Posted on 03/31/2009 7:14:24 PM PDT by lightman
On issues like baptism and communion, probably closer to RC than say a southern baptist denomination. Whereas their view of justification would be more “reformed” and closer to baptists(reformed) and presbyterians, etc.
“Thanks for the input. It angers me beyond belief that they are taking the Church of my fathers from me.”
We left about 15 years ago. The “study” of sexuality has been ongoing it seems like since ELCA was formed. My husband said they would keep studying the issue until the congregations allowed their positions. Our local congregation was afraid to withhold funds because they might not be sent a pastor. Well, judging from the pastors they have had ever since, it wouldn’t have been a great loss. It is sad. Sweet people but in my opinion, bound by traditions of men more than God’s word.
Such a danger exists for every church organization regardless of size.
I hope that Rev. Hinlicky won’t leave the ELCA. All ELCA members, who know that the Bible preaches against homosexuality, should contact the church leaders and remind them that ordaining gays and gay weddings disobey the Bible. The ELCA members, who want to disobey the Bible, should leave.
Yhanks for the kind words and LOL!
In some aspects yes, but in others no. Remember that Luther wanted to fix the Catholic Church, not leave it. He only left when the Church refused to mend their ways.
Just like those who are disturbed by this process as it occurs in the Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other mainline denominations, Mr. Hinlicky decries the on-going secularization of the Lutheran Church.
Well, yes, it's true -- that's happening in ELCA as elsewhere.
The problem is that -- just as elsewhere -- Mr. Hinlicky fails to understand just why he's complaining. The "other side" is at fault, apparently. According to him, Mr. Hinlicky and his friends have done nothing wrong.... (In politics, we conservatives have the same tendency.)
Well, that's wrong. Mr. Hinlicky and his friends are the root of the problem.
They have simply assumed that the American religious landscape is unchanged from 150 years ago -- that the general public still agrees with them on all fundamental points. Worse, they simply assume that just expressing the orthodox viewpoint is sufficient to make the case, and they're flummoxed at why it doesn't.
They failed to maintain vigilance over their church. They failed to recognize the Alinsky tactics used by the other side, and thereby lost their chuch: they failed to pay attention to the democratic and legislative processes by which their church is governed; and they lost control of them.
More than that, though: they failed to pay attention to the society around them. The society changed; they did not account for that change in their approach to "selling" the ELCA to the public.
They failed to account for the fact that the "other side" is able to make a plausible (even if often incorrect) case for the supposed injustices that inform their agenda. The ELCA (and others) have never even bothered to deal with the possibility that there are sometimes real injustices behind those issues, and that they failed to address them: they gave up by default!
And worse, when they fight, they're ugly about it in a way that repulses most normal folks.
We got this way all by ourselves, Mr. Hinlicky. Perhaps a divorce is appropriate ... but until we figure out our own problems, all of our subsequent "marriages" will fall apart in turn.
The apostate church is summed up in Romans 1: 21-32. Some so-called churches are as bad or worse than the old pagans.
And the Episcopalians are going out of their way to embrace heresy and apostasy at every turn:
Fight for what is right. These unions are not marriage.
Luther never left the Catholic Church. He never intended to, and he never did. He was excommunicated in 1521 by Pope Leo X.
You are correct. I forgot my history in an emotional moment.
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