Posted on 06/01/2013 9:16:54 AM PDT by rhema
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's downward spiral of apostasy took a huge leap when the Southwest California Synod ELCA elected the first ever homosexual bishop of the denomination. “The Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin has been elected as bishop of the Southwest California Synod ELCA” announced a facebook post by the synod. (See synod facebook page here)
Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin's faculty profile at California Lutheran University where he teaches says this, "Dr. Erwin is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; he and his partner Rob Flynn are members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, CA...” (see here)
Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin was ordained as a pastor in the ELCA two years ago. A press release by Lutherans Concerned/North America at the time stated “R. Guy Erwin, a teaching theologian at California Lutheran University (CLU), was ordained in the Samuelson Chapel of that institution at 10:00 a.m. on May 11, 2011. He is both gay and in a committed same-gender relationship. His ordination, the fulfillment of a lifetime desire, is made possible by the change in policy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that followed the decision of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to allow ministers in committed, same-gender relationships to serve in the church.” (see here)
This is a game changer friends. The approval of homosexuality has always been open defiance of God by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America but now this action announces it to the world and defines what the denomination is about and what they believe.
It isn’t the fault of having the Biblical Office of Bishop; it is the failure to follow the Biblical pattern for selecting those who occupy said Office:
1 Timothy 3:1-7 (NRSV)
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 2Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.
Osmosing or not, one has to at some point come into a clear relationship with a 3-personal God, accepting it.
I do not know.
I do know that he was part of the "Extraordinary Lutheran Ministry" project of the schismatic gay lobby Lutherans Concerned-North America (now known by some other name)..."ordained" by this group, illegally called by a congregation prior to the AD 2009 rule-changing Churchwide Assembly.
Right on!
Yup. I think the modern, low-power church (understood that many congregations are the exception, but it is the sad norm) has thrown up its hands over the issue of homosexuality. It has deep emotional/spiritual roots, but it is NOT an insuperable problem. If there is anywhere that Christ can be shown as capable of doing wonders, it is in changing homosexuals (and other paraphiliacs... which boils down to idolatry) into genuine lovers of God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, and the Son, and this God conquers all those old spiritual bonds and simply erases them with His superior power. Where the progeny of Freud were frustrated. It’s like building a skyscraper vs. building a mud castle.
I believe the Episcopalian gay bishop in New England retired a year or two ago - are there others?
But, that's not the case for everyone. Obviously, many have decided against looking and have closed themselves off, for whatever reason.
Never too late...until it is.
That's the old 'pluck your eye out' doctrine!
Seriously some of these people seem to think they are going to hell if they don't pick a gay for every office in their church. That is a real problem.
Well, the bible does speak of such egregious wolves in sheep’s clothing that “they would not progress very far” (repeating this from memory). Maybe once the sensation is over, selfish motives will sidetrack this flash in the pan.
“I am so glad that I went LCMS.”
It’s coming there too. They are just a few years behind ELCA.
Plenty of Dr. Guy Erwin’s kind serving as LCMS pastors — just protected and covered up by the organization.
I suppose so, but bishops (overseers, episkopos) are a legitimate part of church structure. The eye here refers to clearly sinful habits, I believe. The Lord is urging His own to be done with those and not permit them to obstruct their obedience to the call. Which ultimately is an ongoing process culminating in heavenly perfection on the other side of glory.
I dont think the LCMS will go that way. But if it does, I’m looking for a new church
It’s sad. One place this can hide is earthly denominationalism. “Oh, we need to be good Lutherans (or Catholics, or Baptists or whatever) and he might be a hinky person but he sure talks up the Lutherans (or Catholics, or Baptists or whatever). So we’ll turn a blind eye and not call him out on it in love.”
I’m tickled you have. My $0.02: be cautious about what traditions you adopt beyond the bible, though. Make sure they are substantially illuminated by the bible and not just out there in their own little world.
Openly partnered lesbian Mary Glasspool was elected "suffragan bishop" of a California Diocese.
It's somewhat frightening to realize the degree to which the three branches of His Church have become antagonistic and mistrustful of each other rather than praying together as He longs for.
Then again, look at how far they each have fallen from their roles as guiding lights. It's no wonder we have fallen so far so quickly. Looks like the last chapter of the ongoing story we were born into and have to figure out.
We were warned and have so far ignored the warnings.
...AD 2009 rule-changing Churchwide Assembly.
I remember that. A tornado hit the church steeple when that occured. You think He might have been weighing in on that decision?
I haven’t ever pledged to a denomination myself; I got most of my Christian background relatively late in life at a bible church. I currently worship with a Southern Baptist congregation but not as a formal member. Church organizations have pluses and minuses, but the bible itself clearly calls for the fellowship and group worship of believers.
I agree with Roman Catholics on some things and disagree on others. I don’t think any earthly church congregation has the Christian walk or even teaching down perfect, and neither do I have it perfect either, but I accept the bible to be a reliable and spiritually effective witness written by believers. I say watch out where things like rosaries and prayers to departed saints are concerned, traditions that are well post-biblical. I will probably get panned by Roman Catholics for saying this, but in too many Christians’ lives they have obscured the work of investing oneself directly in God. Praying to a departed saint to help, if it were spiritually valid (some view it as a kind of heavenly prayer warrior request), is NOT better than praying to Jesus! God does not want action by servants at a distance; He wants personal involvement! And the Holy Spirit purifies and intercedes (from within us) on behalf of our own clumsy prayers with groanings we don’t even know how to groan (but He does teach us more about it as time progresses). As for rosaries, they would be like prayer lists; fine I suppose (though prayers to departed saints are questionable), but don’t let that obscure spontaneous prayers (which are inspired in your heart by the Holy Spirit).
Luther was right about this, as far as he went.
Ultimately homosexuality, as other paraphilias, is a spiritual bondage with deep roots and can’t just have a wand waved over it, so to speak. The life that is thus polluted has to be delved into with the power and light of the Holy Spirit. In a way it’s like psychoanalysis, but with a theory that IS completely correct.
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