Before and After - Presiding Bishop Liz Eaton - Mysterious Leave of Absence

Before - Liz was elected in 2013

After - Two photographs were published showing a singular lack of joy in her work.

The ironic caption reminds everyone - why silent about the leave of absence for up to six months?

Four months after Eaton's leave-of-absence began, the Lutheran Forum Ovaline Newsletter asked the question, what is going on? Given the Ovaltines' knowledge of all things ELCA, the author should have known. Officially, ELCA is being silent and the Ovaltines wonder why nothing is being explained. The ELCA Constitution allows for a leave-of-absence and a male pastor has filled her role. Why such a stretch, four months, six months!? That anticipated quite a serious situation. The announcement and temporary replacement came after the leave-of-absence started. That suggests a serious crisis, as the photos suggest.

ELCA released a video with Liz featured and added, "This was taped before the leave of absence began."

As I have suggest before, Eaton started a blaze that is now consuming ELCA. I recall her uppity remarks about the 2009 ELCA vote to go all out for all genders. As a local bishop in Ohio, she was publicly sarcastic about people cringing over that vote. Nothing much was going to happen. But it was more like the signs of a tsunami - quiet at first, no worries, the water is actually receding. But then - run, run, run!

They had the keen idea to recruit a new set of male pastors -

Heterosexual men were not going to rush to spend large amounts of money where they would not feel welcome among the feminine males and the masculine females. Seminary enrollments declined anyway and those institutions have caved in, moved to smaller headquarters, and even sold the property, as the Lutheran School of Theology.

There were a few women bishops at first, but now they dominate ELCA's bishop roster. The male bishops list their wives and children, but the female bishops are silent about their domestic relationships. I might have missed that detail. I hope someone fills me in. 

Guy Erwin became the first acknowledged homosexual ELCA bishop - also an Osage Indian. Just as quickly, he became the president of the United (but divided) Seminary in Philadelphia. The previous seminary president was a woman, which was heartening to many, but she had a serious hetero past, which defenestrated her. Megan was there when Guy was promoted to pastor to bishop in California. Megan is suing ELCA for forcing her to resign as bishop. She was stricken from the role of pastors and is now working at Glide Memorial "Church" - as anti-Christian as it can be, but that is ELCA's natural role now.

My conclusion is - the upheaval in California and Eaton's reaction combined to create an ongoing crisis among various political groups in ELCA. Yanking Rohrer from her position - and the pastoral role - made it that much easier to focus on Eaton. Nobody seems to be "Reconciling in Christ," their strange slogan, given what they promote.

"In 1867, Krauth and his schoolmate Rev. William Passavant founded the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The General Council had seven regional bodies which had withdrawn from the General Synod.

During Krauth's lifetime, the LTSP was at Franklin Square.^[4] In 1889 it moved to Mount Airy.^[4] In 1908 its new library there was dedicated as the Krauth Memorial Library in memory of Krauth.^[4]"

^{Yes, Erwin is now the president of the Philadelphia/Gettysburg Seminary.} 

^{I was interviewed for a job at the Philadelphia Seminary and happily dodged that bullet.}

Schmauk was president of the Philadelphia Seminary and a superb author. Augustana College in Rock Island gave him an honorary degree. I refuse to accept Augustana's mail.

ELCA - The Biggest, Best, Most Leftwing Synod - Sinking Fast

 

This train's not bound for glory this train.

Before - Liz Eaton became the first woman to be elected Presiding Bishop in ELCA. She defeated Mark Hanson, seen applauding behind her on her right. Love the matchy matchy robes.

After - "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Church Council Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's request for a 4-to-6-month leave of absence. Her leave starts Nov. 17, 2023."

"The head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will take a leave of absence for at least four months.

The ELCA announced on Thursday that Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will take a four-to-six-month leave of absence effective Nov. 17, as approved by the ELCA Church Council Executive Committee. 

The Rev. Michael Burk, former bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod, will serve as "Presiding Bishop Pro Tem" while Eaton is on leave."

"We give thanks for Bishop Eaton's tireless dedication and leadership and pray for her during this time of rest and rejuvenation," stated the ELCA in the announcement.

The Christian Post reached out to the denomination for more information on the reasons surrounding Eaton's leave of absence. However, a response was not returned by press time.

***

ELCA photoshopped this sweater picture with different messages, suggesting a need to show more activity.

GJ - I was startled recently by the two Eaton photos showing a decided downhill trend caused by stress. The sweaters were ugly and added to the worn, vacant look on her face. I have not heard of a national church leader asking for up to six months of leave from work. Moreover, ELCA had nothing more to say about it.

 

If I were still strolling through the Elysian fields of ELCA - which I never joined and told people as much - I would conclude that the Presiding Bishop had a can of worms blow up in her face with the Megan Rohrer expulsion and subsequent reactions. My favorite boring newsletter, from the ALPB Ovaltines, suggested that Megan Rohrer never should have been ordained, let alone elevated to the bishop's throne. Megan created numerous raging fires and was fired as the first trans-sexual ELCA bishop (as far as we know). Megan became a staffer at Glide Memorial, the famously radical "Methodist" congregation.

News Briefs - Various Topics

 

They are no longer jolly about their Photoshopped Thrivent picture. "That's my last bishop painted on the wall. I scraped but cannot get her off at all."

