Category: Elca

People Rate and Review the ELCA

3/19/2019

Looking at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Facebook's page the other day, I found myself reading Facebook reviews that were written about the denomination.

The low ratings and reviews the ELCA is receiving give additional insight into what people are seeing and experiencing with regard to the ELCA. Those writing the reviews are warning the leadership and members of the dangers they see, which is commendable.

The reviews below are from this page.

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Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Hires Hindu President and CEO

3/15/2019

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a partner to LIRS (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service). (See here) Recently, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah was appointed the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

ELCA Synod Bishop Michael Rinehart is the LIRS board chairman is quoted as saying, “Krish is exactly the kind of once-in-a-generation leader LIRS needs right now...In the wake of unprecedented challenges to U.S. refugee resettlement and immigration policy, the LIRS mission — to protect, embrace, and empower those we serve — is more crucial now than ever.”

A lot of ELCA money goes to LIRS. Let's learn a little about Krish O'Mara Vignarajah.

She is Hindu and is married to a Catholic. In 2016, they had a Hindu wedding ceremony and a Christian ceremony. (see here)

She worked as a senior advisor under Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry before becoming Policy Director for First Lady Michelle Obama. (See here)

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah was a Democratic candidate for governor of Maryland in 2018.

The Baltimore Sun newspaper, during the campaign season, said "Vignarajah has many big promises for Maryland spelled out in more than 100 pages of text and nearly 14,000 words on her website: universal pre-kindergarten, free college tuition at community colleges and historically black colleges and universities, more reproductive health centers, paid leave for new parents, expanded use of renewable energy sources and a massive increase in school construction funding." (Read here)

Also on Krish Vignarajah's campaign website is a tab that addresses issues that are important to the candidate. One of those issues was "LGBTQ," where Vignarajah says "My Administration Will Make Maryland The Most Welcoming And Anti-Discriminatory State In The Union."

The website's LGBTQ page then listing "Priorities" where we find the following:

(See here)

Below are a couple of Facebook posts by Krishanti Vignarajah. She seems like the perfect fit for a partner of the ELCA.

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ELCA’s New Proposed Standards for Pastors: Bishops Apologize for Offending LGBTQIA Community, Straight and Gay Pastors Should Marry their Partners, Cohabitation is Forbidden, but is Sex Outside of Marriage?

3/12/2019

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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

Reverend Nadia Bolz-Weber, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and speaker at the ELCA Youth Gathering, has stated publicly that she enjoys having sex outside of marriage with her boyfriend. She signed a statement by a group of ELCA leaders called “Naked and Unashamed” which wants to overthrow the old 1990 ELCA rules that said pastors should not have sex outside of marriage.

The ELCA bishops are presently working on a new set of standards for ELCA clergy to reflect the fact that the ELCA now ordains practicing homosexuals. The bishops state::

“We express our profound grief and deep regret for the times when Vision and Expectations (the 1990 rules) has been misused to single out, marginalize, and block people seeking to be leaders in this church when their peers were not always held to the same vision and expectations. This has caused considerable pain that has disproportionately been borne by those who have been historically marginalized or excluded from leadership in the church because of their gender, sexuality, race, or status. We apologize to those whose treatment under this document has made them feel targeted and less than the beloved children of God that they are.”

I think this means, in part, that the bishops feel bad for not supporting practicing homosexual pastors and their partners in the past. That all changed in 2009 when the ELCA voted to allow non-celibate homosexual pastors.

The proposed new statement reads that “Those who serve as (ELCA) pastors and deacons reflect a variety of sexual orientations and diverse gender identities…the greatest sexual intimacies should be matched with marriage. Pastors and deacons, as public witnesses to this church’s respect for marriage, are therefore to live in accordance with the understanding that deepening degrees of sexual intimacy are aligned with deepening levels of commitment to one another and the relationship. Such relationships are to be exclusive, monogamous, consensual, and in the ELCA, require marriage before cohabitation for those serving as pastors and deacons.”

Thus, in this new statement, cohabitation (living together) is forbidden for ELCA pastors. I believe this means that a homosexual pastor living with a partner in a sexual relationship now needs to get “married”. This is tragic. What if the homosexual pastor gets “married” and then later comes to realize that homosexual behavior is sin? But now the pastor has been saddled with a “marriage” at the insistence of the bishops of the Church. This is the strange new world of the ELCA.

And what about a heterosexual pastor like Bolz-Weber who engages in sex with her boyfriend, presumably in a “loving, monogamous relationship”? Since only cohabitation is explicitly forbidden by the proposed statement, is she allowed to continue to be sexually active and face no discipline?

