Freddy Finkelstein: Luther Gave Us Classical Education

Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Huxleys, Darwin, Evolution, UNESCO":

This is an excellent high-level snippet, emphasizing the role of education in controlling a society. Because of poor education, most people have no idea of the ideological relationship between Hegel, Darwin and Marx, and thus also Lenin, Hitler, and other modern socialists. They have no idea of the connections between Huxley and Dewey, nor of their relationships to world financial icons, like the Rockefellers, nor of their financial support of Dewey's "Education Revolution" of the early 20th century, nor their consequent formation of the League of Nations, and later the United Nations. None of this is conspiracy theory, this is all open and celebrated history of philosophy and education.

What people fail to realize is that the Classical world, under the tutelage of Classical pedagogics, was a gift of Martin Luther to Western Civilization. Understanding that his Reformation was a Doctrinal Reformation, he knew that the only way the people could hold on to precious Scripture doctrine was if they had the education to do so. The people needed a system of universal education, and the Church was not organized or financially well-endowed enough to do it. The State had to do it. He tasked Melanchthon (Europe's pre-eminent Humanist at the time, second to Erasmus) and Johann Sturm (Europe's pre-eminent pedagogist at the time), with creating an education system that would equip the people to hold on to pure doctrine. Meanwhile, Luther shopped the idea around with the princes, emphasizing the benefit of an educated society to the State. They bought it, and the world was given the finest and most rigorous education system known in the West, even by today's standards. As a result, Europe saw unprecedented economic advancement and social mobility, and with it, the growth of individual liberty. The education system Luther gave us was Classical Education. This is the system adopted in America just after the Revolution, as our nation's leadership understood that universal education was vitally important to our success. This is the system that Dewey, with the aid of his globalist/socialist cohorts, overthrew a century ago, the benefits of which are fast disappearing as the generations who sat under such instruction are finally dying off, and their published works being lost and forgotten.

But there is hope. Classical Education is returning -- strong among the Reformed, and growing among Lutherans. Check out the Consortium of Classical and Lutheran Education. This is the direction Lutheran education must go, if Confessional Lutheranism is to survive at all, and if society is to be equipped with the intellectual horsepower necessary to preserve our liberty.

Freddy Finkelstein

Clueless in the MLC

From Google Images

WATCH: What Miley Cyrus Hath Wrought: Party In the … MLC?

view more from: Sexuality / Gay

Queerty (2 months ago)

To what cultural aspersions do we owe the phenomenon of remaking the remakes of music videos? The Fire Island Pines boys, who created the Miley Cyrus send-up "Party In The F.I.P," receive their own homage with "Party In The MLC" fro...

Kyle Fax has left a new comment on your on your  on your post "More Puerile Behavior":

"The excuses for "Party in the MLC" were so flimsy that they deserved the gaydar graphic."

They deserved it? Wow. That's absolutely spectacular of you to say. Even two months later they apparently deserve to be mocked? You have no concept of the term constructive criticism. And really, is asking them to provide a public apology constructive criticism? Someone like you shouldn't be given such an honor if it is. It probably wouldn't satisfy your harsh tongue. You are a poor example to Christians everywhere, Reverend Jackson. Absolutely shameful.

P.S. to Brett Meyer: You're not funny.

***

GJ - PPS to Kyle - you are!

I am glad everyone can see the WELS damage-control operation at work: humorless, thin-skinned, and caustic. Heaven forbid they would find anything wrong with their athletes prancing around on the Internet, getting the attention of Queerty and having their image above posted on Google Images.


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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Clueless in the MLC":

Here's a few reasons for MLC to post a retraction and clarifying statement concerning their confession on homosexuality. Then again it's currently a hate crime to speak out against homosexuality. Is this why MLC won't correct the impression given to 86,000++ with their pro homosexual video?

"Some (str8?) students at Midland Lutheran College in Nebraska were so enamored with the Fire Island gays' tribute to Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA", they made their own. Must be some of those liberal Lutherans."

"Nice job Andy --- you just posted a video of guys "fagging" it up for the camera as a joke. Sadly the orignal video did not realize what a sad joke it was. This group knew they were making fun of a target. BTW this does show how "queeny" behavior is an affectation and easily adopted. Many homosexual adopt it to "fit in" with those they feel safe with IMHO."
Posted by: RJP3 | Oct 20, 2009 1:53:01 PM


"I wouldn't say they were enamored by the Fire Island version. This video seems to be more mocking and poking fun of the first one. They are for sure over exaggerating their movements to be "more gay" and queeny. Nobody hits a beach ball like that unless they're a gay cliche on a Fox television show"
Posted by: James | Oct 20, 2009 1:27:39 PM

"I prefer the Lutheran "fagged-up" version."
Posted by: Frank L | Oct 20, 2009 2:24:05 PM

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/lutheran-boys-do-their-own-miley-cyrus-fire-island-party-video.html#more

Some (str8?) students at Midland Lutheran College in Nebraska were so enamored with the Fire Island gays' tribute to Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA", they made their own.

Must be some of those liberal Lutherans.


"Cherry Grove is one of two gay communities on the long barrier island of Fire Island. The other is Fire Island Pines...."

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Clueless in the MLC":

In all of the publicity the MLC video received and widespread discussions the only voices heard from MLC were those of the students and some parents. The fact that this homosexual video, parody or not, was allowed to exist after initial editing, viewing by the parents and faculty of MLC at homecoming and then distribution on the WWW begs the question: Who is making the decisions at MLC. It's as if the students are governing themselves. Anonymous at 4:30am may have touched on a key element to these issues. Just as the Lutheran Emergent Church Growth shrinkers are teaching congregations to 'break the rules' in supposed spreading of the gospel, they are teaching the same to the students and glibly watching the students exercise their new freedoms.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Clueless in the MLC":

Kyle Fax, my opinion is that an apology is not needed as much as a public retraction. How can anyone fix the full responsibility on the children who created the homosexual video when their parents approved and the MLC faculty condoned it. It's appropriate that they are contrite over making the video. The most important issue is that 86,000++ people have been given the impression that homosexuality is good, fun and enjoyable. Even if MLC was a secular school they should still publish a retraction because homosexuality is a sin and should not be promoted but condemned. The fact that MLC calls itself Lutheran (pledging themselves to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions) makes it imperative that they publicly retract the impression that homosexuality is good and right, for the benefit of everyone who views the retraction.

