Giving Up in Missouri Synod

Mission Vision

From the Purple Palace:


LCMS membership down, donations up in ‘06
By Joe Isenhower Jr.

With more than a third of the 6,073 LCMS congregations not reporting statistical information for 2006, approximate totals indicate that baptized membership Synodwide decreased by 22,867 (to 2,417,999) and confirmed membership fell by 13,876 (to 1,856,783) during the year.

On the other hand, total giving to congregations rose by an estimated $58,639,820 (to $1,355,458,558) for 2006, and the amount for work beyond congregations increased by about $6 million, compared with 2005. The average amount given during 2006, per-communicant member, increased by $36.76 over the previous year, to $730.

Comparing year-end 2006 to figures reported for Dec. 31, 2005, the numbers of children baptized, as well as teenagers and adults confirmed, also were down, although gains were recorded in the area of Christian education -- particularly the number of children in weekday religion classes, the number of those classes, the number of vacation Bible schools, Sunday schools, and children enrolled in Sunday schools.

Average attendance at weekly worship services was 172.5 in 2006, compared with 164.2 in 2005.

To reach the approximate numbers, the Synod's Office of Rosters and Statistics tallied up new information on 2006 reporting forms returned by congregations, adding figures carried over from previous years for the congregations not reporting.

The number of “back-door losses” -- the number of adults removed from congregational rosters (not counting deaths and transfers) -- for 2006 was reported at 37,413. That figure is 3,853 fewer than the back-door losses reported for 2005, although the fact that a lower percentage of congregations reported 2006 statistics likely affected that total.

“Professions of faith” are tallied only from reporting congregations. For 2006, that figure shows a decline of 2,475 (from 13,114 reported for 2005).

“The end result cannot be totally accurate,” Synod Secretary Raymond Hartwig said of efforts to obtain reliable statistics when more than a third of LCMS congregations do not report requested information.

“It would be really helpful if congregations consistently returned their statistical report forms,” he said, adding that statistics gathered for 2005 were boosted by “a concerted effort” to obtain accurate numbers that would assure more equitable representation by delegates at the 2007 Synod convention.

For that concerted effort, staffs of the 35 LCMS districts helped gather information from their congregations, compared with simply using the information from reporting forms and the carried-over figures for 2006.

The result was that 81 percent of Synod congregations reported their statistics for 2005, compared with 64 percent reporting for 2006.

“At the same time,” Hartwig told Reporter, “congregations are reporting new information that is very helpful and demonstrates the zeal for the Gospel that motivates congregations to do more to reach out in their communities.”

He said that examples of that zeal are “83 congregations known to be hosting satellite worship sites -- an increase of 18 over 2005, and more than 300 congregations providing regular specialized worship opportunities -- 117 to serve language or ethnic needs and 187 to serve the needs of the vision- or hearing-impaired.”

He referred to the information that congregations reported about their specialized ministries as the result of “a new special request that we intend to continue in years to come, which should be particularly helpful to persons interested in locating congregations that serve specific needs.”

Gene Weeke, the Synod's director of Business Services (including the Office of Rosters and Statistics) added that although the new form for specialized ministries is not part of the officially-reported statistics gathered from congregations, the statistics office is considering including information from that form on the Synod's Web site, “perhaps through the congregation-locator feature that offers information about individual congregations.”

Hartwig said that results of information from the 2,292 congregations that reported via the new “specialized ministries” form indicate that they conducted a total of 15,834 specialized ministries in 2006, including 2,125 Lutheran schools that they sponsor, 5,371 “other educational opportunities,” 4,873 “human-care efforts,” 2,157 “media efforts,” and 1,308 “ministries to special needs” such as those among the developmentally disabled, the elderly, and armed forces personnel.

“We're excited about the possible benefits in providing this information,” Weeke told Reporter, “for congregations and for those seeking out congregations that offer such ministries.”

Hartwig added that in addition to statistical information from individual congregations, district presidents also report official information. For 2006, they reported 6,073 Synod-member congregations (29 more than 2005), as well as an increase in new church starts. For 2006, new church starts totaled 73 (23 more than in 2005), with 11 of those becoming Synod-member congregations by the end of 2006.

“Our year-end reporting process will benefit greatly from better response,” Hartwig said, “but much of the information we did receive from 2006 certainly provides good reason to rejoice and be glad for the blessings that the Lord of the church continues to shower on The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.”

Among official acts reported for 2006:


28,507 children were baptized (down 3,194).

21,493 teenagers were confirmed (down 3,079).

16,092 adults were confirmed (down 2,592).
In the Christian education category:


3,902 weekday religion classes (down 20).

184,983 students in weekday religion classes (up 49).

25,924 non-members in weekday classes (up 1,846).

3,847 vacation Bible schools (up 43).

5,183 Sunday schools (up 77).

425,499 enrolled in Sunday school (up 1,541).
Membership and attendance statistics for 2006 will be included in The Lutheran Annual for 2008, available from Concordia Publishing House by year's end.

Posted Nov. 12, 2007

Dixie Byzantine Edits Ichabod Caption

Dixie's Caption - "Lutherans - Mother Beckons"


A Lutheran becoming Orthodox is like…

…a Lutheran going to Fuller Seminary or Willow Creek? I don’t quite understand the simile Lutheran pastor and blogger, Dr. Gregory Jackson, attempts to form, short of, perhaps, the act of not being Lutheran?

Anyway…I thought his caption under the picture of the Hagia Sophia was funny. If we drop a few letters though…

Seriously, I get around. I know there are Lutheran pastors/congregations that attempt the Willow Creek worshiptainment strategy. And some try to meld into the American Evangelical landscape without a Lutheran distinction. And some even embrace various things normally associated with Eastern Orthodoxy (icons, Orthodox prayers, etc.). What passes for Lutheranism in America these days is a mixed bag. But a wise Lutheran once told me: ‘One doesn’t become Orthodox because of dissatisfaction with the former church. One becomes Orthodox when one sees Orthodoxy as the True Church.’

No one goes down the Willow Creek path because they see that as the “True Church”. Similarly, no one travels the Fuller Seminary path for the same reason. But when one travels East…the stakes are decidedly higher and the prize decidedly different.

***

GJ - My caption, as you may recall, was - Lutherans, The Mother Ship Beckons.

My point has always been - Have an honest confession of faith. I find the Recessional Lutherans, who are dishonestly leading people away from the Lutheran Confessions, the worst kind of cowards.

I am not surprised that people do not find any satisfaction in the Lutheran Church of today. In general, the clergy have either sold out to Fuller/Willow Creek (the vast majority) or to Rome/Constantinople. If these ministers no longer favor the Book of Concord, they should say so and quit annoying the minority who see the work of Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz as the high-point of Christian theology. There were other great theologians afterwards, but none reached the supremacy of those three gifted and brilliant teachers of the Gospel.

Eastern Orthodox Statement on Purgatory

Romantic, Catholic View of Purgatory.
How different is the Eastern Orthodox view? See below.

Read this before you semi-pope!

From an Eastern Orthodoxy information site:

In the third sitting of the Council, Julian, after mutual congratulations, showed that the principal points of dispute between the Greeks and Latins were in the doctrine (a) on the procession of the Holy Ghost, (b) on azymes in the Eucharist, (c) on purgatory, and (d) on the Papal supremacy; and then asked them which of these subjects was to be discussed first. The Greeks delayed discussing the first point till the opening of the Œcumenical Council, and promised to give a speedy answer about the others as soon as the Emperor's advice should be heard. The Emperor fixed upon one of the two last subjects to commence discussions upon. [1] The Latins agreed to discuss upon purgatory.