The statement is in its rough draft form and hopefully the language will eventually make it clear that both cohabitation and fornication are forbidden. But we shall see. I believe the greatest error of the statement is telling homosexual pastors they must “marry” their sexual partners.

Back in 2009 the ELCA agreed that the conservative view regarding homosexual behavior would be honored alongside the liberal view. Where is the conservative view being honored in the ELCA today? What if an ELCA bishop were to say “I hold to the conservative view and I refuse to ordain a practising homosexual”? Would such a bishop be allowed in the ELCA?

You can read the entire proposed new statement in the link below at the very bottom. And I hope it will make you consider leaving the ELCA if you are still a member.

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock

PS If you want to read what ELCA Pastor Bolz-Weber said in a podcast about how great sex is with her boyfriend, I have edited out her foul language below. As you read it, keep in mind she is an ELCA pastor in good standing with the denomination and spoke to 31,000 ELCA teens last summer:

Reverend Nadia Bolz-Weber: “But I get together with my boyfriend and start having sex and it was like 'holy s___,’ I was like, it felt like an exfoliation of my whole spirit. I'm like 'This is so good for my brain chemistry, and my body, and my heart. And I’m like f___ man, why in the world would the Church say ‘Don’t do this?’ Like I could tell it was what I needed, and it was so good.”
For new proposed standards for ELCA pastors:

https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Trustworthy_Servants_Common_Draft_3-4-2019.pdf

--

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ELCA Synod Posts 'The Christian Life is Not About Believing...What We Need to Believe...So That We Can Be Saved'

3/9/2019

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The Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA posted on Facebook a quote by noted liberal theologian Marcus Borg. The quote, below, says what one believes is not important for salvation. Of course, this is false. The Bible tells us, many times, that belief in Christ is needed for salvation. (See Romans 10:9-10 and Acts 16:31)

The Christian church should be helping people believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop thinks all will go to heaven, and universal salvation is widely accepted in the denomination. I fear, for all listening to them, who will wind up in hell.

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ELCA Seminarian Motivated By 'intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, interfaith dialogue, (and) sex positivity'

3/5/2019

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Madeline Burbank is a Master of Divinity student at the ELCA's Luther Seminary. Below is an announcement she made on her Facebook page about her education choice and the motivation behind it. Madeline Burbank does not mention telling people about Jesus and His free gift of salvation. It is about "Effective relief efforts, lifelong service, environmental stewardship, anti-racism, immigrant and refugee support, intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, interfaith dialogue, sex positivity, and improving education..."

Everyone should be frightened about the pastors the ELCA is and has ordained.

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ELCA Pastors Prayed for the Decision of 'Full Inclusion' In The United Methodist Church: Bishop Eaton+ Respond to the Decision

2/28/2019

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The United Methodist Church (UMC) met this week in what is called their General Conference. On the docket for this week was a vote to allow practicing homosexual pastors and gay marriage. Below are some social media posts by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors posting their support for homosexual Methodists and for the same-sex marriage.

The vote failed. Methodists from many countries voted overwhelmingly to stand with God's Word, which calls homosexuality a sin and something of which one should repent.

In response to the UMC vote, ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton issued a statement where she talked about the ELCA's 2009 vote to "opened the way" for same-sex marriage and practicing homosexual pastors saying, "though a controversial decision at the time, our 2009 action has brought strength and blessings for our life and mission beyond what we could have imagined a decade ago. This church treasures the faithful ministries of those rostered leaders who help us witness to God's love and invitation for all people. Their ministries are integral to who we are as this church." (See here)

Before the Vote

Praying for all gathered this weekend at #UMCGC. God of love, give them patience and love for one another and for your whole Church. Open hearts and minds to new possibilities so all may hear the good news of Jesus’ love for the whole world and for all people. Amen.#GC2019 #ELCA
— Pastor Daniel Flucke (@danielflucke) February 24, 2019

I’ve been contemplating watching and I’m not even Methodist - I’m ELCA! This queer Lutheran pastor is praying for y’all (and so is my church) and sending SO MUCH love. #churchnerd #churchnerdsunite #FaithfullyLGBT □️‍□❤️□️‍□
— Megan Elliott (@megnadoodle1982) February 25, 2019

Hey, @rmnetwork @umchurch, we prayed for your General Conference at @SOJ_Seguin today. I’m instagramming our most rainbow □ part of worship for you. ❤️#foreveryoneborn #umcgc #gc2019 #umc… https://t.co/dyucgZ3bRz
— Megan Elliott (@megnadoodle1982) February 24, 2019

@BishopOliveto praying for our UMC Sisters and Brothers in General Conference. Your ELCA Full Communion Partners are praying with you and standing for full inclusion. God bless you.
— John Ericson (@jericson1963) February 25, 2019

The people of my @ELCA congregation lifted the @UMCGC in our prayers this morning. May God’s wide-reaching love and persistent justice prevail in your midst.
— Collette Broady Grund (@Collettebro) February 25, 2019

I'm definitive re-living 2009 (ELCA "decision" year) anxieties... And I'm cishet.