Their refusal to publish a retraction and doctrinal clarification using a method and mode at least equal to that used to publicly publish the offensive video (I recommend using YouTube - the same distribution channel) is a clear confession that they don't care about the sinful impression they gave to 86,000++ people and makes their claim to 'love the lost in Christ' a complete sham.

In my opinion the lack of a public retraction is not surprising since they they continue to confess the false doctrine of Universal Objective Justification which is contrary to Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions and Christ. When they destroy the central doctrine of Scripture you have nowhere to go but down.

***

GJ - I read The Thword front-page editorial as an expression of their resentment, not as an apology:

But once the video left the context of the MLC campus, it came under unforeseen criticism from some who failed to see the humor in the video.

The most pronounced critic of the video was independent Lutheran pastor and blogger Gregory Jackson. Posts from Jackson, as well as comments left by the blog's readers, labeled the actions of the MLC students featured in the video unbecoming to future WELS pastors and teachers.

These claims were based on the video from which the creators of "Party in the MLC" took their inspiration--a previous YouTube video known as "Party in the FIP." Set to the tune of "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus, "Party in the FIP" shows a group of men performing choreographed routines on a beach while lip-synching the lyrics of the song."

"Party in the MLC" is a parody of the video, using the same soundtrack and many of the same routines.

The controversy over MLC students parodying "Party in the FIP" is derived from the lifestyle associated with "the FIP."

But makers of the "Party in the MLC" agree with other viewers that none of the actions in the "Party in the FIP" video would be considered blatant homosexuality. They also admit no previous knowledge of the reputation of Fire Island Pines. Ben Reichel, MLC student and video contributor, revealed, "We didn't find out until two or three days after we posted it that that's what it stood for. After we learned that we were kind of taken aback."

After learning of the offense caused by the video, the students decided to remove the video "out of Christian love" for those who found the video inappropriate. The decision to remove the video was a personal decision made by the creators of the video.

Reichel stated, "We all got together as a group --the guys who were in the video--and we realized that this caused way too much commotion and way too much negativity, and we all decided together that we were going to take it down."

After meeting amongst (sic) themselves, the students sought the advice of college administration. Reichel continued, "We went and talked to the administration here at MLC--the president and vice-president--and we got their thoughts on it too. But we knew before we even talked to them that we were going to take it down."

Matt Rothe, classmate of Reichel and video contributor, along with the rest of the students involved with the video, are ready to put "Party in the MLC" and the attention it has received in the past; "The group of guys who made this video only wished for good to come out of this video, and I must express firmly we wish for no more negative attention from it."

Huxleys, Darwin, Evolution, UNESCO

Loving Pigs: Forgiveness Without Faith (UOJ) and Enthusiasm

One of my favorite pictures illustrates a tender relationship.

How many noticed that the fake Ichabod had a lot of material supporting UOJ? That definitely came from a pastor, because laymen do not sit around trying to defend something no one can comprehend. I thought perhaps the author kelmed it from a pastoral source, but more likely a pastor forged the blog.

The Shrinkers in WELS are especially smitten with UOJ, and why not? Fuller has trained people in anti-confessionalism, hiding the denominational identity. In WELS, they love Babtists who cannot admit to being Babtists. Someone has to do a little research to find out Andy Stanley dedicates but does not baptize infants.

Ditto Purpose-Driven Rick Warren, (DMin, Fuller, just like Larry Oh!). Mrs. Ichabod and I heard him speak, that is, tell lame jokes. And we saw his immersion pond outside.

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Loving Pigs: Forgiveness Without Faith (UOJ) and E...":

Good morning Pastor GJ! We are not justified before faith. We are not justified without faith. The Atonement is not justification.(objective justification is a fabricated word)"Faith Alone" justifies.

The Book Of Concord has been quoted many times by GJ, Brett , DK, myself, and others. So, I would like to share with the readers something else. In the book, "Here I Stand A Life Of Martin Luther", the author provides us with an interesting clarification concerning Luther's own words.

"There is the famous example where Luther rendered "justification by faith" as "justification by faith alone." When taken to task for this liberty, he replied that he was not translating words but ideas, and that the extra word was necessary in German in order to bring out the force in the original. Through all the revisions of his lifetime he would never relinguish that word "alone"."

Why are many relinguishing the word. No place does Luther ever use the term "universal justification." Knapp used the term, which was borrowed from the pietistic writers. The same example of borrowing that I used on a previous comment. For instance Koehler was influenced by Dr. C.H. Little.

Again, one has to always return to Scripture and the BOC. FIC articles should be read with caution( Yes, there are some very fine pieces in FIC [GJ - Schroeder's and...?] and "incharestin" pieces as well.)

In Christ,
from WELS church lady

***

GJ - You have denied Universal Oinkjective Justification!

I knew Roland Bainton, the author of Here I Stand. He posed with Little Ichabod twice, and he drew pictures for us. Here is the last greeting card he sent us.

 

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Loving Pigs: Forgiveness Without Faith (UOJ) and E...":

I think WELS should drop the two doctrines of justification. It really serves no purpose since there is no salvation without faith. But then what would you jokers carry on about? You'd find something.

Plankless

***

GJ - There is always "Party in the MLC" to discuss. How about 50 more comments on that?

Now that the props are being yanked out from under UOJ, the knotty problem is suddenly not worth discussing. Wood that be what you are saying, Plankless?

Does a doctrinal debate go against your grain?

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dk has left a new comment on your post "Loving Pigs: Forgiveness Without Faith (UOJ) and E...":

The question is: who don't you know?

You knew Bainton???

***

GJ - Bainton was retired at Yale but still lecturing when I was there. People packed his lectures. I did a biographical summary of his life while he was alive, writing to his most famous students. They all contributed and that was placed at the Yale library. One student was the Roman Catholic bishop who marched in the religious service with Erling Teigen at Bethany Lutheran College. Small world?

On one trip we made a point of visiting him at his office at Yale's Sterling Library.

Bainton offered to do some xeroxing for me when I was working on my dissertation. He said he would copy parts of his book about Yale and the Ministry and send it to me.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Loving Pigs: Forgiveness Without Faith (UOJ) and E...":

"How many noticed that the fake Ichabod had a lot of material supporting UOJ? That definitely came from a pastor, because laymen do not sit around trying to defend something no one can comprehend."