In the fifth sitting (June 4) Cardinal Julian gave the following definition of the Latin doctrine on purgatory: "From the time of the Apostles," he said, "the Church of Rome has taught, that the souls departed from this world, pure and free from every taint,—namely, the souls of saints,—immediately enter the regions of bliss. The souls of those who after their baptism have sinned, but have afterwards sincerely repented and confessed their sins, though unable to perform the epitimia laid upon them by their spiritual father, or bring forth fruits of repentance sufficient to atone for their sins, these souls are purified by the fire of purgatory, some sooner, others slower, according, to their sins; and then, after their purification, depart for the land of eternal bliss. The prayers of the priest, liturgies, and deeds of charity conduce much to their purification. The souls of those dead in mortal sin, or in original sin, go straight to punishment. [2]

The Greeks demanded a written exposition of this doctrine. When they received it, Mark of Ephesus and Bessarion of Nice each wrote their remarks on it, which afterwards served as a general answer to the doctrine of the Latins. [3]

When giving in this answer (June 14th), Bessarion explained the difference of the Greek and Latin doctrine on this subject. The Latins, he said, allow that now, and until the day of the last judgment, departed souls are purified by fire, and are thus liberated from their sins; so that, he who has sinned the most will be a longer time undergoing purification, whereas he whose sins are less will be absolved the sooner, with the aid of the Church; but in the future life they allow the eternal, and not the purgatorial fire. Thus the Latins receive both the temporal and the eternal fire, and call the first the purgatorial fire. On the other hand, the Greeks teach of one eternal fire alone, understanding that the temporal punishment of sinful souls consists in that they for a time depart into a place of darkness and sorrow, are punished by being deprived of the Divine light, and are purified—that is, liberated from this place of darkness and woe—by means of prayers, the Holy Eucharist, and deeds of charity, and not by fire. The Greeks also believe, that until the union of the souls to the bodies, as the souls of sinners do not suffer full punishment, so also those of the saints do not enjoy entire bliss. But the Latins, agreeing with the Greeks in the first point, do not allow the last one, affirming that the souls of saints have already received their full heavenly reward. [4]

In the following sitting the Latins presented a defence of their doctrine on purgatory. As much as can be concluded from the answer given by the Greeks to it, they tried to prove their doctrine by the words of 2 Mac. xii. 42, 46, where it is said that Judas Maccabaeus "sent to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering," remarking at the same time "that it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin." They also quoted the words of Jesus Christ, "Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (S. Matt. xii. 32.) But their especial defence was founded on the words of the Apostle S. Paul (I Cor. iii. 11, 15): "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." Different extracts were also made by the Latins from the works of the Eastern Fathers—Basil the Great, Epiphanius of Cyprus, John Damascene, Dionysius the Areopagite, Theodoret, Gregory of Nyssa; and the Western—Augustine, Ambrose, and Gregory the Great. They did not also forget to quote the authority of the Church of Rome in defence of their doctrine, and to make use of their usual sophistries.

To all this the Orthodox party gave a clear and satisfactory answer. [5] They remarked, that the words quoted from the book of Maccabees, and our Saviour's words, can only prove that some sins will be forgiven after death; but whether by means of punishment by fire, or by other means, nothing was known for certain. Besides, what has forgiveness of sins to do with punishment by fire and tortures? Only one of these two things can happen: either punishment or forgiveness, and not both at once.

In explanation of the Apostle's words, they quoted the commentary of S. John Chrysostom, who, using the word fire, gives it the meaning of an eternal, and not temporary, purgatorial fire; explains the words wood, hay, stubble, in the sense of bad deeds, as food for the eternal fire; the word day, as meaning the day of the last judgment; and the words saved yet so as by fire, as meaning the preservation and continuance of the sinner's existence while suffering punishment. Keeping to this explanation, they reject the other explanation given by S. Augustine, founded on the words shall be saved, which he understood in the sense of bliss, and consequently gave quite another meaning to all this quotation. "It is very right to suppose," wrote the Orthodox teachers, "that the Greeks should understand Greek words better than foreigners. Consequently, if we cannot prove that any one of those saints, who spoke the Greek language, explains the Apostle's words, written in Greek, in a sense different to that given by the blessed John, then surely we must agree with the majority of these Church celebrities." The expressions sothenai, sozesthai, and soteria, used by heathen writers, mean in our language continuance, existence (diamenein, einai.) The very idea of the Apostle's words shows this. As fire naturally destroys, whereas those who are doomed to eternal fire are not destroyed, the Apostle says that they continue in fire, preserving and continuing their existence, though at the same time they are being burned by fire. To prove the truth of such an explanation of these words by the Apostle, (ver. 11, 15,) they make the following remarks: The Apostle divides all that is built upon the proposed foundation into two parts, never even hinting of any third, middle part. By gold, silver, stones, he means virtues; by hay, wood, stubble, that which is contrary to virtue, i. e., bad works. "Your doctrine," they continued to tell the Latins, "would perhaps have had some foundation if he (the Apostle) had divided bad works into two kinds, and bad said that one kind is purified by God, and the other worthy of eternal punishment. But he made no such division; simply naming the works entitling man to eternal bliss, i.e., virtues, and those meriting eternal punishment, i.e., sins. After which he says, 'Every man's work shall be made manifest,’ and shows when this will happen, pointing to that last day, when God will render unto all according to their merits: 'For the day,' he says, 'shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire.' Evidently, this is the day of the second coming of Christ, the coming age, the day so called in a particular sense, or as opposed to the present life, which is but night. This is the day when He will come in glory, and a fiery stream shall precede Him. (Dan. vii. 10; Ps. 1. 3; xcvii. 3; 2 S. Pet. iii. 12, 15.) All this shows us that S. Paul speaks here of the last day, and of the eternal fire prepared for sinners. 'This fire,' says he, 'shall try every man's work of what sort it is,' enlightening some works, and burning others with the workers. But when the evil deed will be destroyed by fire, the evil doers will not be destroyed also, but will continue their existence in the fire, and suffer eternally. Whereas then the Apostle does not divide sins here into mortal and venial, but deeds in general into good and bad; whereas the time of this event is referred by him to the final day, as by the Apostle Peter also; whereas, again, he attributes to the fire the power of destroying all evil actions, but not the doers; it becomes evident that the Apostle Paul does not speak of purgatorial fire, which, even in your opinion, extends not over all evil actions, but over some of the minor sins. But these words also, 'If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss,' (zemiothesetai, i.e., shall lose,) shows that the Apostle speaks of the eternal tortures; they are deprived of the Divine light: whereas this cannot be spoken of those purified, as you say; for they not only do not lose anything, but even acquire a great deal, by being freed from evil, and clothed in purity and candour."

In answer to the words quoted by the Latins from Basil the Great (in his prayer for Pentecost), Epiphanius, John Damascene, and Dionysius the Areopagite, the defenders of the orthodox doctrine remarked, that these quotations did not prove anything to the advantage of the Church of Rome. They could not even find the testimony of Theodoret adduced by the Latins. "Only one Father remains," they continued, "Gregory the blessed priest of Nyssa, who, apparently, speaks more to your advantage than any of the other Fathers. Preserving all the respect due to this Father, we cannot refrain from noticing, that he was but a mortal man, and man, however great a degree of holiness he may attain, is very apt to err, especially on such subjects, which have not been examined before or determined upon in a general Council by the Fathers." The orthodox teachers, when speaking of Gregory, more than once restrict their words by the expression: "if such was his idea," and conclude their discussion upon Gregory with the following words: "we must view the general doctrine of the Church, and take the Holy Scripture as a rule for ourselves, nor paying attention to what each has written in his private capacity (idia)."

The Eastern teachers said, concerning the testimonies of the Western Fathers, that they were rather ignorant of them, not having any translation in Greek, and tried to excuse them by the circumstances under which they wrote, their misunderstanding the Apostle's words (I Cor. iii. 11, 15), the difficulty of drawing a general conclusion from many circumstances (founded on visions), &c.

As regards the weight of the opinion of the Church of Rome pointed to by the Latins, it was found by the Greeks to be inconsistent with the subject then in hand.

Lastly, to the Latin sophistries, they opposed the more valid conclusions from the principles of the doctrine of Christ, from many works of the Fathers, from the parable of Lazarus, where mention is made of Abraham's bosom,—the place of bliss,—and of hell the place of punishment; and nothing is said of any intermediate place for temporal punishments.