I cannot begin to imagine what my LGBTQIA+ Siblings are going through.
— John Sipf - He/Him/His □□□□□□□□□□□□□ (@Pr_JT_Sipf) February 25, 2019

After the Vote

An ELCA seminary:

An ELCA church:

Prayers are requested for ELCA seminarians awaiting assignment to first call areas today, and those in the United Methodist Church who are LGTBQUIA in the wake of decisions made yesterday that exclude their full participation in church and ministry.
— Bethesda New Haven (@bethesdaNH) February 27, 2019

Savanna Sullivan, an ELCA employee and the Director of @ELCAYoungAdults -

What shall we say in response to these things? | Romans 8:31

Our LGBTQ+ siblings are aching. ELCA leaders, what will we say in response from our pulpits? What will we say about our own churches excluding these folx? How will we see this as a call to VERBALIZED AFFIRMATION?
— Savanna Sullivan (@sav_sull) February 27, 2019

ELCA Pastor Melissa Bills -

My profile pic is one I took a few years ago to stand in solidarity and love with my UMC siblings. The sentiment still stands. This ELCA pastor loves you and prays with you and weeps with you, dear ones.
— Melissa Bills (@melissaannbills) February 27, 2019

Dan Glamann, Retired Assistant to the Bishop, Central States Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -

My heart aches for the UMC. We in the ELCA went through this years ago and have survived the decision. Members/leaders/pastors are certainly welcome with us.

United Methodist Church (@UMChurch) leaders vote against #LGBTQ inclusion. https://t.co/LZsXA06ntY via @HRC
— Dan Glamann (@GlamannD) February 27, 2019

An ELCA church:

We stand with our @UMChurch #LGBTQIA siblings in Christ who are unsure of their places in the church and, worse, of their status as children of God. We love you and affirm that you are beloved and chosen by God—as you are! #FaithfullyLGBT
— Calvary ELCA (@calvary_elca) February 27, 2019

ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber -

There is God. And then there is the church. The less we conflate the two, the better. The church may reject God’s children, but God never does. To my queer siblings, I’m so sorry. You are glorious. #GC2019
— Nadia Bolz-Weber (SHAMELESS af) (@Sarcasticluther) February 25, 2019

ELCA Pastor Norma Cook Everist, "Distinguished Professor of Church and Ministry emerita," Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. -

I stand with those who lament the decision of the United Methodist Church to continue to officially forbid same-sex marriages and ordination of LGBT people. It has been 10 years since the ELCA voted for inclusivity.
— Norma Cook Everist (@NEverist) February 27, 2019

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Luther Seminary Preacher 'Heartbroken' that Methodists Reject Homosexuality, Says Jesus Calls Us to Dismantle Heterosexism

2/27/2019

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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

Yesterday the United Methodist denomination rejected gay marriage and the ordination of practicing homosexual pastors. Back in 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America embraced both these things and it has been shrinking in membership ever since. In 2009 conservatives were urged to stay in the ELCA and were assured that their traditional viewpoint would be welcome among the diverse views of the ELCA.

Luther Seminary is a seminary of the ELCA. They have had homosexual and transgender preachers at Luther chapel but to my knowledge since 2009 they have not had one preacher uphold the traditional viewpoint on homosexuality.   So much for “diversity and inclusivity” at Luther.

Today Luther’s seminary pastor, Reverend Justin Lind-Ayers, preached a seminary chapel sermon stating that he was heartbroken over the Methodists’ rejection of homosexuality. If you want to hear a heretical use of Jesus to promote homosexuality, start at minute 20 in the below video. Three of the lowlights of his sermon:

“I have heard the voice of Jesus emboldening the defiant acts of justice”.

Lind-Ayers believes “the voice of Jesus” is calling us to “dismantle heterosexism”.

Lind-Ayers praises the “amazing God-given gifts of the LGBTQIA community.”

I am sad and angry that my alma mater, Luther Seminary, has become captive to the spirit of the age instead of captive to the Holy Spirit. I am sad they have embraced the world and not the Word.

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Tom Brock

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Liberal, Feminist, Pro-Gay/Transgender Luther Seminary Loses a Potential Student

2/24/2019

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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

Years ago when I graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, it was known as the most conservative of the seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Things have changed.

