall into sin and death eternal, there was no way to save us excepting through an eternal person who had power over sin and death to destroy them, and to give us righteousness and everlasting life instead. This no angel or other creature could do; it must needs be done of God himself. Now, it could not be done by the person of the Father, who was to be reconciled, but it must be done by a second person, with whom this counsel was determined and through whom and for whose sake the reconciliation was to be brought about.
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Seminex Returns - Tietjen Reborn - Matt the Fatt Slugs the Tarbaby
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| They came back for lunch at the seminary - the same day! "An army travels on its stomach." So did these mighty martyrs, and many became ELCA bishops. Really! |
On Aug. 8, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Board of Directors (BOD) reached out to the Concordia University Texas (CTX), Austin, Texas, Board of Regents (BOR) seeking a board-to-board meeting in keeping with the spirit of Resolution 7-03, adopted on Aug. 1 by the Synod in convention. In that letter, the LCMS BOD also asked the CTX BOR:
To recognize and seat the four CTX regents elected by the Synod convention on Aug. 3; and
Not to seat anyone who has not been elected or appointed to the CTX BOR under Synod Bylaws.
The next day, on Aug. 9, CTX President Dr. Donald Christian notified the LCMS BOD via email that the four CTX regents elected by the Synod convention would not be seated on the CTX BOR.
Attached to Christian’s email were copies of letters from Christopher Bannwolf, CTX BOR chair, that previously had been sent to each of the four newly elected regents. Those letters referred to the regents’ “purported election” to the CTX BOR. They also claimed that the current CTX Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws “do not allow for Regents to be elected or appointed externally by someone else,” including by the LCMS convention.
The Synod BOD has been informed by Bannwolf that the CTX BOR will meet soon to discuss its response to the Synod BOD’s Aug. 8 letter requesting a meeting.
The 7,000 Mile Delivery Problem
I saw a Pilgrim's Progress, excellent condition, on eBay, and soon after it "was delivered." But I could not see it. I phoned eBay after waiting for this delivery a few more days.
The young lady was quite friendly and helpful. After jousting over where the book was, she discovered that it was indeed dropped off on the date of my eBay email. The only problem? - the book was sent to the distribution center 7,000 miles from my little library.
I thought I gave away my Limited Edition of the book, which I do whenever I have the chance. I did not order that one but another one of the 2,002 editions of the book.
I hauled the latest collection of Lutheran Library books into the library room. In straightening out the books I discovered... the Limited Edition of Pilgrim's Progress, so I will have a PP pair for now.
I had to browse the used book market and saw that one person collected the book for 25 years. The 325 books about or editions of PP will sell for $17,500 - out of my range.
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| Time to get organized! |
Efficacy - One Word To Cure the Ills of Christendom - Church Growth Snake Oil Is the Magician's Tool
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| The Church Growth sect leaders must realize by now that they are fools. I have two true stories for today. The first one happened at Mequon (aka Mordor) where I was required to study Church Growth under the leadership of David Valleskey, Paul Kelm, Larry Olson, and other clowns. Kelm asked, as his ultimate question at the end of the week-long torture, "Now can you think of ANYONE who - looking at all we have to offer - would not join the Wisconsin Synod?!" The audience was completely quiet. I waited a few seconds and said, "Herb Chilstrom?" The entire room rocked with laughter, which kept starting over and over again. Earnest Paul Kelm was not happy at all. Chilstrom was the leader of ELCA, known for his delight in apostasy. Foolish Paul Kelm had a false premise - make the product irresistible and everyone will rush to grab it. Long before, when he tried starting a new mission, the people found out what WELS really taught and tossed Paul out, changing to an ALC/LCA affiliation. Thanks to Donald McGavran (Disciples of Christ, advocate for Planned Parenthood) and Peter Drucker (self-appointed corporation expert), Fuller Seminary tossed the Scriptures overboard and pursued Management by Marketing. When Fuller went public with their rejection of inerrancy, everyone was already indifferent to Biblical doctrine and greedy for big, booming success. Because these charlatans have no faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Savior, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker and healer of leprosy, who raised people from the dead, died on the cross, rose from the grave and ascended into heaven, they have nothing to offer except blindness and hardness of heart. Parking lots do not cause faith in the Savior. One WELS pastor declared they would have a world-class parking ministry (St. Paul German Village). He ended up an atheist, the final resting place or stage of Fuller parasites. The parish is almost gone. Entertainment and food do not lead to faith in the Son of God. The people followed Jesus into the desert because they had faith in Him. They only knew His divine power and His efficacious Word. He fed the multitude. Jesus summoned the fish, but only after His sermon, after Peter confessed his sinful nature, after Jesus commanded the impossible. Jesus taught His disciples to be fishers of men, not agents or thralls of Unstuck. Gimmicks and tricks are just that, devoid of divine efficacy. The men who rely on the superficial find out the meaning of defenestration, sooner or later.  