ELCA Elects First Homosexual Bishop

5/31/2013

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's downward spiral of apostasy took a huge leap when the Southwest California Synod ELCA elected the first ever homosexual bishop of the denomination. “The Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin has been elected as bishop of the Southwest California Synod ELCA” announced a facebook post by the synod. (See synod facebook page here)

Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin's faculty profile at California Lutheran University where he teaches says this, "Dr. Erwin is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; he and his partner Rob Flynn are members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, CA...” (see here)

Rev. Dr. Guy Erwin was ordained as a pastor in the ELCA two years ago. A press release by Lutherans Concerned/North America at the time stated “R. Guy Erwin, a teaching theologian at California Lutheran University (CLU), was ordained in the Samuelson Chapel of that institution at 10:00 a.m. on May 11, 2011. He is both gay and in a committed same-gender relationship. His ordination, the fulfillment of a lifetime desire, is made possible by the change in policy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that followed the decision of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to allow ministers in committed, same-gender relationships to serve in the church.” (see here)

This is a game changer friends. The approval of homosexuality has always been open defiance of God by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America but now this action announces it to the world and defines what the denomination is about and what they believe.

13 Comments

Will Rich

6/1/2013 05:02:36 am

Well, there is one group of churches that won't be ending its relationship with the Boy Scouts. In fact, this guy may lead the charge to get as many BSA troops as he can in his area. The mere thought makes him go weak in the knees.

Sam Sewell

6/1/2013 05:22:29 am

Romans 1:32 “who, knowing the righteous judgment of
God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

Didaskalos link

6/1/2013 01:04:24 pm

Guy Erwin is a "teaching theologian"? In the Ear-tickling Lutheran Church in America, that figures. And now he'll be a bishop. Talk about putting yet another wolf in charge of the sheepfold.

"Woe to you shepherds . . . who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts."

The sheep-devouring ELCA bishops are all in thrall to the world. In stark Biblical contrast, a real shepherd, President Matthew Harrison of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, writes:

". . . Two sources tell us what marriage is. First, the Bible tells us that man and woman were created by God as the perfect match, and that marriage is to be a sacred, lifelong union of one man and one woman. The Bible universally rejects sex outside of this man/woman marriage. Second, we know from so-called natural knowledge, which is part of all human existence, and which has been codified by custom and law through the millennia, that marriage is for one man and one woman. It is God's perfectly designed institution for the creation of new human life and for the nurture of civilized individuals. . . .

"The task before us is monumental. We are called to repent of our lack of appreciation for marriage and family. We are called to confess Christ to all and call all to repentance. We must elevate marriage among us and educate, educate, educate. Even as we seek specific ways to care for those challenged by same-sex attraction, we must resist conforming to the culture.

"We know whose we are. We know what is in store for us. We know we will be severely tested in these last days, but this testing will abound in faithfulness and praise (1 Peter 1)."

http://witness.lcms.org/pages/wPagex.asp?ContentID=1347&IssueID=77 -- "Marriage and the Church"

Dave from Minnesota

6/1/2013 01:49:53 pm

He was ordained just 2 years ago? And now is a bishop? Is the normal? Or was this done just to stick it to traditional Biblical Christians.

Kathy Suarez

6/2/2013 04:56:59 am

Bishop Erwin is part Osage Indian. It is so much easier to fool the sheep when ethnicity, race and sexual orientation are mixed. Now we await the election of the first openly lesbian bishop. When that happens, the ELCA will have succeeded in arranging - in a nice, neat row -- all the deck chairs on the Titanic.

And yes, Dave, of course they are trying to stick it to traditional Biblical Christians. Here is the proof: There were several bishops elected and re-elected, yet Bishop Michael Rinehart rejoices in further shocking and offending faithful Christians and features only Guy Erwin on his website.

http://bishopmike.com/2013/05/31/thank-you-dean-nelson-outgoing-bishop-of-sw-california-welcome-guy-erwin-incoming-bishop-of-sw-california/

I have said this before, and I will say it again: I just don't understand. This is denominational suicide. From where will the ELCA get its "new recruits"? From the materialistic crowd of agnostics and atheists in the U.S.? Hardly. Does the ELCA think that millions of Bible-believing Christians and a billion Catholics are suddenly going to change their minds?

He was ordained just 2 years ago? And now is a bishop? Is the normal? Or was this done just to stick it to traditional Biblical Christians.

