At Luther College (ELCA) there is a teaching professor who claims Jesus was a Muslim. The professor is Robert F. Shedinger, an Associate Professor of Religion and Department Head at Luther. (see here) Professor Shedinger wrote a book to promote his view titled, Was Jesus A Muslim? in which he writes:
- “‘Was Jesus a Muslim?’ I will answer with a very qualified yes.” (page 10)
- “. . . I firmly believe that the life and work of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels resonate more with particular interpretations of the nature and essence of the Islamic tradition than with common Western articulations of the nature and essence of Christianity. It is in this hermeneutical sense that I conclude that Jesus was really a Muslim.” (page 12)
- “. . .the world is in dire need of a movement of Christian-Muslim solidarity . . . Positioning Jesus as a point of commonality between Muslims and Christians may be a first step toward this goal, and this book seeks to accomplish just that.” (page 12)
- “It is necessary to conclude that the historical figure of Jesus outlined here accords better with a Muslim than with a Western Christian worldview. Jesus really was a Muslim in the sense that his mission stands outside the discourse of sui generis religion.” (page 136)
- “And the world has the most to gain when Christians and Muslims work together and demand that global political, economic, and social institutions be reconfigured to promote justice and the dignity of every human being. Jesus may really have been a Muslim. Let the dialogue begin.” (page 170)
In a video interview Professor Shedinger tells how he came to this view saying a student challenged the way he taught Islam and it led him “. . .over eight years to completely rethink the whole way that I think about Islam and the whole concept of religion which culminated in me asking the question 'Was Jesus a Muslim?' and answering it 'Yes,' even as a Christian I still have to say 'yes' to that.” (Laughter by Professor Shedinger) Be sure to watch this video because the professor’s answer and laughter speaks volumes. Professor Shedinger went on to say that the purpose of his book “is a call for Muslims and Christians to learn how to work together for social justice.”
Later he says, “And I think that is who Jesus was in the first century so I conclude Jesus is more like a Muslim than the Christianized Jesus that is more a spiritual savior and not as interested in issues of social justice.”During a different interview with Professor Shedinger regarding his book he said, “Muslim readers really like the book and don’t find the idea of Jesus being a Muslim at all controversial . . . What does surprise them is seeing such an idea coming from someone who identifies as a Christian. But overall Muslim readers have embraced the book . . .The Christian reaction has been mostly silence . . .” (read here)
So while the Luther College website boasts that professor Shedinger, "has been a regular speaker in mosques and Islamic Centers around the country," (see here) Bible-believing Christians everywhere should let the leadership in the ELCA and Luther College know that they disapprove of anti-Christian teaching happening in their church supported and congregational supported denomination’s schools. Let us not be found silent.
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Luther College is an ELCA affiliated school. (see here)
Shedinger, Robert (2009). Was Jesus A Muslim? Questioning categories in the study of religion. Fortress Press, Minneapolis. ISBN 978-0-8006-6325-4
_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.
What kind of ELCA leader would openly object to a state governor calling for a day of prayer? The Bishop Michael Rinehart of the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod and other local Houston ELCA pastors, that’s who. The bishop and pastors signed a statement which said, “we express our concern that Governor Rick Perry has called for a full day of exclusionary prayer on August 6, 2011. This religious event is not open to all faiths, as its statement of beliefs does not represent religious diversity.” (read here)
Here we have supposed Christian pastors upset that this is a Christian prayer event. If that doesn’t tell you something about the ELCA, I don’t know what will.
The ELCA signers of this letter are: Bishop Michael Rinehart of the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod; Rev. Bradley Fuerst, Houston Lutheran Campus Minister; Rev. Lura N. Groen, Pastor, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church; Rev. Dr. Robert G. Moore, Senior Pastor, Christ the King Lutheran Church; R. Marcus Otterstad, Senior Pastor, House of Prayer Lutheran Church; The Rev. David A. Roschke, Senior Pastor, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church; Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Stein, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Rev. Rich Wolf, New Hope Lutheran Church
The letter also speaks of the principle of separation of church and state saying, “Governor Perry is expressing an official message of endorsement of one faith over all others; thereby sending an official message of religious exclusion and preference to all Texans who do not share that faith. We believe our religious freedom is threatened when a government official promotes religion.”