I can offer a true story of how easy it is to lead people in the wrong direction with a few enticing words. One Sunday in Sturgis, Michigan, I had visitors in church, from the magicians convention taking place. The announcements at the end of the service went like this - "We are happy to have magicians here today, because of the big convention nearby. I have to report there was a serious accident there." The congregation became especially quiet and listened. "The woman in the sawing in-half-act was injured." Everyone gasped and listened even more closely. "She is at Sturgis Memorial Hospital..." This is the verifying statement, very effective. "In Room 101 and 102." The place came unglued! Yes, that really happened. I only dredged it up to remind people how a few words can lead people toward a mirage, a fantasy, a dream or horror. Why do the denominations - not just foolish Lutherans - throw millions of dollars at Fuller, Trinity Divinity, and other seminaries of ill repute?  |
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Holy Trinity Sunday - "...We cannot expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of reason and a pretense of great wisdom."
Complete Sermon Link ->Luther's Sermons - Romans 11:33-26. Trinity Sunday
For no one knoweth, as Paul says (1 Corinthians 2:11), the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him, even so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God. From without, I may see what you do, but what your intentions are and what you think, I cannot see. Again, neither can you know what I think except I enable you to understand it by word or sign. Much less can we know what God, in his own inner and secret essence is, until the Holy Spirit, who searcheth and knoweth all things, yea, the deep things of God—as Paul says above—reveals it to us: as he does in the declaration of this article, in which he teaches us the existence in the divine majesty of the one undivided essence, but in such manner that there is, first, the person which is called the Father; and of him exists the second person called the Son, born from eternity; and proceeding from both these is the third, namely, the Holy Spirit. These three persons are not distinct from each other, as individual brothers or sisters are, but they have being in one and the same eternal, undivided and indivisible essence.
6. This, I say, is not discovered or attained to by human reason. It is revealed from heaven above. Therefore, only Christians can intelligently speak of what the Godhead essentially is, and of his outward manifestation to his creatures, and his will toward men concerning their salvation. For all this is imparted to them by the Holy Spirit, who reveals and proclaims it through the Word.
7. Those who have no such revelation, and who judge according to their own wisdom, such as the Jews, Turks and heathen, must consider the Christian’s declaration the greatest error and rankest heresy; they must say that we Christians are mad and foolish in imagining that there are three Gods, when, according to all reason—yea, even according to the Word of God—there can be but one God. It would not be reasonable, they will say, that there should be more than one householder over the same house, more than one lord or sovereign over the same government; much less reasonably should more than one God reign over heaven and earth. They imagine that thus with their wisdom they have completely overthrown our faith and exposed it to the derision and scorn of all the world. As if we were all blockheads and egregious fools and could not see their logic as well as they! But, thank God, we have understanding equal to theirs, and can argue as convincingly, or more so, than they with their Koran and Talmud, that there is but the one God.
8. Further, we know, from the testimony of Holy Writ, that we cannot expound the mystery of these divine things by the speculations of reason and a pretense of great wisdom. To explain this, as well as all the articles of our faith, we must have a knowledge higher than any to which the understanding of man can attain. That knowledge of God which the heathen can perceive by reason or deduce from rational premises is but a small part of the knowledge that we should possess. The heathen Aristotle in his best book concludes from a passage in the wisest pagan poet, Homer: There can be no good government in which there is more than one lord; it results as where more than one master or mistress attempts to direct the household servants. So must there be but one lord and regent in every government. This is all rightly true. God has implanted such light and understanding in human nature for the purpose of giving a conception and an illustration of his divine office, the only Lord and Maker of all creatures.
But, even knowing this, we have not yet searched out or fathomed the exalted, eternal, divine Godhead essence. For even though I have learned that there is an only divine majesty, who governs all things, I do not thereby know the inner workings of this divine essence himself; this no one can tell me, except, as we have said, in so far as God himself reveals it in his Word.
