[Charles Henrickson]

LCMS ping.

[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.

[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;

[Torie]

This church needs a new PR agent. Worrying about who is praying with whom seems to me to be to low priority issue, and in fact rather intrusive. JMO.

[George W. Bush]

This action by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a national denomination known for its conservative views, struck some in this wounded and politically correct region as cold and even unchristian.

Maybe there's some life left in the Missouri Synod. I've felt badly for their conservative members. Maybe this is a sign of hope.

"No one questions that Pastor Benke showed us what a pastor is supposed to do after 9/11, spending days and weeks at Ground Zero," said Anthony Iovine of Yonkers, who is training to be a Missouri Synod minister and acknowledges being a rare conservative in a liberal corner of his church. "No one is questioning his ability as a pastor. We're questioning his theology. If you pray next to a Muslim, you are saying that his God is equal to mine. But the First Commandment says 'You shall have no other gods but me.' "

Boy, this sounds familiar!

Hey, No.6, keep us informed on how this works out. I've found it hard to believe that the liberals were going to beat the Missouri Synod among Lutherans.

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

Thanks for the post. Please add me to your LCMS ping list. I am an LCMS member in Minnesota and very conservative in regard to most things, but I support Reverend Benke.

Regarding this issue, I feel we should ask ourselves, "What would Jesus have done?" He was roundly criticized by the Pharisees for consorting with "taxpayers and sinners" and yet he repeatedly stated through his actions and words that that was exactly where his ministry was intended to be.

Looks like we are seeing the modern day Pharisees in action with this decision to suspend Rev. Benke over abstract theological purity issues rather than ministering "unto the least of these"....

[tracer]

"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."

Rev. Bolland's view is completely unscriptural and not at all Christ-like, IMO.....