The ELCA turns its back on Christ, Luther

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America told the world Friday on where it stands on homosexuality and adding another denomination to its list of communing churches at its convention in Minneapolis.

The ELCA voters chose to align itself with the United Methodist Church in full communion. That is not shocking. The ELCA has already forgotten on what it preaches and what the Book of Concord says on Holy Communion. Lutherans believe that the bread and the wine used in Holy Communion are the true Body and Blood of Christ. The UMC sees it as only as symbolic. But who's really counting. Now, I have nothing against the UMC, I like this denomination far more than the rest the ELCA is in with. The others are: the Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ. In my opinion, the UCC is not a Christian Church, but who really cares these days. I see the UCC as a secular entity.

The big news from the week was when the ELCA voters approved gays and lesbians in committed relationships can be pastors. The vote passed 559-451. This officially marked the end of the ELCA being identified as Lutheran. Martin Luther said that pastors are to be married to procreate. This is also a major point in the Holy Bible.

The ELCA is now secular. It is no longer practicing Lutheran theology. It has began doing something of its own.

Part of the problem is the ELCA hierarchy. The leaders of the ELCA are liberals. They do not understand the Holy Bible. They do not even take any attempt to glance at the Book of Concord.

I know it is nice to be "all inclusive" but not to the extent of destroying your theology. The theology that Luther preached has nothing in common with what the ELCA is now preaching.

Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson thinks and acts as if he is the "Lutheran pope" when Luther was against anyone who even resembled the Roman pope. Hanson is in charge of the Lutheran World Federation, which includes the state churches of Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, among others. This is not what Luther wanted.

Luther was not liberal when it came to theology. He was a conservative. That is why the Reformation happened. Who were the liberals of his time? The Roman Catholic Church. The pope was making up theology from whatever he felt would help out his cause. Just look at the indulgences.

Officially today, when looking at theology, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is the largest Lutheran church body in the United States, and possibly the world. I say the world, because in Europe the Lutheran Christians aren't exactly weekly church-goers. All they have to do is pay their state church taxes.

Lutherans are to adhere to the Holy Bible and the Book of Concord. The ELCA is not.

What else happened in Minneapolis this week? A tornado stuck downtown and hit the Central Lutheran Church (ELCA) steeple which was across the street from the convention. An odd coincidence?

IN THE NEWS:
Washington Times
ELCA Release

PBS' Martin Luther series

Part One:


Part Two: