Thursday, March 31, 2011
Catching Up to Liberal Protestantism / Pope Rejects Historic Christianity
Rome Works Fast CATCHING UP TO LIBERAL PROTESTANTISM “Catholic Liberals in 25 Years Destroyed What Took Protestant Liberals 300 Years” on page 1 is taken from an article by Dr. Robert Sungenis which appeared in the February 28, 2011 Remnant, a Roman Catholic bi-weekly. The entire article is on page 7. Dr. Sungenis observes that Dr Raymond Brown was one of the Roman Catholic liberal leaders who helped take the Roman Catholic Church down the path of destructive higher criticism. He is an editor of the Jerome Biblical Commentary published in 1968 with Rome’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat. When the somewhat revised New Jerome Biblical Commentary appeared in 1990, CN again showed that this officially approved commentary taught that the Bible contains myths, legends and fiction. It denies basic doctrine of historic Christianity. Raymond Brown is mentioned on 14 pages in the Christian News Encyclopedia. He lectured at the LCMS’s Concordia University, New York, where his anti-scriptural notions were not repudiated. When Christian News reviewed Brown’s “Responses to 101 Questions on the Bible” the headline was “Jesus Was Not the All Knowing God.” The subtitle was “Father Raymond Brown, Roman Catholic Modernist, Says Authors of New Testament No Eyewitnesses of Jesus.” An editorial on Brown’s book was titled “Who Will File Charges of False Doctrine Against Father Brown?” CN said: “Filing formal charges vs. Father Brown may do some good if it shows conservative Roman Catholics that the Pope is a theological modernist and universalist who maintains that God used evolution to create the world and that Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians can get to heaven without faith in the merits of Christ.” CN documented at great length Brown’s anti-Christian theology (Christian News Encyclopedia, pp. 4014-4016). Sungenis notes that Pope John Paul II regarded Brown as “one of the world’s best exegetes.” Pope Benedict’s new best seller Jesus of Nazareth (p. 1), again shows that Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, is a destructive higher critic of the Bible and a fan of the non-Christian Lutheran Rudolf Bultmann who repudiated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No wonder Father Richard Neuhaus, a fan of Bultmann’s demythologizing of the Bible, ever since his student days at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, had such a high regard for Pope Benedict XVI. Will the hyper-euros and organized conservatives in the LCMS who have such a high regard for Father Neuhaus while they want CN to close shop, finally wake up. When Neuhaus died, the St. Louis seminary’s Concordia Journal published an editorial praising this champion of the Pope and Bultmann. Paul McCain of CPH, William Woeden, Mollie Hemingway of Steadfast Lutherans, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, David Benke, and both LCMS seminaries were among those who praised Father Neuhaus. Had they been reading what CN has said about the growing modernism in Rome, perhaps they would not have been deceived by Neuhaus. They should have been spending more time reading The Remnant, Chronicles and other publications edited by conservative Roman Catholics rather than neo-con Neuhaus’s First Things which covered up the tremendous homosexual scandal in Rome including Neuhaus’s defense of leading homosexuals in Rome. Even “The Homosexual Pope” was praised as a great hero of the faith (pp. 5-6) POPE REJECTS HISTORIC CHRISTIANITY “Does the Pope Believe in the Resurrection?” on p. 3 from the Free Presbyterian Magazine of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland should come as no surprise to regular readers of Christian News. CN has documented the theology of leading liberals, including Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) for some 50 years. During these years CN has reviewed at considerable length such major officially approved Roman Catholic works as the 15 volume, 15 million word New Catholic Encyclopedia, the Jerome Biblical commentary, the Jerusalem Bible and the writings of hundreds of Roman Catholic theologians. Many of these works claim the Bible contains myths, fictions and errors. They attack such doctrine as the vicarious satisfaction of Christ. The 2263 back issues of Christian News contain one of the most complete records of what has been going on within all Christendom during the past 50 years. What has CN said about the present Pope Benedict XVI? “Catholic Press Promotes New Theology” was the title of the lead story in the September 20, 1993 Christian News. CN reported: “Following the Pope’s lead, the entire Catholic press now promotes the ‘New Theology’ says Bishop Richard Williamson of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Winona, Minnesota, in a letter he sent this month to friends and benefactors of the seminary. “According to Bishop Williamson, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, appointed by the Pope to serve as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, ‘is a Prefect for the Faith Without the Faith!’ Bishop Williamson maintains that Cardinal Ratzinger denies the scriptural doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ. Williamson notes that Ratzinger was a colleague and disciple of the leading progressive teacher, Karl Rahner.’ Rahner rejected such Christian doctrines as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (See the Christian News Encyclopedia). CN published the documentation Bishop Williamson presented to show that Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) denied the scriptural doctrine of the deity of Christ. CN has published reviews of some of Pope Benedict’s writings showing that he is a universalist, an evolutionist, a higher critic of the Bible, and undermines such doctrines as the Trinity. The July 4, 2005 Christian News quoted at considerable length from Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Truth and Tolerance, where the Pope boldly promotes universalism and approves theistic evolution. “Pope Promotes Historical Criticism – Undermines Basic Christian Doctrine” was CN’s title of its August 8, 2005 review on page one of the latest edition of the Pope’s Introduction to Christianity. The report includes many quotes from Pope Benedict showing that he is a liberal higher critic of the Bible and undermines basic Christian doctrine. The Free Presbyterian rightly exposed Pope Benedict’s theological liberalism. The Pope’s refusal to take any real serious disciplinary action against the thousands of homosexual churchmen in the Roman Catholic Church is bad enough. His defense of and promotion of anti-Christian theology in Rome is far worse. Confessional Lutherans have never had more valid reasons for insisting with the Lutheran Confessions, Martin Luther, C.F.W. Walther, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s Brief Statement that the Papacy is indeed the anti-Christ of 2 Thessalonians. The pro-Loehe, anti-Walther Romanizers in the LCMS who highly praised Father Richard Neuhaus, one of Pope Benedict’s chief defenders, are wrong for not boldly recognizing that the Papacy is the Anti-Christ. They should keep up with what is going in the theological world by reading Christian News. The LCMS’s new Lutheran Study Bible should have boldly championed the doctrine that the Papacy is the Anti-Christ. A review of The Lutheran Study Bible in the Fall, 2010 Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly by Editor John Brug, says: “In some instances, one becomes concerned about lack of doctrinal clarity. The discussion of 2 Thessalonians 2 (p 2062) states that the Lutheran Confessions describe papal and Islamic doctrines as marks of Antichrist and that Antichrist will manifest himself as an authority over the church at the end of time. Where is the clear Confessional statement that the pope is the very Antichrist? A Lutheran study Bible should sound a clear signal at this point. In Revelation 17 (p 2224) the comments associate the prostitute with the goddess Roma and with a personification of Rome. But which manifestation of Rome? Imperial or papal?” The Muslims with their vicious Koran promoting hatred of Christians and Jews , and the Jews with their Talmud teach that Jesus Christ is a bastard and Mary a whore are not the Antichrist. The Papacy is the Antichrist of 2 Thessalonians 2: The Jews and Muslims do not “sit in God’s Temple.” Every Lutheran publication in the nation should reprint “Does the Pope Believe in the Resurrection?” The Pope of Luther’s day affirmed the Resurrection. He was not a universalist and evolutionist. Christendom today needs a Reformation far more today than it did 500 years ago. Roman Catholics who now recognize they have been betrayed by recent popes should climb on board.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Great Scholar With A Pastoral Heart
Pastor Kenneth K. Miller 1934-2011
A GREAT SCHOLAR WITH A PASTORAL HEART
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 13, March 28, 2011
Pastor Kenneth Miller, one of Christendom’s greatest Old Testament scholars, was called to his eternal home on March 21. His obituary is on page 4.