The Greek answer was evidently intended to show the Latins the unsoundness of their newly-invented doctrine on the one side, and the steadfastness of the orthodox party in the faith handed down to them by the Apostles and the holy Fathers, on the other. In the course of the disputes the principal question branched off into so many light and abstract questions, that as a matter of course the solution of the chief one became still more difficult. The Latins for instance asked where and how the angels fly? what was the substance of hell fire? The last question met with the following answer from Jagaris, the imperial officer: "the querist will get a satisfactory solution to his question, when he experiences the nature of that fire himself." [6]

The question on purgatory not being agreed upon, another one was proposed—that about the blissful state of the righteous, alluded to by Bessarion in his treatise on the difference of the doctrines of both Churches on the condition of the departed souls. It was asked: whether the saints, departed from this life, attained entire bliss or not? Before discussing this question, the Greeks found it necessary to have a private conference with the other members of the Council. With this intention all the members assembled in the Patriarch's cell (July 15,) and read over different testimonies of the Fathers; the Emperor bade them collect their votes. Some gave a negative answer to the question, founding it on the Apostle's words, (Heb. xi. 39,) others gave a positive answer. The next day, after a few disputes, the whole Council of Greek Bishops unanimously agreed, that though the souls of the saints, as souls, are already in the enjoyment of bliss, still when, at the general resurrection they will join their bodies, then their bliss will be greater; that then they will he enlightened like the sun. [7] This was their last answer to the Latin doctrine on the state of souls after death.

What then were the fruits of these tedious discussions? Did they conduce in any manner to the solution of the principal question concerning the union of Churches? No! The Latin theologians could neither find firm proofs for their opinions, nor would they give them up. The Greeks again would not receive a doctrine not founded on any good proofs, nor could they incline the Latins to receive the orthodox doctrine.

To the misfortune of the Greeks, their own party also became divided, a circumstance which prognosticated nothing good. Bessarion, generally speaking, was not very earnest in the defence of the orthodox cause, and if he did dispute with the Latins now and then, it was only to show off his powers of speech. [8] But meeting with a rival in Mark of Ephesus, [9] he became still more passive in the cause of orthodoxy, and began to nourish a feeling of hatred towards Mark. Obliged to answer the Latins together with him, he usually left Mark to refute their various objections alone. It was in vain, that many prudent persons tried to reconcile Bessarion to Mark at the very commencement of the former's enmity to the latter, even calling to their aid the authority of the Patriarch, who by his meek reproofs might have ended the quarrel. The invalid Joseph would on no account meddle in this affair. [10] Then again the cunning Gregory, offended that Mark did not find him worthy of being the vicar of the Patriarch of Alexandria, [11] did his utmost to set Bessarion against Mark. Apparently he esteemed Mark, sat down lower than he did in the Council, [12] voted after him, notwithstanding the Privileges of a higher patriarchal throne were on his side; when his opinion was the same as Mark's, he never spoke of himself, but always said: "I am of the same opinion as the holy Metropolitan of Ephesus." [13] But this was sheer hypocrisy. In the presence of Bessarion and the Emperor, he placed Mark lower than the Archbishop of Nicaea, [14] and found fault with everything he said, not caring about this self-contradiction. [15]

Thus it was, that as soon as the Greeks commenced discussions, there arose men who, separating from the true members of the Eastern Church, sacrificed the advantages of the Church to their own passions and advantages.

The disputes ended. More than three months had already elapsed since the opening of the Council. The Greeks remaining inactive, and suffering want in everything, [16] began to feel dull and sorry that they had left their homes.

The Emperor, fearing that the discontented would prematurely leave the Council, ordered the city governor not to let any of the Greeks leave the town, nor to give any one passports without his permission and signature. He himself, having shut up the Greeks in Ferrara, settled in a monastery not far from the town, and spent his time in the field, hunting, as if he were even loath to remind himself of a business which had called him away from his Empire. [17]

As soon as the time fixed upon for the opening of the solemn sessions of the Council had arrived, the Greeks asked the Emperor to return to town and make some arrangements about the Council. The Emperor answered, that he would not even think of opening a Council, which was to be an Œcumenical one, without the ambassadors of the Western monarchs, and a more numerous assembly of Bishops than the present one. But the members of the Council instead of increasing only diminished in number. Many fell victims to a frightful epidemic; others, from fear, retired to their homes; so that at the commencement of the solemn session, out of eleven Cardinals only five remained, and out of one hundred and fifty Bishops only fifty were present. It was at this time that the Greeks received a proof of Divine protection. None of them suffered from the epidemic. [18]

One addition only was made to the Council in the person of Isidore, Metropolitan of Russia, who arrived on the 18th of August. He bad returned to Russia after the conclusion of the treaty between the Emperor and the Council of Basle (in the end of 1436). With him was to have returned Jonah, Bishop of Riazan, sent to Greece to be ordained Metropolitan. Arriving at Moscow, Isidore was received by the Grand Duke Vasili Vasilievitch with all due honour. But soon after his arrival, he began telling the Grand Duke that the Greek Church intended to unite with the Church of Rome, that a Council was convened by the Emperor and the Pope with this object in view,—to be followed by the solemn union of the East and West,—and that it was very necessary that a representative of the Russian Church should take part in the Council. The Grand Duke answered, "Our fathers and grandfathers would not even listen to an union of the Greek and Roman laws; I myself do not wish it." Isidore urged him to consent, pleading his oath given to the Patriarch of coming to the Council. "We do not command thee to join the Council in the Latin land," said the Grand Duke at last, "but thou listest not, and wilt go. Remember then the purity of our faith, and bring it back with thee." Isidore swore to remain true to Orthodoxy, and (on Sep. 8, 1437) left Moscow with Abram, Bishop of Suzdal, Vassian the Archimandrite, the Priest Simeon, and other members of the clergy and laity, in all a hundred. On quitting Russia, Isidore very soon evinced a violent inclination to side with the Latins. Received in Livonia by the Bishop of Dorpat, and the Orthodox Clergy, he first saluted the Latin cross and only afterwards kissed the holy Russian icons. The companions of Isidore were horror-struck, and from that very moment lost all their confidence in him. [19]

Endnotes
1. Syr. v. 7, 8. Synod. Flor. p. 30.

2. Syr. v. 13. Synod. Flor. p. 30.

3. Syr. v. 13. The contents of Mark's answer, not published in Greek, are mentioned by Le Quien in one of his treatises, preceding the works of S. John Damascene, edited by him. Dissert. Damas. v. p. 65, et seq. Syropulus, relating the circumstances touching this dispute, refers his readers to the acts and notes of the Council about purgatory (praktika hypomnemata peri tou pyrgatoriou, Syr. v. 5) ; but these are not published separately, and are not even to be found in the Greek manuscripts. The answer of the Greek Fathers to the question on purgatory, given on the 14th of June, 1438, (not to the Basle, but the Florentine Council,) is mentioned in the book of Martin Kruze: Turcograecia, p. 186.

4. Synod. Flor. pp. 33, 35.

5. The answer of the Greeks is usually thought to be the work entitled, peri tou katharteriou pyros biblion hen, edited together with the works of Nilus Cavasilas and the monk Barlaam, without the author's name. (Nili Archiep. Thessalon. de primatu Papae, edit. Salmasii, Hanov. 1603.) As the name of the writer of this answer is not mentioned, it is sometimes referred to Nilus Cavasilas and the monk Barlaam, though the manuscripts give no reason for doing so. (See Fabric. Bibl. Graec. Ed. Harl. t. xi. p. 384 and 678.) From the work itself it is evident that it was written (a) not in the name of one person, but many persons, who had undertaken so long a journey, hemin ponon hypostasi kata ten makran tauten apodemian tosouton; (b) that it was written to persons, who had busied themselves about the arrival of the Greeks to the Council; hymin te toson d’ hyper tes prokeimenes hemon seneleuthesthai prokatabainoumenois spoudes; (c) that it was written at the very commencement of the Council discussions, before other questions were settled. This is the reason why the persons who composed this work try to give a peaceful solution not only of this question but, if possible, of all the other ones, ouk epi tou prokeimenou nyni toutou zetematos, alla kai epi panton isos ton allon. All' ekeinon men heineka melei theo kai melesei, ... . (d) that it was written in reply to the defence (apologian) presented of the Romish doctrine on purgatory. All these circumstances direct our attention to the dispute on purgatory which took place in Ferrara, and not to any other one known to us. The writer of the History of the Florentine Council,—Dorotheus of Mitylene, remarks, that the Latins, in their second answer, adduced many testimonies from the saints, examples and arguments, using also the Apostle's words for this purpose,—saved, yet so as by fire. Synod. Flor. pp. 35, 36. All this found place in the defence also, in answer to which the Latins presented the work we have been examining. Syropulus says that it was Mark of Ephesus who wrote the answer to the Latin defence, v. 15. But this answer, as well as the first one, is not published. Le Quien, examining both these answers in his above-mentioned dissertation, quotes the principal ideas contained in this second answer of Mark. The same ideas, and in the same order, are also to be found in the work "On Purgatorial Fire," as well as the words quoted by Le Quien from Mark's second answer, ti gar koinon aphesei te kai katharsei dia pyros kai kolaseos. Dissert. Damasc. v. pp. 8, 9, 66, 67. All these arguments allow us to conclude that the work on purgatorial fire was either entirely or principally composed by Mark of Ephesus, and that it was brought forward by the Greeks in answer to the Latin defence of the doctrine on purgatory.