In recent times, Luther Seminary chapel has observed National Coming Out Day for homosexuals and the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Luther chapel has featured homosexual and transgender preachers and a womanist/feminist preacher had the students stand in a circle, hold hands, and imagine they were in the “pushy womb of God.” God is sometimes referred to as "Mother" and next month Luther Seminary will have a “Global Feminist Theologies” chapel service. At another chapel service, the preacher had students practice deep breathing meditation during his sermon.

The result of the above? Luther Seminary has announced it will be selling off some of its campus buildings because of its financial problems.

Yesterday I received the following message:

"Pastor Brock, I began fasting today over the decision to attend Luther Seminary, and I found your article on their now liberal stance. Thank you so much for that article, it was the icing I needed to inform Luther I will not be attending their seminary in the fall! ...I was forwarded a text from a relative from Luther advertising free tuition... I had my final interview...yesterday. My final question to him was, “What is Luther’s stance on homosexuality?” To my dismay... he informed me that the professors are “liberal,” and I’d be among homosexuals in my classes that were welcomed... I was floored by that admission, but still wondered could this be God’s will for me... and I just read your piece where you ended, “Sadly, I can recommend my old seminary to no one.” Thank you sir. That was an answer to prayer... I’ll keep searching... God bless you and your candidness..!"

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock

P.S. Please pray for The Pastor’s Study as we seek to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ on television and also as we warn people of false teaching in today’s churches. If you would like to support our work, you may donate online at pastorsstudy.org or send a check to:

The Pastor’s Study
P.O. 41294
Minneapolis, Mn. 55441

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My Letter to the Editor: Same-Sex Marriage

2/19/2019

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Published Jan. 31, 2019 in the Lake Mills Graphic

This letter is in response to the discussions happening over having same-sex marriages performed at Salem Lutheran Church, as there are two gentlemen seeking to be married there. God loves these two men immensely. That is 100% true. And He loves everyone reading this. We are undeserving of His love. Jesus Christ came to offer us all salvation and forgiveness of sin. We all need that forgiveness.

Sadly, the people encouraging same-sex marriages are encouraging people to embrace something God does not desire for them. God speaks specifically in the Bible, saying to not engage in same sex relationships. It is one of a host of sins of which God has lovingly warned us to refrain and from which to repent. That doesn’t mean He hates people with same-sex attraction, just the opposite; out of love He wants the best for them and that is not found in homosexual love.

Christ defined marriage to be between one man and one woman. God’s Word also says sex should not be between people of the same gender. He has defined what is good and what is not, for our good. When we sin, as all do, He says, “Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!” (Matthew 4:17) Repentance is “turning from sin.” I don’t know why some have same sex attraction and some are susceptible to other sins, but God desires to give people the power to refrain from it and wants us to help one another do so.

When we sin, there is forgiveness with repentance. Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32), and in the New Testament book of Acts we read, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). As Christians, we should not enable or bless sinful behavior but lovingly encourage people to repent, to turn away from sin.

One of the foundational questions in this conversation is “What is the loving thing to do?” Love leads people to the Lord where we receive truth, promises, a relationship with Him, freedom and so much more. Love invites people to repent, of any sin, so as the verse from Acts above says, “our sins may be wiped out,” and we will be refreshed. That is love. That is grace. Those are promises that invite us to truly live.

It is out of love for the people of Lake Mills and of the LGBT community that I write this. Sadly, and discouragingly, those who share this Biblical understanding are often labeled as “not loving” and worse. I care about these two gentlemen, and it would not be right of me, Salem Lutheran Church or anyone else to bless or encourage people to embrace something God says not to do.

Dan Skogen

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(See letter here)

A bit of background information:

- I know one of these gentlemen who is seeking the same-sex wedding. When the two men posted a video on Facebook talking about their hope to have a wedding at this ELCA church in which one of them grew up, it seemed that everyone who responded, encouraged them, and I wrote to them saying much of what was in this letter to the editor.

- I grew up in this town and went to this church for a few years before moving.

- The church, Salem Lutheran, has had a hard 10 years. After the ELCA's 2009 votes allowing homosexual weddings and pastors who are practicing homosexuals, this church voted to not allow gay weddings. But the church stayed in the ELCA. Now after a decade of turmoil, the church is revisiting the issue. In fact, I've been told by a couple people that the congregation recently voted to allow gay weddings.

- Let this be a warning to all ELCA churches who think they can ignore the heresy and false teaching in the denomination, believing that it will not affect them.

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ELCA Membership Numbers Down For 2017

2/14/2019

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has issued a report they call "Summary of Congregational Statistics as of 12/31/2017." The numbers are for the year 2017.

The ELCA report says 2017 ELCA membership totals are down 105,003. Total membership in the ELCA (listed as baptized members) is 3,458,839.

