I think I want a Divorce

Lutheran Forum ^ | 12 March AD 2009 | Paul R. Hinlicky

[lightman]

Yesterday the Church Council of the ELCA figuratively filed the papers against every traditionalist pastor and congregation.

[lightman]

Lutheran (ELCA) Ping!

Keep a Good Lent!

Be sure also to read:

Statement by Three Dissenting Members of the ELCA Task Force on Human Sexuality

“Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust”: A Critique by Carl E. Braaten

When There Are No Biblical or Theological Grounds to Change, Don’t

WordAlone Network responds to ELCA human sexuality proposals

Lutheran CORE leaders urge rejection of ELCA task force recommendations

Pastoral Guidance Concerning Same-Sex Unions

[exist]

When divorce isn’t an option, it’s time for ashleymadison.com

[utahagen]

Any orthodox Christians still left in the ELCA should flee for the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church pronto.

[2ndDivisionVet]

The LCMS must be loving this.

[lightman]

From the comments on the Lutheran Forum page, at the very bottom, there comes this sage advice from Pastor Hinlicky:

My counsel to pastors is this: wait and see what actually happens in August; in the meantime, take action to protect yourself and your congregation, such as amending your congregation's constitution to require pastor's subscription to Visions and Expectations; do not forward any more money to Higgins Road, but invest your mission giving in worthy causes; begin to look for other forms of wider church fellowship; insist that in regard to the foregoing you are acting in conscience and loyally to your ordination vows and will not be bullied or intimadated about the foregoing; bear witness against at every possible opportunity against the bullies, even if you must suffer for it. If in August, the proposals pass, then look to the formation of a non-geographical coalition with a good conscience, in that the ELCA by passing that local ordination option has de facto ceased to exist as a church.

My advice to congregations is: don't give your money to anything you don't believe in, don't participate in the stacked deck of ELCA assemblies according to their rules any longer; don't continue in the state of sloth but demand that your pastors teach you the Scripture, the Confessions and trustworthy Lutheran and ecumenical theology. And if all that fails, then wipe the dust off your feet. Or, wait like me until they kick you out.

[Trod Upon]

This cave-in to homosexuality (my pastor flat out said it wasn’t a sin) was the last straw. I’m no longer ELCA.

[huskerjim]

I divorced the ELCA years ago.

[MinuteGal]

Lightman, I've been watching your battle for a long time through your posts on FR. I've always thought that it would be a losing battle, but there was always the chance the ELCA Synod would change its liberal stance.....or you would leave it because it WOULDN'T change its stance. In my own mind, I always knew it would be the latter.

I never said it to you directly because the issue was a matter between you, your church and God.

Now, since you are rather half-heartedly "separating" from the synod, and you posted it for us to read, I feel comfortable in saying..."why are you hanging around like a scorned lover or an abused spouse?"

I say....put your considerable talents, energy, faith and savvy to work in a synod that isn't rotting to the core from the machinations of leftists and apostates.

Any conservative Lutheran synod/congregation very probably is desperate for men and women of true biblical faith with leadership abilities and expertise.

You won't be abandoning your fellow ELCA members in your own church.....God gave us all free will to choose our paths. Set the example, communicate with them and pray they will follow you in the age-old path of biblical righteousness you are thinking about trodding again in your work.

I'll pray for you and wish you Godspeed in whatever the future holds for you.

I definitely see a more perfect "marriage" ahead of you with golden opportunities to do the Lords's work unencumbered by constant "marital" battles with the dark side in your synod.

Leni
(Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod)

[RobinOfKingston]

The LCMS must be loving this.

I am Lutheran, though neither elca not LCMC. There are as many as 21 different flavors of Lutherans, just in America. (See below.) I can't believe that any responsible Christian of any sort would be 'loving this.'

1. American Association of Lutheran Churches
2. Apostolic Lutheran Church of America
3. Association of Free Lutheran Congregations
4. Augustana Orthodox and Evangelical Lutheran Synod
5. Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America
6. Church of the Lutheran Confession
7. Concordia Lutheran Conference
8. Conservative Lutheran Association
9. Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad
10. Evangelical Lutheran Synod
11. Fellowship of Lutheran Congregations
12. International Lutheran Fellowship
13. Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
14. Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Diaspora
15. Lutheran Churches of the Reformation
16. The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
17. The Lutheran Confessional Synod
18. Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
19. Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA
20. The Protes’tant (sic) Conference
21. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

[Lee N. Field]

ashleymadison.com

Wow. I had no idea.