I am a layperson. Is the above comment intended to insult the spiritual maturity of laymen? Or is it intended to illustrate the tendency of called workers, you included, to argue points that "no one can comprehend."? Laypeople can and do contribute to the spread of the Gospel.

***

GJ - I meant to reflect upon the clergy. Look at LutherQuest (sic), where pastors posture 24/7. They have successfully avoided any real issues while bickering about small points. If Jay Webber, Rolf Preus, and the rest understood the Book of Concord, they would repudiated Church Growth and UOJ.

The WELS clergy now starting to opposed CGism were the same ones who ran away from the topic 20 years ago, locked in a room "for fear of the Judaizers."

In contrast, I find the laity keen on doctrine, discerning about the clear, plain words of Scripture. Many laity have contacted me and worked through the documents about UOJ and CG.

Perhaps the laity can force some issues into the open. Some are not convinced that Holy Mother Synod is infallible and indefectible.

Rural Congregations? Like St. Peter Freedom, Home of The CORE

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Looking for Vernon Harley Papers":

"We are going to have to rely on the rural WELS segment to step up and Just Say No to Enthusiasm."

What?!! Are you KIDDING me? Rural congregations? Have you been to any? Rural, country and city have nothing to do with this. I have been to more than one in fact many "rural" congregations that are just as on the path to Enthusiasm and wildly into CGM as you can get. Hear are two for starters:
St. Peters in Freedom North of Appleton. Ron Ash comes from there and is one of the founders of the Core. St. Peters is well involved with the New Paradigm church or what ever new name it takes this month. Even has more than one woman openly pitching Willow Creek-ism and all of the CGM methodology to women's groups in WELS or anyone else who cares to listen.

Rural congregation, St. Matthews http://www.stmatthewsonline.org/ is perhaps one of the newest and RURAL of how to redo your congregation into a seeker friendly, replete with doses of "Come to Jesus" talk.

Look at their web page above for your dose of "rural goes to the city."

No, Rural congregations in WELS are perhaps just as ripe or more ripe for the picking than any city church. It has nothing to do with the discussion. Error, false doctrine and Enthusiasm know NO boundaries.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

***

GJ - The Scriptures and the Confessions are the solution, not the honeywagon.

Margaret Sanger, KKK, and Thrivent Sing from the Same Page of the Hymnal

This is most likely a fake, but it illustrates the fact of Sanger being invited to speak to the KKK. And she did speak to an appreciative audience.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Margaret Sanger, KKK, and Thrivent Sing from the S...":

A local WELS church had a "Let The Children Come" drive a few years ago. The pressure to use donation methods that capitalized on Thrivent's matching funds was enormous. They should have named the drive, "Let The Children Who We Haven't Killed With Our Donations Come"

That's just Planned Parenthood. Thrivent is using WELS money to support abortions for clergy in the ELCA and mass murder through Lutheran World Relief - a United Nations supporting organization.

---

http://www.catholic-forum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19728&postcount=15



As of 07-09-2005
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If your employer's name is not listed here, let them know you are interested in having them match your gift to Planned Parenthood.
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Pfizer Foundation
Pharmacia & Upjohn Fdn.
Pharmacia Foundation, Inc.
Philip Morris Employee Giving Program
Phoenix Fouindation, Inc.
Phoenix Foundation
Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Pittway Corp. Charitable Fdn.
PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.
Platinum Technology, Inc.
Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
PNC Financial Corp
Power Technologies, Inc.
PQ Corporation
Premark International, Inc.
Principal
Pro Guest Company
Professional Training Associates
Prospect Hill Foundation Inc.
Providian Cares
Public Interest Communications

Companies Qa - Qz
Quad Graphics
Quadra Foundation, Inc.
Quaker Hill Foundation
Qualcomm Incorporated
Quest Diagnostics

Companies Ra - Rz
Radio City Production, Inc.
Radioshack Corporation
Railpac
Raines International, Inc
Ralston Purina Company
Raychem
Raytheon Company Charitable Giving
Reader's Digest Foundation
Realnetworks Foundation
Reebok Foundation Inc.
Reliable Life Insurance Co.
Reuters America Inc.
Rexnord Foundation Inc.
R.H. Donnelley Corp
R.H. Macy & Company, Inc.
Richfield Bank & Trust Co.
Rockefeller Brothers Funds, Inc
Rockefeller Family Fund, Inc.
Rockefeller Financial Services
Rohm and Hass Company
Ruth Mott Fund

Companies Sa - Sz
SAFECO
Safeco Insurance Companies
Safegaurd Scientifics Fndn
salesforce.com/foundation
Sallie Mae Fund
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company
Sara Lee Foundation
Schein Pharmacutical
Scitor Corporation
Searle Corporate
Security Mutual Life
Sedgwick Payne Company
Sedgwick, Inc.
Segal Company (Eastern States), Inc.
Shaklee Corporation
S.H. Cowell Foundation
Shearson Lehman Brothers, Inc.
Sheshunoff Information Service
Shugard
Silicon Graphics
Smithkline Beechman Foundation
Sony Pictures
Soros Fund Charitable Foundation
Spear, Leeds & Kellogg
SPX Corporation
Square D Foundation
St Paul Companies
Star Tribune Foundation
Starbucks Coffee
State Street Bank/Trust Co.
State Street Foundation
Statprobe, Inc.
Stilwell Financial, Inc.
Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc.
Stuart Foundation
Subaru of America Foundation
Sun Microsystems
Susquehanna Investment Group
Sussman Family Foundation
Symantec Corporation