6. Syr. v. 16, 18; Syn. Flor. p. 35, 37.

7. Synod. Flor. 37-39.

8. It is worthy of notice, that when the Greeks, seeing the obstinate opposition of the Latins to the truth, wished to terminate all the discussions, Bessarion alone insisted that they should be continued, the subject alone being changed. "We can still say many nice things," were his words. (polla kai kala.) Syr. vii. 6.

9. Mark was commissioned to write the Latins an answer about purgatory, and not Bessarion; but Bessarion did nevertheless give in his answer also.

10. Syr. v. 14-17.

11. Syr. iv. 29.

12. Syr. iv. 32.

13. Syr. vii. 10.

14. Syr. v. 14.

15. Syr. v. 15.

16. The first pay-day of the Greeks was the 2nd of April. 691 florins were given them on one month's account, whereas their pay was due for a month and a half. Syr. iv. 28. On the second pay-day (May 12) they received 689 florins (Syr. v. 9); on the third day (June 30th) 689 florins; on Oct. 21, 1218 florins for two months. The fifth and last pay-day was at Ferrara, Jan. 12th, 1439, when 2412 florins were paid for four months (Syr. vii, 14). Thus, three months and twenty days elapsed between the third and fourth pay-day, and as much between the fourth and fifth.

17. Syr. vi. 1, 2.

18. Syr. vi. 3.

19. History of the Russian Empire by Karamzin. Ernerling’s ed. t. v. pp. 161-165.

From The History of the Council of Florence, by Ivan Ostroumoff, trans. from the Russian by Basil Popoff (Boston: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1971), pp. 47-60. The footnotes have been renumbered, the Greek text transliterated, and the Greek letters used for itemizing some of the lines in the body were converted to English letters. All else is as original. This is one of the most important books one can read when trying to sort out the differences between the Latins and the Orthodox Church. Let the reader judge for himself who has maintained the true Faith.

+ + +
See also a superb discussion of the Homilies refuting the purgatorial fire given by St. Mark of Ephesus at this same Synod: The Soul After Death, by Fr. Seraphim Rose, App. I, pp. 196-213. Here are Fr. Seraphim's introductory remarks on these homilies:

The Orthodox teaching on the state of souls after death is one that is often not fully understood, even by Orthodox Christians themselves; and the comparatively late Latin teaching of "purgatory" has caused further confusion in people's minds. The Orthodox doctrine itself, however, is not at all ambiguous or imprecise. Perhaps the most concise Orthodox exposition of it is to be found in the writings of St. Mark of Ephesus at the Council of Florence in 1439, composed precisely in order to answer the Latin teaching on "purgatory." These writings are especially valuable to us in that coming as they do from the last of the Byzantine Fathers, before the modern era with all its theological confusions, they both point us to the sources of the Orthodox doctrine and instruct us how to approach and understand these sources. These sources are: Scripture, Patristic homilies, church services, Lives of Saints, and certain revelations and visions of life after death, such as those contained in Book IV of the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great.

Today's academic theologians tend to mistrust the latter two or three kinds of sources, which is why they are often uneasy when speaking on this subject and sometimes prefer to keep an "agnostic reticence" with regard to it (Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, p. 259). St. Marks writings, on the other hand, show us how much "at home" with these sources genuine Orthodox theologians are; those who are "uncomfortable" with them perhaps reveal thereby an unsuspected infection with modern unbelief.

Of St. Mark's four replies on purgatory composed at the Council of Florence, the First Homily contains the most concise account of the Orthodox doctrine as against the Latin errors, and it is chiefly from it that this translation has been compiled. The other replies contain mostly illustrative material for the points discussed here, as well as answers to more specific Latin arguments.

The "Latin Chapter" to which St. Mark replies are those written by Julian Cardinal Cesarini (Russian translation in Pogodin, pp. 50-57), giving the Latin teaching, defined at the earlier "Union" Council of Lyons (1270), on the state of souls after death. This teaching strikes the Orthodox reader (as indeed it struck St. Mark) as one of an entirely too "literalistic" and "legalistic" character. The Latins by this time had come to regard heaven and hell as somehow "finished" and "absolute," and those in them as already possessing the fullness of the state they will have after the Last Judgment; thus, there is no need to pray for those in heaven (whose lot is already perfect) or those in hell (for they can never be delivered or cleansed from sin). But since many of the faithful die in a "middle" state—not perfect enough for heaven, but not evil enough for hell—the logic of the Latin arguments required a third place of cleansing (''purgatory"), where even those whose sins had already been forgiven had to be punished or give "satisfaction" for their sins before being sufficiently cleansed to enter heaven. These legalistic arguments of a purely human "justice" (which actually deny God's supreme goodness and love of mankind) the Latins proceeded to support by literalistic interpretations of certain Patristic texts and various visions; almost all of these interpretations are quite contrived and arbitrary, because not even the ancient Latin Fathers spoke of such a place as "purgatory," but only of the "cleansing" from sins after death, which some of them referred to (probably allegorically) as by "fire."

In the Orthodox doctrine, on the other hand, which St. Mark teaches, the faithful who have died with small sins unconfessed, or who have not brought forth fruits of repentance for sins they have confessed, are cleansed of these sins either in the trial of death itself with its fear, or after death, when they are confined (but not permanently) in hell, by the prayers and Liturgies of the Church and good deeds performed for them by the faithful. Even sinners destined for eternal torment can be given a certain relief from their torment in hell by these means also. There is no fire tormenting sinners now, however, either in hell (for the eternal fire will begin to torment them only after the Last Judgment), or much less in any third place like "purgatory"; all visions of fire which are seen by men are as it were images or prophecies of what will be in the future age. All forgiveness of sins after death comes solely from the goodness of God, which extends even to those in hell, with the cooperation of the prayers of men, and no "payment" or "satisfaction" is due for sins which have been forgiven.

It should be noted that St. Mark's writings concern primarily the specific point of the state of souls after death, and barely touch on the history of the events that occur to the soul immediately after death. On the latter point there is an abundant Orthodox literature, but this point was not under discussion at Florence.

Eastern Orthodoxy: Purgatory or Not?

From a layman who considered joining the Eastern Orthodox:

"When I began looking at the issues separating Catholics and Orthodox, it turned out that a lot of them were more semantic than substantive. If I became Orthodox, I would have to accept more Catholic things than I at first thought: purgatory, for example. Orthodox don’t traditionally use the word purgatory for the purification that happens after death, but they acknowledge that such a purification happens. They pray for the souls of the departed, which makes sense only if those prayers can help the departed in some way.

Rather than using the image of fire for the purification (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10–15), Orthodox often picture the soul passing through a series of "toll houses" on its road to heavenly glory. It’s a different image, but it points to the fundamental reality that the saved soul may have to undergo some form of ordeal before it is admitted to full heavenly glory.

This seemed to put the question of purgatory in the category of the "word fights" that Paul warns us against (cf. 1 Tim. 6:4–5; 2 Tim. 2:14). It doesn’t matter if the word purgatory is used to describe a particular post-death reality or if precisely the same image is used to allow us to imagine it. The fundamental reality is the same, as is its most obvious practical implication in this life: prayer for the dead. I would have to accept that whether I became Catholic or Orthodox."

Eastern Orthodoxy and Purgatory

From the Friends of the Poor Souls in Purgatory:

St. John Chrysostom - “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them” (Homilies on 1 Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392]).

