A Sad Walk Through An ELCA Seminary

Exposing the ELCA ^ | 10/30/13 | Tom Brock

[rhema]

(I received this the other day. It's written by Pastor Tom Brock) -

Today I walked through my old alma mater, Luther Theological Seminary in St Paul, Mn. It is known as probably the most conservative of the ELCA seminaries. You wouldn’t know it from the number of gay/lesbian bumper stickers in the parking lot. Upon entering the main building a sign was up promoting a new book at Luther’s Bookstore, “Pastrix” by ELCA Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. She was a favorite speaker at the ELCA Youth Assembly and a few months ago spoke at the historic Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis—using the “f” word in her speech. I flipped through her new book and she repeatedly uses the “f” word, referring to the 12 disciples as a “bunch of “f” ups”. Former ELCA Head Bishop Mark Hanson praises the book on the dustcover. Even more disturbing is that Bolz-Weber in a sermon on Christ the King Sunday denied that Christ died in our place to pay for our sins. To quote:

And just to be clear: The cross is not about God as divine child abuser sadly sending his little boy off to be killed because we were bad and well, somebody had to pay.

Can someone deny the things of “first importance” as Paul puts it in I Corinthians 15:3, and still be a Christian? Yet she is a favorite speaker at ELCA events.

This attack on Christ’s substitutionary atonement is also going on at the ELCA’s Wartburg Seminary. Professor of New Testament David Lull wrote this:

" . . .I can’t get past the idea that God had a thirst for innocent blood that had to be quenched, or that God’s justice required a death-penalty for sinners until Jesus’ death satisfied God’s wrath. Even if Bible passages can be made to support these ideas, I can’t get past the idea that God had been unforgiving before Jesus died. That’s not the God I find in the Bible."

“Even if” the Bible teaches it, Professor Lull rejects it.

So now the day has come that the ELCA allows pastors and professors to deny the central teaching of the Christian faith: that sinless Jesus Christ died in our place to pay for our sins so that we could receive the forgiveness of God.

Like I said, a very sad day walking through Luther Seminary.

[2ndDivisionVet]

“I didn’t leave the Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church left me.”

[txrefugee]

They should be sued for using the name “Lutheran.” There is no Lutheran doctrine being preached in that denomination. It’s really “The Church of What’s Happenin’ Now,” of the old Flip Wilson comedy show....only they won’t be laughing on Judgment Day when these unfaithful stewards are asked to give an account to their faithfulness to Scripture. And that day will come, because Jesus said so.

[garyb]

“I didn’t leave the Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church left me.”

Please note that the views of the ELCA are NOT shared with either the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod or the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

[Arm_Bears]

People of all denominations are voting with their feet.

I was a cradle Episcopalian—No more.

[Guenevere]

Same here........but it’s not just the Lutheran Church....it’s every denomination that allows the camel’s nose of apostosy under the tent flap!

.......especially the seminaries

The Presbyterian Church, PCA exists today ( and has for over 30 years because it was started and formed after leaving the mainline ( & now apostate Presbyterian Church, USA

[Sans-Culotte]

So, the ELCA appears to have joined the Unitarian Universalists.

[Hardastarboard]

The truly bizarre irony here is that the Lutheran Church was founded as a protest against Catholicism having lost its way doctrinally. What would Martin Luther think of his church now?

[vladimir998]

Why are Protestants upset by Bolz-Weber or any of the other bizarre things going on in Protestantism?

Seriously, how can members of a group of sects founded on rebellion and revolutionary theology based on the interpretation of scripture separate from that of all Christian tradition be upset by someone like Bolz-Weber? Bolz-Weber is just the female, tattooed Martin Luther of her day: http://www.nadiabolzweber.com/media

[niteowl77]

I'm not far from an ELCA seminary that is mentioned, and depending on the particular day, it could either be a sad or a truly creepy place to walk into. The vestiges of Christianity were there, but they did not effectively camouflage the new paradigm. There were - and are, but I speak in the past tense because I no longer have any reason to even drive past the place - professors emeritus (IOW, who were old enough to know better) that were outspoken global socialists, pan-homosexualists and virulent "pro-Palestinians" (they seem to prefer the term "anti-zionists," but they embrace The Fat Doctor at his worst and then build on it). Yeah, the bumper stickers, posters, and various "theses nailed to the doors" - so to speak - that let you know everyone is loud, proud and filled with the spirit of social justice, though not necessarily enamored of the Gospels as written.

Having been raised in what became an ELCA church, their apostasy has left me embittered towards them, but not nearly as embittered as they seem to be towards the Bible. This denomination can't run out of self-delusional old peoples' money soon enough.

Mr. niteowl77

[BeadCounter]

Don’t want to jump to judgment considering this Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber but she seems to be tattooed up and you can see her here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tonyjones/2011/06/28/the-wild-goose-festival-the-talks/ Also, looks like she was at the 2011 Wild Goose Festival in NC. This Wild Goose Festival was mentioned in this forum the other day. Her website: http://www.nadiabolzweber.com/latest-sermons May try and read a sermon to see what this person is about.

[Jim Noble]

it’s every denomination that allows the camel’s nose of apostosy under the tent flap!

That camel is getting pretty old! Born October 31, 1517, died?

[Jim Noble]

Please note that the views of the ELCA are NOT shared with either the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod or the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

And when THEY apostasize and split, forming smaller and smaller "orthodox" bodies, each of them will proclaim that only THEY, according to THEIR private interpretations of the Bible, are remaining faithful.

[ThunderSleeps]

Same here. I haven’t been back since they decided to promote homosexual behavior by ordaining gays. It is one thing to forgive sin, quite another to encourage it by rewarding the unrepentant.

[BeadCounter]

That may be oversimplifying the situation and history of the Lutheran Church. Historically, for example, the WELS, WIsconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod was merely under the umbrella of the Lutheran Church of America but it already existed prior to their joining to be in a sort of solidarity with Lutherans in general. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Evangelical_Lutheran_Synod

All the same, it is very different than how the Catholic Church might be which even at that, seems to have a split from the Orthodox.

[Robert Burkholder]

America has heaped to itself teachers. with itching ears we have been turned from the truth—turned to the lie and like
Jerusalem in the days of the great Prophets we are too proud to even see our sin.For we have told everyone God will NOT see.Or God will approve.

[MrB]

That’s pretty much the essence of “liberalism” in general - thinking they know better than God. Judging His ways by their own standards.

[MrB]

It's too bad, too, because I really enjoyed these guys when I was a kid:

[Guenevere]

I choose not to get into a flame war with you.

[kidd]

What would Martin Luther think of his church now?

He'd probably return to Catholicism