Companies Ta - Tz
Tap Pharmaceutical Products Inc.
TCF Foundation
TCF National Bank Mn
Teagle Foundation Inc.
Tellabs
Temple-Inland Foundation
Tenet Healthcare Foundation
Tenet Healthcare Foundation
Tennant Foundation
TERC
Tetra Tech Em, Inc.
The Black & Decker Corporation
The California Wellness Foundation
The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
The Charles Schwab Corporation Foundation
The Clorox Company
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The Edward and Elyes Rogers Family Foundation
The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation Inc.
The Equitable Foundation
The F. B. Heron Foundation
The Flora Family Foundation
The Ford Foundation
The Freedom Forum
The Gap Foundation
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
The Glenmede Corporation
The Home Depot
The J. Paul Getty
The J. Paul Getty, Trust
The John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc.
The Johnson Company, Inc.
The Jostens Foundation, Inc.
The Kresge Foundation
The Millipore Foundation
The Mony Life Insurance Company
The Morgan Stanley Foundation
The Nash Foundation
The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
The New York Marine and General Ins. Co
The Northern Trust Company
The Norton Family Foundation
The Orlando Sentinel
The Pfizer Foundation
The Pioneer Group, Inc.
The PQ Corporation
The Prudential Foundation
The Quaker Chemical Foundation
The Quaker Oats Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Group, Inc.
The San Francisco Foundation
The St. Paul Companies, Inc.
The Stocker Foundation
The Stride Rite Corporation
The Sun Microsystems Foundation, Inc.
The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation
The Times Mirror Foundation
The William Penn Foundation
Thomson Financial
Thomson Holding Inc.
Thomson Legal Publishing
Thomson Media
Thrivent Financial For Lutherans
TIG Specialty Insurance
Time Equities, Inc.
Time Warner Cable
Times Mirror
Tinicum Enterprises, Inc.
Totally Chocolate, Inc.
Transamerica Corporation
Transprint Usa, Inc.
Transwestern Publishing
Travelers Express Company, Inc
Tribune Company
Tricon Foundation, Inc
Trilogy Employee Foundation
Tripos Inc.
Tropicana Products, Inc.
TRW Employee Charity Organization
Tyco International Inc.
Tyco Submarine Systems, Ltd.

Companies Ua - Uz
UBS
UFE Corporation
Unilever United States, Inc.
Universal Studios
University Federal Credit Union
US Bancorp
US Bank
US West Foundation
USA Networks, Inc.

Companies Va - Vz
Vastar Resources, Inc.
Veritas Software Corporation
Virginia Power/North Carolina
Vivendi Universal Enterainment
Vivendi Universal US Holding Co.

Companies Wa - Wz
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc.
Walter & Elise Haas Fund
Warhol Foundation
Warner Lambert
Washington Management
Washington Mutual Foundation
Washington Mutual Savings Bank
Washington Post
Waste Management, Inc.
Waters Corporation
Weil Capital Management, LLC
Wells Fargo & Company
West Group
Westin Hotel & Resorts
Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc.
Whitman Corporation Foundation
Wiley Rein & Fielding
Wiliam Companies, Inc.
William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
William M. Corporated
Wilry
WMX Technologies, Inc

Companies Xa - Xz
Xcel Engergy Foundation
Xinet

Companies Ya - Yz
Yahoo, Inc.
Yankeegas

Companies Za - Zz
Zero-Max
Ziff Brothers Investments
Zurich Centre Group
Zurich U.S.Foundation
Zymo Genetics

---

"Selected Grants: The following grants were reported in 2007:
$1,875,000 to Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL. For Churchwide Grant, payable over 1 year.
$1,425,000 to Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Saint Louis, MO. For Churchwide Grant, payable over 1 year.
$412,500 to Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Milwaukee, WI. For Churchwide Grant, payable over 1 year."



 

Looking for Vernon Harley Papers

DK has left a new comment on your post ""We Condemn You for Your Numbers, Now Judge Us for...":

Anon 8:03

Hi, good point. Sad but true. If only we could beat the C&Cers with spell-check. I'm sadly convinced that the WELS is doomed without fearless action: That is NOT to say that the many conservative Confessional pastors and churches in the WELS are doomed.

We are going to have to rely on the rural WELS segment to step up and Just Say No to Enthusiasm.

Professor: In your footnotes for chapter five of TSW, you mention some essays by a Pastor Vernon Harley that are well written and worth reading, but I can't find them anywhere. I'd like to have some LCMS writing to present to my my pastor in our discussion of UOJ. (It helps if I can give in-synod sources) Would it be too much trouble to post these, maybe in your required reading section?

Also, I was wondering if you had any further thought on the Maier essay that I brought up.

thanks for your work,

***

GJ - I had the hard-copies for a long time. Eventually I lost track of them due to lack of interest in the UOJ topic among Lutherans in general. That started changing two years ago.

PM - if you are reading this, send me new copies. I will have to locate them again.
Secondly, they have to be rendered into MS Word so I can post them. But I will get that done.

DK keeps me busy, folks.

It is not our job to judge success, only to apply the Word, regardless of the unwritten rules of the game. I was told that I startled people in WELS by walking up to them and challenging them face-to-face. I did not adhere to their memorized talking point excuses, such as:
"Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater." (I replied - "I don't wash babies in sewage.")

Of course, they demand that everyone tell them their error in private, but that is only so the false teachers can get even through whispering campaigns, meddling in another's divine call, etc. But that is not enough for them either. They will denounce someone in public, as long as they can get away with it. And they often do.

We should tremble at His Word, not at the feet of synod officials.

"We Condemn You for Your Numbers, Now Judge Us for Ours"

Is coffee a Means of Grace? Should women lead worship?
Ask Randy Hunter, WELS, a fave of FIC.

After 30+ years of Church Growth in WELS, Missouri, and the ELS, shouldn't we start turning the tables on the Shrinkers?

I am not sure who tickled Ron Roth into Church Growth, or who recruited Valleskey and Bivens into studying at Fuller Cemetery, where Christian doctrine dies. I do know that Kent Hunter and Waldo Werning were the chief salesmen of Church Growth in WELS during the 1980s. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg was trained by Hunter before he graciously pretended to be a WELS expert (without joining WELS).

Hunter and Werning were praised by Valleskey in his Church Growth notes. The canceled Wisconsin Lutheran College program was going to feature Hunter and Werning.

I have read their books. It takes a strong man to read their works without bursting into laughter. Weakling that I am, I hooted until tears rolled from my eyes and blurred my vision. I did not have Church Growth eyes.

Hunter (DMin, Fuller) and Werning (Fuller alumnus) both emphasize that people need to get out their graph paper and look at the congregation's numbers. If the numbers are down, they are doing something wrong.

So let's apply that to the fruit of their labors, for which they charge a pretty penny indeed. Their numbers are down across the land. They have wrecked Missouri and WELS, with the ELS trying to catch up with their influence.

The CORE - Let's get out the graph paper and Excel software for The CORE. Big numbers (money blown) and small results. The CORE is a hobby for the Shrinkers of Fox Valley, Wisconsin.

Rock And Roll in Round Rock, Texas - After all that money spent, Rock And Roll has one web page (a map), recently dismissed rocker/entertainers, and perhaps 30 in attendance.