“Weep for those who die in their wealth and who with all their wealth prepared no consolation for there own souls, who had the power to wash away their sins and did not will to do it. Let us weep for them, let us assist them in the extent of our ability, let us think of some assistance for them, small as it may be, yet let us somehow assist them. But how, and in what way? By praying for them and by entreating others to pray for them, by constantly giving alms to the poor on their behalf. Not in vain was it decreed by the apostles that in the awesome mysteries remembrance should be made of the departed. They knew that here there was much gain for them, much benefit, when the entire people stands with hands uplifted, a priestly assembly, and that awesome sacrificial Victim is laid out, how, when we are calling upon God, should we not succeed in their defense? But this is done for those who have departed in the faith, while even the catechumens are not reckoned as worthy of this consolation, but are deprived of every means of assistance except one. And what is that? We may give alms to the poor on their behalf” (Homilies on Philippians 3:9-10 [A.D. 402]}.

St. John Chrysostom also recommends to every Christian family that they have a box at some convenient place in their home and that they put into it pennies, which will be used to have masses said for the Poor Souls.

***

GJ - Chysostom is really a nickname, meaning Golden-mouth. The world was small enough then to distinguish people by their nicknames. The Byzantine Empire had some great ones: Timothy the Weasel, Paul the Stammerer, and Copronymus (Poopy). The last nickname was earned by the emperor who had an unfortunate accident during his infant baptism.

The Recessional Lutherans, who are leading their members into Eastern Orthodoxy by way of infant communion, should read these Purgatory quotations by Chrysostom to their ovine congregations. John is not a minor figure but a major one in the history of Eastern Orthodoxy. He is one of the most recognized theologians.

Luther's Description of Purpose-Driven Church Growth Disciples

False Teachers Use Work of Others

"Note the master hand wherewith Paul portrays the character of false teachers, showing how they betray their avarice and ambition. First, they permit true teachers to lay the foundation and perform the labor; then they come and desire to do the work over, to reap the honors and the benefits. They bring about that the name and the work of the true teachers receive no regard and credit; what they themselves have brought—that is the thing. They make the poor simple-minded people to stare open-mouthed while they win them with flowery words and seduce them with fair speeches, as mentioned in Romans 16:18. These are the idle drones that consume the honey they will not and cannot make."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9; Romans 16:18.

False Doctrine Tolerated

"And such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. They have success with it all, and people bear with them. But no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! Their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in Psalm 17:9 and elsewhere. When only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. No toleration is granted. There is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. Hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. He who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of God cannot continue therein. The true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 110. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. Psalm 17:9.


God Punishes Ingratitude by Allowing False Teachers

"In the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching works-righteousness. The effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bondslaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. But the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. The dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. All those conditions are punishments sent by God upon them who do not receive the Gospel with love and gratitude."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 111. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. John 5:43.

False Teachers Flay Disciples to Bone

"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

Avarice in False Teachers

"Fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. They seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. This, too, is excused in them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

They Lord It Over Us

"Fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us...We bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. And we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it as just and right. And it is just and right, for why did we not honor the Gospel by accepting and preserving it?"
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

We Are Dogs and Foot-Rags

"Sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. That is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

False Teachers Are Peacocks

"The peacock is an image of heretics and fanatical spirits. For on the order of the peacock they, too, show themselves and strut about in their gifts, which never are outstanding. But if they could see their feet, that is the foundation of their doctrine, they would be stricken with terror, lower their crests, and humble themselves. To be sure, they, too, suffer from jealousy, because they cannot bear honest and true teachers. They want to be the whole show and want to put up with no one next to them. And they are immeasurably envious, as peacocks are. Finally, they have a raucous and unpleasant voice, that is, their doctrine is bitter and sad for afflicted and godly minds; for it casts consciences down more than it lifts them up and strengthens them."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 642.


Doctrine, True and False

The quotation below seems to make Lutheranism a brand name, but the statement is correct if we substitute “Christian Church” for “Lutheran Church.” The purpose of the Christian Church has been and continues to be an extension of what God began in the Old Testament and manifested through Jesus, the proclamation of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. The accumulation of treasure, the growth of pension funds, the erection of monumental buildings—all are nothing without the efficacious Word.

"The Lutheran Church is a doctrinal Church. She attaches supreme importance to pure doctrine. The preaching and teaching of God's pure Word is her central activity. Say the Confessors: 'The true adornment of the churches is godly, useful, and clear doctrine.' (Triglotta, p. 401)"
W. A. Baepler, "Doctrine, True and False," The Abiding Word, ed., Theodore Laetsch, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1946, II, p. 496.

Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine

Jaroslav Pelikan recently died at the age of 82. He was a famous Lutheran scholar, a distinguished professor at Yale University. He was raised and educated in the LCMS. Late in life he joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. Joining the Church of Rome is called poping, while joining the Eastern Orthodox is called semi-poping.

Pelikan won an award for $500,000. He left it to the Russian Orthodox seminary with which he was associated at death.

Richard John Neuhaus was one of the first celebrity converts to Rome. He wrote the highly entertaining Lutheran Forum Letter, which drove the LCA, then ELCA leaders mad. Neuhaus was educated in the LCMS, the son of a conservative LCMS pastor from Ontario, Canada. I heard his father give an Easter sermon, long ago.

Robert Wilken, a well known Lutheran scholar and friend of Neuhaus, also joined the Church of Rome. Wilken was head of graduate studies in theology at Notre Dame, and is now at the University of Virginia. Wilken was also trained in the LCMS.

Leonard Klein, another editor of Lutheran Forum, presumably a friend of Neuhaus, is being trained as a Roman Catholic priest, despite being married and having served as an LCA/ELCA pastor for decades.

We knew Pelikan from Yale. His young daughter used to ask for the baby, "Wheah's Mahtin?" she would say in her New England accent. I wrote back and forth to Neuhaus when we shared a common loathing for the LCA's apostasy. We met him at the Ad Fontes conference (at or near Leonard Klein's church) in Pennsylvania. Klein and his wife were at that conference. I recall LCA President James Crumley having a very serious discussion with Neuhaus, who joined Rome soon after. Wilken taught at Notre Dame when I was there. These four are only a few of those who have left the Lutheran church to pope or semi-pope. The LCMS Ft. Wayne seminary is known for having graduates who join Eastern Orthodoxy the moment they graduate. St. Louis also produces Eastern Orthodox clergy.

Not all the Popes Trinkets, which heere are brought forth,
Can ballance the Bible for weight, and true worth:
Your Bells, Beads and Crosses, you see will not doo't
Or pull down your scale, with the divell to boot.

When Management By Objective (MBO) Fails

"Those, however, who set the time, place and measure, tempt God, and believe not that they are heard or that they have obtained what they asked; therefore, they also receive nothing."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 172. John 16:23-30.

"In like manner, St. Paul says that God's ability is thus proved, in that He does exceeding abundantly above and better than we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20. Therefore, we should know we are too finite to be able to name, picture or designate the time, place, way, measure and other circum­stances for that which we ask of God. Let us leave that entirely to Him, and immovably and steadfastly believe that He will hear us." Sermons of Martin Luther, III, p. 179f. Fifth Sunday after Easter. Ephesians 3:20.

"If the world were willing to take advice from a simple, plain man--that is, our Lord God (who, after all, has some experience too and knows how to rule)--the best advice would be that in his office and sphere of jurisdiction everybody simply direct his thoughts and plans to carrying out honestly and doing in good faith what has been commanded him and that, whatever he does, he depend not on his own plans and thoughts but commit the care to God. Such a man would certainly find out in the end who does and accomplishes more, he who trusts God or he who would bring success to his cause through his own wisdom and thoughts or his own power and strength." What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1151. Luke 5:1-11.

"For people come to the preaching of the Gospel as if they were honest pupils. But under this guise they are seeking nothing else but a full belly and their own benefit. They consider the Gospel an economic teaching, designed to teach one to eat and drink in plenty."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, I, p. 304. John 6:26-27.

"He who holds fast to the Word alone, trusts and abides in it, does not doubt that what the Word says will come to pass; he who does not dictate aim or time or means and ways, but resigns all freely to God's will and pleasure as to when, how, where, and by whom He will fulfill His Word; he, I say, has a true living faith which does not nor cannot tempt God."
Sermons of Martin Luther, I, p. 367. Epiphany, Matthew 2:1-12.

Lest the Theme of This Blog Be Lost

"Hi there, folks. I am Pastor Bob. I will be your inspirational leader today. We have an exciting 50 minutes for you again. Cousin Brunhilda will sing You Light Up My Life. I promise the back-up tapes will work better this time, Hilda. My Life Partner, Pastor Pat, will give a dialogue talk with me: Success Through Goal Setting Dreams. Pastor Pat has learned a lot through those Twelve Step Programs. Later, our Liturgical Dancers will amaze you with their movements. So put your hands together and welcome Cousin Brunhilda now."

