Singing Songs to Mary

The ELCA's official magazine cover story for their December 2014 issue of The Lutheran is titled “Mary & mariachi music:Virgin of Guadalupe, Dec. 12.” In the cover story we read all about Trinity of Manhattan [N.Y.] Lutheran Church celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe:

“The day commemorates the vision and miracle when a girl appeared to peasant Juan Diego on a hill outside of Mexico City with instructions to build a temple on the site. When he delivered the message to the local bishop, roses not native to the area fell from Diego’s cloak and an image of the Virgin Mary was impressed on the simple garment.”

The Lutheran magazine goes on:

“The first part of Trinity’s celebration, Las Mananitas, occurs at 6 a.m. on Dec. 12. Worshipers leave roses at the altar. They sing songs to Mary, enjoy Mexican sweetbread and a rice drink, and go on to work or school.” (read here)

Is this the message ELCA leadership wants to send its readers, that singing songs to Mary is encouraged in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America? A church that sings songs to someone other than God sounds like it is worshiping that entity. And why is the ELCA lifting up a celebration of a supposed vision of the Virgin Mary? It's hard to believe they would believe this was a God-directed occurrence when the denomination's top leaders do not even believe the first chapter of the Bible (God's account of creation).

I guess the ELCA will do anything to get people into their pews, even that which doesn't conform to the truth of Scripture. Sadly this is not the first time, nor, I might say, will it be their last.