Dr. Robert Preus, President of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, wrote in the foreword to Pastor Miller’s Gospel According to Isaiah: “It is a great pleasure to write this foreword. Rev. Kenneth Miller has been my dear friend for more than 30 years. He has been a pastor and preacher for more than thirty years. But he is no ordinary preacher. He is a preacher who has combined a knowledge of the biblical languages with a profound understanding of Old as well as New Testament theology and of the relationship between the two Testaments.
Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne Professor Waldemar Degner wrote that Pastor Miller’s The Prayer for All Seasons, the Lord’s Prayer, amplified and applied for various sorts and conditions of men was “a classic.”
Dr. John Drickamer, who worked on the Fourth Edition of An American Translation of the Bible, wrote in a review of Pastor Miller’s History Explained and Applied: “This book is magnificent. Everyone should study it. The seminarian can learn from it to develop a truly evangelical sermon from the Bible’s historical books. The pastor can use it as a rich resource for ideas and material in preaching on any text that deals with Biblical events - or for making Law-and-Gospel applications in Bible class. The parochial school teacher or Sunday school teacher can use it to pack the greatest possible value and meaning into the precious time devoted to Bible study.”
The Christian News editor, who has known Pastor Miller since seminary days in the 1950s, said in a notice in the May 25, 1992 Christian News promoting Pastor Miller’s books, that he was “A scholar who writes with a pastoral heart.” The editor wrote in 1992:
“K. Miller has been a Lutheran pastor for 33 years. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis with an S.T.M. degree and shortly thereafter was about to receive a Th.D. degree in the Old Testament until some thought he found too much evidence for the Holy Trinity in the Old Testament. Pastor Miller is a real Hebrew scholar, and yet writes with a pastoral heart and years of experience in the pastoral ministry. CN highly recommends his books.”
This issue of Christian News has a list and brief summary of some of Pastor Miller’s writings which appeared in Christian News, A Christian Handbook on Vital Issues and the Christian News Encyclopedia.
A GREAT SCHOLAR WITH A PASTORAL HEART
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 13, March 28, 2011
Pastor Kenneth Miller, one of Christendom’s greatest Old Testament scholars, was called to his eternal home on March 21. His obituary is on page 4.
Dr. Robert Preus, President of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, wrote in the foreword to Pastor Miller’s Gospel According to Isaiah: “It is a great pleasure to write this foreword. Rev. Kenneth Miller has been my dear friend for more than 30 years. He has been a pastor and preacher for more than thirty years. But he is no ordinary preacher. He is a preacher who has combined a knowledge of the biblical languages with a profound understanding of Old as well as New Testament theology and of the relationship between the two Testaments.
Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne Professor Waldemar Degner wrote that Pastor Miller’s The Prayer for All Seasons, the Lord’s Prayer, amplified and applied for various sorts and conditions of men was “a classic.”
Dr. John Drickamer, who worked on the Fourth Edition of An American Translation of the Bible, wrote in a review of Pastor Miller’s History Explained and Applied: “This book is magnificent. Everyone should study it. The seminarian can learn from it to develop a truly evangelical sermon from the Bible’s historical books. The pastor can use it as a rich resource for ideas and material in preaching on any text that deals with Biblical events - or for making Law-and-Gospel applications in Bible class. The parochial school teacher or Sunday school teacher can use it to pack the greatest possible value and meaning into the precious time devoted to Bible study.”
The Christian News editor, who has known Pastor Miller since seminary days in the 1950s, said in a notice in the May 25, 1992 Christian News promoting Pastor Miller’s books, that he was “A scholar who writes with a pastoral heart.” The editor wrote in 1992:
“K. Miller has been a Lutheran pastor for 33 years. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis with an S.T.M. degree and shortly thereafter was about to receive a Th.D. degree in the Old Testament until some thought he found too much evidence for the Holy Trinity in the Old Testament. Pastor Miller is a real Hebrew scholar, and yet writes with a pastoral heart and years of experience in the pastoral ministry. CN highly recommends his books.”
This issue of Christian News has a list and brief summary of some of Pastor Miller’s writings which appeared in Christian News, A Christian Handbook on Vital Issues and the Christian News Encyclopedia.