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel. 1 Samuel 4:21 (KJV)

"The doctrine of the means of grace is a peculiar glory of Lutheran theology. To this central teaching it owes its sanity and strong appeal, its freedom from sectarian tendencies and morbid fanaticism, its coherence and practicalness, and its adaptation to men of every race and every degree of culture. The Lutheran Confessions bring out with great clearness the thought of the Reformers upon this subject." "Grace, Means of," The Concordia Cyclopedia, L. Fuerbringer, Th. Engelder, P. E. Kretzmann, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1927, p. 299.

"Must Lutheranism be shorn of its glory to adapt it to our times or our land? No!"
Charles P. Krauth, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology, Philadelphia: The United Lutheran Publication House, 1871, p. 208.

The Ark of the Covenant was captured in this famous passage from 1 Samuel, so the following selection of essays about Lutheran doctrine will be called Ichabod. The glory has departed from the Lutheran Church. In fact, the Lutheran Church no longer exists in America in any institutional form. The enemy has not stolen the Ark of the Covenant - the Means of Grace. Instead the apostate Lutheran leaders have thrown a tarp over their Ark in order to glory in their Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek classes, their Purpose-Driven (TM) mission visions, their contemporary Pentecostal music, their pit bands, and their self-glorifying pep talks disguised as sermons.

Kool-Aid Drinkers

After the Jonestown tragedy, which might have been avoided with some oversight from the Disciples of Christ, cult members came to be known as Kool-Aid Drinkers. They are prepared to do whatever they are told and think those empty thoughts about Holy Mother Synod. Tom Cruise is an example from Scientology, but he does not read Ichabod, as far as I know.

On reader asked, "Only two posts a day lately?" Yes, I have been working on some projects, which should allow more writing and publishing in 2008.

But another reader posts the same dysfunctional comments daily. Some would diagnose his repetitive rant as crashing from the sugar content of all that Kool-Aid. Others would just say, "GA works. Homo-erotic rituals are effective in binding cults together."

Advent 1 Sermon

First Sunday in Advent

KJV Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

479 Zion Rise
61 Comfort comfort ye my people
364 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
54 Guide me O thou great Jehovah

Zion Rise
The Epistle for today begins with the image of dawn coming after a long night, time to wake from sleep. Paul warns and comforts his audience at the same time.
Although Romans was sent to the Christians in Rome, this letter was clearly intended as a doctrinal message for all the Christian congregations. Because of its doctrinal importance, Romans is first among the Pauline epistles in the New Testament.

Night and sleep have always been familiar symbols in various cultures. Night is associated with poor judgment, drunkenness, evil, and unawareness. Most of the violent crime stories in Phoenix start with these words, “Outside a bar in downtown Phoenix, at 2 AM…”

The famous Three Mile Island incident, when a nuclear reactor came close to a core meltdown, happened in wee hours of the morning. Looking back on that incident, researchers found that the equipment was working but the operators were semi-asleep and unable to make the right decisions at the time. They did everything wrong and brought nuclear energy development to a halt.

Night is associated with evil, so staying awake and watchful are essential. The New Testament Greek word for staying awake is also translated as watch. The root forms the name Gregory, which means watchman. So “Watch and pray” also means “Stay awake and pray.”

In Mark 13, Jesus ended His warnings about the end times with the Parable of the Watchman. Three times the verb “stay awake” is used. Yes, you count four in English, because another verb is used once for watch. Often Greek has several words for our single English word.

Then, when Jesus prayed, the same verb was applied to the disciples three times: Stay awake, watch.

Jesus introduced the Parable of the Watchman with this warning:

KJV Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. (Here the verb is different, blepo, look around.)

In the parable, He used the same verb for stay awake (watch) three times.

KJV Mark 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

KJV Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

KJV Mark 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

When Jesus was facing torture and death, the same verb is applied to the disciples three times:

KJV Mark 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

KJV Mark 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

KJV Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Many people are weary of the unceasing attacks against Christianity and the most basic concepts of right and wrong. Many of us have the misfortune of remembering when the US Supreme Court protected children instead of fish, when “don we now our gay apparel” could be sung without laughing, when everyone thought Coke was a beverage instead of a drug. We have seen the Recessional Lutherans drag their church bodies into union with Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. No WELS pastor would be caught dead taking his staff to Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, but many of them pay big bucks to study at Willow Creek and Fuller Seminary.

Jesus first gave these warnings, and Paul repeated them, so we would not grow weary and drift off to sleep, dreaming that everything was fine. I remember an LCA pastor saying, “I just want to retire in peace.” However, his conscience disturbed him and he retired with a fair amount of noise about the apostasy of LCA as it was morphing into the ELCA. Such growling was so rare among the complacent clergy that the LCMS was started to find a former bishop vocal about the new trends. And yet, those were still the good old days for ELCA, back in 1987.

Individually we can do almost nothing about national trends. We can still stay awake ourselves and help a few more stay awake. One layman posts Luther quotations on his church website. Another one warned his congregation about getting into Church Growth style stewardship, and those warnings were heeded. Several layman prodded me awake about the real meaning of Universal Justification. I was like the father who helped his son with tree identification for a merit badge. The man said, “Once I knew this tree, I suddenly saw them everywhere.” Once I knew what UOJ was, the footprints were everywhere except the Bible, the Book of Concord, and Lutheran theologians.

The value of each controversy comes from waking us up to doctrinal problems and sharpening our minds about what the Bible teaches. For many people, their doctrinal discernment is on par with my tools. I seldom use tools, except to break things while trying to repair them. My tools are lost, rusting, or covered with dust. If I find a sudden need for a tool I am in a quandary. Can I find it? Can I make it work? My temptation is to say, “Bother. This can wait.” In the same way people avoid facing doctrinal problems until their discernment is replaced with apathy, their apathy supplanted by apostasy.

Although Paul deplored divisions in the Christian Church, he also wrote:

KJV 1 Corinthians 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Paul is comforting all believers in the second part of the verse. Nearer can apply in the short-run, since life runs out faster than we can imagine. And it also applies to God’s own time. Each day means we are closer to the end of all history, whenever that may be.

The multiplication of evil in this century points to the end of time and to the remarkable accuracy of Biblical warnings. All these things are clearly described in Mark 13 and the Pastoral Epistles.

KJV 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Whatever people complain about, Paul described through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Long before the papacy was established, Paul pointed to the Apostasy (falling away) and the Man of Sin, the Antichrist. So when someone’s conservative Lutheran pastor joins the Church of Rome or Eastern Orthodoxy, mocking justification by faith, should we be dismayed or encouraged? The roadmap is accurate, even if the timeline is purposefully vague (purpose-driven prophecy). Imagine if everyone knew the moment of the end! Chaos.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

The skeptics enjoy pointing out their little contradictions they find in the Bible. They are like the unbelieving members of a church who constantly pick at the minister and his family because they are too cowardly or dishonest to say they reject the Word of God. Various books of the Bible have different approaches, which we can expect from the Word of God spoken through humans across the ages. The harmony and unity of the Bible should impress us more. Paul and John both use light and darkness to symbolize good and evil. As I mentioned before, Paul also uses the Gospel warnings and example of Jesus. (The Gospels were preached before they were written.)

Paul consistently warned his readers to beware of the works of darkness, which were not only the sins of the flesh, taking us away from the Word of God, but also the temptations of false doctrine, which are subtler and harder to detect.

Luther pointed out in his Genesis commentary that God created light before the celestial bodies. Light existed before the energy sources. That means our concept of daylight is derived from light itself. What is that pre-existing light but Christ Himself!

KJV John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Here is my free translation: In Him was eternal life, and this eternal life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, but darkness cannot extinguish it.

KJV John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Christ is not just life in the ordinary sense of the term. Most people think primarily of biological life, and there is a Greek term for that – bios. The word used in the NT is zoe, meaning eternal life, while bios is reserved for the ordinary sense of human life or experience. Eternal life is far more significant than just being alive. Every believer, even dying in bed, or quadriplegic has eternal life, because faith receives Christ and His promises to the individual.