[aliquando]

As I have told my Pastor; this is a case of the Church leaving me, not me leaving the Church. Locally, I have the option of Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Synod, or the Catholic Church. Any thoughts on this?

[lightman]

Strange as a reform movement within a reform movement may sound, there is a pan-Lutheran (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) oratory of biblically conservative, liturgically steeped clergy that has gathered for mutual support and to resist the tide of modernity.

I encourage you to check out the website of the Society of the Holy Trinity http://www.societyholytrinity.org Read the page on "The Rule" http://www.societyholytrinity.org/rule.htm, paying particular attention to the section entitled "Parish Practices".Members of the Society are deeply committed to the weekly Eucharist, Private Confession and Absolution, and the public recitation of the Daily Office

Then look at the membership directory http://www.societyholytrinity.org/stswebdirectory.htm to see if there are any STS members serving a congregation within a reasonable driving distance. Although not every parish is practicing every aspect of the Rule at this time, most subscriber clergy are committed to working toward those goals and have a deliberate plan to achieve them incrementally. These clergy would be delighted to receive visitors and/or new members who share those commitments.

Like you, they are somewhat embattled within their own denominations. They would welcome your support and you would benefit from their ministry.

[aliquando]

Thanks for the input. It angers me beyond belief that they are taking the Church of my fathers from me.

[Salvation]

We would welcome you. RCIA would update you on the differences between the Lutheran and Catholic beliefs. Since you post here, however, you are probably already aware of them. So the class would be a fomrality for many.

Let me be the first to say “Welcome Home!”

[red irish]

A few years back my daughter married a man from Sweden. We learned that Sweden pretty much have a state religion,Lutheran. When my daughter went to Sweden to meet his parents they were wonderful people but very liberal. At least the cultural is there. Most couples are expected to live together instead of getting married but Nick’s parents didn’t exactly agree with that. His family did not go to church but he declared himself Lutheran. Now we are Catholic,conservative Catholic and when she visited Sweden she went to a small Catholic church and Nick and his parents went also. But as we got to know Nick there were many things he believed as a Lutheran I found that surprised me. Going to church was no big deal,he didn’t believe in hell,communion was symbolic. Well I started calling different Lutheran churches here and was surprised that each church said something different. Now I know different people from different faiths may have some differences but these were all Lutherans and they all believe differently. For some reason as a Catholic I found that odd. But now we as Christians can see many of our priests and Pastors are really not Christians but truly wolves in sheep’s clothing. It pains the heart to see so much apostasy in the world today. May God have mercy on us all.

[lightman]

Catholicism is not the only faith to be afflicted with “cafeteria-ism”.

As the rainbow flag of diversity extends its compromising banners over more and more communities the variety of praxis is truly staggering.

Two decades ago I had hoped that pastors pledging to preach and teach in accordance with the Lutheran Confessions would prove a sufficient wall against the barbarian horde. Alas, the wall has crumbled. Most have become as the Queen of Hearts “words mean what I want them to mean”.

[Arrowhead1952]

As I have told my Pastor; this is a case of the Church leaving me, not me leaving the Church. Locally, I have the option of Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Synod, or the Catholic Church. Any thoughts on this?

I live in a community in central Texas, and we have several former ECLA members that have come to the LCMS. They have been very pleased with the teachings of our synod and have said it is much more like the "old ECLA" teaching. We also have former Baptists, Episcopalians, Presbiterians, several Catholics and even one Hindu lady (who is now basically an outcast from her family) in our congregation.

[Iscool]

Is the Lutheran church so close to the Catholic church that a person can just flip over like that???

[armydoc]

We would welcome you. RCIA would update you on the differences between the Lutheran and Catholic beliefs. Since you post here, however, you are probably already aware of them. So the class would be a fomrality for many. Let me be the first to say “Welcome Home!”

What a kind and generous outreach. We need more of that on the FR religion forum. In that spirit, Salvation, let me assure you that my conservative Protestant denomination (PCA) would likewise welcome you. If you need updates on the differences between Catholic and PCA teachings, we also have classes that would help. I think, however, that you are probably aware of them. Let me be the first to say to you, "Welcome Home!"