Minister's suspension exposes debate on interfaith relations

The Journal News ^ | July 23, 2002 | Gary Stern

[Charles Henrickson]

Many New Yorkers were stunned when a Lutheran minister was suspended recently for praying alongside non-Christians

[Charles Henrickson]

LCMS ping.

[egarvue]

Thanks for the article, I read this earlier today. It is a much more fair and balanced look at the issue, rather than the usual one-sided liberal hit pieces that have been showing up in the media. I wrote the reporter and commended him for his fairness.

[Cacophonous]

As a WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) member, I was glad to see this. Good for the LCMS.

[sinkspur]

If you guys kick Benke out, I suspect Cardinal Egan might be willing to give him a home in the Catholic Church. If I were a bishop, I'd be calling him right now.

Does this guy have a history of this, or does the 9/11 circumstance not enter into the thinking of the judges in this case?

This is an overreaction to a highly-emotional situation. I'd be interested in what a former Lutheran, Fr. Richard Neuhaus, has to say about this.

[vladog]

Christians are not supposed to consort with pagans, unless you are trying to convert them. What is so hard to understand about that?

[niteowl77]

"I believe that you say to someone, 'If you allow me to state my position, I'll give you the same respect,' " Benke said.

I must have missed a pretty important passage somewhere: "I am the light and the way... but before you believe what I say, we should really talk to this prophet of Baal- he's really not a bad fellow, and he loves animals. Later on, we can go over to Dagon's PR coordinator and get some literature explaining the positive side of child sacrifice. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That's what it's all about."

So, Reverend Benke... what do you do with salt which has last its saltiness?

[B-Chan]

Former LCMS (now Catholic) bump.

[Mfkmmof4]

The Catholic Church has been known to pray ecumenically!

[Chemnitz]

Benke has a history of doing this and promising never to do it again. However, I really doubt that Benke's suspension will be upheld. The new and very liberal LCMS president (Keischnick) is an advocate for Benke. The Pentecostals, women's ordination fan club, Church Growth gurus, and I-wannabe-in-ELCA Missouri Synod Lutherans all back Kieschnick and Benke.

Nevertheless, I think the controversy, caused by Benke, will finally end the phony unity of the LCMS. And I am quite certain that Kieschnick will drive Wallace Schulz out of the synod. So it will be Benke who is rewarded and Schulz (who wrote the suspension up) who is punished.

Benke belongs in the ELCA.

[B-Chan]

So?

[sinkspur]

The Catholic Church has been known to pray ecumenically!

You bet. Every January, from the 18th to the 25th, Catholics are in Protestant Churches and Protestants are in Catholic Churches.

That's why this seems so heavy-handed to me. Benke could go play golf with me, but, God help him if he prays with me!

[muawiyah]

Christians not consort with pagans?!

The NT has a number of pieces of advice on how to do so.

The most devout Jews in that time did not consort with pagans. We are Christians, not Jews.

[APBaer]

"Christians are not supposed to consort with pagans, unless you are trying to convert them. What is so hard to understand about that?"

Yes. I think you have well expressed the Taliban point of view:
"[Muslims] are not supposed to consort with [infidels], unless you are trying to convert them. What is so hard to understand about that?

Same page, different book, the Mullah would be proud of you.

[RnMomof7]

"The illusion is this: When we see tens of thousands of people worshipping, joining hands in prayer, we are to conclude that we are not observing worship. I know worship when I see it, and I cannot ask Christians to pray with those who do not recognize the Christian God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — without giving grave offense to God himself and his people."

Reform Bump!

Exd 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;

[rwfromkansas]

A previous president of the LCMS rebuked him for doing this same thing and he promised never to do it again. He lied and shold not just be removed from the pulpit, but excommunicated from the LCMS.

[rwfromkansas]

Is there any way to force the president out of his post?

[sinkspur]

He lied and shold not just be removed from the pulpit, but excommunicated from the LCMS.

Because he prayed with Catholics and other Protestants, and, yes, with non-Christians after 9/11?

With all due respect, that's just nutty.

You want to kick him out, we Catholics will take him.

[Chemnitz]

There are many different ways, including the next election, but he knows how to control the power of the synod. He should win the next election handily.

Also, I believe Kieschnick will effectively split the synod, and that will be good. The conservatives should leave. They lost a long time ago. It's time to form a new synod. That would be the best message to Kieschnick.

[sinkspur]

"The illusion is this: When we see tens of thousands of people worshipping, joining hands in prayer, we are to conclude that we are not observing worship. I know worship when I see it, and I cannot ask Christians to pray with those who do not recognize the Christian God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — without giving grave offense to God himself and his people."

I'm not surprised you'd think this was blasphemous, momma.

Tens of thousands praying is more than 144,000. Why are the excess praying, since they're going to hell, right?