The first person to post a critical comment wrote, "Please consider the racial implications of what you are saying here. There is no darkness in him- really??? I assume exclusion (from God) is not your intent, but that is the impact. Please apologize and remove this post."
Another wrote, "Please don't ever again pretend to be confused about why we're 97% white. This post tells me so much about how my church is in relationship to my dark skin." A ELCA pastor also replied, "Just because it’s a bible verse does not mean it can’t be used to inflict harm on our siblings of color and perpetuate systemic racism in a church that is 98% white. The bible has been used to silence women, oppress LGBTQIA+ persons, and justify slavery. We need to choose our imagery carefully. We need to do better and not (unintentionally or not) alienate our fellow siblings in the body of Christ." And they went on blast mode from there, so much so that the ELCA had to edit their Bible verse image post with an addition: "Dear siblings in Christ, We have been paying very close attention to the conversation created by this post. Thank you all who have voiced your experiences and concerns regarding the language used. The verse shared here comes from last week’s lectionary readings. As themes of darkness and light will appear again in lectionary readings later in Lent, we have chosen to leave this post and its discussion here so that it can inspire deeper conversation and reflection as we prepare for the season ahead. We apologize that the language in this post has caused harm, and we recognize that this image can be a painful reminder of the harmful power dynamics, racism and inequity that exist in this church. It is our responsibility to be intentional in our use of images and language. We are committed to this work, and we are committed to learning from our mistakes." See the ELCA Facebook post here or below. So, not only are ELCAites upset and viewing this Bible verse as racial, but the ELCA responds by apologizing for the pain people may feel from quoting it. Who wants to support the ELCA and worship in a denomination that does that? The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America apologized for quoting God's Word, for saying "God is Light, in Him there is no darkness at all." Shame on them and shame on anyone who remains in this denomination. Not surprising, the ELCA went on to say this, 
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The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). A couple weeks ago, Masters of Divinity student Elle Dowd preached during worship in the school's Augustana Chapel (listen to it here or read it here).
Elle Dowd didn't want us to miss it, as she contacted me a number of times wanting me to read her sermon (and write about, no doubt). The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago certainly thought highly of it as well, because they promoted it on their Facebook page and linked to the full audio of the sermon. 
(Go see the seminary Facebook post here)
Here is Elle Dowd's second tweet seeking my attention:
Below is the type of teaching and preaching future ELCA pastors are digesting (and it has been like this for years). Lowlights of the sermon:
You can read more about this ELCA seminary student here. ELCA pastor Lura Groen responded to my tweeting this article:
And this from ELCA pastor John Sipf:
Those who are "of the world" have taken over the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This happened decades ago, but "the world" is showing itself in the ELCA in increasing fashion each year since. Those "of the world" are changing and twisting God's Word, un-sinning and celebrating sin, pushing their evil, hate and reprobate mind (see Romans 1:28).
We see the "world" in the reaction of many ELCA leaders to Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination and confirmation to the United States Supreme Court. (See a previous blog on this topic here.) Below are disturbing comments and reactions from ELCA leaders about the Kavanaugh confirmation and nomination. -- ELCA pastor Clint Schnekloth shared ELCA seminary student Elle Dowd's social media post that encourages readers to be "radicalized," "rage-filled," "plug(ed) into leftist organization movements," and to "become ungovernable." 
Elle Doud also tweeted:
-- ELCA Pastor and ELCA Youth Gathering keynote speaker Tuhina Verma Rasche decided to pen "A Rewriting of Psalm 10." In it she says (language warning) "Wake the fuck up, God!" and speaks of "mediocre white men." Pastor Rasche's rewritten Psalm includes photographs of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Anita Hill. (See here and a segment of the rewrite below). 
And then there is this from Pastor Rasche,
-- ELCA Pastor Joelle Colville-Hanson is the Director for Evangelical Mission at the Northeastern Iowa Synod. (read more about her here) Seems she has hopped on the racist liberal mantra that white men are bad. See the tweet below.
-- ELCA pastor Lura Groen, (read all that I have written about her here), responded to the Kavanaugh confirmation by saying it is okay to scream, rage and throw rocks. She ends her tweet by calling God "she."
-- ELCA pastor Joy Gonnerman is another church leader attacking white males saying they need to be voted out of office.
-- ELCA pastor Michael Tassler attacks conservatives in his tweet saying conservatives "fully and completely affirm, support and encourage sexual assault as the given right of males."
-- ELCA pastor Emmy Kegler calls Judge Kavanaugh an "abuser" and says Republicans do not care whether the abuse really happened.
-- Then there is superstar ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber tweeting how she is terrified, furious and "rage-y."
Racism is defined as “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.” (See here)
There is racism in this sinful world, and it is against God’s will. I pray for an end to all racism. True racism. And when Christ returns we will see an end to all sin. With that said, the ELCA has made some claims about white people and racism that are highly questionable. It could be argued that the ELCA's statement itself is racist. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) Living Lutheran magazine recently ran an article with this claim, “You can’t grow up white in the United States and not be racist.” (see here) I’m sure many ELCA church members would be shocked that their denomination is calling them racists. (96% of all ELCA members are white.) It is irresponsible of the ELCA to make this incredibly audacious statement. The ELCA does not know everyone’s thoughts, actions, beliefs, life stories and feelings. If the ELCA wants to claim that all people of the world are racist, that is one thing. But to single out all white people in the United States as being racists is false and dishonest. This must be a popular notion with ELCA leaders because here we have an ELCA seminary president saying something very similar: “In particular, I am writing this mainly to white people like me at our seminary. I am convinced that we are in denial about the racism that saturates our society and from which we directly benefit. That denial produces predictable twin reactions from white people: either silence about the racism that plainly reinforces our way of living or surprise at the frustration and outrage African Americans and others express at how they are treated. I believe this denial, with its attendant silence and surprise, is nothing other than a refusal to acknowledge the privilege we hold and the degradation it inflicts on others. If we as white people have any conscience left, if we at this moment feel any distress at all with recent events, then we should at least have the moral courage in a seminary to admit that how we live is destructive for other people and ultimately unsustainable for ourselves. As white people, we must acknowledge our racism.” - The ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago President James Nieman (see here)
ELCA pastor Lura Groen is seeking to start a new worship community named “St. Jezebel's Church.” A webpage speaking of this church says that part of the pastor’s vision for St. Jezebel's is for it to be a place “…where sex, drugs, and rock and roll aren't sins, but being a d**k kinda is.” (see below) One has to ask why pastor Groen picked the name "Jezebel" for her church. The most high profile Jezebel in history is from Scripture and she was an extremely wicked person.
Here is a recent tweet by ELCA Rev. Groen (and see here for additional information about this ELCA pastor):
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Speaking to members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lenny Duncan wrote an article called "Dear Church: You Would Rather Hang Me from a Tree. A Reflection on the Execution of #PhilandoCastile" and it was hosted on a Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago website. In the article Mr. Duncan reiterated that same message saying, “Many of you would rather see me hung from a tree…” Lenny Duncan is a Vicar who is in his second year of internship at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, an ELCA church in Conshohoken, PA. (see here and see more about Mr. Duncan here) -- Finally, Restating a false claim that is often used by ELCA leaders, ELCA pastor Scott Kramer writes, “Now, over the centuries Sodom and Gomorrah have been associated by Christian with immoral behavior, or as an excuse to condemn homosexuality. But many of us have learned over the years to take a closer look at the story and to see that it’s not really about sex or sexuality. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah fundamentally was the failure of God’s people to provide hospitality, to treat strangers with contempt. This is why Jesus uses this story in his teaching on hospitality. It turns out that Christians have felt more comfortable talking about sex than looking in the mirror to discern the ways in which we have committed the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah: the sin of failing to provide God’s welcome to the stranger when we have opportunity.” – (see here) Wrong! Check God’s Word, Scott, specifically Jude 1:6-7 which says, “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” Also see Genesis 19:1-13 and 2 Peter 2:6-9 After reading the above quote, you will not be surprised to see ELCA pastor Scott Kramer and his Facebook posts below:
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) recently held its 54th annual convention, and of course, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was well-represented.
