Posted on 06/08/2009 10:08:40 AM PDT by markomalley
Last Sunday, late-term abortion doctor George Tiller was gunned down in the foyer of his Lutheran church, where he served as an usher. As anyone with even a cursory understanding of Lutheranism in America could surmise, that church was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Of the various Lutheran church bodies in America, the ELCA is the most mainline and has the most supportive position on legalized abortion. As soon as the terrible news about Tiller’s murder hit the wire, many bloggers and liberal pundits noted that Tiller’s active church membership was at odds with the stereotype of how abortion and religion are related. It didn’t take long for that same meme to make it to the mainstream media stories. What none of these stories have explained is that Tiller had previously been excommunicated by a Lutheran congregation on account of his lack of repentance about and refusal to stop his occupation. That Lutheran congregation was a member of my church body, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Excommunication doesn’t happen terribly frequently in this day and age but it’s not unheard of. I don’t know any of the specifics about his past congregation or what led to the discipline and anticipated learning more about it when it was covered by the mainstream media. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. When the news broke, I had many people who know that I’m Lutheran ask how it was possible that his church had not disciplined him or otherwise encouraged him to stop performing abortions. I had hoped that there would be stories exploring Tiller’s religious beliefs and church membership and that the stories would explain the difference between the ELCA and the LCMS. There is obviously quite a difference between a church body that would discipline a practicing abortion doctor and one that would welcome him in membership. While we did get some stories about his religious views, none of them seemed to have any clue about his religious history. Note, for instance, this piece from the Salt Lake Tribune that was written Religion News Service’s Lindsay Perna and Tiffany Stanley:
The story goes on to quote various people about how Tiller’s church membership changes the dynamics of the abortion debate. How can they not mention that he was previously excommunicated for his abortion work? It’s such an interesting and significant part of the story! That’s just a huge hole. Also, the pro-life people who are quoted in the story are of the Randall Terry variety. With the typical pro-choice activists and typical pro-life activists quoted, the story remains in the muck of “bumper sticker” rhetoric. It’s disappointing. (Robin Abcarian’s piece in the Los Angeles Times dealt solely with the Tiller funeral, which means its sympathetic tone is more appropriate. It also took the ‘Tiller busts stereotypes’ approach.) After Dr. Tiller’s murder, some pundits were confused about how people who see abortion as the unjust killing of babies could also oppose the murder of someone who killed those babies. Here was one such essay written by a fellow libertarian. I saw one letter to the editor written by clergymen in my church body that addressed just that issue:
I can’t help but think that some enterprising reporter should look at how the two Lutheran church bodies handled Dr. Tiller’s occupation differently. It’s disappointing to read that RNS story in light of this rather dramatic back story. |
I lived near Wichita, 1977-’83, and I was a member of the same church as Dennis Rader, Christ Lutheran, which was ALC, at that time. I went to his house, a few times, and he seemed normal, to me. He killed about 20 people, but Tiller killed thousands of babies.
In June 1990, I heard Sen. Simon give a campaign speech, in a Lutheran church, and he said that he was pro-life. He also said that the federal government should decrease welfare spending.
I think you're right. Still not a good thing, though. :-)
He wasn't. He was "pro-choice," but, like so many politicians, he could claim he was "personally" "pro-life," if it fit the audience he was speaking to.
Wikipedia has Simon as a social liberal, fiscal conservative. That seems to mesh with my memory of the man. There's nothing there about a stance on abortion, however.
Ironic that Tiller was killed, in Wichita, by a man named Roeder (which could be pronounced the same as “Rader”).
If Roeder's intentions were "justice" then he deserves the death penalty as seeking "justice" is not an excuse or a justification for taking another's life.
On the other hand, if his motivation was to prevent Tiller from committing more murders and all legal remedies to that end had been exhausted (and they had) then I believe he has a legal justification under the doctrine of "defense of others".
You are right. And I, for one, do not defend the vigilante killing of Tiller, nor do I delight in his death, which may have been (although only God can see the heart) in a state of impenitence and unbelief. His outward behavior did indicate impenitence, and that is what the church has to go on.
After reading over the comments on this thread, I'm not sure at all what you're referring to. We all know we will come to our final judgment, as will Tiller. Why is that an issue with you?
Precisely. To not discipline the congregant is to fail in your duty as clergy to call sinners to repent. If a man's soul is in peril, as Tiller's was, standing by idly simply compounds the sin. Our Lord confronted sinners directly and dutiful clergy MUST do the same.
A vigilante is one who "takes just law into his own hands" and not one who "acts despite unjust law."
It goes beyond his outward behavior, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing.
With Tiller arriving at the front gate to his property, a counselor finished her plea, "You can't go to heaven unrepentant, George; you are going to hell." The abortionist George Tiller instantly quipped, "Abortion is worth going to hell for."
I agree that pastors should ask sinners to repent. Have you heard any pastors preach a sermon against homosexuality, knowing that at least one gay person was listening? I haven’t heard of that.
I’ve not heard a sermon ‘against homosexuality’ per se, however our pastor has made remarks in sermons about the evil of sin, using homosexuality as example. Whether there were homosexuals in the congregation I can’t speak to.
By his “outward behavior,” I mean his words and his works, so I think I’m saying the same thing you are.
Thanks for clarifying, I just think it needs to be known that Tiller acknowledged his ongoing sin AND the eternal damnation that accompanied it.
The last church we attended was Lutheran (LCMS). When I moved I looked for another ‘conservative’ Lutheran churches, and while there is one or two LCMS parishes their congregation(s) are quite small — they even share a pastor.
On the other hand, there are two other Lutheran Churches, and I think they are both ELCA. One has a large school.
Now, I don’t know if it’s common practice in ELCA churches, but the ELCA churches here only celebrate communion twice a month on something like the first and third Sundays. For some reason that immediately put me off (knowing they were mighty liberal in doctrine, IMO would’ve been enough), but it struck me as strange that something so central to Sunday services were curtailed...
At any rate, it is bad that they do not mention his excommunication. Those not associated with the Lutheran Church and all of its “divisions” could definitely be led to believe that Lutherans are pro-choice, and I know that was DEFINITELY not the case in our old church (LCMS).
Which dovetails into something I have posted in other places. When free Christian men (the universal "men") strive for JUSTICE over Liberty, both are lost.
Seems that is what our government is doing, seeking "justice" to commit sins (covetousness; spreading the wealth) while thinking that "liberty" is not affected.
Liberty should be retained, even at the cost of justice as the latter flows from the former.
Soon as I read it, I thought of you. No coincidence, I see. Keep the faith, brother.
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