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
The Traveling Stem of Roses
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| Enchanted Peace comes from the original Peace Rose, also related to Double Delight and Pink Peace. |
The stem of roses went to the rehab location to light up a hospital room. Ranger Bob was moved there to facilitate his wound treatment, no easy task.
Visitors saw me holding the vase with seven Enchanted Peace roses growing from one stem. They were stunned and asked about it. The husband couple said, "All seven on one stem? They look like a light is on in each flower."
I said, "That was my impression when I first grew them."
"You grew them?"
Inside, the desk person said the same thing. Ranger Bob and his medical helpers also enjoyed them. "The professor grows these roses." He may be coming home in a couple of days.
Nothing is more appreciated than visiting a shut-in or hospital patient. Nothing is more ignored today. When I was a lowly vicar in Canada, I was expected to visit people every afternoon, and that often included members from that church who were in one of two hospitals.
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| Veterans Honor is the best red rose and perhaps the best rose of all. Rose experts are divided. |
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Guest Sermon - Trinity Sunday Epistle - "For these divine truths are too far above the reach of reason ever to be comprehended and explored by the understanding of man."
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| ELCA mocks the Holy Trinity. LCMS-WELS sit down together to plan "evangelism" using Thrivent loot. |
Complete Sermon Link ->Luther's Sermons - Romans 11:33-26. Trinity Sunday
Amen.
2. And although I have, on other occasions, taught and written on this article fully and frequently enough, still I must say a few words in general concerning it here. True, it is not choice German, nor has it a pleasing sound, when we designate God by the word “Dreifaltigkeit” (nor is the Latin, Trinitas, more elegant); but since we have no better term, we must employ these. For, as I have said, this article is so far above the power of the human mind to grasp, or the tongue to express, that God, as the Father of his children, will pardon us when we stammer and lisp as best we can, if only our faith be pure and right. By this term, however, we would say that we believe the divine majesty to be three distinct persons of one true essence.
3. This is the revelation and knowledge Christians have of God: they not only know him to be one true God, who is independent of and over all creatures, and that there can be no more than this one true God, but they know also what this one true God in his essential, inscrutable essence is.
4. The reason and wisdom of man may go so far as to reach the conclusion, although feebly, that there must be one eternal divine being, who has created and who preserves and governs all things. Man sees such a beautiful and wonderful creation in the heavens and on the earth, one so wonderfully, regularly and securely preserved and ordered, that he must say: It is impossible that this came into existence by mere chance, or that it originated and controls itself; there must have been a Creator and Lord from whom all these things proceed and by whom they are governed. Thus God may be known by his creatures, as St. Paul says: “For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity.” Romans 1:20. This is (a posteriori) the knowledge that we have when we contemplate God from without, in his works and government; as one, looking upon a castle or house from without, would draw conclusions as to its lord or keeper.
5. But from within (a priori) no human wisdom has been able to conceive what God is in himself, or in his internal essence. Neither can anyone know or give information of it except it be revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
Monday, August 14, 2023
Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 11+ - "For Saint Paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own deeds..."
Luther's Sermons - 1 Corinthians 15:1.
Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-10. 1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
PAUL’S WITNESS TO CHRIST’S RESURRECTION.
This text is fully explained in the sermons on the entire chapter, which have been published separately. He who desires may read them there. It speaks almost exclusively of the resurrection of the dead, and therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the Easter season. The reason of its selection for this Sunday seems to be that the latter part of it corresponds with the Gospel for this Sunday.
For Saint Paul, though he was an exalted apostle, and had labored in that office more than all the others together, boasts not of his own deeds, as did the proud Pharisee. Like the poor publican he confessed his sin and unworthiness, and ascribed all that he is to the grace of God alone, which made a Christian and an apostle of him who had been a persecutor.
Liturgy Calendarists Unite Behind a Steady Trinity Count
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| Uniformity is going to win every time. |
Let me start on liturgy calendars. Lutherans previously used free (insurance) desk diaries with everything marked on the dates, even allowing for differences in the synods. But lo, the Church of Rome began influencing the Lutherans and other cowards to follow their example, with pink robes, more saints days than saints, and a three-year lectionary.
If you want a definition of dumb, I would start with the three-year lectionary. Today I stumbled on Gottesdienst debating a possible alternative for a certain date. Those are clergy high on incense, opponents of the Traditional Text, and fanatical for Objective Faithless Justification.