CrossWalk in Phoenix - still not a member of WELS. Have they had a service of Holy Communion yet? Believe it or not, the spineless clergy of that district were recently discussing CrossWalk's lack of communion services. The next version of CG will have people not mentioning God for fear of offending the unchurched.

If Jeff Gunn has been so blessed by his Emerging Church Growth principles, why is looking for another job?

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post ""We Condemn You for Your Numbers, Now Judge Us for...":

The evil coalition in WELS is much bigger than anyone suspects. How many have been trained and sent forth since David Valleskey started slavering about the Fuller rot? They are almost everywhere in the synod.

***

GJ - The clergy had two opportunities to oppose Valleskey's doctrine, before he unloaded in his hideous book. When he gave his Figs From Thistles paper at the Ohio Conference, the 20+ pastors could have condemned him. The four of us who critiqued his doctrine were driven out of WELS.

The next chance came when Valleskey published his deceitful, dishonest paper in the Quarterly. Of course, the toothless faculty could have condemned it. That would have been a surprise. The clergy as a whole could have pilloried it. Dead silence. I published a review of the paper and the ELS(!) had a hissy fit over my review, not over Valleskey's false doctrine. Orvick endorsed Valleskey with a paper given to the ELS pastors, who rolled over and played dead. So pardon me if a wry smile crosses my face when the ELS pastors talk about being Confessional.

"The evil that men do lives after them." Shakespeare

Grace and the Enthusiasts

Absolved without the Means,

Absolved without the Means,

What a glorious feeling,

Enthusiastic genes!

DK has left a new comment on your post "Garland of Roses - From WELS CG Supporter":

Hi Professor!
Maybe this is the wrong place to ask this but... I was reading the Art. IV in 'Apology' this afternoon and was struck how 'initial grace' sounds so much like what UOJers claim.

"In order not to by-pass Christ altogether, our opponents require a knowledge of the history about Christ and claim that he merited for us a certain disposition or, as they call it, "initial grace", which they understand as a disposition inclining us to love God more easily. It is clear, however, what they ascribe to this disposition, for they imagine that the acts of the will before the disposition and those after it are of the same type. They imagine that the will can love God, but that this disposition stimulates it to do so more freely."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Tappert p 109, paragraph 17, Augsburg Press.

I know it's not a direct parallel to UOJ but I would be curious to know what you think of this--and if you can shed any light on the history behind this comment. It seems applicable to the UOJ discussion in some way.

***

GJ - Reading the Apology now? That is a good sign. I would love to see the UOJ Stormtroopers explain their pet theory from the Apology.

All Enthusiasts have this in common - they draw their insights apart from the Word of God. They depend on human wisdom, human tradition, dreams and visions. The doctrine of Purgatory is drawn from Plato, the Apocrypha (which does not support it anyway), and various dreams people had.

The Apology was written to defend the Diet of Augsburg's Confession, 1530, so it was directed at Roman Catholics. Luther's Galatians Commentary is very good in dealing with all the Roman Catholic arguments about grace.

Rome taught then and still teaches that God gives people grace to accept grace. This merited disposition is very complicated to unravel and explain. In short, it is grace before the Means of Grace.

You have hit upon an important similarity with Universal Objective Justification. The Pietist Knapp and his followers (Walther, Pieper, J. P. Meyer, Papenfuss) agree that the entire world has received grace before and apart from the Means of Grace. Everyone is absolved. Everyone in Hell is a guilt-free saint.

UOJ Stormtroopers cannot make sense of their theory, because they still use the old Lutheran categories after emptying them of any meaning. Everyone is absolved, but everyone is a sinner. All people in the world are "justified," but they need to believe they are already justified. Confession means learning they were already forgiven, before they confessed their sin. UOJ reminds me of the hash the junior high cafeteria used to serve us. No one knew what was in the hash, and no one could tell. We all agreed it was unpalatable, as UOJ is.

Exodus Film

Someone sent me this clip. Has anyone seen the film? Comments?

I have no problems with the historical details of the Bible, unlike my brethren and cistern at Fuller Seminary.

The Genesis Flood and the Exodus did take place, so I expect to see evidence. However, I do not need proof to know that God's Word is inerrant, infallible, and...efficacious.

Their Guru McGavran - Planned Parenthood Promoter

I put together a panoply of witnesses to apostasy. McGavran's picture is the black and white, bearded, on the left. The rest are all faves of WELS Church and Changers.

Donald McGavran, Understanding Church Growth
"The other good and urgent things to do, far from contradicting this thesis, reinforce it. The many tasks that lie at hand should be done - there can be no two opinions about that. Preaching good sermons, teaching illiterates to read, working at planned parenthood or the world's food supply, administering churches skillfully, applying Christianity to all of life, using mass media, and hundreds of other activities are not sinful. They are good. Some are urgent." Page 32

Here is the link.

The original Shrinkers were quite taken with Planned Parenthood. They named one of their early training films "Planned Parenthood for Churches." They did for Protestantism what Planned Parenthood did for the family.

McGavran was a minister of the far Left Disciples of Christ. He was more conservative than their wackiest people (Jim Jones of Jonestown, a Marxist) but he was not uncomfortable with mainline apostasy. He worked with the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches.

He developed his ideas at an obscure school but really had his greatest impact when he moved to Fuller Seminary, after they repudiated inerrancy under the influence of the founder's son, who studied under the Marxist Karl Barth in Switzerland. (See Karl Barth and Radical Politics, by Hunsinger)

McGavran was no theologian. His PhD was in sociology and his methods were statistical.

Garland of Roses - From WELS CG Supporter

I have been watching Feedjit at the bottom of my blog. I plugged it in long ago, when someone said no one was reading Ichabod, that I was writing my own comments!

Funny, whenever I get a really nasty anonymous comment, often using the word "ass," someone is on from Garland, Texas.

Sunday, this person wrote anonymously, "All the pastors I know agree you are an ass." And Garland Texas showed up on the blog map at the same time as the comment arrived. That suggested the individual was a WELS pastor, fond of Church and Change. Nothing spawned a really vile comment faster than my scholarly observations about the Chicaneries.

Sunday I Googled Garland WELS and found a congregation there - Divine Peace. It is only three hours away from Holy Word in Austin.