We will begin with the ELCA's Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. She was given the ISNA Excellence In Interfaith Award (see here) and spoke to the assembly -
Then we have Kathryn Lohre. According to her Twitter account, she is the "ELCA Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, and Immediate Past President of the National Council of Churches." (see here) Below she tweets about Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, the National Director for the Office for Interfaith & Community Alliances for the Islamic Society of North America. 
The ELCA's Northern Illinois Synod posted this on their Facebook page: Additionally, Shoulder-to-Shoulder, an interfaith organization which says it is dedicated to ending anti-Muslim sentiment by strengthening the voice of freedom and peace, of which the ELCA is a part, tweeted this:
Here is some information about the ISNA, with whom the ELCA works:
(For more information about the ISNA, including their close association with the ELCA, see http://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/the-elca-muslim-brotherhood and http://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/elca-helping-brotherhood-change-constitution)
If you have been watching or reading honest and fair news outlets, you probably heard of this recent ISNA convention. It made waves when popular Muslim activist, Linda Sarsour, the keynote speaker at the gathering, "told her Muslim audience at the July 1-3 ISNA convention that they should remain constantly in a state of 'rage' against Trump. She encouraged them not to assimilate into American society…”
Then she said, “I hope, that when we stand up to those who oppress our communities, that Allah accepts from us that as a form of jihad.” And “That we are struggling against tyrants and rulers, not only abroad in the Middle East or on the other side of the world, but here in these United States of America." And, “You have fascists and white supremacists and Islamophobes reigning in the White House." (see here. This article also includes more disturbing information about Linda Sarsour) Did you hear that? She encouraged listeners to not assimilate into America society, talked about "jihad" and called our leaders "fascists and white supremacists and Islamophobes." Why are you part of the ELCA, a denomination that attended this event of the ISNA and boasted on social media about it? This is the time of year when many seniors in high school are finalizing their decisions on where they will go to college. It is an important decision that will shape and influence the rest of their lives in many ways. Most importantly, it will influence students' Christian faith. Parents need to ask and investigate how the prospective college will influence their child's Christian faith and belief. To help parents and students in their investigation I have written the following about Gustavus Adolphus College. Gustavus Adolphus College is a school of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) located in Saint Peter, Minnesota. One would think this Lutheran college would be an excellent place to grow in your Christian faith, to encourage you in your faith and to deepen your understanding of Scripture and God’s will for you. It is not. I repeat, it is not. As you will read below, Gustavus Adolphus College is openly encouraging thoughts and behaviors that go against the will of God, thereby leading students away from Christ Jesus and the Truth of God’s Word. Sexuality --- The Gustavus Adolphus Department of Theatre/Dance performed the play “In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play.” On the Gustavus Adolphus website, announcing this production, is the warning, “If you are offended by beautiful naked people and/or consenting adults having frank conversations about physical pleasure please, do not come to see this play.” (see here) --- Gustavus Adolphus’ made news when freshman orientation activities were filmed and posted online in 2010. The article linked below describes the school's orientation gathering as a “series of sexually suggestive skits explaining to incoming students such things as where to get free condoms on campus, how to signal to your roommate that you are busy having sex (so he waits until later to come in), and how to tell your roommate you're gay (as well as the appropriate response you ought (to) take when receiving such information).” (see report here) Here is a video of the Gustavus Adolphus College freshman orientation activity. The second Gustavus Adolphus College freshmen orientation video post below is equally disturbing. --- Last month, a Safer Sex Carnival was held at Gustavus Adolphus. The college’s website reports “The Carnival will include resources and information about having safer sex and overall healthier, more satisfying relationships.” The Safer Sex Carnival is sponsored by Title IX, the Dean of Students Office, and the Sexual Education and Decision Committee. (see here) --- On the Gustavus Adolphus website you can find a section from a book called “Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex.” One line from the excerpt says “Child or teen sex can be moral or immoral.” (see here) --- The college paper, Gustavus Weekly, tells us, “Gustavus library finalizes plans for gender-neutral bathrooms.” (see below)  --- The College newspaper published another piece called “Legalize Sex Work” where the author encourages the legalization of prostitution. (see here) --- Gustavus Adolphus’ Women’s Awareness Center held an event to talk about “orgasms, safe sex decisions and the importance of respecting our bodies.” (see here) Other religions --- The Gustavus Day of Fasting-A Ramadan Celebration in honor of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan was sponsored by the Chaplains’ Office. (see here) --- Last year the Chaplains’ Office and Diversity Center sponsored a webinar called Campus Responses to Islamophobia (see here) --- Office of the Chaplains’, Siri Erickson, Brian Konkol and Ailya Vajid released a statement saying “we are deeply grieved by the rise of Islamophobia in our nation…we stand against hate, ignorance, and bigotry wherever they occur and together work to promote dignity, inclusion, and equity.” (see here) --- The ELCA Lutheran school has a multifaith center. “The Center is the new home for a number of student organizations, including Gustavus’ Muslim Student Association, Gustavus Meditation, Gustavus Interfaith Lodge, and the Multifaith Leadership Council.” (see here and the screenshot below)  --- “Diwali Festival of Lights, a traditional Hindu celebration, will be observed at Gustavus Adolphus College at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28 in Alumni Hall, in O.J. Johnson Student Union.” (see here) --- What about Buddhism at Gustavus Adolphus? Yep. “Gustavus community will have the opportunity to participate in a cultural event not normally seen in this part of the world. Students and faculty are invited to join in the celebration of the annual Buddhist festival of Vesak…” (see here) --- The Chaplins’ Office section on the college website has a list of small groups and programs one can attend. Among them is Feminist Bible Study, Muslim Student Association and Gustavus Meditation. On the Chaplins’ Office webpage we are told that Gustavus’ “Meditation is lead (sic) by a local Buddhist monk, Prof. John Cha, and Cody Kirk and is followed by discussion. The purpose of this organization is to provide a weekly meditation classes for the entire Gustavus campus.” (see here) --- Department of Theatre/Dance at Gustavus presented a performance of The Ragamala Dance’s 1,001 Buddhas: Journey of the Gods. This performance was “inspired by twenty-eight Hindu deities that guard the 1,001 Buddhist statues of the Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto, Japan.” And illustrated “the myriad histories and energies of these gods and goddesses and to bring to the modern stage a vision that traverses the scope of spiritual experience, from the intimate to the infinite.” (see here) More LGBT --- Yes, Gustavus Adolphus College observes “Coming Out” week. It is run by the group “Queers & Allies.” There is an article about it in the school paper, The Gustavian Weekly, titled “Importance of Coming Out Week…” (see here) --- On the Gustavus Adolphus College website it has a Latina/o resource page on ‘coming out,” LGBT issues, “Transgender Resources and Immigration Law and Policy” (one resource shared is information on the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) (see here) --- The college website also has a LGBTQ resources page. (see here) --- Another Department of Theatre/Dance performance was “Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” a play about a 1980’s gay community. (see here) Speakers/performers --- A gay comedian/actress was on campus pushing her causes. The school paper writes, “Orange is the New Black’s Lea DeLaria speaks in Christ Chapel May 13, 2016 – Star of the popular Netflix series, Orange is the New Black, actress Lea DeLaria visited Gustavus on May 10. DeLaria is also known for being the first openly gay comic to take the stage on many late-night talkshows. She is also a prominent figure in the LGBT community. DeLaria entertained the audience through humor and song, while discussing important topics on gender identity and equity.” (see here and see the Exposing the ELCA blog about DeLaria’s performance here) --- Historian and professor Kevin Mumford came to Gustavus Adolphus College and gave a lecture on black gay history. (see here) --- The Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus performed at Gustavus Adolphus. (see here) --- And when a Christian musician who “used to identify himself as a homosexual but now identifies himself as heterosexual” performed on the Gustavus Adolphus campus with his band, they were protested because the “band spoke about the possibility that homosexuals could be ‘cured…’” (see here) --- Like so many ELCA colleges, Gustavus Adolphus holds a drag show (see here and here) Planned Parenthood --- The Gustavus Adolphus website has an article blasting abstinence-only sex education and the article is produced by Planned Parenthood. (see here) --- The Gustavus Adolphus College website has a webpage called “Sex & Relationships.” The page provides a link to Planned Parenthood (see here) --- The Gustavian Weekly posted a one-sided, pro-Planned Parenthood article. (see here) Another article that discusses the same event tells how students "all over campus sported pink attire to support Planned Parenthood. (read here) Professors --- Professor John Cha, Associate Professor in Religion and Japanese Studies at Gustavus Adolphus, is a Buddhist monk and a meditation teacher/guide for the group Gustavus Meditation. Those who attend Gustavus Meditation “experience Buddhist mettā bhāvanā (loving-kindness meditation) and ānāpānasati (breathing meditation).”(see here) Professor Cha’s “teaching and research interests include Buddhist philosophy, Indian intellectual history, comparative philosophy, and inter-religious dialogue (primarily Buddhist/Christian dialogue).” (see here) --- Fuad S. Naeem is an assistant professor who teaches Islam and World Religions at Gustavus Adolphus College: “His interests include Islamic intellectual traditions in South Asia, Muslim encounters with religious others, Islam and modernity, the Qur'an and its exegesis, and Islamic philosophy, theology, and esoteric traditions.” (see here) --- “Professors at Gustavus Adolphus College make on average $108,181 per year. This is $44,715 more than the average liberal arts college professor's annual salary ($63,466).” (see here) Race --- Just this spring (2017), the “Diversity Leadership Council” did something that had many media outlets talking. They posted racially offensive posters (FAKE racist posters) around Gustavus Adolphus’ campus (see here) --- The Gustavus Adolphus student newspaper published a piece called “Mein Trump,” mimicking the name of a book written by Adolph Hitler. A Gustavus Adolphus writer expressed the following, “Trump is quickly and not so quietly building a coalition of white supremacists and closet racists alike.” (see here) Politics --- The Gustavus College Republicans decided to leave the The Diversity Leadership Council “implying that their opinions have been disregarded.” (see here) --- A Gustavus Adolphus College woman wearing a “make America great again” hat was allegedly assaulted on campus. (see here) --- Lutheran Pastor Tom Brock recounts what he saw and experienced while visiting Gustavus Adolphus College writing, “I visited the campus today and walked past the chaplains' offices and the offices of the religion professors, wondering what I would see on their doors. A picture of Jesus or a Bible verse? None of that. Instead I saw signs saying 'Gay safe zone' and 'Hate free zone'. One religion prof showed a rainbow sticker and a sign 'My Karma ran over your dogma'. One door had a posting for feminist theology, another door or two displayed images from Eastern religions. As I was perusing the doors, an Asian religion professor was talking to a student about the different kinds of meditation. Nothing of Jesus." (see here) Students who grew up believing God’s Word, believing in biblical marriage (one man, one woman) and that you shall have no other gods before Him, are having their beliefs trampled on at Gustavus Adolphus. Gustavus Adolphus College is not a faithful, Bible-believing college. This is a series of investigations into the colleges of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Below are links to the first two installments. --- What to Expect if You Attend Luther College (see here) --- Beware of the ELCA’s Grand View University (see here) The work required to run this website is extensive. Please prayerfully consider supporting the ministry of Exposing the ELCA. Click here to find out how. Because of some racial incidences on campus (from what it sounds like, it was directed at black students), a group of St. Olaf students have published a “list of demands” they want to see implemented at the school. (see a news article about it here)