A GREAT HERO OF THE FAITH
A Name Written In Heaven
Ignored by Most of Lutheranism But Known to God
A GREAT HERO OF THE FAITH
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 13, March 28, 2011
“A Great Scholar With A Pastoral Heart!” on page one reports that Pastor Kenneth Miller, the chief theologian of The Lutheran Churches of the Reformation was called to his eternal home. CN is removing about half of the articles already completed for this issue to make room for a special issue on Pastor Miller. Even many Lutherans will ask, Why? Who is Kenneth Miller? He is one of Christendom’s greatest Old Testament scholars during the last 50 years. He has been virtually ignored by both liberals and the organized conservatives in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Those Pastor Miller taught, both children and seminarians, hold him in high esteem. Note “A Great and Good Man” by one of his students from grades 1-8.
This issue includes just a few excerpts from some of Pastor Miller’s many writings. Why was he ignored by most of Lutheranism? A photo in this issue shows Pastor Miller with some of the more than 40 pastors, professors, and laymen who met at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Haven, Missouri, in 1963, to make plans to help restore the LCMS to orthodoxy and remove the liberals at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, CPH and elsewhere in the LCMS. One of those in the photo with Miller is Larry Burgorf who became head of the Schwan Foundation. What a tragedy that Miller was never able to get the necessary support to publicize his excellent writings from any major foundation or insurance company who have poured millions into publishing projects of those who supported the anti-scriptural theology and destructive criticism of the Bible Miller so ably exposed and opposed. They preferred to finance a seminary which called an Old Testament scholar with a doctorate from Seminex who accepted the critical views of the O.T. Miller opposed.
Note “Miller Not Rowold Should Lecture at Concordia Seminary” in this issue.
Pastor Miller and this editor were students at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. For a year or so, he was much too busy working for his Th.D. to get involved in the battle the editor and Kurt Marquart had with the liberals. However, by 1961 he showed great courage when as a graduate student he signed this statement:
RESOLUTION ON THE NEW HAVEN CONGREGATION
Whereas, Trinity, New Haven, has been suspended from Synod by Presidential fiat; and
Whereas, The case has not been presented to the Board of Appeals of the Western District according to 5.25 of the Bylaws;
Whereas, Suspension is not included in the “administrative action” therein mentioned; and
Whereas, Counter-charges have been filed against the President of the Western District; therefore be it
Resolved, that Trinity congregation, New Haven, Missouri, be rightfully considered a member of the Western District of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod until such a time as the District Board of Appeals shall render a decision in the case; and be it further
Resolved, That this congregation be invited by the District to register its lawful two delegates.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Kenneth K. Miller
Walter Dautenhahn
Fred Maetten
Dr. A.M. Rehwinkel
------------
In 1960 Pastor Miller went with Kurt Marquart, Walter Otten and the editor to visit Valparaiso University President O.P. Kretzmann to discuss the teaching of evolution at VU. When the editor expressed concern about the teaching of evolution at Valpo, O.P. had invited Otten to meet with him. Otten took some real scholars with him.
Discover the vast scope of Pastor Miller’s writing’s, then read some of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings. CPH lists 10 books by Bonhoeffer in its latest catalog, yet, CPH lists none by Pastor Miller. Read the writings of Pastor Miller in this issue and find out why CN is publishing this special issue on him just as it published special issues and articles when such great Lutheran churchmen as John Behnken, John Tietjen, William Beck, Robert Preus, Jack Preus, Paul Burgdorf, Kurt Marquart, Henry Koch, Siegbert Becker, Raymond Surburg and some others died.
May his faithful wife, six children, 21 grandchildren and now a growing number of great-grandchildren gain comfort by reading what their deceased loved one wrote about “A Blessed Death,” No. 20 in CN’s list of “Some Writings of Pastor Kenneth Miller in Christian News”, pp. 2 and 3.