Active Participants is down 184,590 and is listed as 2,077,356.

Total Weekly Worship Attendance is down 36,583 for a total of 899,000. (See here, p.261)

A couple weeks ago, ELCA presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton wrote an article where she said, "ELCA membership decreases by 70,000 people a year, or roughly the loss of a synod per year." (See here) As you can see in the numbers above, membership decreased 35,000 more than Presiding Bishop Eaton said was typical (70,000).

Today, Lutheran pastor, Tom Brock wrote about Presiding Bishop Eaton's article dealing with ELCA membership losses on his Facebook page. I have embedded it below:

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ELCA Bishop Tells 'The New Yorker' Magazine, Nadia Bolz-Weber's Sexual Reformation is Long Overdue

2/9/2019

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Yes, this is another blog about ELCA superstar pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. This post contains further confirmation, and a public show of support by ELCA leadership, for Nadia and her call for a sexual reformation.

The New Yorker magazine wrote a feature story on Rev. Bolz-Weber this week, titled "The Lutheran Pastor Calling for a Sexual Reformation," which provides a window into the life, thoughts and vile nature of this beloved ELCA pastor, which I will highlight. The most important revelation came from Nadia's bishop, Rev. Jim Gonia, of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He begins by comparing Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber to Martin Luther, "He talked about farting and drinking and he was kind of like Nadia.” The feature writer continues, "Gonia summed up Luther’s idea like this: 'Now that we don’t need to worry that we’re good enough for God, how do we direct our attention to our neighbor?'”

Then we have the ELCA leadership's public approval of Nadia, who wants to undo Biblical teaching reserving sexual relations to one man and one woman within marriage. Here is the whole paragraph from the article to give you context:

"Bolz-Weber argues that this idea should be extended to sex. For millennia, the Church has taught Christians to deny their physical selves, and to consider carnal urges sinful. 'We keep looking for a set of laws that will save us,' Bolz-Weber told me. 'Relying on grace can feel shaky. If it’s free it must be worthless.' As a result, both men and women lead fractured lives, believing that their sexuality is at odds with their spirituality. 'This idea that salvation comes through sexual repression,' Bolz-Weber said, 'that shit comes out sideways.' In “Shameless,” she sets out to build a sexual ethic around human flourishing rather than around rules encoded by men centuries ago. This begins by recognizing that with sex, as with everything else, 'it’s not about being good—it’s about grace.' This, she argues, is actually just the natural extension of classical Lutheranism. 'She’s the most classical Lutheran preacher you’ll ever meet,' Gonia said, adding that the reformation she’s calling for is long overdue. 'We have so intellectualized our faith—there’s a need to bring head, heart, and body into the forefront of our lives, for the future of the Christian tradition.'"

People of the ELCA, the leadership approves of what Nadia Bolz-Weber is preaching. This is public confirmation, along with ELCA leadership having her speak to 31,000 ELCA youth this summer as they assembled for the church-wide gathering. They are on board with these harmful sexual ethics she and many others preach that clearly go against God's will for people. Why are you still part of this vile denomination?

Here is a run down concerning things from The New Yorker article (in which I am quoted):

- Nadia Bolz-Weber and her two children recently went to a sexually explicit exhibition called "Au Natural" that included casts of penises, nudity, and a sculpture that is masturbating. It also presented a sculpture of Jesus made from cigarettes.

- "When she was twenty, she joined Vox Femina, a feminist performance-art group whose acts, she told me, weren’t so different from Lucas’s egg massage." (referring to one of the art exhibition performances)

- She use to be a call-center psychic.

- She had an abortion, saying she could not afford a child. And she does not think abortion is wrong.

- She divorced her husband and loves having sex with her boyfriend, which has caused her to feel closer to God.

- Her son is gay, and at 16 years old Nadia bought him condoms when she heard he had a new boyfriend.

- She calls the belief, that homosexuality is wrong, "bigotry."

- Bolz-Weber was once a counselor at a Unitarian summer camp where some campers would sunbathe nude.

As you can see below, ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber is publicizing The New Yorker piece as if she is happy with what it says.

