sad. I spent my teenage years in an LCMS church. I knew we had differences, but I didn't think I'd see the day ELCA would go this far. I know, I'm naive.
My prayers go out to the members of the ELCA, and I especially pray for their leaders. Homosexuality, like any other sin, needs to be laid down at the cross for forgiveness. I hope we, as Christians, don't respond to the ELCA with hatred or indignant anger, but with love and in truth.
The PC(USA) has been fighting this battle for a couple of decades, regarding the fidelity and chastity clause. Each year, the movement to remove it fails, but by less and less. I fear that the ELCA's vote will give the liberal side of the PC(USA) a new boldness (in addition to that gained in the ruling allowing for "scruples").
To anonymous, Although I agree wholeheartedly about praying for the ELCA and that practicing homosexuality is like any other sin, the ELCA basically just said that it isn't a sin. Therein lies the rub. How can they encourage people to openly accept and embrace sinful behaviors and not expect to answer for it?
I just came across this during my quiet time this morning:
"Ah stubborn children, declares the Lord, who carry out a plan, but not mine; and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin."--Isaiah 30:1
"For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, 'Do not see,' and to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.'" -Isaiah 30:9-11.
"'We live today with an understanding of homosexuality that did not exist in Jesus' time and culture,' Tim Mumm, a lay delegate from Wisconsin and supporter of Lutherans Concerned, an gay-rights organization, said during the debate. 'We are responding to something that the writers of Scripture could not have understood.'"
So what Mumm is essentially saying is that the word inspired by God, the creator of the universe, does not bear the knowledge or understanding of sexuality that we (mere men) have now in the 21st century? This is either sinfully arrogant, or the ELCA (or at least those who believe as Mr. Mumm does) no longer believes that scripture is Spirit inspired. Either way, this is troubling.
7 comments:
sad. I spent my teenage years in an LCMS church. I knew we had differences, but I didn't think I'd see the day ELCA would go this far. I know, I'm naive.
I thought this was an interesting blog post.
http://donthavetimetoblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/art-of-coincidence.html
the ELCA is the church of George Tiller, so should we be surprised?
My prayers go out to the members of the ELCA, and I especially pray for their leaders. Homosexuality, like any other sin, needs to be laid down at the cross for forgiveness. I hope we, as Christians, don't respond to the ELCA with hatred or indignant anger, but with love and in truth.
The PC(USA) has been fighting this battle for a couple of decades, regarding the fidelity and chastity clause. Each year, the movement to remove it fails, but by less and less. I fear that the ELCA's vote will give the liberal side of the PC(USA) a new boldness (in addition to that gained in the ruling allowing for "scruples").
To anonymous,
Although I agree wholeheartedly about praying for the ELCA and that practicing homosexuality is like any other sin, the ELCA basically just said that it isn't a sin. Therein lies the rub. How can they encourage people to openly accept and embrace sinful behaviors and not expect to answer for it?
I just came across this during my quiet time this morning:
"Ah stubborn children, declares the Lord, who carry out a plan, but not mine; and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin."--Isaiah 30:1
"For they are a rebellious people,
lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, 'Do not see,' and to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.'" -Isaiah 30:9-11.
Scary stuff.
"'We live today with an understanding of homosexuality that did not exist in Jesus' time and culture,' Tim Mumm, a lay delegate from Wisconsin and supporter of Lutherans Concerned, an gay-rights organization, said during the debate. 'We are responding to something that the writers of Scripture could not have understood.'"
So what Mumm is essentially saying is that the word inspired by God, the creator of the universe, does not bear the knowledge or understanding of sexuality that we (mere men) have now in the 21st century? This is either sinfully arrogant, or the ELCA (or at least those who believe as Mr. Mumm does) no longer believes that scripture is Spirit inspired. Either way, this is troubling.
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