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 JAN
31, 2010 - NEW SEMINARY
A new seminary has arisen among
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the
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This is a new seminary grounded
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Curious - View the seminary link
SEMINARY LINK…
Why the new seminary?
view article by attending
student John Graham
MORE …
--- END OF NEW ITEMS ---
Well, what we have
all been waiting for is here! The ELCIC Study of Human Sexuality Document
was released a few weeks ago. The National Church has invited all members
to study it (Canada Lutheran, October/November 2009) and provide
feedback before February 28, 2010. We would encourage you to take the
time to read it, either as a group or individually and send your
responses to the ELCIC.
Rev. Dr. Peeter
Vanker, having already reviewed it, shares his thoughts with
us......
It
seems that the central thrust of the Study is found in Session 6,
“Orientation” (Subtitle: “Sexuality and Orientation”). That session
is preceded by two sessions, both essentially on the theme of justice,
via “Families” (Subtitle: “Justice and Healing in Families”, and
“Justice” (Subtitle: “Sexuality, Justice and Healing”). These
three sessions reveal some of the key premises which are embedded in the
study. I would like to consider those premises and offer my critique.
One
of the premises embedded in the study seems to be that human
sexuality is inexorably linked with the issue of social, political as
well as personal justice. Many of the arguments focus on the
social and political rather than on the personal sphere. The study would
therefore have the reader simply proceed from the premise that the issue
of human sexuality, whether in the social, political or personal realm
has to be considered largely in the context of power and discrimination.
Another
premise seems to be that the Scriptures are not a particularly helpful
vehicle in a study of human sexuality because the ancient Scripture
writers were unaware of modern social, political and cultural changes,
and especially of the modern notion of sexual orientation.
A
further premise is that sexual orientation is genetic although
there has as yet been no definitive proof one way or the other. As Merton
P. Strommen notes in his 2001 book, The Church and Homosexuality:
Searching for a Middle Ground (p. 28), “Today’s most respected
researchers say only that genetics may contribute a predisposition to a
homosexual orientation. They generally agree that homosexuality – like
most other psychological conditions – is due to a combination of social,
biological, and psychological factors.”
A
still further premise is that sexual orientation is irreversible.
We note, however, the article by H. MacIntosh (1994) in the Journal of
the American Psychoanalytic Association cited by Merton P. Strommen
in his book (p. 63) which reports that having analyzed 1,215 homosexual
patients, “23 percent changed to heterosexuality from homosexuality and
84 percent of the total group received significant therapeutic benefit.”
The
range of theological positions within the ELCIC seems to be fairly
presented in Session 6. However, the implication of such widely
divergent and, I would argue, irreconcilable positions are not
pursued except to suggest that the members of the ELCIC simply accept
this reality. Furthermore, the ELCIC will allow members to opt out of
specific situations as one’s conscience dictates. As Session 1 argues, “Such public
statements do not obligate all members of the ELCIC to agree. Honest
disagreements should not be seen as a sign of disunity, but as a means of
forcing the ELCIC to new understandings and insights” (Session
1, p.
9-10). The
participants should, the study suggests, “agree to disagree”. The
study therefore appears to be institutionally “self-serving”, for the
ultimate goal of the study is to maintain institutional unity at
all cost.
Certain
themes are chosen for the various sessions of the study which will
further this goal. I have already alluded to the disproportionate amount
of attention paid to the issue of justice.
There
is a session on sin. However, the session on sin focuses largely
on social, political and systemic sin and not personal
sin.
A
glaring omission is the absence of a session emphasizing repentance and
personal transformation. There
is no session which deals with the challenge to every believer to
consider his/her need for a personal transformation in light of the
entire spectrum of sins cited throughout the Scriptures, including the
references to homosexual behaviour (e.g. Rom. 1, etc.).
It
may seem at first glance that the study is centered on and flows
from the Scriptures, for each of the sessions begins with a
Scriptural passage. On closer inspection, however, it becomes clear that
it is not the Scriptures but human experiences and personal views
(“story telling”), along with social and political developments
that occupy center stage and with respect to discussions about human sexuality
at many of our national and Synodical conventions, this has also been the
methodology used.
Because
of the methodology chosen, the Scriptures play only a tangential and
secondary role. In contrast to the lengthy sections on social and
political justice issues in the study, there is, for instance, relatively
little attention devoted to a re-examination of the key passages of both
the Old and New Testaments that relate to human sexuality (marriage,
family, children, etc.), including the Genesis account, nor to the
negative behaviours cited in the Scriptures (extra-marital, pre-marital,
divorce, etc.) which destroy individual marriages and family
relationships. The study clearly reveals that
the
Scriptures are not to be considered the ultimate
“authority” for our faith and life, but
merely one of the possible authorities.