The WELS pastor is John Hering, whose 1989 class at the Sausage Factory was saturated with Church Growth. Hering was in world missions, which meant the Shrinkers approved his doctrine. He is now chair of evangelism in his district, more proof of Shrinker certification. His web page talks about being blessed by numbers.

"Truly the Lord has blessed Divine Peace where there are now 181 souls and 143 communicants. Come and grow with us during these exciting times."

Look at this church history, which includes most of the Shrinkers in WELS, including Kelm and Bivens. Dom Perignon Patterson came from this congregation and Hering served it.

"In the meantime, 16 more gentlemen over the next two years would receive the divine call to serve as Senior Pastor: Forrest Bivens-June 1991, Dennis Kliest-August 1991, Greg Otterstatter-September 1991, Mark Wessel-November 1991, Curtis Franzmann-December 1991, Pastor Pope-January 1992, Paul Kelm-February 1992, Alan Eckert-April 1992, Peter Kruschel-May 1992, Alan Schroeter-August 1992, Larry Zahn-September 1992, Samuel Clemons, October 1992, James Pope-December 1992, Vilas Glaeske-February 1993, Ted Lambert-April 1993, Paul Janke April 1993. Finally, in spring of 1993, Calvary decided to extend the Senior Pastor position to Pastor Vieths and to call again a Seminary candidate to serve as the Associate Pastor."


"1992 was also another busy year for sons of the congregation active in ministry. Donald Patterson, son of Calvary members Bill and Jerry Patterson, received his first call into the ministry to Holy Word Lutheran Church in Austin Texas, while Scott Bertram, son of members David and Nita Bertram was called to serve as evangelist at Risen Savior Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas."


"Already in late 1998, things began to return to normal for Calvary’s leadership. Pastor John Hering, missionary to Japan, accepted the call to serve Divine Peace and arrived in November of 1998. In early 1999, Pastor William Gabb accepted the call to serve Atonement Lutheran Church. However, after many months of assisting other congregations, the Lord of the Church decided it was time for Calvary’s staff to reconsider its work at Calvary. In the spring of the year, all the Calvary staff who were also recognized as 'heads of household' received calls to serve elsewhere."

Monday - sent to Ichabod:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Church and Change Hilarity Continues":

"Adam Mueller (son of Wayne) will turn your church around for you. CG has had 30 years to build up WELS, but has 30 years of shrinkage to show for it. Phone Adam collect. His websty link is Gunn's sect in Laveen (Phoenix), Arizona. Joe Krohn graduated from CrossWalk, Laveen, upgrading his status to RockMeister at The Church From Scratch in Round Rock, Texas. RockBlogger quit his blog and heard the gong on the Gong Show.

Jeff Gunn will build your church from Scratch. That is what people fear - Old Scratch in charge of another CG money pit. If Gunn knows so much about this, why did he look for a job at Wisconsin Lutheran College (Brigadoon WELS)? A better topic would be "How A Failing Non-WELS Congregation Can Take Over a College Board of Directors." Jeff is too modest."

You mix just enough truth with the lies. You're like your own analogy of mercury and gold. You are a fool and an ass. God has withdrawn His spirit from you just as He did from Israel. How appropriate the title of this blog.

Someone started a fake Ichabod blog and quit it, twice. Joe Krohn and Tim Felt-Needs were mirthful that I implied they wrote the fake Ichabod blog. They promoted it and got on as followers. I suspected a third person. Krohn lives not so far from Garland, so he may be buddies with Hering. I know he is friends with Patterson. Krohn graduated from the Jeff Gunn's CrossWalk (faux-WELS) Entertainment Center in Phoenix. Krohn and Felt-Needs never had that know-it-all scorn that infects the graduates of GA at Mequon, so I did not really think they wrote the fake blog.

Last night (Monday) I posted comments intended to provoke more from Garland. I was not disappointed. Here are comments from Tuesday (December 1, 2009):

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More Puerile Behavior":

What a crybaby. GJ, you really show your colors in a post like this. Put your big boy "Independant Lutheran" depends on. Do you really expect any kind of semblance on this blog?

"They are superb at destroying relationships."

There's some irony for you. Once again you have gone out of your to behave as an ass.

And also on Tuesday:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Foundation Grant Allows For Needed Installation":

Now you see why I call you an ass. Don't you hurt yourself when you stoop this low? You cancel out what wisdom might be mixed in with the lies.

I cannot prove Hering is writing those comments anonymously, but there is a clear pattern of similar remarks being sent from Garland. Perhaps Pastor Hering would like to disavow anything coming from his location. I might believe the disclaimer if it came on church letterhead.

At least Dom Perignon Patterson signs his emails. I kelmed his message to me, from Gmail:

Donald Patterson kududon@gmail.com to bethanylutheranworship@gmail.com date Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 10:46 PM subject don't be a fool mailed-by gmail.com

hide details 12/10/08

Hey,  Greg,

I am not a part of Church and Change Leadership.  I went to one conference a few years ago and had my own reservations.  Also, Robert Timmerman does not serve as a church council pres at our church.  You are lying on your blog.

Don

***

GJ - Timmerman was the council president. Does that make me a liar? Patterson was at the Church and Change conference last month! He is not part of their leadership?

He has his own reservations? Sure - he made reservations at the hotel. Patterson will make a fine Doctrinal Pussycat or Synodical Pope. He is more deliberately ambiguous than DP Robert Mueller was.

More Puerile Behavior

The Shrinkers do identify theft too.


WELS Church Lady wrote me to say she did not send the comment posted about Mary Lou College's Gaydar dish.

She suspected a college student. As people know from the front page editorial in WLC's The Thword, the students at both schools tend to be weepy and whiny, easily hurt and offended. They really need your support and affirmations, so mail them some Miley Cyrus and Adam Lambert videos to watch, to boost their spirits.

I question that they have really forgiven their opponents, as they claim, because gracious losers would not feel compelled to take on another person's identity on a blog. Deceit is so subtly taught at those two colleges. WLC even tried to hire Gunn as a second chaplain, to provide even more contemptuous worship when the students are not interested in it anyway. Gunn pretends to be Lutheran, one more deception from the Chicaneries. WELS pretends to discipline Gunn. "What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

Someone posted on Bailing Water, using my name. I do not mind anonymous comments at all. Many people do need to protect their identities, knowing what the Chicaneries are like. However, stealing someone's identify is really low.