Grateful for writers like @elizagriswold who are willing to cover progressive religious voices! https://t.co/BBBZhWCatZ
— Nadia Bolz-Weber (SHAMELESS af) (@Sarcasticluther) February 8, 2019

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Pastor Idolized By ELCA Leadership, Unveils Vagina Sculpture

2/7/2019

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ELCA Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, who is lauded and revered by the denomination, unveiled the promised vagina sculpture today, which she commissioned. It was presented to feminist activist Gloria Steinem by Rev. Bolz-Weber. The sculpture is made out of purity rings that were sent in for this project. (see a previous blog about it here)

Me, Gloria Steinem, and a vagina sculpture made out of melted down purity rings. pic.twitter.com/tha0vgDQww
— Nadia Bolz-Weber (SHAMELESS af) (@Sarcasticluther) February 7, 2019

What better way to wrap session 4 of the #MAKERSConference than @sarcasticluther giving #GloriaSteinem a vagina sculpture. #girlpower ✊ pic.twitter.com/96er8I0JE3
— MAKERS (@MAKERSwomen) February 7, 2019

There’s a lot of concern about terminology. In common parlance this is a “vaginal” shape --> () it was a deliberate choice. Everyone will be ok. Carry on. #Stopthevulvasplaining
— Nadia Bolz-Weber (SHAMELESS af) (@Sarcasticluther) February 8, 2019

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Famous ELCA Pastor Talks of Sex With Boyfriend, Writes Book Rejecting Sex Reserved for Marriage

2/7/2019

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What you are about to read, by the most famous and sought after pastor in the ELCA, goes completely against Scripture. Run away from this denomination as soon as you can.

Nadia Bolz-Weber is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is highly revered in the denomination and with ELCA leadership. That, despite the heretical and controversial things she has said and done and keeps saying and doing. (See a list here, here and here)

Recently, Rev. Bolz-Weber appeared on a podcast by Kevin Garcia that was titled "Making Sex Shameless, w/ Nadia Bolz-Weber."

The content that follows shows you what the ELCA is becoming. This is what ELCA seminaries produced and are producing. Nadia Bolz-Weber is not some outlier. She is one of many the ELCA has elevated to a position of power and great influence, speaking throughout the ELCA and even to multiple ELCA Youth Gatherings.

During the interview the host asked Nadia to give a little synopsis of her new book, "Shameless." Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber replied (language warning):

“. . . it came out of my own experience, I was raised, obviously very very fundamentalist Christian, with all the crazy shit about gender roles and sex and extramarital sex and all that, but it was before the purity movement you know, but I was raised with all that, rejected it, led this very different life.

But then I discovered the Lutheran Church, and the ELCA is one of the most progressive denominations in the country and yet, there is a document you have to sign when you’re ordained called “Visions and Expectations” that says you would be faithful in marriage, or I think its 'celibate or chaste in singleness.'

Well, the origin of this document was it was originally sorta' forged through the denomination by a group that was trying to keep the homosexuals out of the pulpit. It was a way, it really was a way, of keeping the homos down. Because you would have to be celibate in your singleness, and gay people couldn’t get married – and that shifted, and they were like, 'oh shit,' right? And everybody had to sign this. And it’s insane because what happens is that there are all these people who get married right out of seminary, because they can’t afford to live separately, you know, they need to live in intern housing, and so they get married sooner than they should. Or they have sexual relationships that they are forced to keep secret or not be honest about. Or they are completely repressed, and we have single, grown-assed adults who don’t have, who are not flourishing in their sexual lives because the church says they shouldn’t.

So none of those things are great, really. And so you know, (Nadia then talks about her ex-husband)...we never connected, like there was no intimacy in our marriage, and for whatever reason, it just didn’t happen for us. And so, you know, people are like, ‘Wow, you don’t do cross-fit any more?’ And I’m like, ‘I was doing cross-fit because I wasn’t having sex!' You know what I mean, it was just a way of like managing. And now I’m like all soft, and I got long hair, and I’m so much happier.

So what happened was, I get divorced, like the most amicable divorce you can imagine. No lawyers, no acrimony. It was great, right, it was like actually really lovely. But I get together with my boyfriend and start having sex and it was like 'holy shit,' I was like, it felt like an exfoliation of my whole spirit. I'm like 'This is so good for my brain chemistry, and my body, and my heart. And I’m like fuck man, why in the world would the Church say ‘Don’t do this?’ Like I could tell it was what I needed, and it was so good. And then 10 days later, after we get together...I have to go to Europe for 3 1/2 weeks on a book tour, because the U.K and the German edition of my book came out...3 ½ weeks after years of sexlessness and 10 days of having sex, right, my mind was like swirling, I was like ‘What the fuck is happening?!’"

"I’m walking down a street in London...we (a friend) just cried and ate, we had both just gotten divorced, and we were like insane. So for 10 days we trampsed around England and Scotland, and eating and crying...I as like ‘Wait a minute, why did the Church make me sign that thing? How is it better for my church if I’m not getting laid?’ Look, the church will entrust me with the care of souls and will not entrust me with my own grown-ass woman sexuality, to make good decisions for myself? Like don’t fuck the flock, clearly, I get that part... I’m like, “what the fuck.” So I messaged, I whatsapped Eric, my boyfriend… and granted, this was with an unwarranted urgency, and I’m going, and he gets on Skype, and he’s not Christian, he’s never a Christian, and I go ‘Why do you think the Church has tried to control sex for so long?’ and without skipping a beat, my beloved said, ‘Umm...I guess I always assumed that the Church saw sex as its competition'…I was like, I’m writing a book."

Nadia continues, "Here’s the harm that these teachings have directly caused myself and these people (who Nadia interviewed), and if the teachings of the Church are harming people, we need to rethink these teachings. We should never be more loyal to an idea or a doctrine or an interpretation of a Bible verse than we are to people. So that’s the premise of the book.”
(Listen here. Starting at 22:20 minute mark.)

Continuing on, “I want people to have better sex too. I want people to feel uninhibited with their lover and to lose themselves in that. And uhm, you know, I think Christianity has led to a lot of really bad sex. And a lot of people shut down and not connected to their bodies. And terrified to talk about sex with their partner, even.” (Listen here. Starting at 41:40)

What ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber is saying, pushing for a new teaching on sex to replace the Biblical and traditional view of where sexual relations are to take place, is evil. It is from the pit of hell. It is against God's will and God's Word.

Let's recap what Rev. Bolz-Weber said (and apparently what she says in her new book):

- She calls the ELCA document that pastors sign, reserving sex to marriage, "insane."

- She calls fundamentalist thought on extramarital sex "crazy shit."

- She says she is having sex with her boyfriend, (hence, sex outside of marriage. This is in violation of "Vision and Expectations," an ELCA document for pastors that she signed.)

- She questions why the Church would not allow sex outside of marriage.

- She calls the Biblical teaching on sex "harmful."

- She says "people" should come before God's Word, if God's Word causes "harm" to some people.

As I said earlier, this is not one crazy ELCA pastor talking. This is a belief held by many ELCA pastors, leaders and future ELCA pastors. See below the social media post by ELCA pastor, Javen Swanson, and my blog about "Naked and Unashamed" (here).

Below is Pastor Swanson's tweets with active links.

It's also important to remember the origins of this document: to keep gay people out of ministry. It was revised slightly in 2009 when the @ELCA voted to allow gay clergy; it's still garbage. https://t.co/7P83q91R8l
— Javen Swanson (@javenswanson) February 1, 2019

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ELCA: Quick to Promote Transgenderism, Silent About Late-Term Abortion and Infanticide

2/3/2019

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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

If you go to the website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, you will find the ELCA frequently taking liberal positions on all kinds of social and political issues. Recently the ELCA quickly responded against a Supreme Court decision because it may keep transgendered people out of the military. Since then, the State of New York has passed a radical law allowing abortions up to the due date. And the governor of Virginia made a statement in favor of infanticide, saying that a newborn child with severe deformities may be allowed to die.

What is the ELCA's response? Silence. Even though the ELCA's official abortion statement is against late-term abortion, ELCA leadership is silent. Why? My guess is that when they are passionate about a social cause, they speak, and when they are not passionate about even their own official position, they choose to remain silent.

The ELCA abortion statement is a problem. In one paragraph it sounds pro-life and in another it sounds pro-choice. The tragedy is that for years now the ELCA abortion statement has been interpreted to allow the ELCA to pay for abortion for any reason in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The ELCA healthcare plan for pastors and their families is paid for with offering dollars. That's right, the ELCA pays for abortions with offering dollars. I remember years ago when I was still in the ELCA I received a letter, I think from a pastor's wife, who was so glad the ELCA "was there" to pay for her 16-year-old daughter's abortion.

Years ago the congregation that I served and I left the ELCA over this and other issues. I pray that if you are still in the ELCA, you will take your money, time and talents, and join a denomination that does not destroy unborn children with offering dollars.

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock

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ELCA Belief About the Bible and Inerrancy

1/30/2019

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Many in Christendom including most Lutheran denominations believe the Bible, written by God, is inerrant, or "free from error." Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr. says, "The affirmation of biblical inerrancy means nothing more, and nothing less, than this: When the Bible speaks, God speaks.” That is not the case with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Why not? And what does the ELCA believe about the Bible?

Let's start by looking at what ELCA bishop Barbara J. Collins of the Upper Susquehanna Synod said recently during a presentation and Q & A session held at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Bloomsburg, PA, which is in the process of discerning whether they will continue their affiliation with the ELCA. Bishop Collins said,

“We believe that the Scripture are the inspired word of God. But they are not inerrant because human beings are in error. You ever read one part of Scripture and then read something else and they don’t match?” (listen here, at the 58:10 minute mark)

At the same meeting, Rev. Craig Miller, Assistant to the Bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, gave the following disturbing responses to questions from St. Luke Lutheran Church members:

Question: “Do you believe that the writers of the Bible were so controlled by the Holy Spirit that they wrote exactly what God wanted them to write?”

