Comments on: LCMS President’s Remarks to the ELCA Assembly

By: D. Wenzel

D. Wenzel — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:33:07 +0000

I was not a voting member this year (I was in 2005) but I did attend the Good Soil worship on Wednesday night of the CWA. To say it was a moving service is an understatement. To the 1000 plus in attendance it reverberated with the spirit of Christ! From the processional with celebratory banners and baptismal sprinkles, to the hymns sung with gusto, to the reading of the Gospel (Jesus calms the Sea of Galilee then asks the disciples “why are you afraid, do you have so little faith?”), to the dynamic yet graceful sermon by Rev. Barbara Lundblad who echoed these words of our Lord, “Why are so many people afraid of inclusion?” We prayed for at least 10 minutes and didn’t leave out a single living thing on this planet. We shared the Peace of Christ with people we knew and did not know in a spirit of joy. We gave offering and shared the meal. Finally, after almost 2 hours, the Crucifix recessed to the strains of “Sent forth with God’s blessing, a new faith professing”. And though this celebration worship came to an end, the life affirming spirit of Christ propels us and the whole church forward.

To all those who can’t bring themselves to embrace the changes of the past week in the
ELCA (with regard to inclusion for gay and lesbian members of our church) I respectfully ask that you try one thing: simply let go of your fear. Fear is darkness and death and has no place in the life of the church.

We need not fear gay and lesbian people. God has created them of the same stuff as everyone else and placed them in our very families. They rightfully deserve the same acceptance that we all expect. God is always about love; and God’s spirit can not, and will not, be contained by fearfulness. So just…..let it go. It’s okay. You’ll be safe with Christ and you’ll be reconciled with your brothers and sisters. It’s a beautiful way to live. Peace

By: C. Griffith

C. Griffith — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:20:15 +0000

Rev. Johnson, we have been praying for the ELCA and will continue to do so.

God’s Peace be with you.

By: Rev. Michael Johnson

Rev. Michael Johnson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:49:19 +0000

I was a voting member at the Assembly, one of the 1/3 who tried to proclaim and confess the Word faithfully. You have no idea the pain, the betrayal, and the sense of utter abandonment (not by God, but by our church body) among that 1/3 that tried with every last breath to call our church back to faithfulness. It’s Monday morning and it still hurts beyond description. I understand that some in the LC-MS do not agree with President Kieschnick, and many think he should have slammed us with the hammer of the Law, but as one who was there and has had his church abandon the faith once delivered, and the faithful, before his very eyes, I can tell you that we already knew the power of the Law. We had been broken and convicted on Friday, we needed to hear the Gospel, and President Kieschnick gave us (the 1/3) the Gospel, even as he stood with us in confessing the faith against our own denomination. Please, for the love of Christ and your faithful brother’s and sisters in the ELCA, please try to understand where we were and what we needed to hear in that moment. You may disagree, but know from our perspective that in that moment the LC-MS gave their greatest witness to the faith, and acted pastorally far beyond what we in the ELCA could have ever hoped for. Sorry for rambling, I’m still sorting our what happened and what it means. I for one am an ELCA voting member who thanks President Kieschnick for the Gospel, and I think he deserved the standing ovation the 1/3 gave him. – Rev. Michael Johnson

P.S. Please, at this time simply pray for us and comfort us, don’t beat us while we’re down with the Law or WO or Historical-Criticism. We need you to bring us the Good News, please bring the Good News.

By: Everette Greene

Everette Greene — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:48:51 +0000

I know he had to be “diplomatic” and speak in Christian love, but I don’t think his message was strong enough. He should have spoken plainly and should have said that the ELCA is in direct opposition of the Word of God and can no longer be considered a Christian denomination.

McCain response to Rev. Greene: Respectfully, I know there are some who feel this way, but I think President Kieschnick’s remarks were measured and careful, and we have to remember that he was speaking to an assembly that had a lot of hurting people in it as a result of the vote. I’ve heard from many who heard Dr. Kieschnick loudly and clearly. He offended many and comforted many with his remarks. I should say, rather, the Law/Gospel message he delivered was well received and heard very clearly, either as a stern word of rebuke and judgment or as a word of hope and comfort. I truly do not think we are able to comprehend the emotionally charged atmosphere in which he delivered his remarks and thus we have a hard time appreciating that what we might perceive to have been “soft” was not, in any way, mistaken to be other than what it was. He afflicted the comfortable, and comforted the afflicted. That’s my .02

By: Robert Buechler

Robert Buechler — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:40:07 +0000

Perry,

The LCMS President addresses the ELCA CWA every time it is held. That is because the LCMS and ELCA do cooperate in certain things (at least until this last CWA, as I believe alot of the cooperation will end). It is good for him to speak, because those who are still faithful there need to see that there are good Lutheran options for them. The ELCA can no longer be thought of as a church from a denominational standpoint, although there are certainly still Christians in it. Those Christians need the LCMS President’s witness.

By: Perry Lund

Perry Lund — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:03:15 +0000

I would like to know why the LCMS President would even address the ELCA which is not in fellowship with LCMS?

By: J. Andres

J. Andres — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:34:48 +0000

You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Leviticus 18:21-23

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, I Corinthians 6:9

But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. I Timothy 1:8-11

According to the Bible, homosexuality is an abomination, contrary to sound teaching and homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.

According to ELCA, homosexuality is an acceptable practice, consistent with sound teaching and homosexuals are worthy to help usher in the kingdom of God by serving as church leaders.

Reminder to both ELCA and LCMS from the Apostle Paul: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Peace, J.

By: Rev. Charles Lehmann

Rev. Charles Lehmann — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:31:53 +0000

I’m very impressed. Good words.