Failure of Dissent and New Beginnings Conference Comments

The following are comments that have been made regarding the Failure of Dissent and New Beginnings Conference held September 21^st in Calgary:

“I felt it was very beneficial to myself personally, and to the pastors and Lutheran members there to have attended and have our concerns heard and answered with solid teaching from the word of God. We were also spiritually fed, which my pastor found to be lacking at the ELCIC conferences, as well as encouraged that biblically we were doing the right thing in looking for options to join the Lutheran reform movement rather than try to change things within the ELCIC. I also saw first-hand how the ELCIC has bullied and badgered the clergy in its efforts to control the future of the church and change the constitution, Augsburg Confessions, etc. to fit their agenda to include same sex blessings and gay ordination. It’s become clear which direction we need to take now, and we are grateful to Solid Ground for having kept the faith, written clear and concise articles in response to ELCIC error, and paved the way for others to follow. Many thanks to those who have kept the torch burning.”

God bless, Helen Harris, Peace Lutheran, Fort St John, BC

 “The Solid Ground meeting in Calgary was a faith-filled, inspiring day.

It was very refreshing to be with like minded clergy and fellow Lutherans.

The presentations reminded us that God is in control, the scriptures are the

inspired, infallible word of God and that God will never forsake us.

We feel betrayed by the ELCIC who has placed a wedge in our lives, our

faith and our congregation.  That wedge has challenged the authenticity of

scripture that places us on a slippery slope.”

Garnet and Faye Altwasser, Trinity Lutheran, Brooks, AB

Discipleship under the Lord of All, Jesus the Christ

Pastor Jaynan Clark gave a stirring presentation at the Calgary Solid Ground gathering, challenging us to refocus on discipleship under the Lord of All, Jesus the Christ. As his disciples we will be constrained to reach out to others, sharing the message of his love and salvation through word and deed. Unfortunately, Pastor Jaynan did not have a script suitable to post on the web site. Two weeks later, Pastor Jaynan gave a sermon of similar content at the LCMC Convention. This talk was livestreamed, making it possible to share the main thought and inspiration with you.


At about the 25 minute mark,  Rev. Jaynan Clark begins her talk. 


View Presentation

The Failure of Dissent and New Beginnings - Rev. D Haugen

Rev D. Haugen was one of the featured speakers at the Solid Ground hosted meeting in Calgary on September 21^st.   

View PDF

Closing Meditation for the Solid Ground Conference

Beloved in the Lord, grace and peace be unto you from God our Father. and from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of

life!

I will begin this closing meditation with a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer from a wedding sermon from his prison cell in Letters and Prayers from Prison.

“Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God’s holy ordinance, through which he wills to perpetuate the human race to the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of generations, which God causes to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom. In your love you see only the heaven of your happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal – it is a statute, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes a king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you to another in the sight of God and man. As you first gave the ring to one another and have now received it a second time from the hand of the pastor, so love comes from you, but marriage comes from above, from God. As high as God is above man, so high are the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of marriage above the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of love. It is not your love that sustains marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains 

your love.”

A few years ago I had a telephone call from a woman telling me what had happened to her. She had been married for around 20 years and had two children, who were then moving toward the end of their teens. Her husband had informed her, three months previously, that he wanted a divorce, having had and still carrying on an affair with another woman.

The woman told me that when she heard the request of her husband and found out what had been going on, she simply could not deal with it. She went to bed and stayed there for days on end. She did not eat for that whole period of time and drank very little fluids. She lost over 30 pounds during that sojourn in bed.

At the end of that sojourn in bed alone, she cried out to God and told God that she simply could not take it. The next morning she woke up with a deep sense of peace and began to eat and to drink and to live again.

When she spoke to me, three months after the ordeal began, she had still not told her children about the unfaithfulness of her husband, and was actually being blamed by her daughter for the mess she was in. But though the despair was real, her marriage no longer sustaining her love, she was, by the grace of God, at peace and starting to move ahead to face all the difficult challenges that moving into the divorce process would bring.

The distinguished father in the faith, Martine Luther, always spoke clearly and effectively about the three orders of creation; the State, the Church, and the first order of creation, the sacred family. Though they are separate orders with clearly defined areas of responsibility, they share a unity in their various responsibilities and mandates, to fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over all the creatures of the earth. They were to do so in obedience to the Lord, honouring, his will, his way, his word, his design, and the image of God in which humankind was created, male and female, husband and wife, co-creators with God.

The State has the responsibility to honour and protect the family, permitting it to rear their children in the fear and love of the Lord, and indeed fill the earth and subdue it. The state is to rule with the authority given by God, under the supervision of the Law, the law both engraved on our hearts and the law given by revelation.

The Church, in its visible form, has the responsibility to honour and protect the family, so that its members can hear and live under God’s gracious moral law embedded in the ten commandments, and most important, to hear and live under the call of the Gospel, becoming new creatures in Christ, rightly distinguishing between the Law and the Gospel.

Both Church and State, each operating in its own clearly defined area, has the responsibility to honour and protect the family, within God’s design and intention. The very well being of the Church and State are themselves very much affected and influenced by the well being of the family they themselves have been charged to honour and protect within their own spheres.

God’s design for human kind, in all three orders of creation, is as beautiful and magnificent and holy as is God’s design for creation and the universe, as we see it. God knows what God is doing. But sin and evil still poison our world, and when we depart from God’s intentions and design, sin and evil are given the opportunity to wreak much greater havoc in all three orders, and they do.

The husband, we referred to earlier, when he told his wife that he wanted a divorce, was essentially stating that God’s design for his family was faulty and invalid. His own love of another woman was more holy and more to be desired than the Holy order of marriage established by God in the beginning.

It is not at all strange that the wife could not deal with it and went to bed and stayed there for days on end without food and very little fluids. She had lost the love of her life. But even more precious, she had lost the support of that Holy order of creation coming from above, and the sanctity and rights and love that it brought. She could not deal with it and relied on God to bring peace as she attempted to live with a wound that would never go away.

We probably all remember the time when our Canadian State chose not to honour and protect the family within God’s design, and decided to extend the privileges attached to the Holy State of Matrimony to same sex couples, and declare it to be a legitimate and holy marriage. There were some who spoke against it but our Church was not among them, and certainly not our Bishops and Pastors. We chose not to be heard speaking in opposition, concerned about civil rights for all our citizens, irrespective of sexual orientation.

And we remember the time, two months ago, when our church in convention, decided that God’s design for the sacred family, from the beginning, was literally flawed, and that we needed to repair it, following the example of the State. Can you imagine a church literally leading its people in paths of idolatry?

Now, the three orders of creation are in disarray, and the chaos that we see all around us is increasing rapidly. Our society is under the judgment that comes when God’s design is blatantly ignored and dishonoured.

Not many of us have stayed in bed for days on end without food and with little fluid. We are distraught to be sure, but that is mitigated by our own sense of responsibility and failure. We failed to see it coming until it was too late. We have allowed our Lutheran tribalist propensity to render us ineffective. We share in the responsibility for the debacle that we now face.

There are times to declare Status Confessionus. This may just be that time. There are times to repent and acknowledge our own failures with fasting, and prayers without ceasing. This is that time. There are times to acknowledge that we simply cannot deal with it on our own and rely on God to lead us. There are times to wait on the Lord, for the way into the future will only become clear as we wait for the Lord’s direction. But this also is the time to rejoice in the privilege of suffering for the sake of the Gospel and the Church and the truth! This is the time to fear, love, and trust God above anything else and really let God be God, and let God’s Word be God’s Word. God is in charge and God will lead us in paths of righteousness for his own name’s sake. Thanks be to God!

