The cub editor of Christian News was given a poor education in Christian doctrine, and now he shows as little aptitude for the Faith as he does for editing -
- "A hymn for Transiguration (sic!) Sunday O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair (LSB 413). Two different version (sic) and the text can be seen here."
"Regarding the “online administration” of the Lord’s Supper, Communion is communal – it has to do with people gathering together to receive the undivided Christ’s body and blood. A surprising number of Lutheran pastors and churches, though, are trying to redefine the Supper, against Christ’s will stated in Scripture. While Communion is a comfort, it is not a necessity. There is much false emotionalism in Lutheran circles over receiving Communion."
"Our Lord is not panicked or upset by what is going on, even if most of the world is."
end of quotes, emphasis added
I have to start with this quote from another blog dealing with the topic - "...note Robert Kolb’s charge on the CPH website that we have neglected to seriously study Walther since the middle of the 20th century up to the present." That is the Kolb who put together the Book of Concord with the ELCA gay activist Wengert.
I am glad Hale and the LCMS guys want to prove my thesis that Walther was the American Calvin - and certainly not the American Luther.
Enthusiasts divorce the Spirit from the Word, so one version is Pentecostalism, where the Spirit is always telling people what to do in their dreams and adding new books to the canon. One book would be First Kenneth - the Spirit told Kenneth to become a missionary in Nigeria, where a large sum of cash awaited him. His cell group agreed, so it had to be true. And he left.
Calvin was another type of Enthusiast. He taught with great consistency that divine worship, the sermon, communion, and baptism were only valid if the Spirit chose to be present. Lacking any concept of the efficacy of the Word (see Fuller and the Lutheran seminaries), Calvin had to fill in with human reason.
Hale's Objective Justification is very much like Calvinism, but his blabber on the blog reminds me of WELS and Pentecostals jabbering about everything except what the Scriptures teach. I can find no claims made by Hale that are supported by the Word of God.
I am not overly emotional about Holy Communion, but I left the Disciples of Christ (home of the Church Growth Movement, loved by WELS-ELCA-LCMS-ELS-CLC sic). I was struck by the importance of the Eucharist at Salem Lutheran Church - quite a contrast with passing little crackers and grape juice across the pews at First Christian. Immersion really mattered at FC. Every since I became a Lutheran, the Sacraments have been important as the visible Word of God.
Hale is quite the angry young cleric, with sparks flying here and there, rage flowing when his ridiculous OJ is questioned. Perhaps he simmers over the smells and bells antics of David Scaer at Ft. Wayne. But they are buddies in trashing the Chief Article.
