The ELCA has always been political, pushing their liberal democrat viewpoints and policies. But the political climate of today has the ELCA leaders raving mad and constantly making news.
Bringing refugees to the United States is the hot topic this week with President Trump's executive order placing a temporary halt on refugees coming here from seven countries where terrorism and violent extremist ideology is so prevalent. You can read more about President Trump’s Executive Order here.
President Obama did something very similar, as have other presidents (see here and here), in stopping immigration from certain countries, but, interestingly, I don't remember the liberals marching in the streets and throwing a fit at that point in time.
That is certainly what the ELCA leadership is doing now. They are wrong. They are risking the safety of Americans. They are placing our society at risk, and they have no Biblical justification for what they are doing. The ELCA has been frantic in producing letters, social media posts, news releases and calls to action in response to Donald Trump's temporary halt on bringing refugees from a few select nations into the United States.
Just yesterday the ELCA released this message, ELCA presiding bishop addresses President Trump’s refugee executive order (see here), where she writes, "I am convinced that temporarily banning vulnerable refugees will not enhance our safety nor does it reflect our values as Christians. Instead, it will cause immediate harm..."
Regarding this message by the ELCA's presiding bishop, the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod's bishop Jim Gonia said "I am asking all ELCA congregations in the Rocky Mountain Synod to share this statement by our Presiding Bishop with congregants, and to encourage all people in your communities of faith to take action with respect to our church's long-standing commitment to accompanying refugees in this country." (see here) Many other ELCA synods posted Presiding Bishop Eaton's message on their Facebook pages.
Bringing refugees to the United States is the hot topic this week with President Trump's executive order placing a temporary halt on refugees coming here from seven countries where terrorism and violent extremist ideology is so prevalent. You can read more about President Trump’s Executive Order here.
President Obama did something very similar, as have other presidents (see here and here), in stopping immigration from certain countries, but, interestingly, I don't remember the liberals marching in the streets and throwing a fit at that point in time.
That is certainly what the ELCA leadership is doing now. They are wrong. They are risking the safety of Americans. They are placing our society at risk, and they have no Biblical justification for what they are doing. The ELCA has been frantic in producing letters, social media posts, news releases and calls to action in response to Donald Trump's temporary halt on bringing refugees from a few select nations into the United States.
Just yesterday the ELCA released this message, ELCA presiding bishop addresses President Trump’s refugee executive order (see here), where she writes, "I am convinced that temporarily banning vulnerable refugees will not enhance our safety nor does it reflect our values as Christians. Instead, it will cause immediate harm..."
Regarding this message by the ELCA's presiding bishop, the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod's bishop Jim Gonia said "I am asking all ELCA congregations in the Rocky Mountain Synod to share this statement by our Presiding Bishop with congregants, and to encourage all people in your communities of faith to take action with respect to our church's long-standing commitment to accompanying refugees in this country." (see here) Many other ELCA synods posted Presiding Bishop Eaton's message on their Facebook pages.
Next is a list of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America leaders who signed a letter against the refugee executive order, saying "This nation has an urgent moral responsibility to receive refugees and asylum seekers..." (see here)
(I have listed all the ELCA bishops who signed the letter as of Feb. 1st. There are many more ELCA pastors listed that I have not included here)
- The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Linda Hartke, President and CEO, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
- Charlotte Haberaecker, President & CEO, Lutheran Services in America
- The Rev. Roger R. Gustafson, Bishop, Central States Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Ms. Kathryn M. Lohre, Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop James E. Hazelwood, New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Stephen S.Talmage, Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- The Rev. Mark W. Holmerud, Bishop, Sierra Pacific Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- The Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin, Bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop James W. Gonia, Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Robert G. Schaefer, Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop William O. Gafkjen, Indiana-Kentucky Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (listed twice)
- Bishop Steven L. Ullestad, Northeastern Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Michael L Burk, Southeastern Iowa Synod ELCA
- Bishop Rodger Prois, Western Iowa Synod, ELCA
