I met DP Buchholz about two years ago. We went out to lunch. He introduced me to his church staff the next time, as "The notorious Greg Jackson." That was funny.
He surprised me by talking about the Means of Grace, which seemed to be a forbidden subject in WELS and the entire Synodical Conference. He tried to merge Biblical doctrine with UOJ, criticizing Kokomo, but not giving up the basic UOJ flaw. I told him he was part-way there, but he decided to write Brett Meyer that I agreed with him (Jon) and disagreed with Brett. I disabused him of that notion. We talked before I left Phoenix.
Jon is pleasant and intelligent. He does not put on the stupid act that WELSians find so appealing. However, he is quick to defend notorious types and in full denial about the promotion of Church and Change heroes in all the WELS schools.
The people I blog against are the same ones paraded as super-stars in WELS, starting at the prep level. Thus WELS is busy unraveling itself, with UOJ advocates mildly criticizing the Changers, who agree completely about UOJ.
All UOJ essays are the same mulch, mixed somewhat differently each time. They have one doctrine in common - universal absolution without the Word, without the Means of Grace, pure Enthusiasm, a rehash of Halle University Pietism. No wonder Tholuck was a Universalist, since Knapp's Pietism was one baby step away from that opinion.
Posted here. Mequon graduates. That orangey text is a link. Left click. The essay starts here.
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Buchholz UOJ Essay - Introduction":
When a public error is made in the church, in doctrine or practice, it is imperative that public confession of the error is announced so that those who were affected by the error can learn from it as much as the one who committed it. The public confession needs to include the explanation as to what was said or done that was in error, why it was in error and what will or should be subsequently done to correct it and establish the good and right action in regards to doctrine and/or practice.
If anyone wants to claim they love their neighbor they would follow this, primarily for the sake of their neighbor and to support the cherished gift of pure Doctrine and right practice.
If Buchholz has "grown" in the last five years then we could rightly expect him to have corrected his false teachings and communicated them publicly on at least the same scale with which he disseminated the false teachings. As DP he could request that his 2005 Convention essay did not remain on the (W)ELS essay list in perpetuity but have it removed.
Regardless of what his actions and statements did to me personally this would have been the least he could have accomplished for the sake of his church body. He did not. He has never publicly owned up to the false doctrine he taught in the Convention essay. He has never publicly repudiated any of the teachings which he parroted and taught to thousands of men, women and children.
The laity in the Lutheran Synods are following golden statues that will not publicly admit to personal or synod error. They will gladly say that "some have spoken poorly" or "what he was trying to say is". This is only serves to honor and protect error at the expense of holding alone to Christ and His pure Word.
WELS Church Lady, I can honestly appreciate how strongly you feel about these people. But your feelings need to be tempered by reality. Neither Buchholz nor Schroeder are doing anything publicly to support, promote and defend the Lutheran Confessions. It is only by your admission of what Buchholz is attempting to accomplish that we know of his activities. They are too afraid of people to openly carry the cross. If Schroeder was conservative much less confessional in anything but words, there would be a public example made of the satanic apostacy that is rampant in Appleton and everyone in the (W)ELS would know what is happening, how to protect their families and churches from the apostacy.
IMHO and In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Buchholz UOJ Essay