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| Note the clever marketing for Schwan Foods. Thrivent? Thrivent is all over LCMS and at CN too. |
Lutheran News (the name of the non-profit) became Christian News to reach a broader base. That marketing move worked, because Roman Catholic conservatives and Babtist conservatives used the tabloid to reach their audiences.
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| The OJ advocates have a loathing for Luther - WELS, LCMS, ELS, CLC (sic) - similar to Rome's. |
Christian News was definitely not independent. Otten, the son of a successful painting contractor, played both sides of the issues, as he wrote in defending his profits from The Facts (sic) about Luther, that he "sold to both sides."
Nor was Otten independent. He had minders in each synod who made sure their scandals did not get out. If they did, the lurid stories were hidden on page 17 - like the Hochmuth arrest and child porn at WELS headquarters. So the synod leaders hated Otten (supposedly) and kept his publishing on a leash at all times.
Each LCMS Synod President - from Jack Preus to Matt the Fatt - campaigned for office through Christian News. I was at his office when John Johnson (Concordia, St. Louis) was flattering him and Otten was calling that new version of Seminex the "greatest seminary in the world."
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| I learned from CN that every church body has horrible scandals, except for the LCMS, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic). For those members, heaven will be a big disappointment. Missouri sponsored the Hour of Schauer. |
Otten fluttered around about the Chief Article of Christianity and Church Growth. He had faint praise for Dr. Walter A. Maier, but his heart belonged to CFW Walther, BA. Otten never faced the truth of Walther's Pietism, poor education, and covering for Stephan's sex crimes. The myth continues and the blinded Missourians make the veneration of Mary seem rather tepid. The Great Walther answers every question! Just ask LutherQuest (sic).
Otten honored his long-time friend Kurt Marquart with a series of reprints, but the editor was eager to promote David Valleskey's Church Growth idiocy - We Believe, Therefore We Have Sneaker Services.
Marquat's criticism of Church Growth was doctrinal and devastating. Which side was Otten on? Marketing.
