|
In an ugly display of anti-Semitism, the ELCA, which continually demonizes Israel, came out with a series of articles and news releases against Israel for what the ELCA views as the annexation of Palestinian land. The ELCA writes that they want "liberation not annexation." In truth, Israel is "extend(ing) its rightful sovereignty over Judea and Samaria." (Quote from here)
But the ELCA showed their anti-Semitic cards, in plain sight, when in a news article the ELCA tried to point to Israel as a reason George Floyd died: "The Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director of ELCA Global Mission, said that one should be aware of the connection between the Israeli government’s repressive tactics against Palestinians and those taking place against people of color in a number of localities around the United States. 'As it has been reported, the kind of police tactics used to kill George Floyd are among those taught to a number of police departments that have taken part in training by Israeli police and military forces,” Malpica Padilla said. “For example, 100 Minneapolis police officers received counterterrorism training from Israelis at a conference held in 2012.'” (Read here) It is disgusting that the ELCA is trying to capitalize on the wrongful death of George Floyd and the anger this has generated, to try to infuriate people against the only Jewish country. How can anyone stay, support and pay the salaries of people who would do such a thing? Read more about the ELCA's demonization of Israel here. Kathryn Mary Lohre, Assistant to the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA and Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations & Theological Discernment, writes on the ELCA website about this action of Israel, calling Israel racist toward "Palestinians." She also tries to connect George Floyd and racism in America to what is happening with Israel toward "Palestinians" in a biased advocacy letter, she says: "The racism that has kneeled on the necks of Black Americans for 400 years is part of the same global pandemic as the racism that has been kneeling on the necks of Palestinians for 53 years of military occupation, and that has been even more suffocating under Israel’s nation state law, adopted in 2018." (See here) ELCA's top bishop Elizabeth Eaton is so passionate about advocating against Israel that she took to her official Twitter account to display more of her biased understanding of the Israeli situation: 
— Bishop Eaton (@ELCABishopEaton) June 29, 2020
3 Comments
(The following article is from Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Listen to the one and a half minute video below to hear how excited the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is to affirm homosexuality and transgenderism. The Bible declares these behaviors to be sinful, but you won't hear that from the ELCA. I have struggled with same sex attraction most of my life, but I abstain for the sake of Christ and my soul (I Corinthians 6:9-11). You can read my struggle at pastorsstudy.org and also see there my article "What does the Bible say about homosexuality?" I don't appreciate that the ELCA never acknowledges people who have same sex attraction but are celibate for the sake of the Kingdom. The ELCA is all about celebrating those who practice homosexuality and their "loving, committed relationships." Once again, if you are still a member of the ELCA, it is long time past to get out. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock PS I just put this comment on the ELCA's facebook page, where almost all the comments love what Bishop Eaton says: Bishop Eaton's video is tragic. I personally have struggled with same sex attraction most of my life but for the sake of Christ and my soul, I abstain (see my story at pastorsstudy.org). The Bible teaches that those who continue in impenitent homosexual behavior will not inherit the Kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:9-11). It is not loving to tell people that sin is no longer sin. The ELCA leadership and publications regularly highlight clergy and others who live in homosexual behavior ("loving, committed relationships") but you will find no word in Living Lutheran magazine about people with same sex attraction who are celibate for the Kingdom. 
The leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presiding Bishop, issued a statement via Twitter and Facebook:
"The president used federal troops to clear a path through peaceful protesters in order to stand before an Episcopal church make a statement and hold up a bible. Neither the priest nor the bishop were consulted or warned. Not only was this manipulative it was desecration" (See below). This statement is highly political, bias and an abuse of her office. Going to a church building, with your Bible, is manipulative? President Trump doing so is an act of desecration? This should be eye-opening to any conservative Bible-believer who remains in the denomination. Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has gone full-blown extremist in thinking this, let alone making a public declaration of this sort. This denomination has turned their keys over to liberal leftists who Bible-twisting seminaries have been raising up for decades. They are doubling up their efforts to indoctrinate all who will listen. Staying in the ELCA harms your soul, funds false teaching and the ELCA's destructive efforts, provides a facade of Christianity to onlookers and gives power to the ELCA's collective voice. It is time to free yourself from the chains of destruction and falsehood that the ELCA has embraced. 
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Facebook page then shared Presiding Bishop Eaton's statement: Bishop Michael Rinehart of the ELCA's Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod also voiced his approved of statement:
Many ELCA leaders are stating that churches should remain closed because of Covid-19. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton took it to the next level, going political, by criticizing President Trump for his statement over allowing in-person church services.
Below are just a couple statements by ELCA leadership telling churches not to meet in response to President Trump - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has a long history of advocating for measures that would harm the state of Israel. Again last month, according to ICN, Elizabeth Eaton, the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, signed onto a letter that said; "A truly viable peace can only be achieved by lifting the Gaza blockade, by ending the Israeli occupation of territories captured in 1967, through the realisation of Palestinian self-determination, the recognition of Jerusalem as a shared capital for Israelis and Palestinians and the recognition and fulfilment of the rights of Palestinian refugees. Such a peace can only be reached in consultation with leaders representing both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples." (See here) Notice that all of the ELCA leaders requirements for "viable peace" are Palestine talking points that require Israel to concede. They are measures that are destructive to Israel and require nothing of Palestine. This is a delusional position and the ELCA's motivation for it must be considered. (see more about the ELCA and Israel here) If you support Israel you should not be part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
The majority of the ELCA delegates appears happy with her leadership.
There is no sign this denomination is willing to move in a more Biblical direction. I encourage Bible-believing Christians who are still within the ELCA to finally leave this denomination. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock -- (See election here)
"As most of you are well aware, many states have passed or are considering legislation to restrict access to legal abortion."
This letter from the ELCA was written in response to pro-life legislation, like the ones passed in Georgia and Louisiana, the Alabama Human Life Protection Act and the Missouri bill banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy (see here), among others. Presiding Bishop Eaton and the ELCA wrote the letter to show their opposition to these laws and legislation. Note the ELCA and its leader did NOT write a letter in opposition to the New York abortion law which passed in January 2019, allowing abortion up to birth. (See here). Nor did the ELCA write a letter about the Virginia legislation, that would loosen the laws on third trimester abortions. (See here) In the letter that was written ELCA Presiding Bishop reveals the truth about the denomination's stance on abortion: "Amid the legislative challenges to access to abortion, we must remember that this church supports ongoing access to legal abortion as well as access to abortion services and reproductive health care that is not restricted by economic factors." (See here) As you can read, the ELCA supports abortion. You should not be fooled when the ELCA claims otherwise, as the presiding bishop tried to do in her letter by saying, "this church seeks to travel a moderating path by supporting abortion as a last resort." Hear the presiding bishop's words again where she says, "this church supports ongoing access to legal abortion as well as access to abortion services..." Combine that with the fact that the ELCA pays for employee abortions and then notice how you never see the ELCA supporting pro-life causes. At the end of the Presiding Bishop's letter she implores the denomination: "I urge each of us to read, to study, to listen, to discern, and to discuss as church together. See the full statement here." There was no direction to pray for the Lord's guidance or look to God's Word. Every pro-life ELCA member should walk out of his or her ELCA church, never to return.
Betty Rendon is an ELCA Synodically Authorized Lay Minister at an ELCA church and received her Masters of Divinity from the ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC). A few days ago, she and some family members were arrested by ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
So far we do not have many details about the incident, except what ELCA entities are saying. It all started with a one-sided account from Betty Rendon's church. You can read it here. Then the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's presiding bishop began tweeting about the situation.
A letter about the situation was posted by the ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) from President James Nieman, Dean of Student Services Scott Chalmers and Pastor to the Community Erik Christensen. In the letter they call the United States' immigration policy "racist." Here is the quote (see below also), "This incident brings into painful focus the ongoing need to reform this country’s racist, violent, and inhumane immigration system." 
Of course, ELCA Advocacy had something to say. Below is part of an email they sent (see the full email here): 
ELCA partner, the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service commented: "This is absolutely heartbreaking and shameful behavior on behalf of ICE officers. LIRS will pray for and advocate for the just treatment of Pastor Rendón and all those who find themselves in her position."
Some of the readers of the LIRS Facebook post commented saying, "We are becoming like a Hitler state..." "I am ashamed of our country..." "ICE equals deliberate cruelty." "ICE has no humanity....this is like the Nazi era." "We are very close to becoming a communist nation, Trumps SS is ICE. The time is near for all Americans to March on Washington!" "Abolish ICE." "Our government is looking more and more like murderous criminals." "ICE is disgraceful."
A newspaper article titled ICE allegedly arrests Racine student pastor; Vigil planned for Wednesday can be seen here.
A seminary classmate of Betty Rendon added his 2 cents:
Benjamin Stewart, a Professor & Director of Advanced Studies at LSTC tweeted that the "family was terrorized & separated":
ELCA pastor Chad McKenna writes "#AbolishICE":
From ELCA Pastor Paul Eldred:
The DE-MD Synod tweeted:
Matthew Short, the Assistant to the Bishop for Evangelical Mission at Greater Milwaukee Synod, was part of a gathering outside Betty Rendon's detention center. Below is his Facebook post about it: More from the ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago: And from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The latest edition of Living Lutheran, the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, deals much with "environmental justice" and the dangers of global warming. One article quotes Ruth Ivory-Moore, ELCA program director for environment and corporate responsibility. Who knew the ELCA had such a position? The number of missionaries being sent out by the ELCA is down, but this environmental position has been created. Also in this issue is an article by Bishop Guy Erwin, the ELCA's gay bishop who has a "husband."
Eaton's article talks about dangers to the environment, mentions Earth Day, and then she gives this disturbing definition of the Gospel:
"Here's the gospel. Human beings are part of the creation. Human beings are connected to everything in the cosmos. Human beings are connected to God. We are not doomed to alienation. That God is more present than we are to ourselves gives us a path to reconnect with God, each other and all of creation. The judgment is that we do not even perceive that the One who created all things is intimately present. The promise is that the One who created all things is intimately present. We--all created things--are family." No, that is not the Gospel. The Apostle Paul defined the Gospel in I Corinthians 15:1-5: Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. Paul doesn't say the Gospel is that "we are connected to the cosmos." Eaton's "gospel" in this article does not mention Jesus or the cross. This is the strange, new world of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a denomination far removed from Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, but closely allied with liberal politics, the LGBT movement, and "environmental justice". Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (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  Below is a tweet by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They call it "#bestnine2018." The first picture listed is a statement by ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton saying, "No human institution decides who is human, who is visible, who is valued. Human sexuality and gender identity is a beautiful mystery. Trans people, like all people, are beloved by God." The ELCA is calling this one of their Best Nine of 2018. Also included in their best nine are two pictures (maybe three) of the atrocious ELCA Youth Gathering where teenagers were indoctrinated with leftist anti-Biblical theology and politics, a bunch of "ELCA votes" buttons, three pictures of candles and a cross picture. 
Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber is the face of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She is a beloved pastor/author in the denomination who speaks at some of the ELCA's largest gatherings, including this summer's National Youth Gathering that brought in over 31,000 high school students. (See the end of this article)
No word yet if Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber and her ELCA brethren will be dancing around the golden object at its unveiling. (Exodus 32:19) What is this about? This is about sex. This is about being sexual. Nadia does not like God's directive for sex to be between one man and one woman, who are married and does not think it should be confined only to marriage. Rev. Bolz-Weber's new book website says her book "offers a full-blown overhaul of our harmful and antiquated ideas about sex, gender, and our bodies." (See here) The Huffington Post article quotes Pastor Bolz-Weber saying, “This thing about women that the church has tried to hide and control and that is a canvas on which other people can write their own righteousness ― it’s actually ours...This part of me is mine and I get to determine what is good for it and if it’s beautiful and how I use it in the world.” (see here) If you think this is a joke, it is not. And Nadia Bolz-Weber is actually making a golden vagina sculpture. 
(See here)
In return for people sending ELCA pastor Bolz-Weber their purity rings, they will be sent an "impurity" ring and a "Certificate of Impurity" as seen below.
Nadia Bolz-Weber has said and done a lot of heretical things in the past (see here and here). For example, in 2017, Nadia Bolz-Weber signed the "Naked and Unashamed" statement that rejects marriage as the only place for sexual intercourse. (See here) And more recently, she spoke of her support for viewing "ethically sourced porn." (See here)
How can this be allowed in a "Christian" denomination? It can not. The ELCA has placed feeling and belief above that of God and His Word. This is what happens when a church rejects, twists and ignores much of Scripture. It will only get worse.
The same principles and theology of ELCA professors who taught Nadia, are and have been teaching most pastors of the ELCA. Warn people about the apostasy of the ELCA. If you are attending an ELCA church, get out and find a Bible-believing and God-honoring denomination. -- As you can see below, not only is Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber the brightest star in the ELCA, she is the face of the ELCA, and the defacto theological leader of the denomination. She is sought out by ELCA leadership. Rev. Bolz-Weber's Facebook page has 196,105 "likes" and 212,283 people follow her. On Twitter, she has over 71,000 followers. Nadia Bolz-Weber's influence is wide and deep.
Here is a picture of Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber sitting with the leader of the ELCA, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.
This picture shows Nadia with former ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. 
The ELCA chose Rev. Bolz-Weber to speak to the the youth at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering. And also at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering. Then there is a video created by an ELCA synod about Rev. Bolz-Weber and her church. 
ELCA bishops want to be around Nadia Bolz-Weber. The picture below shows Nadia with the Bishop of the Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA.
Next, Rev. Bolz-Weber is pictured along with the bishop of the ELCA's Rocky Mountain Synod. Finally, we have Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin, bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with Rev. Bolz-Weber. 
Finally, here is an ELCA church hosting Rev. Bolz-Weber's book tour.