Lord have mercy! Christ have mercy! Lord have mercy!

AMEN!

Rev. Tim Johnson Presentation

The first presentation at the Failure of Dissent and New Beginnings Conference was by the Rev. Tim Johnson, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Dawson Creek, BC. His presentation will included:

• Brief critique of the convention decisions 
• Prerequisites for institutional church unity 
• A reaffirmation of the ultimate authority of the Scriptures for faith and life 
• A renewed emphasis on evangelism and world missions

View PDF of presentation

The Voice of a Dissident

Dr. Lothar Schwabe

Presented at the Solid Ground Conference “THE FAILURE OF DISSENT AND NEW BEGINNINGS”, Calgary, Sept. 21, 2011                                         

Take heart.  Be of good cheer

John 16: 33

“In this world you will have troubles. But take heart (be of good cheer, KJV) I have overcome the world.”

At this conference on “The Failure of Dissent and New Beginnings” I am with fellow dissidents who, like me, have failed to have our ELCIC remain loyal to the Bible and treat it as the only source of its doctrines and actions.

We are totally dependent on what God has chosen to reveal to us in what we know about God. That is why the Bible is so important for us.

I believe that our God is so enormous, so unimaginable, and so multi-dimensional that our human mind is incapable of objectively perceiving and analyzing God. We simply cannot comprehend God. I agree with Paul,

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Ro. 11:33-34. (NIV)

God reveals himself to us in the inspired Word of God. That is all we have.

What God has revealed to us in Holy Scriptures does not even make much sense. It does not make sense to humans because it comes out of the mind of God which is far greater than any human can comprehend.

- Grace does not make sense.

- God’s love for sinners does not make any sense.

- Forgiveness does not make any sense.

- Miracles do not make any sense.

- Christ’s death on the cross for our sins does not make any sense.

- The Trinity does not make any sense.

- God’s mercy does not make any sense. The laws of nature do not reveal any mercy to us. Just try to jump off a twenty story building and hope for the law of gravity to show you some mercy.

Holy Scriptures have a message that is radical, amazing, and defies all human logic. Human wisdom could never come up with something like “Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.”

What God has revealed to us often does not make any sense to us because God, like his peace, passes all understanding. We cannot comprehend this mind-boggling divine reality. We can only believe.

Actually, it is the heresies that make sense. All heresies are products of the human mind and therefore always make sense. Arians made sense in their claim that Jesus was just a human being. Antinomians make sense.

It also makes sense the church should be inclusive and not exclude homosexuals from being ordained, even though some parts of the Bible have something else to say about homosexuality. Jesus did not talk about homosexuality. Therefore it makes sense to ignore all that Jesus said about marriage being between a man and a woman. This all makes sense and sounds reasonable. The problem for us is that the revealed Word of God has something different to say about homosexuality.

Sin makes a lot of sense. It makes no sense to tell the truth all the time because it gets you into deep trouble. Greed makes sense and not only on Wall Street.

My point is that what makes sense and sounds reasonable is not always right before God.

On the other hand, teachings from the Word of God that may sound foolish are right.

That all is very confusing to intelligent people who have been trained to reason and think logically. Our choice is to follow the wisdom of the world and human intelligence or to believe what Holy Scriptures say.

Paul must have confused a few intelligent scholars when he said,

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

But to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

The intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar?

Where is the philosopher of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1:18-20 (NIV).

The human mind has a great way of messing things up. Humans can rationalize anything. Luther knew that and cautioned about “die Hure des Verstandes”, the whore of reason.

Unfortunately many of our brothers and sisters in our ELCIC have decided to follow the wisdom of this world. 

God is not an object that can be studied objectively. Theology must approach the Word of God with humility and respect and stand under the Word and not over it. The wisdom of this world must not take control of Holy Scriptures. Article II of our Constitution is good and it is very Lutheran.

We are totally dependent upon Holy Scriptures to know anything about God.

No theological tower of Babel can penetrate the heavens to get a glimpse of God.

That is why Lutherans (Sola Scriptura) along with Christians of other denominations have such high respect for the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Yes, God spoke through people and also through a mule.  But it was God who spoke.

Luther insisted that we have to let the Bible speak for itself and take the Word of God for what it says.

Those who won the vote told us, “but we have to interpret the Bible”. True.

However, anybody who knows more that one language and is able to interpret will know

that an interpretation is not valid if the translation says the opposite of what it means in the other language. It is simply a wrong interpretation when it says the opposite of what Romans 1:26-33 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 say.

                                                                                                                                   

There are four critical “Ifs”:

- If the Bible is the revealed Word of God, then we cannot mess around with it. We have to take it or leave it.

- If the Bible is not the revealed Word of God but a human product, then the teachings of the church do not carry any divine authority.

- If our knowledge of God is not based upon the revealed Word of God, then everybody can make up their own God.

- If reason is the ultimate authority, then faith has no substance and you can believe whatever you like.

The Constitution of the ELCIC (Article II) treats Holy Scriptures as divinely inspired (Article II, Section 3) and authoritative for what we believe and do. But our current ELCIC treats Holy Scriptures as either a human product that can be decided upon by a single majority vote at a National Convention or at best as a mixture of divine and human products which gives the National Convention the right to decide which is which. This is the critical point at which we, the dissidents, tell our church, “You are wrong and our Constitution is right.”

To say that this is just a work in progress and that our individual congregations can state their own position in this matter is simply a political ploy. It is an act of damage control in an attempt to prevent congregations from leaving the ELCIC. There has been a paradigm shift in the ELCIC. It is no longer the church we knew. That is why we are here.

Our ELCIC did not hate homosexuals when it refused to ordain homosexuals or marry them until the last National Convention. It did so because of our understanding of Holy Scriptures. As a pastor of the ELCIC I have never witnessed a refusal to minister to homosexuals.  We wanted to be faithful to the Bible.

Our National Bishop and Synodical Bishops were not homophobic when, in 1991, they affirmed the Social Statement on Sex Marriage and Family (1970). They took their stand because of Article II of the Constitution of the ELCIC which confesses the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the “only source of the Church’s doctrine and the authoritative standard for the faith and life of the Church.”

Like our former Bishops, we are not homophobic; we just want to be faithful to the Holy Scriptures. That is why we are here.

With its new theology, our church has become less of a Lutheran church and more like the United Church of Canada or even the Unitarian Church. It must be a real problem for other Lutheran Churches like Lutheran Church Canada to relate to the ELCIC as if it were still a Lutheran Church in its confessions and actions.

So we are now in a church that consists of two groups of people:

Those who believe what the Word of God says and those who believe what the Word of God should have said, according to their opinion.                                                                                                                  

With its recent decision, the ELCIC no longer takes the Bible as the sole source of the church’s teachings and actions. That cuts to the very core of what we believe.

                                                                                                                                   

What hurts is that we all had so many social relations through our church; so many friends and connections. Now even some families are divided.

The vote was 61% to 39%. People like us are in the minority. Can the majority be wrong? In Nazi Germany the majority of Christians were wrong and people like

Bonhoeffer were right. Group-think can do marvellous things. People have a psychological need to belong to the majority and to please their superiors.

Yes, we are a minority. But the majority that voted for the changes at the last convention is a huge minority among all the Christians in this world.

The 5.6 million strong Mekane Jesu Church of Ethiopia is cutting its ties with the ELCA and forming a strong relationship with the North American Lutheran Church. Worldwide, our ELCIC is on the outside of Lutheranism and of all Christianity.

Many of us are grieving. I have even shed tears. What shall we do now? Where shall we go? Some dissidents may stay with the ELCIC and test the claim that the ELCIC is a loving and welcoming church, open to embrace diversity with hearts filled with love.