Tim Seward

6/2/2013 04:18:02 pm

" From where will the ELCA get its "new recruits"? "

Look at the demographics. Young people are overwhelmingly accepting of this issue. If there are any issues that prevent young people from joining the ELCA, this likely won't be one of them.

http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/seven-in-10-young-adults-favor-same-sex-marriage/

6/2/2013 09:56:48 pm

It's no wonder. On one side, there's incessant pro-homosexual propaganda, not to mention coercion, from the news and entertainment media, the schools and colleges (and seminaries), the apostate churches like the ELCA, and many agencies of government.

On the other side, there's . . . not much. Too many confessional churches -- pastors and parishioners -- are cowed and silent.

Owen Strachan and Andrew Walker write in "On the Necessity of Theological Courage in the Public Square":

". . .Theological courage is bearing epithets like “bigot” because one believes marriage is paramount to society’s health.

"Theological courage is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn at Harvard’s 1978 commencement, indicting the West for trading ultimate meaning and spiritual living for fleeting sensations and material comfort.

"Theological courage is a mega-church pastor (or a small-town preacher) willing to preach not only against homosexuality, but against divorce, cohabitation, and sexual promiscuity.

"Theological courage is a college student willing to speak biblical truth on human sexuality. It is that same student getting a burger with her friends after class and urging them to embrace the transforming power of the gospel.

"Theological courage is Pope Benedict’s Christmas address to the Roman Curia, calling the world back to a sane and faithful embrace of sexual identity and gender, a pursuit worthy of evangelical cobelligerency.

"And let us be clear on the opposite end. Theological courage is not the path taken by British evangelical leader Steve Chalke, who recently abandoned biblical sexual ethics. Chalke has characterized his grappling with Scripture as a courageous enterprise toward justice and inclusion. But what is courageous about cultural appeasement? Would Chalke have reached his conclusions had there not been great cultural pressure to do so?

"Courage, and love for sinners like us who think their ways better than God’s, inspires us to protest injustices like Louie Giglio’s removal from the inaugural proceedings. The Bible compels us to do so. Love of our neighbor means that we must reject the view that homosexuality, and all sexual sin, “liberates” the sinner. In reality, it is enslaving. The truth, then, is not hostile; it is loving, for it frees us from our sin.

"So Christians are not unloving and hateful for calling for repentance (and the right to do so, or even the right to be an evangelical in public). Confessional Christianity in the public square, involving the affirmation of moral transcendence on matters of moral consequence, is theological courage, and theological courage is by nature motivated by love.

"These are strange times, whether for wholesale craft suppliers or fresh-faced pastors. To face the headwinds, Christians must summon fresh bravery if our faith is to continue to play its vital role in this country, if thriving businesses are to endure, and most importantly, if our neighbors of all kinds are to know the love of Christ."

6/3/2013 10:44:23 am

Do you think the "7 in 10 young adults who favor gay marriage" will be faithful, contributing ($$) church members? Not a chance. At least 9 in 10 think their "spirituality is in the heart" and have no interest in church. When I wrote my comment, I was thinking of the people who have already felt "called" to the Christian life -- whether from Protestant or Catholic or "Nones" backgrounds.

Recovering Lutheran link

6/2/2013 09:46:09 am

Just as Pharaoh charged recklessly on in pursuit of the Israelites, oblivious to the wall of water on either side of his army, the ELCA continues to self-destruct through the arrogance and spiritual corruption of much of its leadership.

Yet even at this late date there is still the opportunity for repentance and renewal, if only the leaders of the ELCA can put aside their false god of political activism.

If you have never prayed for the leadership of the ELCA before, now would be an excellent time.

6/2/2013 01:05:44 pm

Sadly, it isn't just ECLA. I am a Presbyterian and we narrowly dodged the same bullet. Main line churches are self destructing because they have embraced leftist political positions.

Sherman Pettis link

6/3/2013 09:42:21 am

Whatever the corrupted leadership of the ELCA dissintegrates it into, I do wish we could refrain from using the word "gay." Call it like it is "homosexuality." Seven syllables but, look it up!...not a cute little word to define such a determined, ungodly lifestyle.

Linda

6/3/2013 11:14:09 am

As a 25 year member of my local ELCA church, I am sickened by this. For 4-5 years I've been attending Roman Catholic and LCMS churches in my area. It is my saving grace so to speak. Re: ELCA---"I'm outta here!"

Mike Rostad

6/4/2013 02:32:12 am

We must get over the notion that the ELCA (Ex-Lutheran Cult of Apostasy) is a church. It is not...

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ELCA Elects First Homosexual Bishop

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