The Church and Change leaders excel at only one thing, and that is not Lutheran ministry. They are superb at destroying relationships. They will do anything to keep their opponents from reaching critical mass and tossing them out. WELS would be better off losing 1/3 of the pastors and most of the teachers. The entire school system could be sold to Missouri, Fuller, or ELCA. It is nothing more than a feeder system for Fuller, Willow Creek, Granger, Northpoint, Life Church, Mars Hill, and Leonard Sweet.com.

---

TR has left a new comment on your post "More Puerile Behavior":

Greg,

As a WELS member, I have some issues with your comments. I will not stand and defend everything that MLC students do - they are students and sinners. However, their choice of college does not change their sinful Adams overnight. Are they held to a higher standard? Yes. Should they be?

You will find, if you looked, that the majority of students at the school are strong Christian leaders. They are doing their best to prepare themselves for the public ministry.

The problem, of course, is that there are some students who give a bad name to the others. You could categorize them by the sports they play, the high schools the attended, or even by their family name. Those students would be doing many of the same things at any other school. Would you use the statement of "the students at both schools tend to be weepy and whiny, easily hurt and offended" to say that all students at the University of Phoenix or the University of Notre Dame are also weepy and whiny - because of the actions of a few?

Your post on the "gaydar" is going too far. If you have ever spoken to President Mark Zarling, you would recognize a man who is a stalwart Lutheran, who has a genuine love of education, and who is actively working towards change at all levels of the school. His door is always open to talk with students about any problem they face. His door was open when the men who put the video online wanted to talk about what they should do.

***

GJ - A stalwart Lutheran would not allow his school to be used as a backdrop for "Luther" flinging the Scriptures away to do battle with the Sprinter. A stalwart Lutheran would have the video removed from You Tube.

The excuses for "Party in the MLC" were so flimsy that they deserved the gaydar graphic. I asked one Lutheran if anyone could possibly miss the gaity of the original, "Party in the Fire Island Pines." He said, "Impossible." Needless to say, the MLC version was far worse in every respect, but the actors have "forgiven" those who objected. Tis funny how that forgiveness was expressed in a rather nasty, self-indulgent front page editorial in The Thword (WLC), which was weepy and whiny.

I do not blame all of MLC or all of WLC for the idiotic behavior of a few athletes. I do blame the student bodies for jumping on the bandwagon to defend the video by attacking anyone offended. Readership doubled overnight when I posted the video the first time. College students could not wait to post examples of their blind loyalty to friends, poor education in Lutheran doctrine.

I know there are good students and professors at both schools, but both schools are turning out classic mainline apostates nevertheless.

MLC's need to run their own Church and Change day (disguised as Missions Day) was another example of flinging poo in the face of WELS, especially with Paul Calvin Kelm as the elderly exemplar of apostasy - keynote speaker, no less.

The Religious Left and Thrivent Love Abortion

Here is one article on the religious Left supporting abortion.

As Brett Meyer pointed out, Thrivent gives matching money (from your policies) to Planned Parenthood, a major provider of abortions across America.

http://www.cogforlife.org/ppsupporters.htm

Thrivent gave first place to an essay from a Lutheran child who wrote that his retarded brother should have been aborted.

Nevertheless, Thrivent continues to be untouchable in Lutheran circles. When they were separate, AAL and LB used to compete to see who could give ELCA the most money. Both parts of Thrivent gave lavishly to ELCA-LCMS-WELS projects, joint evangelism and joint worship programs. Those were heady, frothy days under Mischke and Gurgle.

Here is another connection, although I cannot verify it at the moment. McGavran suggested congregations work with Planned Parenthood. McGavran, as most know, founded the Church Growth Movement. His incredibly dull book became the "Bible" for CG, and yet that "Bible" suggested jumping on the Planned Parenthood bandwagon.

Margaret Sanger, the Planned Parenthood pioneer, spoke before the KKK because they liked her ideas about getting rid of Black babies. Jesse Jackson used to be pro-life, because he was the illegitimate child of the next-door neighbor. Jesse changed his tune when he ran for president. One LCA pastor of a Black church said, "We may have more abortions than the average, but my members still know it is wrong." Thrivent does not know that much.

Margaret Sanger archives.

I served several churches that did not engage in Lutheran insurance commercialism to support their budget. They thought AAL and LB were tacky for demanding worship bulletin recognition for every pittance handed over. We survived without it.

PS - Not money, but the love of money is the root of all evil. KJV 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

DK Has It Right

There is a national shortage of pink paper - as in "none left" because of the pink slip campaign.

dk has left a new comment on your post "Apostates in WELS Will Win in the Short Run":

Hey Professor,

When is a council going to be held?

Things need to be shaken up. Those who adhere to the Confessions need to collectively leave (whatever Synod they belong to). Missouri and WELS and others still possess Confessional pastors--these guys need to be in contact with each other.

Is it more important what acronym IDs your church, or is it more important what confession you publicly proclaim? I truly believe that if many WELS pastors could diminish their concern for the WELS institution, reapportioning that concern for Doctrine, a Confessional body could emerge from the fray.

IF you subscribe to the Lutheran Confessions as correct exposition of Scripture why do you care about affiliation?

***

GJ - I agree. My point about the pink slip is that there is a national movement, widespread, against the impoverished and spineless leadership of this country. So many people have obtained pink slips to mail Congress that there is no pink paper left in America.

In the same way, if the laity and the few confessional pastors make a point of protesting the blatant apostasy they see around them, there will be an effect. The Word will accomplish God's will.

The Word of God has not failed, but people have failed to apply it to themselves and to the visible church.

Apostates are activists, gravitating to money and positions of power. Confessional Lutherans need to stop bargaining for crumbs while the liberals are eating their lunch.

Apostasy applies to all the Lutheran groups, not just ELCA. The solution is the same in each group - apply the Word of God.

Apostates in WELS Will Win in the Short Run

Lacking in WELS - a learned ministry and the church militant

People have voiced their conclusion, separately, that the apostates will win in WELS. One is a pastor. Several are layman. The laymen think the Chicaneries are too entrenched to uproot.

The political component is impossible to ignore. The WELS school system, ever since Ted Hartwig infected it at Mary Lou College, is consistently liberal. Closing Northwestern College was a successful (albeit crooked) attempt to end a conservative bastion in WELS. Even then, NWC was not exactly a fortress of orthodoxy, and the faculty members were too timid to fight for their cause. Is MLC stronger because of that merger? It is weaker and more apostate, just like the Andover-Newton-Colgate-Rochester-Crozer-etc-Divinity School.