You might then conclude that this love includes us dissidents who enrich the diversity of the ELCIC.

Many others simply cannot do that anymore. They are looking for a new beginning. The greatest loss to the ELCIC will not be the congregations which will now take their votes to leave the ELCIC. The greatest loss will be the individual faithful members who will now leave their ELCIC congregation and find another church home, or who will simply give up on their church. No amount of damage control can prevent that.

As a dissident member of the ELCIC, my message to leaders and pastors of my church is, “You have abandoned the Word of God and are on a path of destruction. Repent or you will perish.”

My prediction is that, unless my church repents and returns to honour its Constitution, the ELCIC will dwindle and end up merging with the Anglicans. This may be the only way to get rid of Article II in our Constitution. That article is unalterable and cannot be changed as long as the ELCIC exists. A merger with the Anglicans requires a new constitution and would be a way to get rid of Article II. That is a very attractive solution to the constitutional problem.

What does the Word of God have to say to us who are likely gathered like this for the last time?

Be of good cheer. The real church, which is a spiritual and not an organizational entity, is as alive as ever. My ecclesiology has changed. Leaving a denomination does not mean leaving the church. It may simply mean a fresh start as it was in the case of Martin Luther. Those who left the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation did not leave the Church of Jesus Christ. We are not dividing the real invisible Church.

The Holy Spirit is active, still calling and leading and guiding those who gather in the Name of Jesus; building the real church.

Be of good cheer, take heart, have courage!

Jesus promised not to leave you. You may go different ways and seek different church families. Some of you want to be in a Canadian Lutheran Church like CALC or LCC. Some will find a home in NALC or LCMC. It is important that we do not compete but support each other in the cause to stand up for the authority of Holy Scriptures. We all need each other and must work together.

These are good times for the Church of Jesus Christ. Our congregations will not have all that many lukewarm Christians anymore.

You will be with people who are not going to church because it is a tradition. Yes, there will be some hurt. That always comes with disturbed human relations. I personally find that to be true.  Smile. Be of good cheer.  God is with you! There are good days ahead for you because they are God’s days.

The failure of dissent? Perhaps our witness was not in vain. New beginnings or another reformation, a reshaping, forming something different, a forming of a new wine skin?

If it is God’s will, the Holy Spirit will guide you. May God have mercy on us all.

A post-mortem: A delegate’s review of the July 14-17, 2011 ELCIC National convention

The decisions made at the 2011 ELCIC National convention marks a seismic and irreversible shift of ELCIC’s theological foundation. There was the re-election/election of a liberal, continually endorsed leadership. There was the endorsement of the proposal to begin the lengthy process of restructuring the ELCIC, to respond to present financial realities. However, most of the focus for the majority of the delegates at the convention was on the Social Statement on Human Sexuality, and the subsequent enabling motions to accept same gender relationships within the ELCIC.

* As observed by a number of speakers but vehemently denied by a member of the Task Force, a major but unstated goal during the past decade at national and Synodical conventions as well as within the Task Force on the Study and Statement on Human Sexuality seems to have been the advancement of the same gender agenda politically. And at the 2011 National Convention this carefully orchestrated goal was fully realized.

* During this past decade there had indeed been evidence of considerable dissent, particularly among the laity. But many of the dissenters were gradually marginalized. Through its elected and appointed positions, as well as its magazines, the ELCIC would ensure that only those voices who were supportive of the same gender agenda would receive church wide hearing.

* The Task Force attempted to persuade the delegates that the Statement was merely a "work in progress", admittedly imperfect but potentially alterable. But the introduction and adoption of the enabling motions showed their claim to be a false façade for the implementation of those decisions would result in a seismic and irreversible shift in the theology and practices of the ELCIC.

* Recognizing the profound and permanent impact of the changes, several speakers attempted to introduce a 2/3 requirement for their adoption. But those attempts failed to receive the necessary support.

* The delegates were informed by the Task Force that its members had read and considered each and every one of the submissions in response to the Study and the Statement, taking these responses into account in future revisions.

Those documents referenced a number of Scripture passages. The submissions by Solid Ground were among those who questioned the glaring absence of those Scripture passages which addressed homosexual directly (e.g. Leviticus 18:22; 20:18; Romans 1:26-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Genesis chapters 1-2 was referenced only in the most general manner). 

The omissions were particularly troubling in light of Article II, Section 3, of the ELCIC Constitution which accords the Scriptures the ultimate authority in matters of faith and life. When a similar concern was raised on the convention floor, the members of the Task Force continued to avoid providing any explanation, leaving a distinct impression that those omissions had been deliberate. The huge disconnect between the political decision-making process and the Scriptures continued throughout the convention.

* The same gender proponents showed themselves to be extremely well organized and disciplined. They seemed to be well coached on the convention site politically.

* One of the speakers referred to the incident of the woman caught in adultery in John's Gospel (chapter 8). The speaker spoke about Jesus' comforting words of absolution, "Neither do I condemn you". However, the speaker then reminded the delegates of Jesus’ admonition which followed, "Go your way, and from now on do not sin again." (NRSV). The theme of repentance was strikingly absent in the convention deliberations.

* All agreed that God’s love is indeed universal and unconditional. The difference lies in radically differing understandings of human “love”.

The same gender proponents persistently lifted up their particular notion of human “love”, a “love” which seemed vague and theoretical and curiously condoned behaviour which is expressly condemned in the Scriptures. 

On the other hand, those opposed to the Statement and its enabling recommendations affirmed a “love” which cares enough for ourselves as well as others to hold all of us accountable to God. One could not escape sensing that the same gender proponents considered those who do not share their perspective of “love” neither loving nor compassionate.

* A same gender proponent brought up the long discredited and greatly exaggerated statistic regarding homosexuality (e.g. citing the 10% in Kinsey's Report). The proponents glibly spoke of orientation rather than behaviour, as if "orientation" was self-evident, as though "orientation" had been definitively established.

* It seems that another of the great disconnects on the convention floor was the recommendation to maintain the institutional unity of the ELCIC. Various speakers used a variety of theoretical and oblique arguments, along with many of the familiar Scriptural references, to try to persuade the delegates to set aside their differences about what supposedly were merely adiaphora matters. The delegates were asked to place the survival of the 25 year old ELCIC organization at the very centre of their concern, while at the same time disregarding the 2000 year old history of the larger Christian community (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, etc.), which resolutely adheres to the rejection of same gender relationships, anchoring their opposition on the Scriptures.

* In conclusion, contrary to the claims of some, my understanding of “love” includes a commitment to respect, protect and show compassion for all others, including those who persist in same gender relationships. My understanding of love includes the acknowledgement and acceptance of the boundaries set for us in the Scriptures, recognizing that, sinners as we all are, all of us need to confess and repent. My understanding of “love” includes a confidence in a God who even while holding us accountable for our actions and behaviour, also assures us of the possibility of forgiveness, transformation and new life.


The Rev. Dr. Peeter Vanker

July 2011

Many Lutherans still support traditional marriage

(An article from www.canadianlutheran.ca)

The online magazine of Lutheran Church–Canada

Responding to a vote by delegates at the convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) meeting in Saskatoon, July 15 and 16 which authorizes its pastors to conduct same-gender marriages and finds sexual orientation no longer an issue for ordaining pastors, the leaders of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) issued a statement noting that the ELCIC does not speak for all Lutherans in the country.

The statement at www.lutheranchurch.ca/marriage notes that the ELCIC is the only Lutheran church body in Canada “that has approved such a departure from accepted Christian teaching.”  While the ELCIC is the largest Lutheran body in Canada, statistics available online show that nearly 40 percent of Lutherans worshipping each week belong to congregations outside the ELCIC.

