Don't Believe the ELCA Spin

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania's presiding bishop, Rev. Alex G. Malasusa had some strong words for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  He said that they do not support the ELCA's decisions on same-sex relationships and ordination, that the ELCA has strayed from Scriptures and that his church needs to not be reliant on ELCA money "so that they don't use their money and wealth to threaten us. . . we should leave them with their money and stick to the word of God."   (Read more)

Presiding bishop Mark Hanson of the ELCA was quick to respond.  The two presiding bishops will meet next month and Hanson said, "I will share with Bishop Malasusa the ELCA's strong commitment to the centrality of the Word of God in our faith and witness."   (Read more)

I think Bishop Hanson is being honest here.  But what is he really saying and what is he not saying?  In this statement,  ". . .ELCA's strong commitment to the centrality of the Word of God in our faith and witness," Hanson is not talking about the Bible.  He is talking about Jesus.  "Lutherans define the Word of God first as Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh."  (ELCA church) 

While the bishop Malasusa is saying the ELCA is not following scripture, bishop Hanson uses language that makes normal ELCA church members think he is saying that the ELCA has a strong commitment to scripture, when he is not.   

The ELCA has never had a strong commitment to scripture.  They make exceptions, deny, disregard and claim errors and untruths throughout the Bible.  They believe they have a "knowledge" that supersedes what God says.  It's called Gnosticism.  This gnostic knowledge "in question concerns the secret mystery of life that arises from within the self. The God of gnosticism is the experiential God identical with what seems most authentic and real in each individual soul. The God of the Bible is exactly opposite from that and comes from the outside through the Word that he speaks. The God of the Gnostics and the God of the Bible are mortal enemies." (Read more)

I pray Rev. Malasusa doesn't fall for bishop Hanson's carefully chosen words.