My wife was all for the alb, because the cassock and surplice were hard to iron. Germans are practical. But that was not enough for the Smells and Belles who wanted to Roman in everything but the denomination.
When I was first challenged on my Trinity count, I looked around for free liturgical calendar graphics. They were more mixed up than a gender quota at a university - or anywhere in ELCA. Graphic searches tend to call up calendars from every group and every year but this one. I found one at last, after finishing the bitter dregs of my cold coffee from the morning. To get on course, I need to make August 20th another Trinity 11. Braced with my knowledge of adiaphora, I will make it Trinity 11+ for next Sunday. And for Luther sermon quotes this week.
That should stop the Liturgy Calendarists from adding more kindling to the house-warming party they are organizing.
We have had a lot of laughs (at my expense) about this.
Westcott and Hort - The Tiddlywinks Who Gave You These Modern Bibles
- NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, and the Bodaciously Bad Beck Bible
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| These two friends spent most of their careers undermining the Traditional Text of the New Testament. They secretly published their own Greek New Testament and sent it around the editors of the Revision of the KJV. They openly published it the moment the Revision came out, 10 years later. The Revision was a disaster, but the Westcott Hort lived on. That was my first Greek New Testament, bought at the Source Book Store. |
FROM THEIR
OWN MOUTHS
A selection of
statements revealing the
attitudes of these two
most noted textual critics.
Westcott and Hort
Reprinted with kind permission
from the Traditional Text Pamphlets Homepage
and compiled by David Blunt of the James Begg Society
WE should always be reluctant to engage in ad hominem arguments, i.e. those that concentrate on personalities rather than issues, but the character and professed beliefs of those involved in such vital matters as the text and translation of the Bible cannot be overlooked. It is necessary that those handling the inspired word of God themselves be spiritual men. This is the teaching of Scripture itself (1 Cor. 2:11-16).
Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) was born at Birmingham and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) at Dublin. In 1851 Westcott was ordained an Anglican "priest" and Hort in 1856: their careers were spent mostly in academic positions rather than pastorates. As early as 1853 they began work on their Greek text of the New Testament: this project was to occupy most of their remaining lives. In 1870 the idea of a modest revision of the A.V. was sanctioned by the Southern Convocation of the Church of England, and this provided the opportunity for Westcott and Hort to introduce their radical changes. They defended the inclusion of a Unitarian scholar on the Revision Committee. "The New Testament in the Original Greek" was published in 1881, as was the Revised Version based upon it: this latter failed to gain lasting popularity, but the Westcott-Hort text and theory has dominated the scene since.
Textual criticism cannot be divorced entirely from theology. No matter how great a Greek scholar a man may be, or no matter how great an authority on the textual evidence, his conclusions must always be open to suspicion if he does not accept the Bible as the very Word of God (in FULLER, p.157).
Beliefs The following quotes from the diaries and letters of Westcott and Hort demonstrate their serious departures from orthodoxy, revealing their opposition to evangelical Protestantism and sympathies with Rome and ritualism. Many more could be given. Their views on Scripture and the Text are highlighted.
1846 Oct. 25th - Westcott: "Is there not that in the principles of the "Evangelical" school which must lead to the exaltation of the individual minister, and does not that help to prove their unsoundness? If preaching is the chief means of grace, it must emanate not from the church, but from the preacher, and besides placing him in a false position, it places him in a fearfully dangerous one." (Life, Vol.I, pp.44,45).
Oct., 22nd after Trinity Sunday - Westcott: "Do you not understand the meaning of Theological 'Development'? It is briefly this, that in an early time some doctrine is proposed in a simple or obscure form, or even but darkly hinted at, which in succeeding ages,as the wants of men's minds grow, grows with them - in fact, that Christianity is always progressive in its principles and doctrines" (Life, Vol.I, p.78).
Dec. 23rd - Westcott: "My faith is still wavering. I cannot determine how much we must believe; how much, in fact, is necessarily required of a member of the Church." (Life, Vol.I, p.46).
1847 Jan., 2nd Sunday after Epiphany - Westcott: "After leaving the monastery we shaped our course to a little oratory...It is very small, with one kneeling-place; and behind a screen was a 'Pieta' the size of life (i.e. a Virgin and dead Christ)...I could not help thinking on the grandeur of the Romish Church, on her zeal even in error, on her earnestness and self-devotion, which we might, with nobler views and a purer end, strive to imitate. Had I been alone I could have knelt there for hours." (Life, Vol.I, p.81).