- Bishop Michael Rinehart, TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (listed three times)
- The Rev. Richard H. Graham, Bishop, Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Donald P. Kreiss, Southeast Michigan Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Thomas M. Aitken, Evangelical Lutheran church in America, Northeastern MN Synod (listed twice)
- Rev. Steven H Delzer, Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
- Bishop Ann Svennungsen, Minneapolis Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Jessica Crist, Montana Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops
- Bishop Brian Maas, Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Tracie L. Bartholomew, New Jersey Synod ELCA
- Rev. John Stanley Macholz, Bishop, Upstate New York Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- Bishop Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt, Southern Ohio Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
- Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke, Oregon Synod – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (listed twice)
- Bishop Michael L. Rhyne, Bishop of the Allegheny Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop James S. Dunlop, The Lower Susquehanna Synod Of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop James F. Mauney, Virginia Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- The Rev. Kirby Unti, Bishop Northwest Washington Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (listed twice)
- Rev. Richard E. Jaech, Bishop, Southwestern Washington Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Martin Wells, Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Gerald L Mansholt, East Central Synod of Wisconsin, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Paul Erickson, Greater Milwaukee Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Jon V. Anderson, Southwestern MN Synod ELCA
- Bishop Timothy M. Smith, NC Synod of the ELCA
- The Rev. Abraham D. Allende, Bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod, ELCA
- Bishop Claire S Burkat, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA
- Bishop Herman Yoos, South Carolina Synod, ELCA (listed twice)
- Julian Gordy, Bishop, ELCA Southeastern Synod
- Bishop Shelley Wickstrom, Alaska Synod, ELCA
- Bishop Jim Arends, La Crosse Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Rick Hoyme, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Rev. Felipe Lozada-Montanez, President Puerto Rico Council of Churches, Bishop Caribbean Synod of the ELCA
- Bishop Erik K.J. Gronberg, Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop Kevin S. Kanouse, Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA
- Rev. Mary Stumme Froiland, Bishop, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA
- The Rev. Jeffrey Clements, Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- The Rev. Dr. Gary Wollersheim, Bishop Emeritus, Northern Illinois Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Bishop (retired) B. Penrose Hoover, Lower Susquehanna Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- Judith Roberts, ELCA Program Director for Racial Justice
- Evan Moilan, Vice-President TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod ELCA
- Reiser. Susan Kintner, Assistant to the Bishop, Oregon Synod, ELCA
- Rev. Virginia S. Aebischer, Assistant to the Bishop South Carolina Synod-ELCA
- The Rev. Sara J. Anderson, Associate to the Bishop, New England Synod, ELCA
- Rev. Eric G. Wolf, Assistant to the Bishop for Youth & Young Adult Ministry South Carolina Synod of the ELCA
- Pastor Jack Eggleston, Assistant to the Bishop, Southeast Michigan Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Rev. Katherine Finegan, Assistant to the Bishop of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Northern Great Lakes Synod
- Evan Moilan, Vice-President TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod ELCA
- Rev. James M. Bickel, Exec. Director, Outreach for Hope, ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod
- Rev. Jason Bense, Pastor, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Sacramento, California
- Pastor Bill Knezovich, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, ELCA
- Rev. Erin Armstrong, Trinity Lutheran Church, Hemet, CA
- The Rev. Jocelynn Hughes, Pastor and Executive Director, The Belfry: Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Davis and LEVN: the Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network
- Rev. Anita R. Warner, Advent Lutheran Church, Morgan Hill, California
- Rev. Jon B. Gathje, Pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
- Dcn. Melanie Johnson, Deacon, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church – ELCA, Stone Mountain, GA
- Rev. Amy E. Northridge, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lower Susquehanna Synod
- Rev. Aleese M. Baldwin, Pastor of Shepherd of the Cross Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Teri R Sutherlin, Worship Leader, St James Lutheran Church ELCA
- Rev. Laura Sinche, Campus Pastor, Baltimore Lutheran Campus Ministry, ELCA
- Ruth A. Henrichs, President & CEO, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska
- Rev. Megan Morrow, Nebraska Synod of the ELCA
- Reverend Sara Gross Samuelson, West Linn Lutheran Church, Oregon Synod, ELCA
- Rev. Dr. Melinda J. Wagner, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Portland, OR
- Terry Graunke, interim pastor, ELCA, Oregon Synod
