I had a project, to research an Augustana Synod professor and explain his career. He went to Yale Divinity for extra credibility, since he already had an STD - when that was just a seminary degree - Doctor of Sacred Theology. He was A.D. Mattson.
He became enchanted with the Social Gospel Movement, best known through Walter Rauschbusch, who gave his famous lectures at Yale, also his book A Theology for the Social Gospel. Rauschenbusch was a liberal Baptist who already accepted the rationalistic approach to the Scriptures. The liberal element in the Augustana Synod and the mainline denominations were definitely for the Historical-Critical Movement of Biblical analysis.
A litmus test for liberals (or rather - apostates) is asking about Rauschenbusch. The Social Gospel Movement is either the capstone or foundation today.
Lacking in all the mainline denominations today is faith in Jesus Christ. They have lots of social activism, which may prompt people to say, "Are we better than we were before WWII?" Social activism is now 99% of mainline work, including The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic). The smaller synods may deny their affinity with ELCA's agenda, but in some cases they are way ahead, such as the gay obsessions of WELS, cloaked by hazing and "we were just having some fun."
The Church Growth Movement was hatched by Donald McGavran, liberal sociologist, B.D. Yale, PhD Columbia University.
The Social Gospel Movement stopped using its name but continued its Left-wing work. The Church Growth Movement was unionistic and Left-wing, from the start. Fuller Seminary's Thought Police insisted that any pastor objecting to women's ordination would be visited by their feminist Gestapo units.
Do you really think that LCMS-WELS-etc stood up to the feminist bullies or declared, "We are on your side, Rev. Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson - The Blessed!?"
The denominations and synods do not have the basics of the Christian Faith. Unfaith cannot produce faith through the efficacious Word. Church Growth has been sold and smeared in everyone's face, and the results are in. Their agenda is hardened concrete.
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| Do you remember when the rainbow was a sign from God? |
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| Kudzu vine was brought to the USA because it spread so quickly - and alas - smothered everything useful. |
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| It only took a few decades to unleash Smells and Belles and expensive costumes. |
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| Werning spread the Church Growth disease around in all sects - LCMS, WELS, ELS. |
