Posted on 02/20/2012 11:28:15 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o
On Thursday afternoon [Feb 16] in Washington, the Rev. Matthew Harrison, president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, told a panel of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives that the St. Louis-based denomination "stand(s) with our friends in the Catholic Church" in opposition to a recent government ruling on contraception.
The Missouri Synod has not traditionally embraced the notion of pluralism, at least when it comes to what the church calls "altar and pulpit fellowship." But in an interview Friday, Harrison, who lives in Ballwin with his family, made it clear that the Missouri Synod has "large consensus with the Roman Catholic Church on moral issues."
"The Christian church is a billion times beyond the Missouri Synod," Harrison said. "Without the Roman Catholic Church in this country, our way would be infinitely more difficult."
So earlier this week, when Harrison received an invitation to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, he reluctantly agreed. He sat on a panel with other religious leaders and scholars, including Roman Catholic Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., and Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of Yeshiva University in New York.
"I was minding my business three days ago," he said, "and then I got pulled into the monkey cage."
By the time Harrison left the cage, he would deliver a fiery indictment before lawmakers..., venturing past the issue of contraception and deep into broad issues of intolerance and righteousness. [snip]
Harrison told lawmakers that the synod's opposition to "abortion-causing drugs" was one reason the denomination maintains its own health plan.
Harrison [is] still aching from a recent legal clash with the Obama administration — a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court victory last month for the church involving a school owned and operated by a Missouri Synod member congregation. The ruling, known as Hosanna-Tabor...
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
Glad the RC's and the LCMS's are on the same team here.
"Gentlemen, we must all hang together or we shall all hang separately..."
Ping?
“Monkey cage,” Love this guy! None more fierce than a reluctant warrior.
LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison testifies Feb. 16 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing
Here is a link to the clearinghouse page at the LCMS website for everything related to the Synod's response to the HHS birth control mandate:
This one has clearer audio:
HERE I STAND - Rev. Harrison's Opening Statement Before House Oversight Committee
As a Catholic I want to thank our Lutheran brothers and sisters for this show of support. Particularly touching in light of the way our Church has mistreated Lutherans over the centuries.
A governemt which will trample the conscience of our Catholic brethren when it it suits the government’s political interests, will do the same to us.
Well don’t consider it getting back together. Being drawn together on one issue because it’s necessry doesn’t mean we’re going to have altar and pulpit fellowship next week.
What it means is that a number of churches who truly are Christian in this viewpoint need to be out there speaking their peace together about it. And I am glad that happened.
And Harrison is a good guy. Pretty common sense common speaking guy.
One church. That’s what it means. Hanging together with and for Jesus.
Rock on, Matthew!
Hope and Change... Tragic.
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