The first demand, coming even before demands such as “college must meet the financial needs of students of color through merit and need-based scholarships” and “create visible and easily accessible gender neutral housing on all residence halls” was this: “We demand the removal of Arne Christenson from the Advisory Board of The Institute for Freedom & Community. Given Mr. Christenson’s political views and values as a Christian Zionist, St. Olaf College risks his influence upon the speakers brought to the school, the educational offerings, faculty development workshops, and scholarships sanctioned by the Institute through financial means.” How Arne Christenson, or the support of Israel, has anything to do with the racial incidents at St. Olaf, is a question St. Olaf leadership should “demand” the signers of this “list” answer. Using racial incidents on campus, to further their completely unrelated ideals, is shameful. Trying to remove and silence an influencer and leader, whose views apparently differ from their own, is disgraceful and un-American. The ELCA (St. Olaf is a school of the ELCA) has a long history of demonizing Israel and attacking those who support the Jewish state, Christian Zionism. (see here) Below are the St. Olaf students involved in writing the “list of demands.” “The Drafting Committee includes the following individuals: AL-Masrafi, Nouf ‘19 Avalos III, Junior ‘18 Brown, Demetrius ‘18 Chakravarty, Udeepta ‘17 Cathro, Dillon ‘17 Fuentes, Tamira ‘19 Gayles, Lamar ‘19 Gowdy, Khadijah M. ‘19 Ismail, Precious ‘17 Lewis, Nikki ‘18 Loza, Brenda ‘17 Mendis, Prabana ‘18 Ramirez Jr, Efren ‘18 Smith, Ashley P. ‘18 Schaffer, Tia ‘20 Soler, Natalia ‘17 Wake, Abdul ‘19 Wetzel, Krysta ‘18 Whirl, Jabri ‘18 Williams, Don ‘18 Wells, Samantha ‘17 Vyas, Shivani ‘17" -- Please prayerfully consider supporting the ministry of Exposing the ELCA. Click here to find out how.
Alex Raabe is a vocal and brash homosexual pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is ultra liberal and uses filthy language with no shame. Please be warned of the vulgarity reported here:
- Pastor Raabe, who recently changed his name on Facebook to Alex Darling-Raabe after "marrying" his "husband," wrote, in what seems to be a supportive post, about a movement called "Cocks and Glocks." 
I can not imagine Jesus posting on such a topic. It is not acceptable for a supposed minister of God's word to do so.
Check out this statement Rev. Darling-Raabe writes on Facebook about police. 
So the lives of police do not matter, Rev. Darling-Raabe? How can this person have any members in his congregation after saying "racist pig police." The following Facebook post shows Rev. Darling-Raabe sharing someone else's post comparing what is happening politically in the U.S. with Germany and then Darling-Raabe comments right afterward, which seems to be referencing people being rounded up and sent to concentration camps.
Later in this thread you can find Pastor Raabe comment "...that the GOP and the GOP nominee are actually exhibiting the same characteristics of 1930's German leadership...." (see here)
ELCA pastor Raabe liked this picture so much he made it his cover photo on Facebook. 
Here Pastor Darling-Raabe posts about hanging out at a gay bar, dancing and swearing with his church. 
According to the next post by Alex Darling-Raabe, if one doesn't like the new president of the United States, "fantasizing about burning (Sh!@) down" is on the list of things that are okay to do. 
The church Pastor Raabe leads also likes to use foul language on its Facebook page. Here are two examples, one and two.
Augsburg Fortress lists Pastor Raabe as one of their writers in the 2017 publication of Sundays and Seasons. (see here, page 7)
Pastor Alex Raabe is an example of the ever-increasing type of pastor the ELCA is graduating from their seminaries and/or placing in congregations. They put the ELCA stamp of approval on them. All churches remaining in the ELCA should be very wary of what kind of pastor they will next be sent.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America leadership is extremely liberal, both theologically and politically, and it continues to grow more so with each passing year. Seeing this, hundreds of thousands of conservatives and Bible-believing ELCA members have left the denomination.