I would question,
finally, the decision of the ELCIC not to identify the members of the
Task Force and the writer(s) of the Study.
session by session critique…
A
Response to ELCIC Study of Human Sexuality
The ELCIC Task Force's invitation to provide
feedback on the Study document they have prepared is quickly receiving responses.
This paper is intended to guide and initiate individual and
congregational input into the first draft of a new Human Sexuality Social
Statement.
Rev. Dr. K. Glen Johnson served as President of Camrose
LutheranCollege/Augustana University College for 28 years. As Pastor of
Ascension Lutheran Church in Calgary, Pastor Johnson, along with his
Church Council have prepared their response to the Study.
....MORE
To give or not to give; that is the question
One of the questions, often
raised by those in disagreement with an institution or entity that they
previously have supported, is whether or not it is appropriate and
faithful to use the redirection of financial support away from that
institution or entity as a means to influence policy.
Pastor Steven E. King
addresses this question in his article entitled, "Everything I
Learned about the Redirection of Financial Support, I Learned from the
ELCA."
....MORE
Leaving family
reflection
A letter from a faithful family in reaction to the
ELCIC Sexuality Study........
....read the letter from a faithful family
Rethinking the
nature of the church
By Lothar Schwabe
Reflecting on the transitions
he has seen and experienced in the church he has served for many years,
Rev. Dr. Lothar Schwabe is challenged to "rethink the nature of the
church".
....read this article
NEW
“free-standing synod” for North America
CORE
– Lutheran Coalition for Renewal
....PRESS
RELEASE
More than 1,200 Lutherans,
representing 44 states and 3 provinces, attended the Lutheran CORE Convocation on September 25 & 26, 2009, in
Indianapolis
The Convocation took action to adopt
a constitution and to create a "free-standing
synod" for North America
Following is the press release
issued by Lutheran CORE that describes the events that took place over
the two days:
To learn more about Lutheran CORE go to:
http://www.lutherancore.org/
LETTER TO EASTERN SYNOD CLERGY
This is an indication of how
the Eastern Synod of the ELCIC (as a organization acting in Christian
love) treats a congregation that has left the ELCIC.
....read the letter
Response
from the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations
ELCA passes
…blessings of “same sex unions”
and
…homosexual “ordination and
rostering”
Following the super-majority
approval (66.67% to 33.33%) of a new social statement on Human Sexuality
by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's Churchwide Assembly
earlier this week, the delegates yesterday passed 4 recommendations to
change policy and practice in the church body.
The new recommendations approved by
this Convention will allow “blessing of same sex unions”, and “ordination and rostering
of homosexuals” in long-term, monogamous relationships to serve in
the pastoral ministries of the church. This is a marked shift away from
the clear teachings of the Scriptures held by the majority of Christians
in the world.
This will certainly have a great
impact on the people of the ELCIC as our social statement, due to be
introduced at our national convention in Saskatchewan in 2011, has the
same intention, to allow “blessing
of same sex unions”, and “ordination and rostering of homosexuals”.
Lutheran CORE leaders are
inviting faithful Lutheran congregations and individuals to direct
funding away from the “national church body” because of the decisions
made this week by the Churchwide Assembly. Lutheran CORE will participate
in and support faithful ELCA ministries, but, cannot support ELCA
ministries that reject the authority of God’s Word.
“LUTHERAN CORE” Response...
LCC STATEMENT
A Statement from Lutheran Church-Canada”....
This statement was sent to
us from Lutheran Church-Canada in response to the action taken at the
ELCA Churchwide Assembly regarding
the new recommendations.
Statement Highlights
“for the church to ordain people who
clearly flout the Word of God in their actions throws both the Word of
God and the office of the Holy Ministry into contempt.”
“Those who flout the clear Word of
God, refuse to call sin what it is, and who seek to justify their
behaviour, disqualify themselves from the office and indeed put their
eternal salvation in jeopardy.”
....more
An Observer’s reflection on
the ELCIC Convention Appraisal.....
By Pastor
Greg Kjos
This
reflection points us to the Commandments and the Catechism by which we can
examine the recent Convention proceedings and how we can hope to move
forward in the Lord's mission to others.
....more
ELCIC Convention
Appraisal.....
By Rev. Dr. Peeter Vanker
A delegate's reflection on the
ELCIC Convention 2009.....
By Pastor Paul Hartig
ELCIC convention Thursday, June 25
ELCIC convention Friday, June 26
ELCIC convention Saturday, June 27
CALL TO PRAYER
Convention call to prayer ....more
A PERSONAL REFLECTION …
Reason, Faith and the Future of My Church. ....more
By Lothar Schwabe
What is to become of our fore-fathers conservative
heritage?
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