Noting the words of Jesus who spoke of marriage in terms of a man leaving his father and mother, being united to his wife, and the two becoming one flesh, LCC’s presidents (bishops) declared the church body’s continuing witness to “Christ’s clear teaching that God designed marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman.” They further state that LCC will not ordain pastors who do not support this position.

At its 2002 convention Lutheran Church–Canada affirmed the historic biblical definition of marriage. At its most recent convention in June 2011, delegates agreed that the Bible’s qualifications and standards for a pastor include a heterosexual orientation.

LCC’s position is one held by the Church for the past 2000 years and supported by millions of Christians worldwide including the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and a rapidly growing number of Lutheran churches in Africa. “LCC is not speaking from the margins,” the statement notes.

The statement also rejects any notion that holding to “historic Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality constitutes ‘homophobia,’ an irrational fear and hatred of people with same-gender orientation.” LCC’s leaders refuse to defend those who take a threatening or insulting approach to the issue, but instead “repent of such sin and ask God to help His people overcome it wherever it occurs.”

After noting that there are Lutheran Christians in Canada “still deeply committed to the Bible as the authoritative Word of God and still dedicated to its clear witness on human sexuality, marriage and standards for ministry,” the leaders pledge prayers for those within the ELCIC for whom their church body’s decision is troubling.

A Crisis of Faith in the ELCIC

View PDF of article by Pastor Edward Skutshek, President of the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations (CALC)

Open Letter to Delegates re Proposed Human Sexuality Social Statement and Connected Motions

Dear delegate, 

There are some very important and potentially divisive issues facing our church in convention this July. The more information that delegates can have in front of them before making decisions, the better it is for the delegates, for us and for the ELCIC. And so, in the interest of church unity and a more informed dialogue, here are some reflections on the theology and implications of the motions on same sex blessings put forward by the NCC.  

There are several problems with the motions as they exist. The most serious one is the theology. In downplaying “disagreement over moral issues,” point #1 of the NCC motions, the motion concerning the Unity of the Church downplays the importance that Luther placed on the preaching of the Law and its role in preparing us to receive the gospel. 

Lutherans are required to preach both Law and Gospel. And there is good reason for this. Luther states that although the Law does not on its own justify, but because the Law prepares us to receive grace, we cannot be saved unless it is properly preached! If we wish to call ourselves Lutherans, we cannot dismiss the preaching of the Law as motion #1 of the NCC motions does. 

In brief, here are some of Luther’s statements about the Law’s importance for justification: “For as long as the presumption of righteousness remains in a [person], there remains immense pride, self-trust, smugness, hate of God, contempt of grace and mercy, ignorance of the promises and of Christ. The proclamation of free grace and the forgiveness of sins does not enter [that person’s] heart and understanding, because that huge rock and solid wall, namely, the presumption of righteousness by which the heart itself is surrounded, prevents this from happening.  . . . To break and crush it, God needs a large and powerful hammer, that is, the Law . . .”(Luther’s Works Vol. 26 p. 310).

“To the question, If the Law does not justify, what is its purpose? Paul therefore, replies: Although the Law does not justify, it is nevertheless extremely useful and necessary.  .  .  . It has this value, that grace can have access to us. Therefore the Law is a minister and a preparation for grace (Luther’s Works Vol. 26 p. 314).

Therefore we do not abolish the Law; but we show its true function and use, namely, that it is a most useful servant impelling us to Christ.  . . .  When the Law drives you this way, so that you despair of everything that is your own and seek help and solace from Christ, then it is being used correctly; and so, through the Gospel, it serves the cause of justification”  (Luther’s Works Vol. 26 pp. 315-316).

This is the absolute heart of the issue which is at stake here—the correct preaching of Lutheran doctrine so that people can be saved. Obviously then, given how different the NCC motion is from Luther’s own perspectives on the Law’s importance, with all respect to those who have proposed it, it would be difficult if not impossible to pass this motion through our national convention and still call ourselves Lutherans. 

The second difficulty with this motion is that it is almost certainly schismatic and will provoke a large-scale split within the ELCIC. Similar motions passed through the ELCA national assembly in 2009 provoked a large-scale split there. Over 1000 congregations have already left the ELCA and still more are considering leaving. 

Furthermore, the NCC cannot attempt to push through a motion with questionable doctrine and then use the argument for national church unity to avoid the consequences of its actions. Luther himself criticized the Pope for the same tactic. “In our time, whenever the pope does not have the authority of the Scriptures on his side, he always uses this same single argument against us: The church, the church!” (Luther’s Works Vol. 26 p. 15).

 For Luther and Lutherans, the basis for church unity is not adherence to a certain church body, like it is with the Roman Catholics. For Lutherans, correct doctrine is the basis for church unity. That was the reason the Reformation happened in the first place. 

Third, this divisive motion hurts the world’s poor. We do more as a church than merely exist. Through our gifts to CLWR we help the poorest of the poor. Some of the world’s poor need our aid even to remain alive. But if we split our denomination by passing the NCC motion, then we will have fewer resources available to help those in the world who most need it. If we truly care about justice, then those with the greatest needs have to be foremost among our concerns. The poor have to be considered first! 

Fourth, the ELCIC is bound by its constitution to follow the Scriptures. In the case of women’s ordination, there are many and very good passages from Scripture that support it, (Deborah, leading the Israelites, Priscilla, together with her husband Aquilla leading churches, just to name a few.) But with respect to homosexuality, there is no place in the Scriptures that speaks about it positively. Raymond E. Brown has been hailed by many other New Testament scholars as being North America’s foremost New Testament scholar, noted as being neither liberal nor conservative. Yet even a mainstream scholar like Brown strongly states that the Scriptures critique homosexual practice (See Brown’s: An Introduction to the New Testament pp. 528-531). If we pass this motion we violate the ELCIC constitution and its statements about Scriptural primacy.

For all these reasons: preservation of Lutheran doctrine, church unity, concern for the lives of the poor, not betraying the trust of ELCIC members past and present, adherence to the ELCIC constitution and it statements of Scriptural primacy, I urge all delegates to defeat the NCC motions. 

ELCIC Pastor Bart Eriksson,  MDiv., ThM. (New Testament).

Letter to 2011 ELCIC Delegates

Download pdf of Cover Letter

June 1, 2011

Dear 2011 ELCIC Convention Delegate,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Congratulations on your being chosen a delegate to the 2011 ELCIC National Convention.  The upcoming convention will be the most important in the ELCIC's 25-year history in that the outcome will have a profound impact on the short, medium and long-term future of this Lutheran body.  Consequently, as a delegate, a serious responsibility and accountability has been entrusted to you.

The Social Statement and sexuality motions put before you violate the Triune God's Will regarding human sexuality presented in the Bible and the Book of Concord, and, accordingly, they are in violation of Sections 3 and 4 of Article II (Confession of Faith) of the ELCIC Constitution.

Those who would lead the ELCIC to policies and faith practices that are in direct opposition to the Bible and orthodox Christianity should at least have the integrity to propose removal of Article II from the ELCIC Constitution.  Although many in the ELCIC determine moral issues on the basis of personal experience, science, political correctness, congruence with cultural norms, homosexual behaviour of relatives or close friends, etc., ELCIC doctrine and policy cannot be based on anything other than the "Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments" (Section 3, Article II, ELCIC Constitution).   The ELCIC hierarchy has decided that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments should be ignored regarding acceptable sexual behaviour.  They are in error.