The election of Donald Trump has provided yet another opportunity for people to see how extreme the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is, and I have no doubt the ELCA will lose more members as a result of the visceral reaction so many ELCA leaders are having. ELCA pastor Jonathan Barker of Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin was so affected by Donald Trump's election that the following Sunday he told his congregation, “What will each of us do now that there is grave evil facing each and every one of us…Will we stand up as our government plots policies of death…as our fellow citizens commit hate crime after hate crime by the hour based on racism, based on xenophobia, based on sexism, based on homophobia, based on transphobia?” Then Pastor Barker told his parishioners of his experience the morning after Donald Trump won the Presidential election: “Well Wednesday morning about 3:30 a.m. my soul was awoken by the cries and screams of hundreds of millions. Hundreds of millions…who will lose their homes, who will lose their food, who will lose their crops as the seas rise and the weather changes…of those who would lose their land to pipelines and to oil wells and to toxic spills…of undocumented families being torn apart as some were sent back…of those being rounded up and being sent to prison under the pretense of law and order…of our Muslim brothers and sisters…of the LGBTQ community…of women…of all who know their rights no longer are secure…of those who will be bombed…of all the innocent who’ll die. I could hear this cry.” (see here) On a side note, in this same sermon Pastor Barker brags about protesting in the middle of a freeway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He says “I stepped out of a car onto the 43 southbound side of the freeway with 30 other brave souls…We shut the freeway down! For 10 minutes. As thousands of motorist honked and screamed at us. As we proclaimed from the freeway that black lives matter…” Also in the sermon Pastor Barker has some controversial words about Milwaukee police officers. He says, “Two years ago…in Milwaukee. We had been marching for many months fighting for justice for Dontre Hamilton, who’d been gunned down by the Milwaukee police…and things were not going well. There was not likely going to be justice. The police in Milwaukee were going to get away with it again! Fifty years of the police getting away with anything they want to do in Milwaukee.”
Brian Foulks is a vicar at an ELCA church in South Carolina. He writes this, “It is clear that the many within the ELCA camp voted for Donald Trump…This problem that I am left to wrestle with is, ‘Why I am in the ELCA?’ Why do I persist to connect with people who are so opposed to equality, equity, and justice?”
And, “le(t)’s be clear that a vote for…Trump was a vote for opposing equality, equity and justice. (T)he man is unjust…That is a non-debatable with me.” (read here)
Rozella Haydée White is the former Director for Young Adult Ministry for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Below are a number of tweets she made.
Tara Ulrich is a Director of Home and Family Ministry in the ELCA. She tweets:
Emily Scott, an ELCA pastor at St. Lydia's in Brooklyn, New York, writes, “We can pray for our president, and yes, even love him as Jesus calls us to do, while still naming as evil the hate-based rhetoric he and his followers have espoused throughout this campaign.” (read here) The ELCA’s Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago posted a blog on one of their websites by Lenny Duncan, a vicar at an ELCA Church and Candidate for Ordination, to the office of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA, that says: “A theological battle was raging across our pews and we depended on polite society to win the day. They underestimated the power of white supremacy and evil.” (see here) The most popular pastor in the ELCA, Nadia Bolz-Weber, wrote this, “Apocalypse literally means to uncover. To uncover what is already there. And the racism and violence and xenophobia and sexism we have been devastated by in this country was not created this year – it was just uncovered this year.” (read here)
See more hateful comments by ELCA leaders toward President-Elect Trump and people who voted for him here.