Rev. Craig Miller: “No. No.”

Question: “You don’t believe that the writers of the Bible wrote what God wanted them to write?”

Rev. Craig Miller: “Letter by letter? In the form that we have it? No. These have been copied over and over again and there have been mistakes that have been made.”

Question: “So the Bible is full of mistakes and contradictions?”

Rev. Craig Miller: “Certainly, there have been copy errors and yes, if you are only reading the Bible literally, then yes there are contradictions.” (listen at the 1:05:25 minute mark here)

The ELCA states the following about the Bible, "This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life" (Art. 2.03 of the Constitution of the ELCA). The ELCA does not call Scriptures inerrant.

ELCA Rev. Jay Thorson said this, in the ELCA magazine Living Lutheran, about God's Word, "I was reclaiming the view that the Bible isn’t an inerrant oracle dropped from heaven but more like a messy, earthen vessel holding the treasure of the saving gospel message. That’s what most ELCA professors and pastors teach, and I realized that was where I belonged." (See here)

ELCA pastor Jerry O'Neal similarly writes, "To those who say, 'But you don’t believe in the Bible?' No, I don’t. As our former presiding bishop, Mark Hanson, once said, 'I don’t believe in the Bible – I believe in the God revealed in the Bible.' The Bible is NOT inerrant. It contains clear contradictions in places (e.g. 2 creation stories in Gen. 1—3 that do not agree), and it has been open to interpretation from the beginning." (see here)

Popular and helpful website gotquestions.org writes this about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, "It claims to hold to the authority of Scripture, but it rejects inerrancy." (See here)

The ELCA's belief about Scripture is a major problem. It has allowed heresy to take hold in the denomination. (As I document on this website).

The most popular ELCA pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber, whom the ELCA adores and had as a keynote speaker to address 31,000 ELCA teenagers this summer, says the following about God's Word:

- “We should never be more loyal to an idea or an interpretation of a Bible verse than we are to people..." (See here)

- "This is where it’s very convenient to be a Lutheran, because Lutherans very admittedly have a canon within the canon. So not all Scripture is the same to us. The Gospel of Jesus, the good news of who Jesus is, whether those texts are found in the Old Testament or the New, is at the very center of our understanding of why the Bible even exists. The Bible is the cradle that holds Christ. The cradle’s not Christ. If you understand that that is the importance of the Bible, then suddenly Scripture is read in concentric circles around what it is at its center. Sometimes you read Paul, and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read. I actually can feel it in my body. I’ll read something gorgeous from Paul, and just be like, 'That’s breathtaking. That is the word of God. That is the word of God. There’s something eternal about what he’s saying.' And then other times you read Paul and you’re like, 'Good lord, what is that?'" - (See here)

- “The Bible is not God. The Bible is simply the cradle that holds Christ. Anything in the Bible that doesn't hold up to the gospel of Jesus Christ simply doesn't have the same authority.” (See here. Video looks to be removed)

- “...Preaching hopefully in some way is the word of God, speaking is not. So I thought, I wonder, we can look at Paul that way. You know like sometimes he was just going off on his snotty opinions, he has some authority to speak on it but that’s not necessarily the Word of God.” (Listen to the audio posted here)

- "The Bible’s not clear about shit!" (see here) (apologies for the language)

This view, as you have read, is much different than how of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ viewed Scripture. He view it as authoritative, as truth, as from God. (See here)

The namesake of Lutherans, Martin Luther, also stands against the ELCA belief about Scripture, saying the following about the Bible,

“Over against all the statements of the fathers and of all men, yes, over against words of angels and devils, I place the scriptures” (p. 80)

And,

“I have learned to ascribe the honor of infallibility only to those books that are accepted as canonical. I am profoundly convinced that none of these writers have erred” (p. 78). A review of Luther and the Bible, by Willem Jan Kooiman, translated by John Schmidt (Muhlenberg Press. 1961.)

What one believes about the Bible is significant. The ELCA conducted a study in 1991, and one of its findings was that pastors who believe the Bible is inerrant were less likely to support abortion, homosexuality, and the belief that "men keep women down because most men benefit from having more power." (See here)

How do you think the ELCA's view of God's Word has affected the ELCA's stance on transgenderism, sexual morals, the state of Israel, the reality of hell, salvation, seeking converts, the validity of other religions, miracles in the Bible and God's account of creation?

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ELCA: Quick to Promote Transgenderism, Silent About Late-Term Abortion and Infanticide

ELCA Belief About the Bible and Inerrancy

Dan Skogen

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