Here is an interesting list of the resolutions adopted at the Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly. Of course they voted to oppose the Minnesota Marriage Amendment (the MN amendment defines marriage to be only between one man and one woman. - Resolution 2012-1: Native American Reconciliation - Adopted with amendment
- Resolution 2012-2: A Resolution Opposing Voter Identification Amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution - Adopted
- Resolution 2012-3: Facilitate Lutheran Discernment Relative to Military Participation - Adopted with amendment
- Resolution 2012-4: A Resolution Opposing Marriage Amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution - Adopted
- Resolution 2012-5: Becoming a Multicultural and Anti-Racist Church - Adopted as amended
From the Saint Paul Area Synod website. (see here)
The state of Washington passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage which will take effect June 2012. Opponents of this law have started gathering signatures for a petition which would cause the law to be subject to a state-wide voter referendum (Referendum 74). In response to the petition, retired Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors Donald Heinz, Paul Borg, Don Clinton, Daryl Daugs, Richard Hermstad, Bob Keller, Bob Olmsted, Dick Werner and Lyle Miller wrote a letter published in the Peninsula Gateway, a news publication in Gig Harbor, WA. In the letter, the retired ELCA pastors proclaim their support for same-sex marriage and ask people to not sign what they call the “anti-gay” petition.
Calling the petition “anti-gay” shows me that these ELCA leaders have little respect for people who believe God’s Word on homosexuality. They feel that they sit in a position to judge those in favor of traditional marriage, and to deem them with derogatory terms. I also find it interesting that these are retired ELCA pastors, people who most likely have been leaders in the denomination for many, many years.
The retired ELCA pastors’ letter also states:
“We do not oppose Referendum 74 because we are moral relativists who merely want Christianity to adapt itself to shifting winds. But we do note that all demographic studies make obvious that the anti-gay prejudice will be obsolete by the next generation.”
“. . . the real threats to marriage and family in the United States come from heterosexuals.”
“. . . We are particularly dismayed that the lovely sounding ‘family values’ pitch is, in fact, Christian code for homophobia and historic prejudice.”
“Conservative Christianity, whether evangelical or Catholic, seems preoccupied with the dangerous sexuality of women and the cultural border-crossings of gays.”
“. . . Christians must not simply tolerate but welcome and embrace gays and join in celebrating their life together.” (see here)
As you can read, these retired ELCA leaders are very devoted to the cause of gay marriage and they have little regard for those who disagree with them.
So why are some of you content with being a member in the ELCA?
Last week, the long running television show 60 Minutes broadcast a news report that has been widely criticized for its bias, false statements, and anti-Israel sentiment. (see here and here for examples) Not surprisingly the ELCA has posted the 60 Minutes news segment video on their official elca.org website. (see here). Even before the 60 Minutes news segment aired, the ELCA e-Advocacy Network sent out an email promoting the segment and trying to encourage everyone to watch it.
One issue asserted by the 60 Minutes program was that Israel is to blame for the Christians leaving the Muslim-controlled territories of Israel. This is a popular claim by the anti-Semitic crowd. Highly regarded Pulitzer Prize–winning syndicated columnist, Charles Krauthammer took on that claim while appearing on Fox News by saying, “. . . the untold story is the story of the Palestinian territories. Bethlehem, for example, has been almost emptied of its Christians and sort of the Orwellian reporting of the West has attributed this somehow to Israel, when in fact it’s been the rise of militant Islam, Hamas and other radical sects within the Palestinian territories that have lead to a large immigration of Christians from the Palestinian territories . . .”
CBN News reported on the plight of Christians in Bethlehem in 2009, and it is nothing like the 60 Minutes report. Here is the video - The 60 Minutes report also praised the Kairos Palestine document, which is outrageously bias and anti-Israel. (see here and here)
One of the signers of that document, Pastor Mitri Raheb was highlighted on the 60 Minutes news segment. For those of you who may not remember, Pastor Raheb was the focus of another Exposing the ELCA blog (see here) in which the accused anti-Semitic pastor was praised by ELCA’s Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson.
Financial trouble in the liberal Saint Paul Area Synod. Synod Bishop Peter Rogness reports, “after sailing through the first ten months of fiscal 2011 (Feb. 1 to Jan. 31) a healthy four percent ahead of the previous year, we encountered a poor December and January and ended the year 4.1 percent behind last year, the lowest mission support level in what has been a consistent range for 24 years. The synod council in January made some adjustments to the 2012 budget passed last May, and we will present for the 2013 budget a conservative plan that calls for drawing on reserves, and we will plan to conduct a review through the end of this year and hold out the possibility of another adjustment.” (read here)
--------ELCA pastor Grant Stevensen heads the faith department of Minnesotans United for All Families, an organization whose goal is to defeat a Minnesota Marriage Amendment which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. (see here)
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Part of Edina Community Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Edina Minnesota’s Easter offering to go to gay advocacy group. The church newsletter tells us,
“This Easter, we lift up our neighbors of all ages by supporting organizations reaching out to the whole family:
Lutherans Concerned/North America and Plymouth Christian Youth Center.