WELS has always been  a tiptoe into insolvency, though they do have $100 million+ in the bank. The one thing needful is missing - faith. Shunning and extending the Left Boot of Fellowship - those are not winning strategies, even with millions spent on Church Growth fanaticism. 

Matt the Fatt will be re-elected, which is adequate punishment for ambition without substance.

President ELCA Bishop Liz Eaton is suffering from a perilous pickle. She became a bishop and archbishop by the quota system which was installed when ELCA was born in 1987 unleashed in 2009. Ex-Bishop Megan is now a double or triple victim. She will gain credibility with the most radical, poly-denomination activists. Liz will feel stranded as each executive effort enrages the Far Left she help lead into the abyss.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the fish-hat."

The ALPB Lutheran Forum Letter Leads with Their "No ____ Need Apply," Followed by the Megan Rohrer Meltdown, Shemozzle, Collapse

 

 Bishop Randy DeJaynes was followed by ELDONA'S Right Reverend Bishop James Heiser, STM.

Notice the subtle homeplate design of Bishop DeJayne's hat.

ELCA's Reverend Dr. Bishop Megan Rohrer

"The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer served as the first openly transgender Bishop in a major Christian denomination, Megan is an award winning filmmaker, musician and historian, A controversial activist, Megan preaches and teaches around the world and is known for their advocacy for the homeless and LGBTQ communities.  Megan was a finalist for the Lambda Literary award, received an honorable mention as an Unsung Hero of Compassion by Wisdom in Action, with His Holiness the Dali Lama and as one of 95 individuals celebrated in Wittenberg, Germany during the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation."

In short, though a graduate of Augustana College, Sioux Falls, Megan became ELCA's version of fly paper by her series of dictatorial actions leveraged by a steady stream of self-promotions. ELCA fired her and she is suing ELCA.

If ELCA tried to discipline Megan, who now works for Glide Memorial Church, the legal bills would doubtless grow amid the din of howling activists trained in ELCA's ways, the piccolo section because the majority of believers drifted away ever since the 1987 merger in Columbus, Ohio.

Rev. Dr. Amy Shifrin S.T.S. wrote about other issues in the Letter. She was the president of a teeny-tiny quasi-Episcopal ELCA seminary.

From the New York Post - Bishop Megan Rohrer Is Suing ELCA

Anders Nelson did his trans dance at Luther Seminary's chapel, his/her friends laughing and clapping. ELCA ordained him and gave him/her a call.

The giant Central Lutheran Church - Twin Cities -was the scene of the famous 2009 vote. Six ELCA bishops resigned and started a mini-synod.

Anita Hill, center, was part of the Mark Hanson (below) move away from the Scriptures.

ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson, promoted to Presiding Bishop from the notorious Minnesota district - "Brett, I never knew it was going to go so far."

 Rev. Dr. Bishop Megan often smirks for photos.

 This is the orans position, which ELDONA copies in its clumsy manner.

Church harassed trans ex-bishop for months before firing: lawsuit

I wondered where Heiser and crew got their high church costumes + masks. Megan started a trend.

By 

Katherine Donlevy

"The first openly transgender Evangelical Lutheran bishop filed a lawsuit against the church Wednesday alleging he was pushed from his post after enduring a year of discrimination and harassment.

The Rev. Megan Rohrer claims the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America forced him to resign in June — a year after he was elected to his post– after letting him take the fall for alleged racist behavior

In his lawsuit, Rohrer alleges he only resigned from the San Francisco-based post because the high-ranking members of the church created a “hostile work environment” from his first day on the job in May 2021.

He claims he was deliberately misgendered, ridiculed for featuring drag queens at his ordination and harassed for being transgender."

This is Central Lutheran Church, where ELCA gathered in 2009 and voted to self-destruct.

 

Liz Eaton became Presiding Bishop in 2013, defeating Mark Hanson, behind her.

Four bishops and three are women. No I am not counting. 

 This was an ELCA transgender ordination.

Former ALC President David Preus, cousin to Jack and Robert Preus, had a very strange funeral here not long ago. Former LCA/ALC leaders agreed that they acted stupidly in forming ELCA in 1987.

Sojourners Chop a Few Heads Off about the Meagan Rohrer Drama

 

 Sojourners on Rohrer - link here.

Inherit the Wind, Radicals

Proverbs 11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

Bishop Megan Rohrer has resigned her position (1) after getting rid of an opponent in a recent election and (2) drawing her former church into court over daycare center funds in that church, Grace Lutheran in San Francisco. The ALPB Discussion Board has doubled-down on its Ovaltine orders as it discusses in minute detail what they do not understand or refuse to acknowledge.

I expect Rohrer will be in the news for a period of time. ELCA Presiding Bishop and Ex-bishop Rohrer are products of the 2009 ELCA convention which went against the rules they set for ordination back in 1987, when the Lutheran Church in America, The American Lutheran Church, and Seminex merged.

In ELCA, those excluded by the rules were welcomed into the church body as ordained pastors. One of those pastors, very active in the ALPB Discussion Board (10,000 comments) was arrested some time ago. My classmate at Yale Divinity, Stan Olson, was part of the rules change and welcoming the previously excluded. He got to write the Come Back to ELCA liturgy. "Awww,"(dabbing my eyes). 

This commentary may seem obscure and vague, and it should be. I have followed the debacle since 1987 - 35 years - and it only grows worse.

WELS ran out of Germans, so they embraced ELCA - via Jeske - with the expected results. Thank you, Thrivent, another merger of losers.