KJV John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The armor of light is the truth of God’s Word. That is the one certainty of our experience. The teachers of the Christian faith have not pointed to themselves or their organizations but to the Word of God. Light (God’s truth) is the perfect weapon against darkness (false doctrine) because the smallest amount of light dissipates darkness.

False doctrine and church politics belong to Satan. He wants people to vote on doctrine and to fight over church positions with $200,000 salaries. He does not want people to discuss God’s Word, to begin and end with God’s teaching. Nothing disturbs Satan more than a weak, ordinary human being armed with the truth of God’s Word. Satan will use all his weapons, especially against someone’s emotions, to undermine that faith. However, his defeat is already assured. Tethered by God’s will, Satan can only rage and grow more violent as his end approaches.

“Let us put on Christ Jesus.” This verse reminds us of wearing a robe for the sacrament of Holy Baptism. To wear Christ – that is an odd phrase but simple to understand. Christ is united with us in faith and in baptism. Christ is in us and we are in Him.

KJV John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

For that reason, faith in Him moves us to pray, to watch and pray, for we know not the hour.

"When a theologian is asked to yield and make concessions in order that peace may at last be established in the Church, but refuses to do so even in a single point of doctrine, such an action looks to human reason like intolerable stubbornness, yea, like downright malice. That is the reason why such theologians are loved and praised by few men during their lifetime. Most men rather revile them as disturbers of the peace, yea, as destroyers of the kingdom of God. They are regarded as men worthy of contempt. But in the end it becomes manifest that this very determined, inexorable tenacity in clinging to the pure teaching of the divine Word by no means tears down the Church; on the contrary, it is just this which, in the midst of greatest dissension, builds up the Church and ultimately brings about genuine peace. Therefore, woe to the Church which has no men of this stripe, men who stand as watchmen on the walls of Zion, sound the alarm whenever a foe threatens to rush the walls, and rally to the banner of Jesus Christ for a holy war!"
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 28.

"And no doctrine is so foolish or disgraceful but that it finds hearers and disciples, as is proven by the experience of the church with so many heresies and divisions. The heathen were reasonable and highly intelligent people, yet we read of them that they worshiped not only cats and storks, but also cabbages and onions, and even a member of the human body. All this comes from the name and delusion that such things are good works and render a service to God. The preacher of such works comes with the reputation and pretence of a shepherd who desires to counsel and direct souls on the way to God."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 59. Second Sunday after Easter. John 10:11-16.

Seminex: Northwestern College and Radicalism in WELS

Richard Jungkuntz taught many future pastors of WELS at Northwestern College, Watertown, before moving to Concordia, Springfield, and finally to the ALC. Each time he was bumped up, from college instructor in Watertown, to seminary professor in Springfield, to Provost at Pacific Lutheran University, 1972. He was even acting president of PLU in 1974!

The Wisconsin sect is far more radical than most people realize. Trying to look more retro than the other synods, WELS has pursued a radical apostate streak for many decades.

Two packages brought that home to me. One was from a woman who was excommunicated for objecting to their new budgeting plan, many years ago. She thinks the plan preceded the LCA plan, which was similar in its manipulative schemes. Anyone can recognize today how abused the fudge-it figures are. One minute the sect is in receivership and needs to sell Michigan Lutheran Seminary for $1. The next day they are building a $7 million chapel at MLC (nee Dr. Martin Luther College), sending a new team of missionaries to Africa, and building a new student center in Madison, Wisconsin for $6 million or so.

The other package came from another state, another person (Grey Goose). That contained material for the congregational self-study, another man-centered Fuller-inspired stunt. The details are too tedious to list. Organizational navel-gazing is a sure sign of decline.

As I mentioned months ago, WELS was the birthplace of Seminex. My friend, a WELS pastor, tells me that Northwestern College reunions often have cars with Seminex stickers on them. When the break with Missouri came, a number of Northwestern graduates joined the Seminex faction.

Richard Jungkuntz, PhD, was teaching the historical-critical method (HCM) to the future WELS and LCMS pastors. No one knew this until the student submitted papers they wrote for Jungkuntz to another instructor, I believe at Mequon. The instructor raised holy heck and Jungkuntz was ousted. WELS pastors laugh, "They only found out by accident." That confirms the legend of WELS: sniffing out false doctrine everywhere but never seeing it under their own noses.

At some point another Watertown instructor left for supporting HCM. According to a favorite student of Jungkuntz, Richard egged on his partner in crime and left him hanging on a limb. Clever man, that Jungkuntz.

So the two apostate instructors influenced a number of classes of WELS pastors, whose bone-breaks and secret ritual humiliations united them by the time they were graduated from the Sausage Factory at Mequon. Those are the same classes in control of the Love Shack's machinery today. I can pick them out easily from my source (not a friend, but a CG fan) who got tears in his eyes over Jungkuntz being the best teacher he ever had. All I have to do is locate the Jungkuntz fan and look over the Mequon classes below him. That is where the Church Growth stars shine brightest.

Jungkuntz went on to become divisive at Concordia Seminary, Springfield, when Jack Preus was the president. According to legend, Jack supported the apostates and also the conservatives, depending on who was talking to him in his office. One famous Jack Preus quote: "Help me gut Jungkuntz." Nevertheless, Preus eventually finessed Missouri into a temporary return to basics. Preus' style was to ease people out of positions, which launched Jungkuntz into a higher orbit. It pays to apostacize, in the short run.

The introduction of the fraudulent historical-critical method of Biblical interpretation as the essential groundwork for Church Growth in WELS, Missouri, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and ELCA. HCM teaches that the Bible is just another book, to be eviscerated like Homer's Iliad, Marco Polo's Journals, and Moby Dick. The difference is that Melville argued for the Book of Jonah being accurate in Moby Dick, while the HCM professors made fun of the same book of the Bible. The difference is that Melville knew whales while the HCM gurus memorized lecture notes from skeptics. (Nonetheless, Jonah reveals God constantly at work in fulfilling His will, whale anatomy aside.)

The historical-critical method is sterile and fading away, but its damage will not pass away so quickly. The nexus with Church Growth is simple. HCM thinking was foundational for Fuller Seminary's repudiation of its former (albeit weak) inerrancy stance. Once pastors and theologians think of the Bible as another book, a pretty good book but still just a human creation, then every other error can pour in unabated.

The Jungkuntz classes from Northwestern College had no problem going to Fuller Seminary, where Church Growth started after inerrancy was repudiated. Church Growth is sociology and marketing, not neutral but anti-Christian in substance.


***

Read this from the New York Times

EDUCATION: LESSONS
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LEAD: Richard Jungkuntz flew across country this week to sit in conference with some of higher education's most powerful leaders. It is the last time this provost of a small Lutheran college will formally attend such a gathering. This spring, at the age of 70, he plans to end his 30-year career as an educator and retire to the tennis courts.

Richard Jungkuntz flew across country this week to sit in conference with some of higher education's most powerful leaders. It is the last time this provost of a small Lutheran college will formally attend such a gathering. This spring, at the age of 70, he plans to end his 30-year career as an educator and retire to the tennis courts.

Mr Jungkuntz is a self-described conservative, a minister and educator who holds, as he put it, ''old-fashioned ideas.'' In an age and at a conference where the expression of some of those ideas might be misconstrued as, say, sexist or otherwise offensive, the provost decided to ''hold my darn tongue.'' Often, hearing something that seemed nonsense to him, he would just slip out of the meeting rooms into the corridors for a smoke.

But at one point here at the 70th annual meeting of the American Council on Education, a gathering of presidents, chancellors and deans from academies across the country, Mr. Jungkuntz listened to a panel debate the difficulties of training teachers and he could no longer maintain his silence.

Psychometrics, budget shortfalls, poverty and social structure aside, the failure of American education, the argument goes, begins with the hand that puts the lesson on the blackboard. Thus, in a room full of college administrators, many from schools with teacher education programs, the subject was bound to raise professional passions.

Robert Corrigan, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Boston, said, ''We still see teachers as if they were members of a blue-collar profession. They have no control of the classroom, the curriculum or their working conditions. They are treated like people in a factory milieu.''

A dean from San Antonio complained that his State Legislature changed teacher certification requirements so often, that professors of pedagogy could not figure out where they were ''supposed to go or how to get there.''