All convention delegates have a responsibility and accountability to the Triune God to make decisions on the basis of His revealed truth in the Scriptures.  The Social Statement and sexuality motions recommended by the ELCIC hierarchy, or the personal views of individual delegates, cannot be the basis for decision making at the National Convention.

The attached questions may prove helpful in understanding the short, medium and long term consequences on the ELCIC by adopting the homosexuality proposals. Solid Ground’s answers to these important questions are provided in the attached pages as well. Also, see "95 Questions and Answers", posted on the Solid Ground website at www.solid-ground.ca for more commentary.  We encourage you to take the time to review this material prior to the National Convention.

"No greater mischief can happen to a Christian people than to have God's Word taken from them, so that they no longer have it pure and clear.  God grant we and our descendants be not witnesses of such a calamity." - Martin Luther

When a church body makes sin and apostasy part of its official doctrine and practice, Christians have an obligation to oppose it and, where necessary, depart from it.

27 Questions For 2011 ELCIC Convention Delegates With Answers From Solid Ground

Download pdf of letter


by Keith R. Odegard

Bishop Susan Johnson and the NCC of the ELCIC have proposed that the ELCIC introduce significant changes to ELCIC doctrine regarding human sexuality.  Before delegates vote on these initiatives, Solid Ground believes that each convention delegate should consciously address the issues represented by these questions.  Biblical quotations are from the New International Version (“NIV”), Book of Concord (“BOC”) quotations are from the Tappert edition from Fortress Press, 1959.  The following answers are the response of the Solid Ground Executive to the questions.

A. ELCIC Doctrine - Holy Scriptures and Lutheran Theology Interpretation Documents in the Book of Concord

1. Do the Social Statement (“SS”) and sexuality motions violate the Triune God’s will regarding human sexuality presented in the Bible and the Book of Concord (“BOC”)?

Answer: The SS and motions present a warped, twisted approach to human sexuality by rejecting all references to the Old and New Testaments relating to deviant sexual behaviour.  Some of the relevant texts include:

Transvestitism

Deuteronomy 22:5 - A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. 

Homosexuality

Genesis 19:4 – Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom – both young and old – surrounded the house.  They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them.”

  Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No my friends.  Don’t do this wicked thing.  Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man.  Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them.  But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

  “Get out of our way.” They replied.  And they said, “This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge!  We’ll treat you worse than them.”  They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.

  But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.  Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.

 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here-sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you?  Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place.  The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.”

Leviticus 18:22 – Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.  To lie with a man as with a woman is abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 - If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.  They must be put to death;  their blood will be on their own heads.

1 Kings 14:24 – There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

Romans 1:26 – 32  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

  Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.  They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.  They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived:  Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were.

  

1 Timothy 1: 8 -  11  We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.  We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for the lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

Book of Concord

Since the matter of human sexuality had been settled for 1,500 years before the Reformation, there is no analysis of any doctrinal change that would accept, affirm, encourage and celebrate homosexuality.  

References to human sexuality focus on the divine nature of the estate of marriage between one man and one woman. A small sample of the many quotations regarding human sexuality that affirm the restriction of sexual relations between one man and one woman within the confines of marriage, from the BOC follows:

Augsburg Confession Article XXIII :  “In the second place, Christ said, “Not all men can receive this precept” (Matt 19:11), by which he declared that all men are not suited for celibacy because God created man for procreation (Gen 1:28)” (Tappert 51:5)

Apology of the Augsburg Confession Article XIII: 

We cannot approve the law of celibacy put forth by our opponents because it clashes with divine and natural law and conflicts with the very decrees of the council.  It obviously endangers religion and morality, for it produces endless scandals, sins, and the corruption of public morals…..

 First, Gen 1:28 teaches that men were created to be fruitful and that one sex should have a proper desire for the other.  We are not talking about sinful lust but about so-called “natural love,” the desire which was meant to be in uncorrupted nature.  This love of one sex for the other is truly a divine ordinance.  Since this ordinance of God cannot be suspended without, an extraordinary work of God, it follows that neither regulations nor vows can abolish the right to contract marriage.

..The Word of God did not form the nature of men to be fruitful only at the beginning of creation, but it still does as long as this physical nature of ours exists….

Second, because this creation or divine ordinance in man is a natural right, the jurists have said wisely and correctly that the union of man and woman is by natural right.  Now, since natural right is unchangeable, the right to contract marriage must always remain.  Where nature does not change, there must remain that ordinance which God has built into nature, and human regulations cannot abolish it.  So it is ridiculous for our opponents to say that originally marriage was commanded but that it is no longer commanded.  This is the same as saying that formerly men were born with a sex and now they are not, or that originally they were born with a natural right and now they are not.  No one could fabricate anything more crafty than this foolishness, thought up in order to circumvent the natural law.  Let us therefore keep this fact in mind, taught by Scripture and wisely put by the jurists:  The union of man and woman is by natural right.  Natural right is really divine right, because it is an ordinance divinely stamped on nature.  Since only an extraordinary act of God can change this right, the right to contract marriage necessarily remains.  For the natural desire of one sex for the other is an ordinance of God, and therefore it is a right; otherwise, why would both sexes have been created?  As we said, we are not talking about sinful lust but about the desire which is called “natural love,” which lust did not remove from nature but only inflamed.  Now it needs a remedy even more, and marriage is necessary for a remedy as well as for procreation.  This is so clear and firm as to be irrefutable.  

Third, Paul says (1Cor. 7:2), “Because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife.”  This is an express command, directed to anyone not suited for celibacy.  (Tappert p. 240-1)

In the first place, our opponents must admit that for believers marriage is pure because it has been sanctified by the Word of God; that is, it is something which the Word of God permits and approves, as the Scriptures abundantly testify.  Christ calls marriage a divine union when he say in Matt 19:6, “What God has joined together.” (Tappert p.243)

Luther’s Large Catechism

Significantly he established it (marriage) as the first of all institutions, and he created man and woman differently (as is evident) not for lewdness but to be true to each other, be fruitful, beget children, and support and bring them up to the glory of God.

  God has therefore most richly blessed this estate (marriage) above all others and, in addition, has supplied and endowed it with everything in the world in order that this estate might be provided for richly and adequately.  Married life is no matter for jest or idle curiosity, but it is a glorious institution and an object of God’s serious concern.

Therefore I have always taught that we should not despise or disdain marriage, as the blind world and the false clergy do, but view it in the light of God’s Word, by which it is adorned and sanctified.  It is not an estate to be placed on a level with the others; it precedes and surpasses them all, whether those of emperor, princes, bishops, or anyone else….It is not an exceptional estate, but the most universal and the noblest, pervading all Christendom and even extending throughout the world.

In the second place, remember that it is not only an honorable estate but also a necessary one, and it is solemnly commanded by God that in general men and women in all conditions, who have been created for it, shall be found in this estate.  Yet there are some (although few) exceptions whom God has especially exempted-some who are unsuited for married life and other whom he has released by a high supernatural gift so that they can maintain chastity outside of marriage. (Tappert p. 393)

Comment:  Nowhere in the Old or New Testaments or BOC is homosexuality or other forms of sexual deviancy accepted, affirmed, encouraged or celebrated.  To attempt to use the Bible or BOC to pursue the agenda presented in the SS and motions is absurd.  Rather than recognizing the Bible as the sole source of all ELCIC doctrine (See ELCIC Constitution Article II Section 3, Page 4 below), and the BOC as documents that have properly interpreted the Bible, the ELCIC hierarchy is promoting, through the SS and motions, doctrine and policy that is directly opposed to the content of the Bible and BOC.

