Yesterday, Lutherans Concerned/North America "responded with sadness" to that announcement. Said LC/NA's Emily Eastwood, "It seems with yesterday's announcement that some ELCA Lutherans cannot even tolerate being in the same church family with congregations who accept us. Anger and fear have overtaken the great commandments from Jesus himself: to love God, and to love your neighbor as yourself."
This morning on ALPB Forum Online, my brother in the Holy Ministry and friend Pr. Marshall Hahn replied more appropriately than my one-word initial reaction (note: I've added the emphasis):
People are not leaving the ELCA because they cannot stay in the same church with homosexual people. They are leaving because they cannot stay in a church which teaches error. They are leaving the ELCA because they cannot agree with blessing what they understand to be sin. Either Emily Eastwood knows this - and is mischaracterizing people on purpose - or she does not know this - and clearly is the one who has not been listening to those with whom she disagrees.Remember that. It's about the teaching of the Church. Sounds kind of Lutheran, doesn't it.
3 comments:
Yes, it does sound kind of Lutheran, what do you know! We missed you, brother Steven, at the Iowa Chapter STS Retreat. It was a wonderful time of worship, fellowship and study, with brother Ian presenting his excellent essay on the "Broken Keys" created by the CWA actions. Tomorrow we will be meeting with over 110 people at St. Peter Lutheran in Greene to hear from Pr. Cori Johnson. We will also have workshops from Prs. Gary Hatcher, Ken Kimball, Jason Cooper, and your own humble servant. I am looking forward to it! By the way, your one-word response was likely what I was muttering as I wrote my reply, too. God's blessings to you!
Marshall
Oh wow...yes, rather Lutheran. :)
"People are not leaving the ELCA because they cannot stay in the same church with homosexual people. They are leaving because they cannot stay in a church which teaches error"
ah... homosexuals. we would love them if they weren't errors!
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