One of the most significant things this editor can say about Pastor Miller is that, in an age when many pastors have dysfunctional families, his children and grandchildren have remained faithful to God’s Word and are members of confessional Lutheran congregations. May they all rejoice not in what Pastor Miller has done but that he recognized he was a sinner redeemed by Christ. When the disciples rejoiced because of all they had done for the Gospel, Jesus told them: “Only don’t be glad that the spirits obey you but that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20.
Ignored by Most of Lutheranism But Known to God
A GREAT HERO OF THE FAITH
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 13, March 28, 2011
“A Great Scholar With A Pastoral Heart!” on page one reports that Pastor Kenneth Miller, the chief theologian of The Lutheran Churches of the Reformation was called to his eternal home. CN is removing about half of the articles already completed for this issue to make room for a special issue on Pastor Miller. Even many Lutherans will ask, Why? Who is Kenneth Miller? He is one of Christendom’s greatest Old Testament scholars during the last 50 years. He has been virtually ignored by both liberals and the organized conservatives in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Those Pastor Miller taught, both children and seminarians, hold him in high esteem. Note “A Great and Good Man” by one of his students from grades 1-8.
This issue includes just a few excerpts from some of Pastor Miller’s many writings. Why was he ignored by most of Lutheranism? A photo in this issue shows Pastor Miller with some of the more than 40 pastors, professors, and laymen who met at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Haven, Missouri, in 1963, to make plans to help restore the LCMS to orthodoxy and remove the liberals at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, CPH and elsewhere in the LCMS. One of those in the photo with Miller is Larry Burgorf who became head of the Schwan Foundation. What a tragedy that Miller was never able to get the necessary support to publicize his excellent writings from any major foundation or insurance company who have poured millions into publishing projects of those who supported the anti-scriptural theology and destructive criticism of the Bible Miller so ably exposed and opposed. They preferred to finance a seminary which called an Old Testament scholar with a doctorate from Seminex who accepted the critical views of the O.T. Miller opposed.
Note “Miller Not Rowold Should Lecture at Concordia Seminary” in this issue.
Pastor Miller and this editor were students at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. For a year or so, he was much too busy working for his Th.D. to get involved in the battle the editor and Kurt Marquart had with the liberals. However, by 1961 he showed great courage when as a graduate student he signed this statement:
RESOLUTION ON THE NEW HAVEN CONGREGATION
Whereas, Trinity, New Haven, has been suspended from Synod by Presidential fiat; and
Whereas, The case has not been presented to the Board of Appeals of the Western District according to 5.25 of the Bylaws;
Whereas, Suspension is not included in the “administrative action” therein mentioned; and
Whereas, Counter-charges have been filed against the President of the Western District; therefore be it
Resolved, that Trinity congregation, New Haven, Missouri, be rightfully considered a member of the Western District of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod until such a time as the District Board of Appeals shall render a decision in the case; and be it further
Resolved, That this congregation be invited by the District to register its lawful two delegates.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Kenneth K. Miller
Walter Dautenhahn
Fred Maetten
Dr. A.M. Rehwinkel
------------
In 1960 Pastor Miller went with Kurt Marquart, Walter Otten and the editor to visit Valparaiso University President O.P. Kretzmann to discuss the teaching of evolution at VU. When the editor expressed concern about the teaching of evolution at Valpo, O.P. had invited Otten to meet with him. Otten took some real scholars with him.
Discover the vast scope of Pastor Miller’s writing’s, then read some of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings. CPH lists 10 books by Bonhoeffer in its latest catalog, yet, CPH lists none by Pastor Miller. Read the writings of Pastor Miller in this issue and find out why CN is publishing this special issue on him just as it published special issues and articles when such great Lutheran churchmen as John Behnken, John Tietjen, William Beck, Robert Preus, Jack Preus, Paul Burgdorf, Kurt Marquart, Henry Koch, Siegbert Becker, Raymond Surburg and some others died.
May his faithful wife, six children, 21 grandchildren and now a growing number of great-grandchildren gain comfort by reading what their deceased loved one wrote about “A Blessed Death,” No. 20 in CN’s list of “Some Writings of Pastor Kenneth Miller in Christian News”, pp. 2 and 3.