1848 July 6th - Hort: "One of the things, I think, which shows the falsity of the Evangelical notion of this subject (baptism), is that it is so trim and precise...no deep spiritual truths of the Reason are thus logically harmonious and systematic...the pure Romish view seems to me nearer, and more likely to lead to, the truth than the Evangelical...the fanaticism of the bibliolaters, among whom reading so many 'chapters' seems exactly to correspond to the Romish superstition of telling so many dozen beads on a rosary...still we dare not forsake the Sacraments, or God will forsake us...I am inclined to think that no such state as 'Eden' (I mean the popular notion) ever existed, and that Adam's fall in no degree differed from the fall of each of his descendants" (Life, Vol.I, pp.76-78).
Aug. 11th - Westcott: "I never read an account of a miracle (in Scripture?) but I seem instinctively to feel its improbability, and discover some want of evidence in the account of it." (Life, Vol.I, p.52).
Nov., Advent Sunday - Westcott: "All stigmatise him (a Dr. Hampden) as a 'heretic,'...I thought myself that he was grievously in error, but yesterday I read over the selections from his writings which his adversaries make, and in them I found systematically expressed the very strains of thought which I have been endeavouring to trace out for the last two or three years. If he be condemned, what will become of me?" (Life, Vol.I,p.94).
1850 May 12th - Hort: "You ask me about the liberty to be allowed to clergymen in their views of Baptism. For my own part, I would gladly admit to the ministry such as hold Gorham's view, much more such as hold the ordinary confused Evangelical notions" (Life, Vol.I, p.148).
July 31st - Hort: "I spoke of the gloomy prospect, should the Evangelicals carry on their present victory so as to alter the Services." (Life, Vol.I, p.160).
1851 Feb. 7th - Hort: "Westcott is just coming out with his Norrisian on 'The Elements of the Gospel Harmony.' I have seen the first sheet on Inspiration, which is a wonderful step in advance of common orthodox heresy." (Life, Vol.I, p.181).
1851 Dec. 29,30th - Hort: "I had no idea till the last few weeks of the importance of texts, having read so little Greek Testament, and dragged on with the villainous Textus Receptus. Think of that vile Textus Receptus leaning entirely on late MSS.; it is a blessing there are such early ones" (Life, Vol.I, p.211).
1858 Oct. 21st - Further I agree with them in condemning many leading specific doctrines of the popular theology as, to say the least, containing much superstition and immorality of a very pernmicious kind...The positive doctrines even of the Evangelicals seem to me perverted rather than untrue...There are, I fear, still more serious differences between us on the subject of authority, and especially the authority of the Bible" (Life, Vol.I, p.400).
1860 Apr. 3rd - Hort: "But the book which has most engaged me is Darwin. Whatever may be thought of it, it is a book that one is proud to be contemporary with. I must work out and examine the argument in more detail, but at present my feeling is strong that the theory is unanswerable." (Life, Vol.I, p.416).
Oct. 15th - Hort: "I entirely agree - correcting one word - with what you there say on the Atonement, having for many years believed that "the absolute union of the Christian (or rather, of man) with Christ Himself" is the spiritual truth of which the popular doctrine of substitution is an immoral and material counterfeit...Certainly nothing can be more unscriptural than the modern limiting of Christ's bearing our sins and sufferings to His death; but indeed that is only one aspect of an almost universal heresy." (Life, Vol.I, p.430).
1864 Sept. 23rd - Hort: "I believe Coleridge was quite right in saying that Christianity without a substantial Church is vanity and dissolution; and I remember shocking you and Lightfoot not so very long ago by expressing a belief that 'Protestantism' is only parenthetical and temporary. In short, the Irvingite creed (minus the belief in the superior claims of the Irvingite communion) seems to me unassailable in things ecclesiastical." (Life, Vol.II, p.30,31).
1865 Sept. 27th - Westcott: "I have been trying to recall my impressions of La Salette (a marian shrine). I wish I could see to what forgotten truth Mariolatry bears witness; and how we can practically set forth the teaching of the miracles".
Nov. 17th - Westcott: "As far as I could judge, the 'idea' of La Salette was that of God revealing Himself now, and not in one form but in many." (Life, Vol.I. pp.251,252).
