Did you see this?
This happened yesterday at the annual assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
A while ago, Marilee asked me if I knew how many different Lutheran church bodies there are and I forgot to respond to her. I'm going to answer that now and try to summarize the main differences between them.
Ok, so the ELCA is the largest Lutheran body in the United States. The ELCA corresponds with the ELCIC in Canada. The other main body of Lutherans is the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). The LCMS corresponds with the Lutheran Church-Canada (LC-C) which is the body that my church is a member in. There are other Lutheran bodies in the United States and around the world. The fact that Lutheran churches have organized themselves into different bodies does not always mean that they hold different theological positions. In some cases it is for geographical purposes - for example, the LC-C in Canada and the LCMS in the Unites States are both "confessional" Lutheran bodies, that is to say that the member churches all hold to the historic Lutheran Confessions as a correct exposition of Scripture.
I'm not an expert on the ELCA/ELCIC, but I would characterize those bodies as "mainstream" and liberal in their theology. They no longer hold to the confessions and although they retain the name "Lutheran", their understanding of Scripture no longer resembles what Lutherans have historically taught and believed. I would characterize the LCMS/LC-C as conservative, orthodox Lutheran bodies.
A few years ago I read a booked called "What's Going On Among the Lutherans" that summarized the differences between the three main Lutheran bodies in the US (ELCA, LCMS and WELS). (Note: the book examines the problem of liberalism as it is expressing itself in the Lutheran churches in America, but also reflects liberalism in Christianity at large. I highly recommend it even if you're not a Lutheran.)
It showed how liberal Lutheran bodies, including the ELCA, have abandoned historical Christian doctrines: among them the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Trinity, and countless more. Conservative Lutheran bodies retain these doctrines.
At the heart of the matter is each bodies' view of Scripture. The liberal bodies no longer regard Scripture as God's own inerrant word to us, and as a result everything the Bible teaches may be called into question. Once God's word is no longer God's word all bets are off. How can you know if anything that Scripture teaches is trustworthy? Was Jesus really born of a virgin, or is that just a myth written by a man? Did He really rise from the dead? Is He really divine, or just a man? And if He's just a man, then is He really the Way, the Truth and the Life? Or could there be other "ways"? (And for those who say "doctrine doesn't matter", here is frightening proof that it does.)
So, back to the ELCA and the resolution they passed yesterday. How does something like that happen? Easy. When the Bible is no longer God's word, then perhaps what the Bible calls sin can be viewed as not really sinful. Look, I understand the impulse here. I truly think that they were motivated by wanting to be loving towards homos*xuals. But it's not truly loving to allow our brother to continue to sin. Worse, it's not truly loving to allow our brother to think that his sin is no longer sinful and so in an effort to be "loving" they have done a grave disservice to their homos*xual brethren.
*Just so there's no confusion, the LCMS/LC-C continues to uphold the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture.
19 comments:
oh my! I knew this was happening in other denoms. but I did not see this coming.
I read this yesterday and I was a bit shocked. Being raised LCMS, I was very aware of the differences and the growing rift between the ELCA and other more traditional/conservative Lutheran churches. This one did catch me by suprise, but I guess that I should have seen it coming.
I was considering addressing this on my blog since Lutheranism runs deep in my veins, but you have done a much better job than I could ever dream of doing. Do you mind if I just link to you instead? :)
I can cut a lot of slack for differences in doctrine, but this is more than doctrine. If a group does not hold God's word as Perfect and Inspired, how can they be considered Christians? Why would they even want to be considered Christians? It seems to me these people are no longer Lutherans, they are just pasting the Label on for convenience.
I am not shocked. I am disgusted.
I would respectfully disagree with your statement that the ELCA does not hold to the Confessions, and the the ELCA has abandoned the historical Christian doctrines. What is being missed in the commentary on the actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is that (a) this is not a permanent move toward local option with regard to gay and lesbian pastors and (b) this is not a policy change in the ELCA. I actually think President Kieschnick got both of those things right about the situation, and appreciated his statement about the ELCA's actions.
you did it again, Anita. Say hi to Tom C. for me.
Sara, you wascally wabbit!
President Kieschnick's statement can be found here:
http://cyberbrethren.typepad.com/cyberbrethren/2007/08/statement-from-.html
Looking at where the ELCA is headed is a bit scary, isn't it??? I'm scared for them! I pray that God will open their eyes to what He has said in His Word.
Blessings-Andie
You Said:
"the ELCA, have abandoned historical Christian doctrines: among them the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Trinity, and countless more."
Oh Brother. Get a grip and stop the lies.