ELCA Leader Says It Is the 'Deepest, Darkest Dreams of So Many' ELCA Members To Kill Black People12/10/2016 If you are an ELCA member who voted for Donald Trump, are not marching with Black Lives Matter, are white, Bible-believing, conservative . . . YOU are the problem, at least in the view of liberal, wacko, Christian-in-name-only ELCA leaders. Here is a post made last week on the ELCA Facebook group by Francisco Herrera, a Ph. D student at the ELCA's LSTC who is also the "Diversity Blog Manager" at the school (see more information about him here):  (Dylann Roof is an ELCA member who killed nine black people at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.) You may want to reread what Mr. Herrera said. He is stating that many ELCA members want to kill black people, that it is their "deepest, darkest dreams" to do what Dylann Roof did. This is a leader in the ELCA. Did I mention that Mr. Herrera is the Operations and Fundraising Coordinator for #decolonizeLutheranism? This is a group which has gained a huge following within the ELCA leadership. Anger and hatred for Bible-believing ELCA members is growing strong. The ELCA leadership has done its best to force its liberal, Bible-defying measures upon them. They have even convinced some members that the ELCA is right in declaring homosexual sex "good," that Israel is an evil entity, abortion is "loving," transexuals are correcting God's mistakes, converting non-Christians should not be pursued and the Bible is full of myth and mistakes. But that isn't enough, now many ELCA leaders are telling ELCA members how racist they are, that their Lutheran cultural traditions are discriminatory and that they are the problem. If you do not assimilate to all of their view points, you are the enemy. And the election of Donald Trump has greatly elevated their anger toward ELCA members who do not hold to their political, social and religious views. (see more) Here is more of the discussion from Mr. Herrera's post on the ELCA FB page:   Why be a part of a denomination that treats you, and allows leadership to treat you with such contempt? It is a good thing we have ELCA leadership (the whitest denomination in the United States, see here) around to enlighten its membership on how racists they are. The Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) posted a list on their Facebook page describing the "10 Ways You Can Actively Reject Your White Privilege." Number 10 on the list tells white people, "Recognize that you're still racist. No matter what."  The Gulf Coast Synod's Facebook post received hundreds of comments, many of them were critical of the list, but they have miraculously disappeared. (see the list on the Synod's FB page here) The United Church of Christ, who also posted this list received over 2000 comments. Here are a few: - "To consider just white people as racist is in fact itself racist." - "#10, in my opinion, is designed to cause whites to be ashamed and feel guilt for who they are and what their ancestors allegedly did. Of course, no one else is asked to account for their own ancestors' misdeeds. I also don't think anyone needs to 'actively reject their white privilege', for the reasons I outline below. White Americans made a country that millions of 'POCs' have thrived in. Some groups are still behind in various areas. I don't believe that is because of 'white privilege', and the theory that it IS responsible is not helping anyone or anything. I am a so-called 'POC.' I reject this list." If you have time, you can read some more of the comments to the UCC here. Here is an article about the list/infographic that the United Church of Christ posted. If that wasn't enough, a blog affiliated with the ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago posted a 'White Privilege' speech by the Rev. Dr. Ray Tiemann Bishop, Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Here is some of what Bishop Tiemann had to say: “I’m certainly not an expert on the complexity of white privilege, but one thing I have learned is that white privilege and racial discrimination are opposite sides of the same coin. One does not exist without the other. So, as much as I may be tempted to deny it exists, both white privilege and racial discrimination are a part of my life and yours as well.” “I am part of a system that gives me advantage because of the color of my skin.” “I have to stop being afraid and remaining silent. In wanting to avoid conflict, too often I don’t speak up when God gives me the opportunity. This sin of omission can be as great as a sin of commission, because when I don’t speak up, others assume I am agreeing with them. So, the nasty, loud voices continue unchecked. As I said earlier, learning to address my white privilege is a life-long process.” (see here) A Facebook group for pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is currently conducting a “people of color-only post experiment…” What does that mean? Francisco Herrera, who is part of the 6,000 member ELCA Clergy page explains the one week experiment this way, “White members of the page are not allowed to comment nor post…” (quotes come from a closed group FB page here and here. Or see the screenshot below for the second quote) Isn't denying all white people from posting because they are white, racist? This is a great example of the liberal, foolish antics happening constantly on the ELCA Clergy page. Toss in the anti-Biblical beliefs and rhetoric found there and you have a perfect picture of what the ELCA is about. Here is what one of the few conservative ELCA pastors left in the denomination had to say about the ELCA Clergy FB page: “I finally got fed up with all the silly and self-righteous posturing and unfollowed the ‘other’ group. Every time I checked in my relationship with the ELCA became more tenuous. That group is Exhibit A of why folks continue to leave the ELCA in droves, and they don't get it. They think we are all just a bunch of terrible racists, even though NALC and LCMC treat people in minority groups with far more respect than the ELCA.”  |
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.
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Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
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