Aye, and with grateful thanksgiving for those around the globe who remain faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions.
Lutheran Ping!
Be rooted in Christ!
Posted on 07/11/2011 7:15:48 PM PDT by markomalley
Christian churches in Latvia have criticized a new social science school textbook that describes gay and lesbian life as a "normal aspect of sexuality."
"The church isn't alone in its traditional view of the family in Latvia," said Ivars Kubcis, spokesman for the country's Evangelical Lutheran church.
"Our church's attitude to homosexuality is strongly linked to our understanding of Bible teaching and the authority of God's Word; in brief, we regard homosexuality as a sin. At the same time, we welcome different kinds of sinners in our churches, who admit they are sinners."
Kubcis issued the statement to ENInews today as preparations were made to introduce the ninth-grade textbook, which includes favorable treatment of homosexuality by a leading psychotherapist, Jolanta Cihanovica.
A senior Baptist told ENInews most Latvians agreed with the churches, and said moral and social issues had become an important field of ecumenical cooperation.
"Seven years after we joined the European Union, many feel we are being forced to accept moral and social attitudes out of step with our traditions," said Peteris Eisans, deputy presiding bishop of Latvia's Baptist Union. "In Western Europe, people have grown into this slowly, step by step. Here, it's as if a great fire truck has rolled up, opened its water pump with full force, and made people drink."
(Excerpt) Read more at speroforum.com ...
Perhaps the Lutheran ping list would be interested in this.
Oh... Latvian Lutherans!
You had me there for a second.
And I used to be one... (a M-S Lutheran, not a Latvian)
Interested and heartened.
In theological La La Land, the ELCA Lutheran poobahs will be harrumphing in high dudgeon over it.
Aye, and with grateful thanksgiving for those around the globe who remain faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions.
Lutheran Ping!
Be rooted in Christ!
Eu, the European Union is gonna get them!!!!
Abolish the EU!!!!
Looks like I need to go all the way to Latvia if I want to go attend a traditional Lutheran Church service.
As a life-long Lutheran (baptized, confirmed and even graduated from Cal Lutheran Univ.), I couldn’t stomach the ELCA’s decision to allow gay clergy, and therefore stopped attending Lutheran services, and withdrew my membership from the church I have attended for the past 47 years.
Now I attend service at my local Catholic Church. Been looking for a new Lutheran Church (one that doesn’t abide homosexual clergy), but they are non-existant in California.
Try the Orthodox!!!!
I never figured out how to post a live link, but if you Google on “Evangelical - Lutheran Liturgical Congregations”, you can find a listings of liturgically orthodox Lutheran congregations...some of them even in California.
I’ve never attended an Orthodox service. Do any Orthodox churches in So. Cal. conduct the service in English? It was my understanding that the Orthodox churches in the USA are conducted in the language of their respective congregations (Russian, Greek, Armenian, Serb, etc.).
Outstanding. Much thanks.
Excellent. Thank you.
Many Orthodox parishes conduct their services in English. Nearly all Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and Antiochian Orthodox parishes do, and even around half of the Serbian Orthodox parishes in the Serbian Diocese of Western America do. (I know the Bishop, who is based in Alhambra, CA.)
So get on the Internet, and find Orthodox parishes near you, and check them out for the language of worship. Go for Divine Liturgy, stay for the coffee hour or lunch, and ask lots of questions of clergy and laity.
You will not be able to receive Holy Communion, but if you’re attending a Roman Catholic parish, you’re used to that. The priest will hand you a piece of blessed (but not consecrated) bread when you go up to venerate the Cross after Liturgy, however, and an alert layperson might give you a piece of blessed bread after he or she receives Communion.
May God bless you in your worship and in your inquiry!
Great. Thank you.
Receiving lots of good advice. FReepers are the best!
Allow me to second the Serb’s advice. You should look at reconciling yourself with the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church (whether Eastern or Western). Naturally, as a Latin, I would prefer to see you with a Latin parish, but I recognize that a lot of them out of the left coast are pretty out there.
So if you can find a good orthodox (little “o”) Eastern parish, by all means, check it out. The liturgy is beautiful and, if you take the time to actually learn the spirituality that undergirds that liturgy, you’ll find it will change your life!
That’s very helpful. I will definitely be looking into all the advice all of you have provided.
Am definitely going to investigate all of them.
Thank you all so very much. I feel better now than when I woke up this morning.
Best regards and God bless you guys.
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is conservative, separate from ELCA.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.