- The Rev. Katherine W. Hellier, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Oregon Synod
- The Rev. Dr. Mark Oldenburg, Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary
- Pastor Anne Hall, retired, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Pastor Rebecca Shjerven, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
- Rev. Kate Warn, ELCA Missionary in Rwanda
- Deaconess Carleen Miller, ELCA Indianapolis, IN
- Pastor Robert Munneke, Chair, Immigration, Refugee and Asylum Seekers Justice, NE MN Synod – ELCA (listed twice)
- Rev. Edward L. Milliken, ELCA Pastor in Newport, Oregon
- Rev. Jennifer Beil, ELCA, Portland, OR
- The Rev. Peter A. Pettit, PhD, ELCA, Muhlenberg College, Allentown PA
- Deacon Jean Maas-Pike, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Rev. Dr. Norma Cook Everist, Senior Distinguished Professor, Wartburg Theological Seminary,Dubuque, Iowa
- Rev. Dr. Anna Madsen, ELCA, OMG: Center for Theological Conversation, Spent Dandelion Theological Retreat Center
(I have listed all the ELCA bishops who signed the letter as of Feb. 1st. There are many more ELCA pastors listed that I have not included here)
Here is a press release from LIRS, an organization promoted on the ELCA's website under "Our Work," titled Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Condemns the Trump Administration’s Actions Against Refugees and Migrants (see here)
Of course, ELCA Advocacy is up in arms about the Executive Order:
Again we see the ELCA's Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) which "has resettled a half-million refugees and migrants since its founding in 1939,” (see here) and takes in a great deal of government money for their refugee work. Here is something else that they posted:
Bishop Rick Jaech of the ELCA's Southwestern Washington Synod writes, "Immigration Refugee Blockage is Contrary to Way of Christ". (see here)
Anne Edison-Albright is an ELCA pastor at Luther College. She tweets:
We are encouraged to protest, advocate, go public, & act for welcome. #ELCA #standwithrefugees #standwithmuslims #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/hUZHkz8Iti
— Anne Edison-Albright (@PastorAnnieEA) January 31, 2017
He is not ELCA but the Bishop of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada tweets this:
Most of our @ELCICinfo and @ELCA forebears arrived as immigrants or refugees. Register your outrage! #welcomethestranger @ESynodELCIC
— Bishop Michael Pryse (@MichaelPryse) January 28, 2017
Finally, I believe these last two tweets are from ELCA laypersons:
My #church talked #RefugeesWelcome and #justice. Micah 6 & and the Beatitudes. Grateful to be @ELCA today.
— GingerRogers (@GingerRogersDan) January 29, 2017
@TheAgentSculder @anamariecox ELCA (The Lutherans!) too. Our deacon began by saying, weeping, "Blessed are the refugees."
— ShannonReed (@sreed151) January 29, 2017
Thank the Lord that He has given us some godly, wise ministers and laypersons to counter the ELCA's falsehoods.
The son of Billy Graham, Rev. Franklin Graham writes, “It’s not a biblical command for the country to let everyone in who wants to come, that’s not a Bible issue.”
He goes on,
“We want to love people, we want to be kind to people, we want to be considerate, but we have a country and a country should have order and there are laws that relate to immigration and I think we should follow those laws...Because of the dangers we see today in this world, we need to be very careful.” (see here)
Popular speaker and blogger Matt Walsh writes, "And I know that there is nothing in Scripture that compels me to become an open borders advocate. Nowhere does it say that countries may not rigorously screen immigrants and refugees. Trump has so far done nothing with respect to refugees and immigration that I, as a Christian, am called upon to oppose. Nothing. Sorry." (see here)
Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary addresses the situation here, How should Christians think biblically about President Trump's latest Executive Order on refugees? (read here)
On a different blog, Matt Walsh writes:
"Trump has temporarily prohibited the citizens of 7 particular countries from entering the United States. Those countries were singled out as 'countries of concern' -- by Obama originally -- because they churn out terrorists by the bushel. Any rational, honest person would agree that we must be careful in how we admit people from places like Somalia and Libya and other failed states where militant jihadists are hatched by the thousands. It's not Trump's fault that the most dangerous nations in the world happen to be majority Muslim. And, anyway, there are 43 majority Muslim nations left unaffected by this new rule. Muslim ban? No. Not at all.” (see here)
There are even Muslims and a former Muslims who support the President's Executive Order. Here is a CBN interview with a former Muslim who said "Don't bash this banning. This is wisdom, this is not racism....you can't shake hands with the devil." (See here)
And read this article from a Muslim Iraqi who agrees with President Trump's Executive Order, "Chris Kyle's Iraqi Interpreter Has Blistering Message for All the Protesters Over Trump's 'Muslim Ban'"
The ELCA is clearly an ultra-left, Democrat, money-collecting, quazi-Christian, social justice entity. They stand against Republican policies and conservative ideas. They stand against Biblical beliefs. And if you are one of these, the ELCA stands against you.
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