    

  

2. Are the Social Statement and sexuality motions in violation of the current ELCIC Constitution (“the Constitution”)?

Answer:  The Constitution includes detailed requirements relating to the formulation of ELCIC official church doctrine and policy.  In answer to the above question, the following analysis presents the text of the Constitution with a commentary addressing whether the SS and motions violate that particular section of the Constitution.

ARTICLE II

Section 1.  This church confesses the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – as the one true God.  It proclaims the Father as Creator and Preserver; His Son, Jesus Christ, as Redeemer and Lord; and the Holy Spirit as Regenerator and Sanctifier.

Comment:  The SS and motions violate Section 1 of Article II since they do not recognize the Triune God, but rather a false god.

Section 2.  This church confesses that the gospel is the revelation of God’s saving will and grace in Jesus Christ, which he imparts through Word and Sacrament.  Through these means of grace the Holy Spirit creates believers and unites them with their Lord and with one another in the fellowship of the Holy Christian Church.

Comment:  The SS and motions violate Section 2 of Article II because they do not recognize Jesus Christ of the Triune God, but rather a false Christ.  The SS and motions also violate the fellowship with other Christians in the Holy Christian Church since the content of the SS and motions has never been accepted by the Holy Christian Church in 2,000 years of church history and are not accepted by the vast majority of today’s Christians.

Section 3.  This church confesses the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God, through which God still speaks, and as the only source of the church’s doctrine and the authoritative standard for the faith and life of the church.  (emphasis added)

Comment:  The SS and motions violate Section 3, since they are not based on the Old and New Testament.  The Bible clearly condemns all sexual practices that are not restricted to one man and one woman in a committed relationship.  Homosexual behavior was known to the writers of both the Old and New Testament and was rejected.  Such behavior was never commended, affirmed or celebrated.   Ignoring the specific commands regarding sexual behavior specified in the Bible when formulating ELCIC sexuality doctrine and policy is direct violation of Section 3 of Article II.  

The SS and motion are doctrine and policy that are not Biblical, stand in opposition to Article II of the ELCIC Constitution and contain content that is adversative to orthodox Christianity.  Those who would lead the ELCIC to policies and faith practices that are in direct opposition to the Bible and orthodox Christianity should at least have the decency and integrity to propose removal of Article II from the ELCIC Constitution by disbanding the ELCIC.  Although many in the ELCIC may determine moral issues on the basis of personal experience, science, political correctness, Federal or Provincial Government policy, congruence with dominant cultural norms, homosexual activities of relatives or close friends, etc., current official ELCIC doctrine and policy cannot be based on anything other that the “Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments”.  Although the ELCIC hierarchy may have come to the personal revelation that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments should be ignored regarding acceptable sexual activity, they are in error.   

  

The approach of massively changing the theological doctrine of the ELCIC by simply ignoring Article II and proposing policies and doctrine that are antithetical to orthodox Christianity is not acceptable behaviour by individuals who are paid to operate the ELCIC in a manner that is consistent with its Constitution.   If the ELCIC hierarchy wishes to eliminate Article II as the basis of determining ELCIC doctrine and policy, they should resign their positions and work toward disbanding the ELCIC.   Congregations and individual members of the ELCIC should not give benevolence money to pay the salaries and overhead expenses of an ELCIC hierarchy that are actively working against the provisions of the Constitution of the ELCIC.

If the ELCIC hierarchy, have no plans to propose the dissolution of the ELCIC, to achieve the objective of jettisoning Article II, how can they, meeting the minimum ethical standards of honesty, integrity and decency, present a SS and motions that contains doctrine and policy that unashamedly and blatantly violates Article II?

This SS and motions are in stark violation of the Constitution of the ELCIC, therefore it is unethical and illegal to expend ELCIC resources to promote the SS and/or motions.  If one recognizes that the SS and motions are in violation of the ELCIC Constitution, then the ELCIC Bishop Susan Johnson is duty-bound to reject the SS and motions and work against their adoption at the 2011 ELCIC Convention.   Sadly, rather than rejecting the SS and motions, Bishop Johnson and the NCC have expended tens of thousands of dollars of ELCIC resources to produce and promote them.

If Bishop Johnson and the NCC members wish to ignore Article II, they should find the courage to resign from their positions within the ELCIC and work towards disbanding the ELCIC, so that the religious institution that replaces the ELCIC is not constrained by adherence to the Holy Scriptures.  This course of action would eliminate the conflict of interest inherent in an organization where the individuals responsible for insuring the organization comply with its constitution on a day to day basis, seek to introduce radical new polices and practices that violate this constitution.  If the ELCIC hierarchy sincerely believe God is leading them to a radical change of ELCIC doctrine and practices, they should begin by openly working to form a new religious institution to promote their non-Christian beliefs, rather than attempting to maintain a Potemkin village façade of faithfulness to the ELCIC Constitution, while proposing doctrine and policies that are in direct violation of the Constitution. 

Both paid and non-paid individuals who participate in any activities of the ELCIC must be required, as a condition of employment/volunteer service, to perform their duties in accordance with the Constitution of the ELCIC, including Article II.  If they cannot, in good conscience, adhere to this minimum ethical standard, they should either a.) work openly towards the dissolution of the ELCIC in order to eliminate Article II or, b.) transfer to a religious institution that is not constrained by the content of the Old and New Testaments and/or the Book of Concord. 

From a strictly organization survival standpoint, ignoring the ELCIC Constitution while attempting to introduce radical change to the organization will likely result in a significant loss of active members and financial support.  If congregations and individual members do not trust the hierarchy to operate the ELCIC in accordance with its Constitution, they will likely abandon the ELCIC and search out a religious organization that acts in a manner consistent with its Constitution and orthodox Christianity. 

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the introduction of the SS and motions, the dishonesty of pretending Article II does not exist in forming ELCIC doctrine and policy, does not engender trust and confidence in the ELCIC hierarchy.  Why would individuals and congregations support an organization that they do not trust, since it does not operate in an honest, transparent manner?  There are likely many ELCIC members who naively believe that church policy must conform to Article II, since it is the only “unalterable” article in the ELCIC Constitution.  

Section 4.  This church subscribes to the document of the Book of Concord of 1580 as witnesses to the way in which the Holy Scriptures have been correctly understood, explained and confessed for the sake of the gospel, namely:

The Apostles’, Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds as the chief confessions of the Christian faith;

The unaltered Augsburg Confession as its basic formulation of Christian doctrine;

Luther’s Small Catechism as a clear summary of Christian doctrine;

The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Large Catechism, the Smalcald Articles with the Treatise, and the Formula of Concord as further witnesses to the Unaltered Augsburg Confeesion.

Comment:  Like the intentional rejection of the Old and New Testament in formulating and promoting the SS and motions, the ELCIC hierarchy also ignores the many references to human sexuality in the Book of Concord (“BOC”).  As in the Old and New Testament, the only acceptable sexual relationships between humans is a committed relationship between one man and one woman.  To quote from the BOC to support the SS and motions, while ignoring the content of the BOC regarding human sexuality is intellectually and morally dishonest.   Therefore, the SS and motions violate Section 4 of Article II. 

ARTICLE III

Section 1.  Jesus Christ is Lord of the Church.  All power belongs to Him as its head.  All actions of this church are to be carried out under His rule and authority.

Comment:  The SS and motions violate Section 1 because they not recognize Jesus Christ of the Triune God.  To propose that the SS and motions are based on the rule and authority of Jesus Christ is absurd.  No evidence or support has been provided that indicates that Jesus Christ ever supported homosexual relationships or that He directed His church to affirm and celebrate such unnatural relationships.  Since the Athanasian Creed is a chief confession of the ELCIC (See the Section 4, a. Article II of the Constitution), Jesus Christ is uncreated and existed at the beginning with God the Father, therefore the law and behavioral expectations of the Old Testament are the commands of both the Father and the Son.  Therefore the SS and motions violate Section 1 of Article III.

