Interfaith Is No Faith

The Wall Street Journal ^ | July 19, 2002 | Mollie Ziegler

[Charles Henrickson]

You would think that the more militant forms of Islam would be enough to worry about these days, for those inclined to anguish over religious extremism. But no. Apparently the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod deserves our special concern. In late June, the church suspended the Rev. David Benke, the president of its Atlantic District and the pastor of a Brooklyn church, for praying with clerics who don't share the Christian faith.

[piasa]

"The gospel is not served, it is not confessed--indeed, the gospel is eviscerated--when Jesus Christ is presented as one of many options from which to choose on a smorgasbord of spirituality."

You can say that again.

[Charles Henrickson]

LCMS ping.

[Ford Fairlane]

Finally, someone in the media sticking up for us.

[Bobby777]

two thumbs up to the Wall Street Journal for having the guts to print this ...

[ActionNewsBill]

Naturally, the suspension caused all hell to break loose. From the New York Times' editors to FoxNews's Bill O'Reilly, pundits and commentators chided the Lutherans for their intolerance. Mr. O'Reilly, not otherwise known for theological expertise, even accused the church of "not following Jesus."

Yet another reason not to watch O'Reilly.

I don't think Jesus would be a part of any interfaith gathering.

[Bobby777]

amazing ... didn't know O'Reilly was sooooooooo unlearned in the Gospels ... obviously he meant the "jesus" created by the "jesus seminar" people ...

[Charles Henrickson]

Ping.

[TightSqueeze]

LCMS BUMP

I would hope that if Mr. Benke should ask for forgiveness that the Synod becomes long suffering with those who fail to live up to the letter of the law, in doing so the Synod will truly display Christian love to the world.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

THANK YOU PASTOR !!!!!!! I am copying this heartening article and sending it to many friends right now.

God bless Mollie Ziegler.

[RobRoy]

Yes, I agree. Of course he can't keep a position of leadership afterwards.

You forgive someone for yourself, not for them...

[egarvue]

Thanks for this, Pastor!!! I had read this article on Lutherquest.org before you had pinged me. Its nice to see that at least both sides are starting to get presented. One thing I didn't know, but do now, is that BENKE WAS NEVER INVITED TO THE SERVICE!!!!!! He had to lobby to be included, and when he showed up a the service, his name wasn't on the cleared list. He snuck out onto the field by clutching the arm of Catholic Cardinal Egan...they had to find him a chair. This is not rumor - this is BY BENKE'S OWN ADMISSION!!!! See esp. the paragraphs following the "Sunday 23rd" headinghttp://www.ad-lcms.org/response_to_charges.html What a glory-seeking, lying, Clintonesque scum!

[aberaussie]

Yet another reason not to watch O'Reilly.

Either during this discussion on his show or something else religious, he stated that good people from all religions would be in heaven. Not exactly orthodox Christian, but a very popular belief amongst even some of those who call themselves evangelical.

[RnMomof7]

amazing ... didn't know O'Reilly was sooooooooo unlearned in the Gospels ... obviously he meant the "jesus" created by the "jesus seminar" people ...

Have you ever heard him TRY to quote it? He has no clue what is in the Bible..

[Charles Henrickson]

What a glory-seeking, lying, Clintonesque scum!

While I understand your being upset, and while I disagree strongly with what the Rev. Benke did, and think it is grounds for his removal as president, I must come to his defense here. I don't think we can judge his motives. We must judge his public behavior, but we cannot judge his motives in this instance.

[Bobby777]

no I've only read the published stuff ... I'm not surprised ... it's easy to spot those who are not well-read ...

[muawiyah]

Sure we can judge his motives. Very clearly Mr. Benke has expressed a desire to join my "off the deep end of Calvinist thought" Disciples of Christ.

We have a lot of former Lutherans, and former Catholics, and former Methodists, ...... .

The unofficial motto is "if it ain't ecumenical it just ain't right". Of course he may well have to be rebaptised (just in case he was "dipped" as an infant), and he'll have to get used to "Communion" being a commemoration of the coming together at meal time with Jesus!

Otherwise, he'll be OK and can go pray with Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, sinners, and anybody he wants in his spare time. "Oh, just as I am without one sin......" will bring joy to his ears as he steps forward for the big change.

[goodieD]

This is the thing that really got me steamed at O'Reilly, he was claiming, on his show, that the point of the New Testament was that Christians must be tolerant of other faiths and the the Old Testament was all "allegory" anyhow. What O'Reilly knows about the Bible can fit on the head of a pin. and I'm being generous.
Freeper Rob Roy said it best when he said "As a professing Christian Fundamentalist (PCF) I have coined the phrase, "Jesus was the most religiously intolerant Man that ever walked the face of the earth." "Most of what is called Christianity in this country is mere culture".
I couldn't have put it better myself.

[TightSqueeze]

…and he'll have to get used to "Communion" being a commemoration of the coming together at meal time with Jesus!

If it ain’t the body and blood, why bother.
I sincerely ask, because I have recently moved to south Florida and even among Lutherans it seems that communion twice a month is enough. My attitude is, if mass is not being celebrated at church why bother going, and have since reexamined my need for Christian fellowship.

[egarvue]

I don't think we can judge his motives. We must judge his public behavior, but we cannot judge his motives in this instance.

Yeah, I know...I posted while I was angry. I apologize to the LCMS Freepers and Benke for calling him scum - that wasn't very Christian of me. But throughout this whole mess, Benke and his supporter's actions are speaking much louder than their words, and this was just another case in point.