The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted to open the ministry of the church to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships. This vote was able to be passed because within the ELCA the Bible is not held to be the Word of God written but a book that contains the Word of God. Therefore, it is up to the interpreter to determine that which is the Word of God and that which is not. The clear Scriptural prohibitions against homosexaulity in the Scriptures are no longer held to be the Word of God by the ELCA.
However, I find this action of the ELCA rather confusing. They have chosen to disregard the Word of God when it comes to homosexuality but then they restrict such homosexuals seeking to serve as pastors to those in committed life long relationships. Why? Why would the ELCA place such a restriction on those seeking that Office? If the prohibitions against homosexuality in the Scriptures can be dismissed as culturally bound - then why not the Scriptural instruction regarding monogamy?
Much of the argument that was used in the ELCA to argue for this action was that to not allow practicing homosexuals into the Ministry is exclusive. However, is it not true that to restrict those homosexuals who are not interested in being in a life long committed relationship but enjoy multiple partners also exclusive?
Those of us in the LCMS and LCC must be saddened by this action of the ELCA. We must also seek the Lord in prayer that we would be humble before the Word of God and that the Lord of the Church would keep us steadfast in the true faith.
Sermon: Wittenberg Academy – Nov 5, 2024
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8 comments:
They are confusing (the ELCA).
They are apostate.
We pray for them, but the clay is baked.
Time to leave.
as usual society is leading the church. however in time the church will come to the agreed upon the FACT that scripture NEVER said that homosexuality was a sin. not from lev where not every prohibition of itself was a sin, to genesis and romans which were given assigned meanings in spite of their words, to itim and icor where a fraudulent transposition of the word "homosexual" was made in man's attempt to add his own stroke to the law, to matthew where man again attempted to add his own stroke to the law by adding the word "only", to trying to resurrect the old covenant relationship to god thru regulation as in deut 28, when our relationship to god in the new covenant is directly to him thru the one who lives in each believer.......christ(torn curtain),to the new covenant itself being without regulation (all things are permissable but not all things are beneficial) to ALL new covenant law being summed up in the 2nd commandment(love you neighbor as yourself) to make us "conscious" of NOT "loving our neighbor as ourself" and homosexuality not coming against the 2nd commandment.
Steve,
I say this with no joy - but I agree with you.
feetxxl,
As I read your post it struck me... what has happened in soem church bodies and the way in which they interpret the Scriptures is almost Orwellian. Redefining terms and basically imposing "thought police." Hmmm...........I may have to write a blog about that some day.
the era of believers faith being governed by belief systems and mindset over objective reason is coming to an end. because believers are realizing that objective reason runs throughout the new testament.
teachings= a euphemism for that mindset and belief system.(similar euphemisms are any words that identifies attempts to trump objective reason by those two.
also there is this gradual understanding that the three commandments of love are the essence of the new covenant
1cor13anything without love is nothing and gains nothing.
and there is a greater crediting to the inner initimate relationship of the triune god living in each believer.
there is also an embracing of
"test everything keep the good."
and
"you will recognize them by their fruit"
in short believers are more fully embracing the new covenant of christ, the holy spirit gradually weaning christendom off the old covenant for the last 2000 years.
feetxxl,
"love" as the defining quality for truth, and the filter for theology seems flawed, with holes big enough for any thought, belief, stance to flow through. In fact it seems to be incredible subjective, and not objective at all.
Pilate asked "what is truth?". According to this, it is anything filtered through "Love".
Vic,
Very well said. Thank you.
love god with all your heart mind, and soul.
love your neighbor as you love yourself.
love one another as i have loved you.
the third commandment qualifies how we are to love ourselves and our neighbor.
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