My take - MLC, Bethany, and WLC will not survive as separate entities and they know it.

The only way to get rid of the apostates would be to end the teacher vote that supports spineless and two-faced Doctrinal Pussycats. The largest WELS state has the most parochial and Area Lutheran High School teachers - also the worst DPs. And that is saying something! In the unlikely event of DP removal, the teachers will vote in another set of banana DPs - yellow, green, and just plain rotten.

If the teacher vote is not neutralized, the only other solution is the demolition of the WELS schools, from pre-K to the Sausage Factory. An outsider can see that their educational system only serves to promote the mainline cause, creeping apostasy. I do not think the CG gurus in WELS will become Pentecostal and perform fake miracles. I know some have turned Pentecostal. The majority will become honest atheists, like Curtis Peterson, Robert Schumann, and Mark Freier. The Chicaneries are already mainline, unionistic apostates. They are only one step from heart-felt, compassionate atheism.

As Brett Meyer noted, the pipeline is full of students trained in apostasy, too full of themselves to know it. Reflecting the in-your-face attitude of MLC, the vidiot students could not even fake contrition. Instead, they "forgave" those who did not appreciate them out-outting the Fire Island boys.

Here are additional factors militating against any real change in WELS, which is currently an unimportant nub in the Fuller Seminary mainline network:

1. Holy Mother WELS is infallible so any criticism is harmful to the institution, especially when it is valid, scholarly, confessional criticism.
   
2. Too many people are closely related or friends through school, so that makes it difficult to drop the hammer on the guilty, even when found with a murdered spouse.
   
3. Thrivent unites Lutherans in ELCA, Missouri, WELS, the ELS, and the CLC (sic), a built-in and cleverly funded pan-Lutheran union.
   
4. Few are educated in the Confessions.
   
5. Even fewer are inclined to fight for the pure Word. That generation is the WWII generation. The Boomers are too lax and self-centered to shed a drop of blood for doctrine.
   
6. Hardly anyone is in shape for the fight.
   

In the long run, we all have to face our mortality and the Day of Judgment. I wonder - how much will the size the buildings and parking lots matter before the Throne of Grace? Can someone despise the Means of Grace, mocking the Word, and cop a plea at the last minute, based on statistics?

Lutheran pastors crow about numbers and say nothing about being faithful to the Word of God. "Join us - we are friendly and successful: watch us grow."

One thing is needful, and you have chosen wrong, WELS.

Simple Solution for Christmas Programs

Many churches keep old Christmas programs and use them again. The classic Christmas programs are the same - the sedes doctrinae of the Virgin Birth and traditional Christmas hymns.

I think the old LCA programs, because they used this format, were better than sitting around on couches, for pity's sake.

Apostates Continue Merging To Stay Alive

Annie get your gun. The libs are merging again.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Foundation Grant Allows For Needed Installation":

Andover Seminary near Boston and Colgate seminary combining due to decreased enrollment and their endowment fund down to a paltry $40 million between the two schools. Ironically, they use the same euphemism that Seabury Seminary did last year when they downsized--that they are merely finding a "new model" viable for delivering seminary education in today's world. In other words they are flat broke and would go bust within a year if they didn't do something drastic.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Foundation Grant Allows For Needed Installation":

Andover Seminary near Boston and Colgate seminary combining due to decreased enrollment and their endowment fund down to a paltry $40 million between the two schools. Ironically, they use the same euphemism that Seabury Seminary did last year when they downsized--that they are merely finding a "new model" viable for delivering seminary education in today's world. In other words they are flat broke and would go bust within a year if they didn't do something drastic.

http://www.crcds.edu Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

http://www.ants.edu/news/detail/andover-newton-opens-talks-with-colgate-rochester-crozer-divinity-school

"...this joint venture may usher in a new model for graduate theological education."

"If a partnership is established, the schools would have a combined endowment of approximately $40 million and an enrollment of 450 students. Andover Newton and CRCDS are both accredited by the Association of Theological Schools."
/ Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

http://www.ants.edu/news/detail/andover-newton-opens-talks-with-colgate-rochester-crozer-divinity-school

"...this joint venture may usher in a new model for graduate theological education."

"If a partnership is established, the schools would have a combined endowment of approximately $40 million and an enrollment of 450 students. Andover Newton and CRCDS are both accredited by the Association of Theological Schools."

***

GJ - The mergers and cooperative ventures are too numerous to summarize, so I will let Wikipedia do it: "Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School is a theological college of Baptist origins. The present day school, which sits on the top of a hill in the beautiful setting of Highland Park in Rochester, New York is a product of several mergers.

The school is liberal and ecumenical in theology, with Baptists, United Methodists, Presbyterians and members of other denominations on its faculty and in its student body. Degrees can be obtained in cooperaration with Bexley Hall, an Episcopal Church seminary, which shared its facilities and administration from 1968 to 1998 (and continued at the campus under a separated administration until 2004), and St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry, a Roman Catholic theological school which shared its facilities from 1981 until 2003, and since has moved to a nearby site.

It is a small school with seven full-time faculty and 14 part-time faculty, and slightly more than 100 full-time students. The current director is Eugene C. Bay, who was previously the head pastor at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

The school is also home to the graduate studies Physical Therapy program for Ithaca College. It contains the Center for Foot and Ankle Research and a movement analysis lab." Wikipedia

My source is being too kind about Andover, which is also a merged school:

"Andover Newton is a product of a merger between two schools of theology in 1965: Andover Theological Seminary and Newton Theological Institute. Andover Newton takes the earlier founding date of the Andover Theological seminary for its founding year." Wikipedia

Andover split from Harvard, but they tried to reconcile. They have cooperated over the years.

Yale University is another split from Harvard.

Normally these mergers are called two cripples sharing the same cane, but this is a herd of cripples hoping and praying they can survive the financial death panel - sharing the same cane - endowment funds.

Another factor is the overhead for all those beautiful stone and brick buildings when people favor online education. Today I talked with a used car dealer who wants to take college and law school under an accelerated program, the first part online.

Foundation Grant Allows For Needed Installation

A large but anonymous foundation grant has allowed Mary Lou College to install a radar dish on Old Main. The college president, who did not want to be named, said, "If we would have had this earlier, a lot of stress could have been avoided concerning that video." He asked not to be named, adding, "They know which video."