"One Pastor's Thoughts"

That's the title of this article written by one pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In it, he's asking the congregation he serves to leave the ELCA. But his arguments are as potent in supporting those who decide to stay in the ELCA and seek its reform and renewal.

The root issue of every flash point of controversy in the ELCA--whether it's universalism v. the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the notion of the Kingdom of God as something humans can create politically v. the Kingdom of God as something God is already bringing into being through Jesus Christ, or questions about human sexuality--is the authority of God's Word. Unless the Word of God is the ultimate arbiter of our life, faith, and practice, the Church is no longer the Church.

Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide? Not So Much!

“You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you.” (Martin Luther) (Thanks to Gnesio.)

Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

Great words from my one-time seminary adviser, Hans Schwarz, Professor Emeritus of Protestant Theology and Contemporary Theological Issues at University of Regensburg in Germany:

Christ-like conduct requires us to have compassion for both faithful and sinners, but it requires us to discern between faithful living and sin, to espouse the former and to reject the latter. While we welcome everybody into our midst, especially those for whom Jesus cared, namely the poor, the despised, and the outcast of society, we dare not bless or condone that which the Bible in all its witness to God's saving action disapproves.

[From By What Authority?: Confronting Churches Who No Longer Believe Their Own Message]