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Hanson said. "With the recent increase in anti-Muslim incidents, the deadly shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., and demonstrations and violence in the Middle East, we all need to be asking, what is a faithful, Lutheran evangelical witness in such a context? How in such a context are we going to give account of the hope that is within us?"

Yet not a peep about the anti-Christian violence in Egpyt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and the Sudan

Only Mark Hanson could claim to be rooted in the Scriptures but ignore the appointed Gospel for today, the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist which includes Our Lord's final words that "repentance and forgiveness of sins are to be proclaimed to all nations...".

Lutheran (EL C S*A) Ping!

* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.

Be rooted in Christ!

>> Hanson said. "With the recent increase in anti-Muslim incidents, the deadly shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., and demonstrations and violence in the Middle East, we all need to be asking, what is a faithful, Lutheran evangelical witness in such a context? How in such a context are we going to give account of the hope that is within us?" Yet not a peep about the anti-Christian violence in Egpyt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and the Sudan <<

True, you see the mainstream media cover attacks on other religions all the time, but never mention anti-Christian persectuions. But here we have a "Christian" minister doing the same thing. Funny you never see Muslim clerics preach about "tolerance" towards Christians and complain about anti-Christian violence, the way this guy lectures Christians about anti-Muslim violence.

But I think he's right about "the church always being made new", since he's referring to the ELCA and not the historic Church started by Christ. Christianity has existed for 2000 years, Lutheranism has existed since the 1590s, but the ELCA has only existed since 1988, and was torn apart by factionalism after only 20 years. Liberal denominations always have to create new churches because the old ones collapse whenever they abandon Christian doctrines in order to be more "inclusive" and "tolerant".

The ELCA has become a liberal politically correct organization who is hardly “deeply rooted in Scripture.” They have become the magic marker religion - bring the marker with you to church and simply cross out the verses of Scripture you don’t agree with. Bishop Hanson’s father, who also was a Bishop, would be rolling over in his grave.

ELCA has lost any “deep rootedness in Scripture” with their positions on abortion, homosexuality, social gospel, ‘sinning in grace’ and on and on it goes. People should get out and stop condoning all of the false teachings. Mark those that cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have learned and avoid...Rom. 16:17

This from St. Justin (Popovich) of Celje, to whom I pray daily, on our era of “tolerance and endless dialogue”:

http://ad-orientem.blogspot.com/2010/05/breaking-news-orthodox-church-is-not.html

He needs to clean up his theology (or find some) before he rushes out the door and becomes a “witness” to anything...

There is a lot of room for modernization, even correction of man-made doctrines or interpretations. There is no room for misrepresenting God’s word ... or ignoring it wholesale.

At long last, a statement by the bishop with which I can agree. Thanks to Hanson and his fellow Visigoths, the ELCA has indeed been made new: a new “Jesus” created in their own image, a new Bible with all of those odious passages about sin expunged, and a new “Great Command”: “Go into all the world and preach environmentalism and progressivism.”