From the ELCA website
For ELCA Lutherans, as for all Christians, Jesus is fully man and fully God. We believe that in this Jesus Atonement (the reconciliation of God and humankind/ at-one-ment) is accomplished. He is God’s promised Messiah, the Christ, humankind’s savior. In him, "...God reveals to us most supremely who God is, how God relates to us and the world, and the depths to which God will go for our salvation."**
ELCA Lutherans believe that incarnated, enfleshed, in this First Century human being, God fulfills the promise to redeem all creation, shows God's righteousness, and fulfills the covenant with humankind. We believe that Jesus, having been put to death by crucifixion by the decree of the Roman curator Pontius Pilate, rose from the grave and became, in the words of St. Paul, the firstborn of the dead (Romans 6:1-11). We believe that in his death our own sin and separation from God died. So it is that ELCA Lutherans believe that God intends humankind to participate in Jesus’ resurrection, and that we will be united with him in his heavenly kingdom
....You were saying??
Oh and "countless more"?
Why don't you name them and we'll go from there.
Dear anonymous commenter -
Thank you for the information from the ELCA website. This certainly does contrast with other published ELCA documents which refute the doctrines I mentioned. I would encourage you to read the book I mentioned, "What's going on among the Lutherans" which fully cited the sources of the refutations I refer to. I assure you, I have not made any allegation for which I do not have a documented source. You can certainly read them for yourself in the book and make up your own mind.
I thank you also for commenting, because it brings up a point that I didn't make clear, but that I should have: that there are faithful, orthodox Christians among the ELCA membership. My comments may have implied that the ELCA as a whole is unChristian which is certainly not the case, and I apologize if any took offense.
"My comments may have implied that the ELCA as a whole is unChristian which is certainly not the case, and I apologize if any took offense."
Putting the statement "It showed how liberal Lutheran bodies, including the ELCA, have abandoned historical Christian doctrines: among them the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Trinity, and countless more." does far more than imply something that is a flat-out lie. It is a totally false statement. The ELCA has not abandoned the doctrines of the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Trinity, nor any others.
Just because one can post anything one wants to in a blog doesn't mean that one should use that ability to bear false witness against another synod.
I am not afraid to post my real name. It is George Erdner. But, I am not joining Blogspot to post this, so my "official" signature will be Anonymous.
Hello,
I'm the original "Anonymous" that posted the first 3 posts. I'd like to say that I couldn't agree more with George (the second Anonymous). He is spot on.
Just because you have a book written 15 years ago by some malcontent doesn't make it true. Why would you agree with this book and ignore the official ELCA website??? That's weird!
Geeeez, Pat Robertson could write a book against your denonmination (if he hasn't already) but that wouldn't make it true.
I think you should post an apology You're leading people astray with false statments!!!
All the ELCA general assembly has said is to advise local bishops to refrain from any disciplinary action until the Human Sexuality Study is completed. The final recommendations of that study will be presented to the National Assembly in 2009. I would not read more into the resolution than what is there. It is a jump (not a leap) to think this proves the ELCA has abandoned historical Christian doctrine.
I think one distinction must be made about how the ELCA views Scripture.
Luther wrote that Scripture is the manger that contains God's Word. Gods Word is the Good News of Jesus Christ. Luther recognized that in that manger there is a lot of straw--some of which he wanted to remove himself--like James and Revelations.
Likewise, the ELCA says Scripture contains God's Word. Because of that it looks at some of the "proof texts" dealing with homosexuality differently.
I invite you to read for yourself the study the ELCA completed in 2005 on homosexuality at
http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/resources/study02.html
You can also view the current Human Sexuality Study at
http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/study/
Regarding inspiration and inerrancy, the ELCA does not claim that there are "errors" in the Scriptures. As afskypilot pointed out, "Luther wrote that Scripture is the manger that contains God's Word." Perhaps a more appropriate description for the "straw" is that much of the truth of God's Good News is revealed through parable and metaphor.
For example, the two conflicting accounts of Creation in Genesis are both allegorical metaphors that describe in poetic imagery the fact that God created all that exists. The literal details of a metaphor need not be accurate for the truth the metaphor is revealing to be true.
In the first chapters of Genesis we learn that God created the heavens and earth, and it was good. That is an inerrant truth. The allegorical details about time spans or the conflicting sequences of chronology in the two different accounts don't change the fundamental truth.
One shouldn't equate recognizing a parable when one reads it with not accepting the core theologies of confessional Lutheranism.
George Erdner
I'm questioning why she wrote this article at all. I have never seen one ELCA blog that attacks the LCMS.
Sometimes the only way for some people to exhalt themselves is to tear down others.
BTW, What's up with putting the "*" in homos*xual? That's weird.
you said "But it's not truly loving to allow our brother to continue to sin."
So you have mastered NOT continueing in sin?
In any case, despite being shown that the information she quoted from was mistaken, and that she is perpetuating an error, she has made no effort to remove the slander about the ELCA.
That tells us something, I'm just not sure what.
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