Lutherans Concerned continues to seek full inclusion for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) individuals and families in all ELCA congregations. . . Please supports these organizations by participating in this year’s Easter offering.” (page 2)
This newsletter also has a large graphic telling everyone to “Save the Date” for an upcoming (gay) Pride Parade. (page 10)
And Edina Community Lutheran Church has launched a “Marriage Task Force, formed after the congregational vote to officially oppose the state constitutional amendment on marriage” happening in the state of Minnesota. (page 11) (see here)
A Lutheran pro-homosexuality organization reports that an ELCA bishop, the third one Exposing the ELCA has highlighted this year, is advocating for gay marriage. LCNA says, “Richard Graham, ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, will be attending the rally in favor of marriage equality . . .” The bishop was reported to be attending a rally and conducting “lobbying visits to legislators in support of marriage equality bill in Maryland.” (see here)
(see the other ELCA bishops advocacy actions here and here)
In the same vain, a keynote speaker at this summer’s 2012 ELCA National Youth Gathering went to her state legislature (CO) to speak in support of “civil unions for GLBTQ couples.” (see here) This is the same person (ELCA pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber) who recently performed a transgender renaming service at her ELCA church. (see here)
So to all those ELCA members who think that the actions and policies of the ELCA will not affect you, what to you think now? To those of you sending your kids to the ELCA Youth Gathering, do you realize you are sending them into the lion's den? To those of you who think the actions of the ELCA leadership go against God Almighty’s will, how do you justify your contentment continuing to be part of this denomination?
For the second time in the last two weeks an ELCA bishop is taking a public stand, advocating for homosexual marriage in his state. The Rev. E. Roy Riley Jr., bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America co-authored a column that was published by NJ.com, a New Jersey online newspaper.
In the column the ELCA bishop and two other faith leaders say, “(a)s representatives of faith traditions that struggled for decades with this issue, we know that attitudes about homosexuality do not change easily. Still, it pains us that so many opponents of marriage equality invoke a handful of scriptural texts — open to a variety of interpretations — to deny their fellow citizens equal treatment under civil law.”
The authors then list reasons why, they believe, the Biblical verses warning against homosexual relations should not be followed.
Then they state, “(t)hanks to the wisdom of the First Amendment, differing theological notions about the nature of marriage will continue to flourish across our diverse religious landscape. But a state has neither the right nor the competence to promote one of those theological understandings in opposition to others — particularly when doing so deprives some citizens of the rights enjoyed by others. . .It is our prayer that the state’s legislators will find the wisdom to act with . . . impartiality and justice.” (see here)
This is your ELCA leadership. Denying the clear reading and teaching of scripture (God’s word). Encouraging people to immerse themselves in sin. Trying to persuade state legislators and the public to support what they want, gay marriage.
(blog from 2-2-2012 reporting on ELCA Bishop, Chris Boerger, of the Northwest Washington Synod public statement in support of homosexual marriage)
_Here is a statement made by ELCA Bishop, Chris Boerger, of the Northwest Washington Synod to the Washington state Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee:
"Mr. Chairman, I am Chris Boerger, the bishop of the Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Church in America . . . In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to commit itself to find ways to allow congregations who choose to do so, to support and hold publicly accountable lifelong monogamous same gender relationships . . .One of the people who had questions about our doing this said, "Bishop, isn't that marriage?" And my response is, "Well, in everything but name." The reality is, the Lutheran church has always held that it is the state that defines what marriage is; it's the church that then blesses people who enter into that relationship. We have now stated our desire to bless those who are publicly accountable in lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships. We can't call it marriage, you can . . . we ask for that freedom." (see here, beginning at the 1:12:20 mark)
I find it very interesting that this high level ELCA leader said that the ELCA sanctioned gay marriage in 2009. The ELCA leadership used to claim that they did not. They wouldn’t even admit they were “blessing” gay unions.
This isn’t the first appearance of Bishop Boerger on Exposing the ELCA. Here is a story we linked to in which he boldly stated, “It is ‘blatant sin’ for human beings to fail to protect creation.” (see here) The Bishop makes a highly questionable and subjective declaration like this, yet he encourages people to embrace a sinful lifestyle which is clearly in opposition to scripture. What a picture of the leadership of our dying denomination.
