Decision Time for Mainline Lutherans

The Christian Century ^ | August 09, 2005 | John Dart

[wallcrawlr]

Ill pray the Holy Spirit convicts these leaders of the ELCA.

I hope for the best and expect the worst.

[maestro]

.....Decision Time for Mainline Lutherans.....The 'KJV' or,...Harry Potter?

[Charles Henrickson]

Decision Time for Mainline Lutherans

The ELCA may be "mainline" liberal social-political ecumaniac Protestants, but they're not very Lutheran. They don't deserve that excellent name.

I'm speaking here, of course, of official, headquarters-and-seminaries ELCA, not necessarily of the remaining faithful Lutheran congregations and pastors.

[wallcrawlr]

understood and agree.

[Graves]

Looks to me as if we're looking at a worldwide attack that crosses all denominational & jurisdictional boundary lines.

[newgeezer]

Decision Time for Mainline Lutherans

I wonder what basis they'll use for their decision. If the Bible, the decision really comes down to whether they're willing to ignore certain additional parts of it.

Since they've been ordaining female pastors for so many years, sodomite pastors shouldn't present too formidable a challenge.

[wallcrawlr]

It certainly is.

Its my hope the ELCA stands on the cornerstone of Christ and not the shifting sands of the world.

[madprof98]

Its my hope the ELCA stands on the cornerstone of Christ and not the shifting sands of the world.

Fat chance! Aren't they already paying for their ministers' abortions?

[biblewonk]

It's almost a done deal once a denomination allows females to be pastors. Gays are the very next step.

[wallcrawlr]

can you help me with a source for that?...ive never heard that one.

[Graves]

"It's almost a done deal once a denomination allows females to be pastors. Gays are the very next step."

Only supra rosa. Sub rosa, it goes on all over. What they want is for their pleasures to be universally considered normal, or perfectly acceptable at the very least.

[redgolum]

Looks to me as if we're looking at a worldwide attack that crosses all denominational & jurisdictional boundary lines.

We are indeed. Lutheran Ping Tony.

[FormerLib]

The proposal asks members to "trust pastors and congregations to discern ways to provide faithful pastoral care to same-sex couples."

All that either should have to say in such a situation is "go and sin no more."

It was clearly good enough for Jesus, the only question is whether this church follows Him or someone else.

[FormerLib]

It's almost a done deal once a denomination allows females to be pastors. Gays are the very next step.

That certainly seems to be the pattern. I'm so very glad to only be an outside observer to the entire mess.

[biblewonk]

"Outside" of what? That denomination or Christianity?

[wallcrawlr]

I'm so very glad to only be an outside observer to the entire mess.

I'm interested too to know how you stay away from this garbage. The homo agenda certainly has afflicted most churches. They have had to make a decision on it.

[Graves]

I've had some interesting patristic stuff - unsigned by the way - that has crossed my desk of late, stuff that really pushes the "go and sin no more" envelope into territory that to me borders on permitting promiscuity, what St. Paul referred to in his Epistle to the Church in Rome.
Rom 1:24, 27, and 32 "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: ..And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet...Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

The patristic quotes, while possibly taken from out of context, were well referenced.

It mystified me that the material came to me unsigned, as if my reaction or acquiescence was being sought, but the compiler apparently did not want his name attached to it. I was not overly thrilled with this and so I told the sender it would be greatly improved were it to include at least a reference to the due canonical process for dealing with scandalous behavior.

[redgolum]

Interesting. Is someone trying to push for a lassie fair attitude in regards to sexual morality?

I haven't read the early Church Fathers as extensively as I should (working on that), but I have yet to run across any thing that "borders on permitting promiscuity".