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a statement today that is very indicative of where the ELCA is now, how they have swallowed the lies of the world and departed from the Word of God. Presiding Bishop Eaton declared,
"No human institution decides who is human, who is visible, who is valued. Human sexuality and gender identity is a beautiful mystery. Trans people, like all people, are beloved by God." 
Here is Bishop Eaton's Twitter post -
Presiding Bishop Eaton's statement is one of support for transgender persons. It was apparently made in response to a recent statement made by President Trump "that his administration is 'seriously' considering changing the way it treats transgender people under the law, confirming what administration officials describe as a debate about whether to define a person’s sex as a biological fact determined at birth." (see here) There was at least one request for a statement by Bishop Eaton about this:
God does love all people. But that does not mean He loves everything we do, everything we say, everything we "are" or all of our actions. Bishop Eaton, by her statement, is affirming homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism and all the claimed gender identities as "beautiful," that they are good, that they are not sin. This is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Harming people by encouraging sin. Standing against our holy and loving God. Why would anyone be part of this denomination, this evil work of the devil that emerges in proclamations and statements such as this? Also, notice how the Presiding Bishop says "No human institution decides who is human, who is visible, who is valued." Yet, the ELCA supports the killing of unborn humans and actually pays for employee abortions in their health care insurance. Many who are pro-abortion love to claim that the unborn children are not humans to justify their position. You can't have it both ways, Bishop Eaton. Below you will find tweets of praise which Bishop Eaton received for making this statement. (Her statement has been shared on Facebook almost 2700 times and over 400 times on Twitter.)
ELCA Wants the United States to Pay Palestinian Bills to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF)10/4/2018 Yesterday the ELCA Conference of Bishops issued a statement (see here) that coincides with the statement last month, by ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, asking for the United States to pay $25 million in expenditures to 6 hospitals that treat Palestinians. One of those hospitals, the Augusta Victoria Hospital, is run by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), of which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a member.
The ELCA and LWF are very sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and antagonistic to Israel. And they want U.S. taxpayer money to compensate them, because the Palestinian people and their government are not paying the bills that they accumulate at the hospital. The terrorist Palestinian state is manipulating the system, and the ELCA and LWF are willing participants who, up until this year, were passing the bill on to the United States. The ELCA and LWF need to pay their own bills or demand the Palestinian government pay for their services received. The United States has helped this terrorist, Jew-hating entity enough. The United States has given over $700 million alone to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in 2016 and 2017. (see here) It is time to stop paying their and the ELCA/LWF’s expenses. Doing so enables evil behavior. Read more about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s evil actions against the Israel here. (The following article was written a number of weeks ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Some months ago I wrote about my alma mater, Luther Theological Seminary, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which brought in a transgender pastor to preach at chapel. She is a woman who presents herself as a man and who has rejected her God-given biological sex, thus, sadly, rejecting God’s will for her life. In her sermon she said (I cannot in full conscience call her “him”) that Joseph’s coat of many colors can also be translated “princess dress” and then she led in the Lord’s Prayer “Our Mother in heaven.” Attached is a new article from a transgender clergy candidate, a man who presents himself as a woman. Among his demands is the full inclusion of transgender people in the leadership of the ELCA. No need to demand this, the ELCA is already there and now ordains transgender pastors. This was done without a vote of the national church on the issue, but liberal bishops are promoting and allowing it anyway. To quote the ELCA’s head bishop Elizabeth Eaton “Everybody isn’t male or everybody isn’t female. There’s a whole spectrum to that. I think that’s something that’s new for a lot of our people to think about, but it’s the truth…” No, it is not the truth. Our response to transgenderism? The Old Testament forbids transvestitism (Deuteronomy 22:5) and in the New Testament Jesus said “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female?” (Matthew 19:4). We are not free to tell God He made a mistake by trying to change our God-given biological sex. We should not put people in leadership who are openly rejecting God’s plan for their lives. But it appears it is now in vogue in the ELCA to believe one has become “enlightened” if one embraces this rebellion against God. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock PS And please say a prayer as this week the ELCA is bringing in a transgender 12-year-old “girl” and his activist mother to speak to 30,000 ELCA teenagers at the ELCA youth gathering. https://wetalkwelisten.wordpress.com/2018/06/25/build-a-bigger-table-nicole-m-garcia-m-div-m-a-lpc/ |
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Dan Skogen
Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word. If you have been helped and blessed by Exposing the ELCA's ministry, please help us continue to proclaim the truth of God's Word to ELCA members who need to hear it.
Give online by clicking the "donate" button below: Categories
All
Archives
September 2023
 Exposing the ELCA is on Facebook 
Follow Exposing the ELCA on Twitter
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
|
RSS Feed