I guess these leaders do not know their history. “There have been 136 national calls to prayer, humiliation, fasting and thanksgiving by the President of the United States (1789-2010).” (see here)
Two ELCA synods, the Western Iowa Synod and the Southeastern Iowa Synod, have decided to co-sponsor, what has all the indications of, an anti-Israeli conference October 14-15, 2011. (see here)Interestingly enough, the conference that the ELCA “Christian” synods are co-sponsoring includes a Muslim prayer service. (read here)
The conference is called “US Policy in Palestine-Israel: Engaging Faith Communities in Pursuit of a Just Peace.”
When I look at the program for the conference, maybe it is just me, but I don’t think this gathering is all that interested in making sure Israel gets a “just peace.”
Notice some of the topics they will cover:
- Challenging US Military Aid to Israel
- Divesting from Israeli Occupation
- Palestinian Christians & the Kairos document (read about the Kairos document here)
- Debunking Myths About Islam
- Muslim Contributions to Knowledge
- Peace by Piece
- Organizing Within the Churches
- Fair Trade – Canaan
- Ethical Travel to Palestine
- Inside Gaza Today
- Christian Zionism
- Organizing on Campuses
- Youth travels in Palestine
One of the scheduled workshops is titled “BDS - MN Break the Bonds.” (see here) I looked up “BDS” and found a description on the organization's website outlining who they are and what they are about. It said, “(t)he global movement for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights was initiated by Palestinian civil society in 2005, and is coordinated by the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), established in 2007.” (see here)
A few other things I noted about this conference:
- Phyllis Bennis, a keynote speaker, was a founder and remains on the steering committee of the U.S. Campaign to End Israeli Occupation.
- The speakers seem to be Americans and Muslims who have the same political/Middle East view point.
- It is worth taking a look at who the other conference co-sponsors are. (see here)
- The conference information pages use bias language and Palestinian talking points which are decidedly intended to put the Palestinian cause and positions in the best possible light while at the same time vilifying the Israelis. (see here)
If these people want to hold a conference, they certainly have every right to do so, but why are these two Evangelical Lutheran Church in America synods supporting a Muslim prayer service and an Israeli-bashing symposium? Do you as ELCA members want your denomination to be associated with this kind of thing?
So in an effort to set the record straight on the quest for peace in the Middle East, please watch this six minute video. Israel Palestinian Conflict: The Truth About the Peace Process
The 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is now over. No doubt reports will be coming out about the happenings. Here is the ELCA’s summery of what took place (click here)
A few items which I find interesting:
- An Islamic leader spoke to the assembly and received three standing ovations.
- The assembly passed a resolution which calls for congregations to protest against immigration laws like those in Arizona and Alabama. (read here)
- Veiled comments were spoken and a memorial was approved which is founded in anti-Semitism.
- The genetics social statement was adopted.
- My understanding is that the assembly did vote in regards to proposed changes for congregations who want to leave the ELCA, it may have been brought forward in conjunction with other motions which I have not yet uncovered.
- Many words were spoken which professed overwhelming pride for and the greatness of the ELCA.
So in honor of the self-promoting and self-love which was so evident at the 2011 Churchwide Assembly, I give to you a video made at an ELCA National Youth Gathering:
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has immersed itself, and promoted involvement of its members, in interfaith relations. A search of “interfaith” on elca.org confirms this. (see here) But when you look at all the interfaith work the ELCA is so heavily involved with, very little is about sharing the Good News of what Christ has done and the gift of eternal life that is available for those that believe. That is a huge problem and ELCA members should be asking themselves why this is so.
The ELCA’s May/June 2011 edition of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics focuses on helping to “inform and inspire encounters with our multi-religious neighbors.” In one article the Journal’s Associate Editor, Victor Thasiah, tells of one of his experiences. “Shortly after getting to know some young Muslim men from Malindi while traveling in Kenya in 2009, they invited me to join them for prayer — to observe and participate as I wished. Outside of the mosque, after removing my shoes, they welcomed me to wash my hands, feet, face, ears, and mouth — to purify myself from the evil I had thought, done, seen, heard, and spoken. On my knees . . .I cupped water with my hands to cover my ears. . .” The story ends with Victor saying, “I can say that one day in Nairobi I was baptized by a Muslim.” (read here)
In 2010 during an ELCA “Sharing the Gospel” event, the conference welcomed Muslim and Buddhist prayers and those in attendance were invited to participate with them if they wished. (read here)
The ELCA failing to tell people of other religions about salvation in Christ for those that believe is bad enough. But as the examples above show the ELCA seems to be moving toward the acceptance of prayers and worship to gods other than the one true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (see here and here for more examples)
What is going on in our denomination? Would Jesus participate in a prayer and cutting ceremony with the prophets of Baal? In Scripture God told His people to remove the temples and alters of other gods in the land of Israel, not to worship with these false religions. Solomon’s sin was that he worshipped the false gods of his wives. Yet the ELCA invites this.