_As the saying goes, “Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Who are the bedfellows of the ELCA? In a past blog, Exposing the ELCA revealed the close ties and similar ideologies the ELCA has with the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. (read here)
Now we find that the ELCA is also very close with an organization called the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Here is some information about the ISNA:
- “(T)he United States Department of Justice named ISNA . . . as an unindicted co-conspirator and one of a number of ‘entities who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood.’” (see here)
- “According to columnist Rod Dreher's interpretation of court documents, ‘ISNA is an integral part of the [Muslim] Brotherhood's efforts to wage jihad against America through non-violent means.’" (see here)
- “(T)he FBI has uncovered internal Muslim Brotherhood documents naming ISNA as ‘one of our organizations and the organizations of our friends.’” (see here)
- “ISNA was created by members of the Muslim Brotherhood – a radical Egyptian movement that seeks to spread Shariah law globally – in the U.S. Many of those founders remain in leadership positions with ISNA. (read here)
(If you would like more details pertaining to the Muslim Brotherhood, what they are and what they stand for, check out this article)
So with that information about the ISNA and the Muslim Brotherhood, let's look at relationship the ELCA has to the ISNA:- The national director for the Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) spoke to the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. (see here) The ELCA website quotes the ISNA speaker as saying, “(w)e have worked with your organization and leaders [and] we have seen this tireless leader of yours, who’s been here for hours and hours. But I’ve seen him in the corridors of power speaking the truth about issues … whether it is about peace in the Middle East or anti-Muslim bigotry in America. . . we are working together in shaping the new millennium.” (read here) The ISNA representative received three standing ovations from the ELCA leadership at the Assembly.
- ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson said the following at the ELCA 2011 Churchwide Assembly,“I’m very pleased to now welcome an interfaith partner to this assembly. Dr. Sayyid Sayeed, is the National Director for the Office for Interfaith and Community Alliances of the Islamic Society of North America. He has become a close friend. We share a deep commitment to our growing relationship and dialog, but not just in dialog, in our working together to build a more peaceful and just world both in this country and in places of tension throughout the world.”(see here - plenary six)
- Presiding Bishop Hanson turned to the ISNA representative and said, “ . . . I hope you hear both our warm response to your being here, but beneath that, the commitment to walk together.” (see here - plenary six)
- The ELCA official website has the ISNA listed under a section called “Our Partners.” (see here)
- The Islamic Society of North America lists and links to the ELCA on a page entitled “Our Partners.” (you can go to their website and find the link)
- ELCA website links to the ISNA’s website. (see here)
- The Rev. Donald J. McCoid, Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, represented the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, at an emergency interfaith summit called by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) (see here)
- Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, Executive Director of the ELCA's Division for Global Mission and ISNA representative hold a press conference with other faith leaders. (see here)
The ELCA leadership is working with and partnering with the ISNA, an organization that is said to have very close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. If this doesn't make ELCA members question what kind of denomination they are members of, I don't know what will.
_This summer “Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mark S. Hanson will deliver the keynote address” to a conference held by a homosexual advocacy organization, Lutherans Concerned / North America. (see here)
Lutherans Concerned / North America works for the “acceptance and full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities within the Lutheran communion and its ecumenical and global partners” (see here).
Some of Lutherans Concerned / North America's “Declaration of Principles” are:“encourage and nurture all who are coming out”
“acts assertively in the face of oppression”
“seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit to integrate and express our spiritual and sexual selves” (see here)
“This is the first time a presiding bishop of any denomination has delivered the keynote address at our assembly.” (see here)
_One would think, with the financial struggles the ELCA is having, that they would at least try to be wise with the gifts and tithes to God that they receive from people. However, much like the United States government, they love to spend on their agenda.
For example, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America wants you to come to “Ecumenical Advocacy Days.” (March 23-26) At this gathering you "will explore economy, livelihoods, and our national priorities . . . hear from theologians and policy experts, equip ourselves to speak confidently on key policy issues, and take our message to our elected officials in Congress." But wait, is "(m)oney tight? We understand, and to help more people attend EAD, the ELCA is providing scholarships." (read here)
"ELCA scholarships for Ecumenical Advocacy Days cover the conference registration fee, hotel costs, and travel expenses to Washington D.C. (either flight or mileage reimbursement)." (read here)
Isn’t that nice? Your tithe is going to train people to be lobbyists and political activists, and you can be sure the training will be centered around the ELCA’s political priorities.
That’s not all. You know the money you sent to ELCA World Hunger? It is being used to send lobbyists to the Iowa State capital. Called "Lutheran Day on the Hill," "passionate advocates" will be going to lobby state legislators. "This opportunity is offered at no cost to attendees." Lunch is provided and you also get a t-shirt.
"This event has been made possible through a grant from ELCA World Hunger. We are proud to be a partner in Lutheran Day on the Hill with the three Iowa Synods of the ELCA." (read here)
And lastly, another example of how our denomination is quick to spend God’s money on their ideology. "Lutheran School of Theology Chicago Offers LC/NA Course Free For CEU's." This ELCA seminary is offering free Continuing Education Units for a course called "Transformation + Action = Oxygen." The course "is designed to empower, equip, inspire, and activate participants to have life-giving, well-timed, appropriately-framed conversations with their congregants regarding the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities." (read here)
This course comes from Lutherans Concerned / North America, whose purpose is "to unite gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters within the Lutheran churches." (read here)
And it’s free at this ELCA seminary!
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