One of the most significant things this editor can say about Pastor Miller is that, in an age when many pastors have dysfunctional families, his children and grandchildren have remained faithful to God’s Word and are members of confessional Lutheran congregations. May they all rejoice not in what Pastor Miller has done but that he recognized he was a sinner redeemed by Christ. When the disciples rejoiced because of all they had done for the Gospel, Jesus told them: “Only don’t be glad that the spirits obey you but that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
ALLAH AND THE TRINITY - THE SAME TRUE GOD?
The God of Marty’s Christian Century Is Not The God of Historic Christianity
ALLAH AND THE TRINITY - THE SAME TRUE GOD?
Christians do not have a radically different understanding of God than Muslims says “Allah and the Trinity”, the cover story of the March 8, 2011 The Christian Century. The article concludes: “Unity of God doesn’t separate Muslims from Christians; it binds them together.” The Christian Century article is by Miroslav Volf. It is adapted from his book Allah: A Christian Response just published by HarperCollins. Volf, who teaches at Yale Divinity School, writes in The Christian Century:
“All words we use of God are inadequate. Why? Augustine explains: ‘Because the total transcendence of the godhead quite surpasses the capacity of ordinary speech.’ The words paint a picture or tell a story, so to speak, but the picture or the story is always more dissimilar than it is similar to who God truly is. God is uncreated and infinite, therefore inexpressible and beyond our concepts, beyond our language.
“The talk of persons captures something about God but is inadequate to express the full reality because God transcends the notion of person. The same is true of essence, goodness, loveall to varying degrees correct and true as referring to God, but all also deeply inadequate. The very reality of God is such that God always remains inconceivable, a mystery that can never be properly named or puzzled out. And yet we speak of God, guided by God’s self-revelation. We have true knowledge of God, but we are capable of understanding much better what that Mystery is not than what it is. Important strands in all three Abrahamic faiths agree on this.
“I hope that these arguments will be plausible to Muslims and Christians alike. With regard to Muslims, however, my purpose is not to persuade them that God indeed is the Holy Trinity. I have not offered a single argument in favor of this cardinal Christian belief. My purpose is more modest: to demonstrate that the rejections of the Trinity in the Qur’an do not refer to normative Christian understanding of God’s threeness, and that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity does not call into question God’s oneness as expressed in Muslims’ most basic belief that there is ‘no god but God.’ What the Qur’an may be targeting are misconceptions about God’s nature held by misguided Christians.
“This discussion has been directed not primarily to Muslims but to Christians. My goal is to remind Christians that Muslim objections to the doctrine of the Trinity and the uncompromising affirmation of God’s oneness from which these objections stem are not in themselves good enough reasons for Christians to think that they have a radically different understanding of God than Muslims. Unity of God doesn’t separate Muslims from Christians; it binds them together.”
Islam in the Crucible - Can It Pass the Test, by Riccoldo da Montecroce and Martin Luther (available from Christian News $8.50), shows that the god of the Muslims does not exist and that the Holy Trinity is the only true God.
Dr. Martin Marty, the author of the foreword to James Burkee’s Power, Politics, and the Missouri Synod - A Conflict That Changed American Christianity published last month by ELCA’s Fortress Press, has been associated with The Christian Century for more than 50 years. He is now a contributing editor. Burkee, in a section titled “Countering Christian News” reports that CN editor Otten filed charges of false doctrine vs. Marty. Burkee writes: “Harms, struggling at first to respond as a gentleman to Otten’s deluge of letters, was losing patience. ‘Have you dealt with Martin Marty?’ ‘Yes,’ Harms replied.” (p. 56 of Burkee book). “But Harms knew he was playing into Otten’s hands and that he would lose the battle unless he could find an answer to the growing power of Christian News. In April 1964, Harms, Wolbrecht, and Lutheran Witness editor Martin Mueller acknowledged that influence and tried to combat it by printing a public condemnation of Christian News” (Burkee, p. 56).