When you combine the universalism teaching that is going on in the ELCA (teaching that all people will go to heaven - see more here) with the “Interfaithism” preached by this denomination, it is easy to see why the ELCA is not actively sharing the good news of forgiveness of sin and salvation in Christ for those that believe. (John 3:16) It is also easy to see how the ELCA will fall in line, lock, stock and barrel, with the end times one world government that the Bible talks about.
Pray that the ELCA repents of its ways.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America likes to tout how “welcoming” they are. Apparently “welcoming” people is more important than being obedient to God. Read below about an ELCA church which allows people of a different religion, who worship a different god, to use their church facilities to do so. I can’t imagine, or see Biblical justification, that God would be pleased by this.
“(T)he Islamic Center of North Pittsburgh is conducting its daily prayers and Friday Jumm'ah in the Parish Hall at the neighboring Trinity Lutheran Church while its new building is under construction.” (read here - from article on elca.org)
On May 6-7, 2011 a conference called “I Am My Brother's Keeper: Confronting Islamophobia” was held in Seattle, WA. (see here) One of the sponsors of this event was the Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (see here)
If you had been at the conference you would have heard:
"Hatred of Islam was wrapped up in devotion to a far-right brand of nationalism."
"After 9-11, the Republican Party discovered there was gold in them there hills in Islamophobia."
“All of the major groups who are involved in promoting Islamophobia are interlinked in many cases; they are the same people in one group or another. . . They are Christian fundamentalists, Christian Zionists, Tea Partiers, Israeli supporters, and a lot of this Islamophobia comes from Israel but it also comes from Israeli supporters.”
“The Israel lobby is very important in policymaking. . . Who do you think it is who writes legislation having to do with Israel in Congress? Who is it who makes campaign contributions that prevent congressmen and senators from criticizing Israel?”
“The Christian right is awful, I agree with you. . .But the Israel lobby has been around longer than the Christian right.”
“The discourse in this country at the moment is very Islamophobic.”
“anti-Muslim discourse, (was driven by) pressure from the pro-Israel lobby and Islamophobia lobby.”
"What Muslims overseas see is that the U.S. is against Islam because we renounce shari'a."
“Politicians are all afraid of opposing Israel publicly for fear of losing campaign funds.”
“We enable all international law violations that Israel is committing.”
“The problem is that Israel has peace right now – there is very little terrorism and has been very little terrorism for several years. . .What we need to fight for is justice, not peace.”
This is what our denomination supports.
Quotes are from here and here.
As many of you know, the ELCA is heavily involved in inter-faith work with other religions. Here’s the problem: I do not see the ELCA sharing the truth of salvation in Jesus with these people. The ELCA needs to love people enough to want them to be in heaven. Sadly, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is falling short in loving their “lost“ neighbors. In these situations, the ELCA is failing as a church and has become a social club that simply does “good” works.
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If you believe in the ministry of Exposing the ELCA, would you partner with us? Please pray for our work. We are on the front lines of a battle, and Satan is not happy that we are carrying out God’s calling in this critical time. Satan wants people to remain in this denomination that has left the truth of God’s Word. We passionately believe that God wants Exposing the ELCA to inform and warn people as to the actions, decisions and teachings of the ELCA.
Would you also prayerfully consider financially supporting the ministry of Exposing the ELCA? We would greatly appreciate your helping us to continue this ministry. (you can find “donate” buttons on www.exposingtheelca.com)
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I would like to invite you to check out a new website called The Lutheran Life (www.thelutheranlife.com). This new website focuses on Christ, Lutherans, faith and life.
Grace University Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, regularly opens its doors to Muslims so they can meet together for Muslim prayers. ELCA pastor, Mary Halvorson, says it’s a “wonderful way to support each other . . . We’re delighted that we can be a place of hospitality.” (read here)
God says in Exodus 20: 3-5 “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”
During the summer of 2010, the ELCA held a “Sharing the Gospel” Conference in which Muslim and Buddhist prayers were prayed. (see here)
It is unwise and wrong for Christians to invite the worship and prayers to gods other than the Father/Son/Holy Spirit, into the “house of God.”
But this is okay with the ELCA. It seems our denomination is doing everything possible to walk in opposition to what God tells us in Scripture.
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