Section 2.  The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the Church, which exists both as congregations gathered for worship, witness, education and service, and as an inclusive fellowship which has its own identity and integrity.  Congregations find their fulfillment in the universal community of the Church, and the universal Church exists in and through congregations.

Comment:  The SS and motions violate the Holy Spirit since they deny its ability to speak through the Triune God’s Word, the Old and New Testament.  The universal church is not present in congregations that do not recognize the Triune God but rather a false god.   Therefore, the SS and motions violate Section 2 of Article III.

Section 3  This church derives its character and its powers both from its congregations and from its inherent nature as part of the Church universal.  It regards itself as standing in the historic continuity of the communion of saints and as being an expression of that Christian fellowship in today’s world.

Comment:  The SS and motions violate Section 3 of Article III because acceptance of them as doctrine and policy of the ELCIC cuts off any connection with the Church universal and historic continuity of the communion of saints, since the SS and motions bless and celebrate sin and worship a false god, not the Triune God of the Old and new Testaments.

Article XX 

Section 1. ARTICLE II on “Confession of Faith” shall be unalterable.

Comment:  Therefore, Article II cannot be altered without the dissolution of the ELCIC.  If Bishop Johnson and the ELCIC hierarchy wish to eliminate Article II from the Constitution, they should resign from their ELCIC offices and propose disbanding the ELCIC at the next ELCIC Convention.  If the ELCIC was disbanded, all the assets of the ELCIC could be returned to ELCIC congregations.  Those congregations that wished to join the new organization of Bishop Johnson and the existing ELCIC hierarchy could join and support the new organization.  Unlike the ELCIC Constitution, this new organization constitution could be written to exclude any reference to the Old and New Testaments, Book of Concord, God the Father, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit, etc.  In terms of determining acceptable doctrine, the new religious institution could include whatever criteria the organizers and their supporting congregations decide.

3. Why does the SS quote Luther and BOC documents but refuses to cite quotations from these sources that relate directly to human sexuality?

Answer:  Because there are no quotations that relate to human sexuality that support the SS or the motions.  Homosexuality is condemned throughout the Bible.  Sexual relations confined to one man and one woman within a committed relationship are repeatedly affirmed, encouraged and celebrated throughout the Bible and BOC.

4. Is “context” a Christian theological concept?

Answer:  The SS repeatedly presents the idea of the “context” that exists for the ELCIC.  For example, “Our interest in our current context is based on Christ’s interest in the well-being of all.”  The previous draft of the SS and Sexuality Study also raise this new idea that the doctrine of the Christian church must adapt to the norms of the dominant culture.  This idea is not found in the Bible or BOC. It is an idea that is toxic to preserving the truth of Law and Gospel, since it presumes that Christian foundational beliefs can be cast aside based on the expectations of a heathen culture

5. What is heresy?

Answer:  A belief at variance with the accepted doctrine of a church; a belief opposed to authoritative opinion in any area of thought.  (The Living Webster’s Dictionary).  

6. What is apostasy?

Answer:  An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion or departure from one’s faith, principles, or party. (The Living Webster’s Dictionary)

7. Does adopting a policy of non-compliance of purity laws mean that all Old Testament laws should be violated?

Answer:  No.  The proponents of the SS and motions have made the illogical leap that since some of the purity laws need not be enforced, therefore all the laws of the Old Testament are inapplicable to the “current context” of the ELCIC.  If the SS and motion proponents’ logic is followed it would make sense to ignore the verses 21, 22 and 23 from the eighteenth chapter of Leviticus:

Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God.  I am the Lord,

Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it.  A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.

If the laws of Leviticus are to be ignored because they are no longer applicable, then it would be perfectly acceptable for parents to sacrifice their children to Molech and women to present themselves to animals for sexual relations. 

The bulk of the laws of Leviticus are relevant to Christians.  The obscure purity laws that are not relevant are not affirmed by Christ or the writers of the New Testament.  Also, these purity laws do not relate to God’s order of creation or any writings of the Reformers found in the BOC.  To equate the prohibition of homosexuality from the Old Testament with irrelevant purity laws is both illogical and intellectually dishonest. 

  

8. Does the existence of homosexual practices in modern Canadian society require the ELCIC to change its theology to satisfy the current culture?

Answer:  Homosexual practices have existed throughout human history, including the time period of both the Old and New Testaments.  If the Triune God wished to conform to the culture He would have permitted and affirmed homosexual behaviour.  Rather than affirm homosexual behavior, he condemned it in both the Old and New Testaments.  The idea that the ELCIC should change its core doctrine to match the cultural norms of 21^st century Canada, is not supported by Scripture or the BOC.

9. Does the Bible have any direct references to homosexual behavior?

Answer:  Yes, homosexual behaviour is condemned in the Bible.  See the answer to Question 1 above for specific examples.

10. Does the BOC have any direct references to heterosexual behavior? 

Answer:  Yes, the BOC affirms that human sexuality should be restricted to one man and one woman in a committed marriage relationship.  (See 95 Questions posted at www.solid-ground.ca for more commentary)

   

 B. Government Determination of ELCIC Theology, Ethics and Morality

11.  Does the recent change in Federal or Provincial Government policy in respect to active homosexuals, change the Triune God’s expectations?

Answer:  There is no evidence from Scripture, the BOC or plain reason that indicates that the Triune God will change His commands or expectations regarding human sexuality based on the actions of a Federal or Provincial Government.  If the Triune God did take direction in matters of doctrine from the Federal Government or Provincial Government there would be no need for the ELCIC or any other church body, since all of God’s doctrine and expectation would match exactly the rights and responsibilities of all citizens of Canada.  Such a view is frankly, ridiculous and stands against the Word of the Triune God.

12. If and when the Federal Government or a Provincial Government changes marriage policy (e.g. permitting polygamy, etc.) will ELCIC congregations be forced to affirm these sexual combinations if their pastor is in favor of the newly permitted sexual combination(s)?

Answer:  There are no restrictions on the sexual practices that could be imposed on congregations of the ELCIC, since the only two criteria for determining “marriage” is that the Government and the local pastor agree on the participants.  This means any combination of males, females, minors, (e.g. two males and 1 female) etc. could be married in an ELCIC congregation if the Federal or Provincial Government and local pastor accepted the combination(s). 

C. Pastoral Leadership

13. Is it possible for ordinary lay members of the ELCIC to expect to discern the Will of God if it is in conflict with the views and opinions of the ELCIC religious leaders? 

Answer:  Yes.  The views and opinions of the ELCIC hierarchy are irrelevant if they conflict with the Will of the Triune God revealed in the Bible and BOC.

14. In the context of this debate regarding official ELCIC policy, should the personal opinions of the “experts”, the ELCIC bureaucrats and clergy be given greater credence than the Bible and the BOC?

Answer:  There is no provision for ELCIC doctrine and policy to be determined by the personal opinions of so-called “experts” and ELCIC bureaucrats.  Doctrine and policy must be in accordance with the Bible and the BOC as per the Constitution (See the answers to Questions 1 and 2 above).

D. Decision Making Process of the ELCIC Hierarchy Regarding the Social Statement on Human Sexuality and Motions

15. Does the sexual behavior of relatives of the NCC, pastors and/or convention delegates require them to recognize their inherent conflict of interest when formulating ELCIC policy that violates the ELCIC Constitution?