When Marty offered to resign from the LCMS’s Committee on Social Concerns to which LCMS President Jacob Preus appointed him, Burkee quotes Preus as telling Marty: “No, Marty, you are exactly right for that job. I went over the whole clergy roster and picked the right person for each post. You are the first name that comes to mind for Social Concern.” Preus told Marty: “Now, that Committee on Social Concern; we’ve got to redefine it. . . it isn’t worth a pile of shit.” Burkee notes that Christian News published an interview which the June, 1967 Playboy had with Marty where Marty said: “I could conceive, from the pastoral point of view, the legitimacy of something like adultery in extreme situations” (Burkee, p. 204). Such and “extreme” situation, according to Marty, might be when women who have never married needed to be “uncorked.”
Christian News has often noted during the last fifty years that the god of The Christian Century is not the God of historic Christianity, three separate persons in one divine essence.
The May 18, 1964 Christian News published “Martin E. Marty” by Cornelius Van Til, an orthodox Presbyterian scholar. Marty noted that Van Til presented him as some sort of Unitarian. Van Til’s article is in A Christian Handbook on Vital Issues, pp. 74-75. Van Til quoted from Marty’s books.
The CN editor writes in the introduction to Baal or God, published in 1965:
“How long are you going to limp along on both sides? If the Lord is God, follow him: But if Baal, follow him.” With these words in 1 Kings 18:21 the ancient prophet Elijah asked the children of Israel how long they intended to hesitate between worshiping the true God and worshiping Baal, the pagan idol. Elijah urged those who had been called to be God’s people to make up their minds. He warned that an “either-or” decision had to be made.
Twentieth-century man faces the same choice. He must decide between God or Baal.
In 1924 The Christian Century, a voice of modern liberalism advertising itself as “Protestantism’s leading non-denominational journal,” said:
Christianity according to fundamentalism is one religion and Christianity according to modernism is another . . . there is a clash here as profound and grim as between Christianity and Confucianism. The God of the fundamentalist is one God, and the God of the modernist is another... Which is the true Christian religion is the question to be settled by our generation for future generations.
The “clash” between God and Baal continues. Modern man must make a choice. The god of modernism and of The Christian Century is still the god of many prominent figures within the National and World Council of Churches. The God of fundamentalism is the God of historic Christianity.
Baal or God shows there are basically two different religions within external Christendom. The difference between these two religions is the difference between God and Baal. Informed Christians ought to recognize that the real difference within external Christendom does not lie along traditional denominational lines but within the major denominations. On the one hand there are those within these denominations who accept the fundamental truths of historic Christianity; on the other hand there are the modern liberals within these same denomination who reject historic Christianity. The situation in Christendom is like that in American politics. There are conservatives and liberals in each major political party. So there are believer in historic Christianity and modern liberals in the major denominations.
x x x
In 1997 Christian News published a seven part series on Marty’s theology beginning in the January 27, 1997 CN. CN sent the series to Marty and offered to publish any correction. Part II of the series is titled “LCMS Defended Marty’s Association with The Christian Century.” (CN February 10, 1997). When Concordia Seminary, St. Louis invited Marty to speak, a group of California laymen proposed that Marty and Otten debate at the seminary. Otten agreed but Marty declined to debate.
ALLAH AND THE TRINITY - THE SAME TRUE GOD?
Christians do not have a radically different understanding of God than Muslims says “Allah and the Trinity”, the cover story of the March 8, 2011 The Christian Century. The article concludes: “Unity of God doesn’t separate Muslims from Christians; it binds them together.” The Christian Century article is by Miroslav Volf. It is adapted from his book Allah: A Christian Response just published by HarperCollins. Volf, who teaches at Yale Divinity School, writes in The Christian Century:
“All words we use of God are inadequate. Why? Augustine explains: ‘Because the total transcendence of the godhead quite surpasses the capacity of ordinary speech.’ The words paint a picture or tell a story, so to speak, but the picture or the story is always more dissimilar than it is similar to who God truly is. God is uncreated and infinite, therefore inexpressible and beyond our concepts, beyond our language.