Oct. 17th - Hort: "I have been persuaded for many years that Mary-worship and 'Jesus'-worship have very much in common in their causes and their results." (Life, Vol.II, p.50).
1867 Oct. 17th - Hort: "I wish we were more agreed on the doctrinal part; but you know I am a staunch sacerdotalist, and there is not much profit in arguing about first principles." (Life, Vol.II, p.86).
1890 Mar. 4th - Westcott: "No one now, I suppose, holds that the first three chapters of Genesis, for example, give a_literal history - I could never understand how any one reading them with open eyes could think they did - yet they disclose to us a Gospel. So it is probably elsewhere."
Chronology of the Revision 1825 Jan. 12th - Brooke Foss Westcott born at Birmingham.
1828 Apr. 23rd - Fenton John Anthony Hort born at Dublin.
1851 Dec. 21st - Westcott ordained "priest" in Church of England.
1853 Jan.-Mar. - Westcott and Hort agree upon plan of a joint revision of the text of the Greek Testament.
Apr. 19th - Hort: "He (Westcott) and I are going to edit a Greek text of the New Testament some two or three years hence, if possible." (Life, Vol.I, p.250).
June - Mr. Daniel Macmillan suggests to Hort that he should take part in an interesting and comprehensive 'New Testament Scheme.' Hort was to edit the text in conjunction with Mr. Westcott; the latter was to be responsible for a commentary, and Lightfoot was to contribute a N.T. Grammar and Lexicon. (Life, Vol.I, pp.240,241).
Sept. 29th - Westcott to Hort: "As to our proposed recension of the New Testament text, our object would be, I suppose, to prepare a text for common and general use...With such an end in view, would it not be best to introduce only certain emendations into the received text, and to note in the margin such as seem likely or noticeable - after Griesbach's manner?...I feel most keenly the disgrace of circulating what I feel to be falsified copies of Holy Scripture (a reference to the A.V.?), and am most anxious to provide something to replace them. This cannot be any text resting solely on our own judgment, even if we were not too inexperienced to make one; but it must be supported by a clear and obvious preponderance of evidence. The margin wiil give ample scope for our own ingenuity or principles...my wish would be to leave the popular received text except where it is clearly wrong." (Life, Vol.I, pp.228,229).
Nov. 4th - Hort: "I went down and spent a Sunday with Westcott...We came to a distinct and positive understanding about our Gk. Test. and the details thereof. We still do not wish it to be talked about, but are going to work at once, and hope we may perhaps have it out in little more than a year." (Life, Vol.I, p.264).
Westcott and Hort start work on their Greek text.
1856 Feb. ? - Hort ordained "priest" in Church of England.
Mar. 20th - Hort: "I think I mentioned to you before Campbell's book on the Atonement, which is invaluable as far as it goes; but unluckily he knows nothing except Protestant theology" (Life, Vol.I, p.322).
1857 Feb. 23rd - Hort to Westcott: "I hope to go on with the New Testament text more unremittingly" (Life, Vol.I, p.355).
First efforts to secure revision of the Authorised Version by five Church of England clergymen.
1858 Oct. 21st - Hort: "The principle literary work of these years was the revision of the Greek Text of the New Testament. All spare hours were devoted to it." (Life, Vol.I, p.399).
1860 May 1st - Hort to Lightfoot: "If you make a decided conviction of the absolute infallibility of the N.T. practically a sine qua non for co-operation, I fear I could not join you, even if you were willing to forget your fears about the origin of the Gospels." (Life, Vol. I, p.420).
May 4th - Hort to Lightfoot: "I am also glad that you take the same provisional ground as to infallibility that I do." (Life, Vol.I, p.424).
May 5th - Westcott to Hort: "at present I find the presumption in favour of the absolute truth - I reject the word infallibility - of Holy Scripture overwhelming." (Life, Vol.I, p.207).
May 18th - Hort to Lightfoot: "It sounds an arrogant thing to say, but there are very many cases in which I would not admit the competence of any one to judge a decision of mine on a textual matter, who was only an amateur, and had not some considerable experience in forming a text." (Life, Vol.I, p.425).
1861 Apr. 12th - Hort to Westcott: "Also - but this may be cowardice - I have a sort of craving that our text should be cast upon the world before we deal with matters likely to brand us with suspicion. I mean, a text, issued by men already known for what will undoubtedly be treated as dangerous heresy, will have great difficulties in finding its way to regions which it might otherwise hope to reach, and whence it would not be easily banished by subsequent alarms." (Life, Vol.I, p.445).
