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Lutheran Churches
Missouri Synod Lutherans respond to the Evangelical Synod’s (ELCA) acceptance of gay couples into the clergy.
“A church body‘s acceptance of homosexual activity promotes a false security about behavior and conduct which God has forbidden and from which He longs to redeem us,” the document, titled “Theological Implications of the 2009 ELCA Decisions,” states. “As such, it leads to a false gospel: to self-justification rather than that justification for repentant sinners which God has promised to all who trust in His forgiving mercy through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Discussion

Mon, 05/10/10
Wow…what a good statement of not just repudiating error, but also in presenting the gospel as well. Good for them.

This part, in particular, was possibly the best, in my opinion:
The LCMS cannot and does not share this conclusion or the understanding of Scripture on which it is based. We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the living Word of God, through His prophets and apostles. We affirm the infallibility of the Scriptures because they are ―God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16 NIV)—that is, though they are written by men, God is their primary author and every word of Scripture is His word. Therefore they are not subject to all the same assumptions which apply to other ancient literature. We also hold the Scriptures to be understandable and truthful in their plain or simple meaning and that no other writing, understanding, or experience may call into question that meaning. In other words: While the Biblical writers used terms current in the everyday parlance of their times, Biblical doctrinal formulations are not on that account culturally conditioned in the sense that they are provisional or tentative; in Spirit-taught words they express what God has revealed in a way that remains permanently valid and is for all times the only normative way of talking about the topic they treat.

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

Mon, 05/10/10
2 of my kids go to a LCMS school, so I am pretty familar with both sides. Two ELCA churches in our area split over the issue. The more “conservative” ELCA churches wouldnt join with LCMS because they are too conservative. It has been interesting learning for me

Roger Carlson, Pastor Berean Baptist Church

Mon, 05/10/10
Yeah, I was kind of surprised by how solidly the LCMS folks nailed the question. It’s hard not to feel some kindred spirit warmness there… but hey, I’m a Baptist, so can’t do that. ;)

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.