THE ELCA VAULT - ROOM 34The ELCA Vault is a collection of articles, blogs, and documents related to the ELCA. The purpose of the Vault is to provide this important information to its readers, and at the same time, not overload other sections of the website so as they become too convoluted.
A tale of two bishops: What happens when apostasy reigns?. . .the present and all those denominations have been in precipitous decline for decades. The culture has been secularizing and those churches basically decided to secularize with it. All have been effectively in the hands of theological liberals for so long now that it is hard to remember a time when they were not (at least in leadership) monolithically progressive if not outright heretical. . .
Queer ELCA Pastrix Ordained With Drag Queen Nuns While Jennifer Knapp Serenades. . .Two years ago, Dawn Bennett became an ordained ‘pastor’ in the thoroughly apostate Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA,) in what is perhaps the strangest ordination ceremony we’ve ever seen. Bennett, who is a self-described she/her bisexual, queer woman. . .
Mainline Protestantism: The wolves in sheep’s clothing have shed their fleeces. . .a denomination of 3.3 million members that has caved so fully to the spirit of the age that it is rapidly becoming difficult to tell the difference between a church service and Drag Queen Story Hour. . .
Finding Faith: Jesus' message wasn't 'be right at all costs'An ELCA pastor writes: . . ."Overturning federal protections that provide access to health care, the right to marry, the right to live out one’s sexual orientation, the right to define one’s own gender may make us feel better because of our interpretation of scripture. But in reality, what it does is put lives in jeopardy, impoverish the already impoverished, reduce human dignity, further marginalize the marginalized, alienate those already upset with the church’s hypocrisy and continues to splinter the body of Christ." . .
Queer bars offer sacred space for LGBTQ community. . .Garcia credits queer bars and drag performers with helping her connect to her inner self. “It really was the bars that gave birth to my first concept of self as Nicole.” . .
Pronouns Matter to the ELCA - Witness Stone BlogFacebook post by the ELCA's Gulf Coast Synod that shares an article they published titled "Why Pronouns Matter":
Reconciling in Christ Sunday - Video By ELCA Synod BishopSome Twin Cities faith communities are becoming more vocal in supporting abortion rights. . .Edina Community Lutheran Church chose to make its sign universal ("People of faith for reproductive rights") instead of denominational ("Lutherans for reproductive rights"). It also ordered 50 of them, hoping other local congregations would display them, too. . .
Pilger church building finds new use. . .St. Peter’s Lutheran Church is the unification of three congregations, two German-speaking and one Danish: . .
2023 Heresy Update Plus Your Bible QuestionsELCA opens nominations on commission that could change church’s governance. . .the assembly determined the time had come to reconsider the language of the 1980s and look at “the principles of its organizational structure … being particularly attentive to our shared commitment to dismantle racism …” per the memorial’s language. . .
“A win-win-win”. . .From the total offering of $956,251, 60% was designated for specific ELCA ministries and partners (30%, or $286,875, to the ELCA’s congregational vitality efforts and 10%, or $95,625, each to Lutheran Disaster Response, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and ELCA Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministries). . .
Lawsuit accuses one-time minister at West Des Moines church of sexual misconduct during counseling. . .The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Polk County District Court, alleges that the woman met several times in early 2021 with Asa Crow, a minister at Lutheran Church of Hope, seeking "spiritual direction." . .
Woman claims minister, spiritual counselor suggested they get naked for therapy: lawsuit. . .An Iowa woman has filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for emotional distress and negligence after a former minister at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, who was also serving as her spiritual counselor, allegedly suggested they get naked in bed as a part of her counseling. . .
Christians must avoid nationalism -- Rev. Dr. Jerry Folk (retired ELCA pastor). . .White Christian nationalism is a threat to Christianity. Its message is the exact opposite of Jesus' message. . .
More desexing of God language in the ELCA Lutheran denomination
. . .In 2019 the ELCA passed a social statement that calls upon “Bishops, synods and churchwide organizations to use gender-inclusive and expansive language for God.” . .
Rhetoric rankles Lutheran pastors |
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. . .Mastriano fired back at the Lutherans in a Facebook Live video, calling their message “hateful” and describing them as “modern Pharisees” that include people with a “hostility toward Jesus Christ.” He railed against the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s more liberal position on abortion rights. . .
P!nk Thanks Pastor for Calling Out Evangelical Silence After Colorado Shooting at Gay Club
. . .All of you Evangelical and fundamentalist clergy who claim to be pastors and shepherds of God’s flock who step into your pulpits and preach hate and bigotry and transphobia and homophobia, you are blasphemers and you are false prophets,” Lerien started. . .
Alleluia Lutheran Church Service of Holy Closure
. . .A Service of Holy Closure led by Bishop Hutterer will be held Saturday 11/12/2022, 4 pm for Alleluia Lutheran Church, 8444 W. Encanto Blvd, Phoenix AZ 85037. . .
St. Mark's celebrates welcoming LGBTQ community since 1985
. . .So, as a pastor, it helps me to empathize with people who have gone through experiences like that," said Scott, who identifies as queer and gender-queer. . .