1862 Apr. 30th, May 1st - Hort: "It seems to be clearly and broadly directed to maintaining that the English clergy are not compelled to maintain the absolute infallibility of the Bible. And, whatever the truth may be, this seems just the liberty required at the present moment, if any living belief is to survive in the land." (Life, Vol.I, p.454).
1870 Westcott and Hort print tentative edition of their Greek N.T. for private distribution only. (This they later circulated under pledge of secrecy within the company of N.T. revisers, of which they were members).
Feb. 10th - Southern Convocation of Church of England resolve on desirability of revision of A.V. Northern Convocation declines to cooperate.
May - Committee of 18 elected to produce a Revised Version.
The 7 members of the N.T. Committee invite 18 others, making 25.
May 29th - Westcott to Hort: "though I think that Convocation is not competent to initiate such a measure, yet I feel that as 'we three' are together it would be wrong not to 'make the best of it' as Lightfoot says. Indeed, there is a very fair prospect of good work, though neither with this body nor with any body likely to be formed now could a complete textual revision be possible. There is some hope that alternative readings might find a place in the margin." (Life, Vol.I, p.390).
June 4th - Westcott to Lightfoot: "Ought we not to have a conference before the first meeting for Revision? There are many points on which it is important that we should agreed. The rules though liberal are vague, and the interpretation of them will depend upon decided action at first." (Life, Vol.I, p.391).
July 1st - Westcott to Hort: "The Revision on the whole surprised me by prospects of hope. I suggested to Ellicott a plan of tabulating and circulating emendations before our meeting, which may prove valuable." (Life, Vol.I, pp.392,393).
July 7th - Hort: "Dr. Westcott and myself have for above seventeen years been preparing a Greek text of the New Testament. It has been in the press for some years, and we hope to have it out early next year." (Life, Vol.II, p.137).
Aug. ? - Hort to Lightfoot: "It is, I think, difficult to measure the weight of acceptance won beforehand for the Revision by the single fact of our welcoming an Unitarian, if only the Company perseveres in its present serious and faithful spirit." (Life, Vol.II, p.140). (Dr. G. Vance Smith, a Unitarian scholar, was a member of the Revision Committee. At Westcott's suggestion, a celebration of Holy Communion was held on June 22nd before the first meeting of the N.T. Revision Company. Dr. Smith communicated but said afterwards that he did not join in reciting the Nicene Creed and did not compromise his principles as a Unitarian. The storm of public indignation which followed almost wrecked the Revision at the outset. At length however Dr. Smith remained on the Committee).
1881 Bishop Ellicott submits the Revised Version to the Southern Convocation.
May 12th - Westcott and Hort's "The New Testament in the Original Greek" Vol. I published (Text and short Introduction).
May 17th - the Revised Version is published in England, selling two million copies within four days. It fails however to gain lasting popular appeal.
Sept. 4th - Westcott and Hort's "The New Testament in the Original Greek" Vol.II published (Introduction and Appendix).
Oct. - first of Dean Burgon's three articles in the Quarterly Review against the Revised Version appears.
1882 May - Ellicott publishes pamphlet in reply to Burgon, defending the Westcott and Hort Greek text.
1883 Burgon publishes The Revision Revised, including a reply to Ellicott.
1890 May 1st - Westcott consecrated Bishop of Durham.
1892 Nov. 30th - death of Hort.
1901 July 27th - death of Westcott.
1908 The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia discusses the Westcott-Hort theory: "Conscious agreement with it or conscious disagreement and qualification mark all work in this field since 1881."
This is still almost literally true.
References:
Hort, A.F., Life and Letters of Fenton J.A. Hort, MacMillan and Co., London, 1896, vols. I,II.
Westcott, A., Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott, MacMillan and Co., London, 1903, vols. I,II.
The unmitigating emergence of unauthorized Bible versions is risen up to challenge and remove the Authorized Version of the Bible (which thing cannot be done for the Lord said that his words shall not pass away. There will be a true church awaiting his return. The Authorized Version of the Bible is the precepts of a mighty nation whose King is the LORD. This proliferating emergence of unauthorized versions is a full frontal attack launched (and sustained) against the word of God to remove it and replace it with something else. Satan knoweth that he hath but a short time. As for the saints, we are exhorted to
Jude 1:3 ...earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.