Another insisted that the problem was ''content versus process.'' That is, too much emphasis on the methods of teaching and not enough on what teachers were supposed to be learning.

A third voice suggested that bad teachers, in all likelihood, were once bad students, so the solution was to attract bright people to the profession. To lure such candidates, Joan Straumanis, dean of the faculty at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., had in mind ''a huge Federal loan program'' in which the brightest students in the country would be guaranteed low-cost loans if they they became teachers.

There also was talk of ''turfism,'' institutional ''musical chairs,'' ''flawed paradigms'' and, in the words of one administrator, ''that wonderful piece of heresy that there is indeed a relationship between the way students learn and the way faculty teach.''

It was about this time that Mr. Jungkuntz, from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., raised his hand, cleared his throat and asked for the floor.

''We haven't taken a historical look at the problem,'' he began. ''Let me put it this way: What would you say was the quality of elementary and secondary schooling in the first quarter of our century and before that? I think it was an age in which the quality was superior. What were the incentives to going into teaching in those days? Lousy. Salaries were worse than the worst salaries are now. But what was the communities' preception of the teaching profession? Relatively high.

''My father in 1921 was addressed as professor by people. He was a grade-school teacher and a good one and he was regarded highly, at the same level as the clergy in town and perhaps somewhat higher than the mayor.''

The place was Jefferson, Wis., and the classroom was in a three-room Lutheran school, where teachers went heavy on the basics, the classics and homework. The provost knew that for a fact. He, after all, had been one of his father's students.

***
Books by Jungkuntz:

The gospel of baptism by Richard Jungkuntz (Unknown Binding - 1986)
12 Used & new from $9.85
Other Editions: Unknown Binding

2.
El Evangelio del Bautismo / The Gospel of Baptism by Richard Jungkuntz (Paperback - Sep 2001)
2 Used & new from $4.88

3.
A project in Biblical hermeneutics by Richard Jungkuntz (Unknown Binding - 1969)
5 Used & new from $7.00

4.
Christian approval of Epicureanism by Richard Jungkuntz (Unknown Binding - 1962)

Currently unavailable

5.
The analogy of faith: A historical study by Richard Jungkuntz (Unknown Binding - 1963)

Is There No Help For a Widow's Son?

The Masonic Distress Signal, Illustrated

Some comments about WELS and the Mormons prompted me to find the Masonic distress signal, which the Mormons supposedly use. The hands are held up, like the authentic Masonic illustration above, and the victim says, "Is there no help for a widow's son?" That is said four times, facing the four cardinal points of the compass. There are many surviving Masons, so the signal must work, as it did once when a lodge brother was captured by pirates. (Some think the Knights Templar, known for their ships, became pirates when the evil King of France captured Demolay and liquidated the KTs. That would explain why the pirates set him free and gave his dog a biscuit. But then, the story is from Masons, whose stories are as credible as Jack Casione's.)

Is there any help for Confessional Lutherans? The extremes of Recessional Lutheranism may bring about its own demise. The crypto-Baptist-Pentecostals will eventually declare themselves, as a number of WELS Church Growth pastors have already done. They were lionized by the Love Shack at 2929 N. Mayfair Road, before they bolted for greener pastures and louder beehives. I can name many of them. They went from WELS bulletin insert to Pentecostal storefront church in short order.

The Eastern Orthodox Recessional Lutherans will probably do the same. A number of LCMS pastors have already joined the Church of Rome, moving from Universal Objective Justification to Universal Purgatorial Atonement. Who is sponsoring these defections? Could someone get seminarians to defect to the Concordia Triglotta?

The question is whether there will be a number of younger men who know the Scriptures, Luther, and the Book of Concord sufficiently well to re-establish the Lutheran Church on American soil. The Missouri Synod had some strong theological leaders at one time, but they have died. Apostates know that they only need to control a few key offices to run the seminaries and boards their way.

The conservatives never fought hard enough to keep this from happening. No, I do not mean fighting with elections. A doctrinal battle has to be fought with the Word and the Confessions, not with compromising candidates, deals, bylaws, and even more synod worship.

Find one example of synod worship or organizational concern in the entire Book of Concord.

Members and pastors can insist on liturgical services, Lutheran hymns, creeds, and sermons. The Episcopalians have shown that a whole region can vote to leave Holy Mother Church.

Ichabod Predicts
Here is my 21st Century prediction for WELS: both prep schools will close in time, due to high costs and diversion of funds to pet projects (like the new mission to Africa). When that happens, the college will close and the seminary will be threatened. As District Pope John Seifert said to his pastors, "We hope we can keep the seminary."

In the next 15 years, Andrew will carry away the bulk of the WELS members who now attend and give. WELS will merge with Missouri, perhaps as a non-geographical synod, to save face.

Many congregations are now merging. Schools are closing, too.

The Wisconsin sect tried to seize the future (and youth!) by abandoning its past principles. Instead, it institutionalized the dumbest and most anti-Christian ideas they could find. Apostasy is officially supported and promoted on the WELS.net site.

One prominent pastor said about the new but aging feminist hymnal, "We decided to alienate the older members to attract the younger ones." Brilliant strategy. How is it working?

Back to the Prairie Days
In times past, just as now, people did not have many orthodox pastors. There were many shams and frauds, and they didn't even have Fuller Seminary in the 19th century. Some people sat at home and read from sermon books. Luther was popular then. Others had churches but no pastor, so they had laymen read the liturgy and read from a trusted sermon book. Some pastors rode circuits and served many congregations.

Abundance came to American Lutherans and gratitude to God for His Word faded. More than one conservative Lutheran has asked me to approve adultery with the proper justification. Ministers have cared more about approval from man and their own personal security than about being faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions. Instead of teaching, they are being taught, by the doctrinally indifferent.

Why the Passionate Promotion of Infant Communion?

Greek Orthodox Icon Wall

Click here for an interesting article about the non-antiquity of Infant Communion.

We have never had such widespread ignorance of Lutheran doctrine among the clergy and the laity. Perhaps the Medieval Church was worse, but that was the object of Luther's ire after the Saxon Visitation, when he found out how pathetic the clergy were.

How can Lutheran clergy become so involved in a new doctrine (for them) when they barely grasp the essentials of the Book of Concord? Could they reflect the basic content of Chemnitz' Enchiridion? I doubt it. Jacobs' Summary of the Christian Faith? That would be a rare find in a pastor's library, even more so if he knew who Henry E. Jacobs was.

Schmid was a typical book in the ALC clergy libraries. I used to see them in seminary book sales in Columbus. Schmid has quotations from the orthodox theologians who followed Luther. He published the forerunner of the Megatron "ready-to-go database" (Larry Olson).

Having the books is not enough. People need doctrinal conflict to study the essential books of Lutheran doctrine.

When Is Medicine Appealing?
Most antibiotics are distasteful. They have an awful odor that communicates its dreafulness with the person who takes them. They upset the stomach. So when we see an antibiotic on the shelf, we have no desire for it. When we get a raging infection, the antibiotic is the most precious thing we can have. We will send a spouse through a raging storm to get more.

Lutheran Orthodoxy As Medicine
An orthodox Lutheran book may be difficult to read and enjoy at first. Reading develops a capacity, but where is the motivation? The print is small. No one brings up Lutheran theologians anymore. But when there is doctrinal conflict, the orthodox Lutheran books are medicine against error. They also have a miraculous harmony. Luther, Melanchthon, Chemnitz, Gerhard, Schmid, and Jacobs say the same things (in different words) about the efficacy of God's Word.

From that one central doctrine, the effectiveness and power of the Word alone, we can trace all the components of the Lutheran Confessions.

Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide

Oh, keep us in Thy Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Thy mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

O God, how sin's dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood's spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who over Thy Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Thy doctrine true.

A trusty weapon is Thy Word,
Thy Church's buckler, shield, and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

The Lutheran Hymnal, #292
Selnecker participated in creating the Book of Concord, 1580.

***

I often feel like the elderly Slovak Lutheran woman who lived in Cleveland with her children. She said, "Ich bin ein Fremd in ein fremder Land." (I am a stranger in a strange land.) Or perhaps like one of the last humans left in Night of the Living Dead. Every time I try to warn someone, he turns out to be a pod-person, a zombie who looks like the former friend but appears all hollowed out, without a soul.

I know from the emails, letters, and phone calls that there are many more like me.