Answer:  Many members of the ELCIC hierarchy may have close family members or friends that are active homosexuals.  This situation should in no way influence the official doctrine and policy of the ELCIC. ELCIC doctrine and policy do not exist to be an expression of the personal opinions of the ELCIC hierarchy.  Although the ELCIC hierarchy may have a strong desire to change ELCIC official doctrine to encourage and celebrate homosexuality, the requirements of Scripture, the BOC, the Constitution and orthodox Christian doctrine should override their personal desires or opinions.  

16. Should the ELCIC discard existing ELCIC policy, the 1970 Statement on Sex, Marriage and Family without comparing and contrasting both the existing policy and the new Social Statement?

Answer:  No, it is illogical to completely ignore existing policy.  The existing policy should be included with the draft SS, so that convention delegates can see the mammoth differences between the two documents.

17. How does ELCIC hierarchy believe that their unorthodox interpretation of sexuality can surpass two ELCIC convention votes and 2,000 years of recorded church history?

Answer:  The votes of two ELCIC conventions, the Constitution and 2,000 years of recorded church history appear to be irrelevant to the agenda of ELCIC hierarchy.  This is the only logical explanation to the continuous attempt to pass the celebration and acceptance of homosexuality.   Like the Quebec separatists, who believe that one vote where 50.1% of the voters can force Quebec to leave Canada, the ELCIC hierarchy believe that one vote with 50.1% support at a convention can radically alter ELCIC human sexuality policy.  No matter how many Convention votes reject homosexuality as a God-pleasing activity, the ELCIC hierarchy proceeds on the basis that they only need one vote in favor of homosexuality to massively change ELCIC doctrine and policy.

E. ELCIC Hierarchy Call for Social Cohesion and Unity of ELCIC Members

18.  Is the concept of “unity” presented on page 10 of the Social Statement a call to preserve the ELCIC’s present and future financial resources, or an honest attempt to follow the requirements of Scripture?

Answer:  The ELCIC synod offices and head office needs financial resources to survive.  Historically, it has obtained these resources by congregations willingly making gifts to their respective synod and the synod forwarding a portion of these offerings to the head office of the ELCIC.  It would be impossible to promote the absorption of the ELCIC by the Anglican Church of Canada (“ACOC”) or to advocate for the ELCIC accepting, affirming, encouraging and celebrating homosexual behavior without financial resources.  It appears that “unity” in the context of the SS actually means unity so that financial resources will continue to be transferred to the ELCIC synod and head offices from local congregations.

Given the opposition of the NCC to the motion to protect congregational property at the 2009 convention, and the ACOC head office control of all congregational property, “unity” may, in the future, mean the control by synods or the ELCIC head office of congregational property.  Both the Eastern Canada Synod and B.C. Synod have attempted to gain control of congregational property in the past (see www.solid-ground.ca for further details).  If individual members or congregations leave the ELCIC the congregations are currently permitted to take their property with them to another church body.  The call for unity in this “context” may simply mean that it may take some time for the ELCIC to implement the required changes to constitutions and organizational structure to gain control of congregational property.  

  

F. Illogicality of ELCIC Social Statement on Human Sexuality and Proposed Motions 

19.  Are there any boundaries on the behavior of humans, if all violations of God’s Law can be excused on the basis of acceptance, context and culture?

Answer:  The acceptance of the SS and motions sets the precedent that no behaviours of humans can logically be prohibited, since the criteria for the acceptance, affirmation, encouragement and celebration of behaviours prohibited by the Triune God are based on the personal desires of ELCIC bureaucrats and Federal and Provincial politicians.  If the ELCIC can willfully violate the Scriptures, BOC and historic church practice to pander to the desires of the homosexual community, it is symptomatic of an organization that has little or no  connection to the Triune God revealed in Scripture and BOC.

20. Why would the Triune God repeatedly condemn homosexuality if it was not harmful to humans?

Answer:  If one accepts the Christian concept that the Triune God loves humans, it is irrational to assume that His commands regarding human sexuality are not intended for the benefit of humans.  Proponents of the affirmation of homosexuality believe that they are more intellectually advanced than the Triune God revealed in Scripture.  

21. Why does the Social Statement contain several Biblical references but no reference to the many verses relating directly to human sexuality?

Answer:  All the Biblical references related to human sexuality condemn non-heterosexual behaviours.  In order to affirm many other types of human sexual expression, the SS has to ignore all Scripture that relates directly or indirectly to human sexuality.  

22. Why has the Social Statement ignored all other sexuality issues that face members of the ELCIC such as divorce, abortion, teenage pregnancy, etc.?

Answer:  These other issues would likely obscure the single minded focus on the acceptance and affirmation of non-heterosexual behaviors.  The previous 1970 Social Statement addresses more issues than the proposed SS.

23. How can ELCIC congregational members support an organization that acts in conflict with the Bible and BOC? 

Answer:  If the SS and motions pass, each individual member and congregation will have to make a choice regarding which god they worship and serve.  The Triune God of the Bible and BOC or some other false god.  

G. Christ’s Love

24. Which activity proclaims Christ’s love for one’s neighbor, proclaiming the truth revealed in the Bible and BOC or encouraging one’s neighbor to break God’s law by engaging in prohibited sexual behavior?

Answer:  Proclaiming the truth of the Triune God as revealed by the Bible and the BOC is the only action that shares Christ’s love with one’s neighbor.  Encouraging and celebrating deviant sexual behavior that is specifically condemned by the Triune God leads people away from Christ’s love.

H. Future Impact on ELCIC Members and Congregations

25.  Since the sexuality motions condone and lift up active homosexual couples as living morally equivalent lives equivalent to active heterosexual couples, will all church documents, Sunday School materials, worship resources reflect this new policy?

Answer:  Based on the strong push by the ELCIC hierarchy to promote homosexuality, including ordaining active homosexuals, it appears reasonable that all future worship resources,  Sunday School materials, etc., will at a minimum, present homosexual behavior in at least as favourable light as heterosexual behavior.  If the ELCIC changes its doctrine to marry and ordain homosexuals, it would make sense that the ELCIC would affirm homosexuality as perfectly acceptable God-pleasing expression of human sexuality.  Future decisions by Federal and Provincial governments may also result in changes to ELCIC Sunday School materials, since sexual behavior acceptable to the ELCIC would be determined by Federal and Provincial government action rather than the Bible or BOC. 

26. Will the ELCIC change the scripture readings for congregational worship services by either mistranslating the many prohibitions of homosexuality and affirmations of heterosexuality or simply prohibit any passage that contains any reference to human sexuality (e.g. Genesis 1:28  “Go forth and multiply.”)?

Answer:  The ELCIC and predecessor organizations such as the Lutheran Church in America, American Lutheran Church and ELCC have shown no reluctance to change historic documents to meet their requirements.  So it would be logical for the ELCIC hierarchy to simply mistranslate or change any Scripture references that contradict the official doctrine and policy of the ELCIC regarding human sexuality.

27. Are there other Lutheran church bodies that have not made the acceptance, affirmation, promotion, encouragement and celebration of homosexual behaviour official church policy?

Answer:  Thankfully the ELCIC is not the only Lutheran church body in Canada.  Congregations and individual members have a wide variety of Lutheran church bodies that are not proposing to bless, encourage or celebrate sin.  The following list includes some of the choices available to Canadian Lutherans:

Association of Free Lutheran Congregations-Canada (AFLC) www.aflccanada.org

Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations (CALC) www.calc.ca

Church of the Lutheran Brethren-Canada (CLB) www.lbcanada.org

Life Together Churches (LTC) www.lifetogetherchurches.com

Lutheran Church - Canada (LCC) www.lutheranchurch-canada.ca

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) www.lcmc.net

North American Lutheran Church (NALC) www.thenalc.org

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod – Canada (WELS) www.wels-canada.ca