“The talk of persons captures something about God but is inadequate to express the full reality because God transcends the notion of person. The same is true of essence, goodness, loveall to varying degrees correct and true as referring to God, but all also deeply inadequate. The very reality of God is such that God always remains inconceivable, a mystery that can never be properly named or puzzled out. And yet we speak of God, guided by God’s self-revelation. We have true knowledge of God, but we are capable of understanding much better what that Mystery is not than what it is. Important strands in all three Abrahamic faiths agree on this.
“I hope that these arguments will be plausible to Muslims and Christians alike. With regard to Muslims, however, my purpose is not to persuade them that God indeed is the Holy Trinity. I have not offered a single argument in favor of this cardinal Christian belief. My purpose is more modest: to demonstrate that the rejections of the Trinity in the Qur’an do not refer to normative Christian understanding of God’s threeness, and that the Christian doctrine of the Trinity does not call into question God’s oneness as expressed in Muslims’ most basic belief that there is ‘no god but God.’ What the Qur’an may be targeting are misconceptions about God’s nature held by misguided Christians.
“This discussion has been directed not primarily to Muslims but to Christians. My goal is to remind Christians that Muslim objections to the doctrine of the Trinity and the uncompromising affirmation of God’s oneness from which these objections stem are not in themselves good enough reasons for Christians to think that they have a radically different understanding of God than Muslims. Unity of God doesn’t separate Muslims from Christians; it binds them together.”
Islam in the Crucible - Can It Pass the Test, by Riccoldo da Montecroce and Martin Luther (available from Christian News $8.50), shows that the god of the Muslims does not exist and that the Holy Trinity is the only true God.
Dr. Martin Marty, the author of the foreword to James Burkee’s Power, Politics, and the Missouri Synod - A Conflict That Changed American Christianity published last month by ELCA’s Fortress Press, has been associated with The Christian Century for more than 50 years. He is now a contributing editor. Burkee, in a section titled “Countering Christian News” reports that CN editor Otten filed charges of false doctrine vs. Marty. Burkee writes: “Harms, struggling at first to respond as a gentleman to Otten’s deluge of letters, was losing patience. ‘Have you dealt with Martin Marty?’ ‘Yes,’ Harms replied.” (p. 56 of Burkee book). “But Harms knew he was playing into Otten’s hands and that he would lose the battle unless he could find an answer to the growing power of Christian News. In April 1964, Harms, Wolbrecht, and Lutheran Witness editor Martin Mueller acknowledged that influence and tried to combat it by printing a public condemnation of Christian News” (Burkee, p. 56).
When Marty offered to resign from the LCMS’s Committee on Social Concerns to which LCMS President Jacob Preus appointed him, Burkee quotes Preus as telling Marty: “No, Marty, you are exactly right for that job. I went over the whole clergy roster and picked the right person for each post. You are the first name that comes to mind for Social Concern.” Preus told Marty: “Now, that Committee on Social Concern; we’ve got to redefine it. . . it isn’t worth a pile of shit.” Burkee notes that Christian News published an interview which the June, 1967 Playboy had with Marty where Marty said: “I could conceive, from the pastoral point of view, the legitimacy of something like adultery in extreme situations” (Burkee, p. 204). Such and “extreme” situation, according to Marty, might be when women who have never married needed to be “uncorked.”
Christian News has often noted during the last fifty years that the god of The Christian Century is not the God of historic Christianity, three separate persons in one divine essence.
The May 18, 1964 Christian News published “Martin E. Marty” by Cornelius Van Til, an orthodox Presbyterian scholar. Marty noted that Van Til presented him as some sort of Unitarian. Van Til’s article is in A Christian Handbook on Vital Issues, pp. 74-75. Van Til quoted from Marty’s books.
The CN editor writes in the introduction to Baal or God, published in 1965:
“How long are you going to limp along on both sides? If the Lord is God, follow him: But if Baal, follow him.” With these words in 1 Kings 18:21 the ancient prophet Elijah asked the children of Israel how long they intended to hesitate between worshiping the true God and worshiping Baal, the pagan idol. Elijah urged those who had been called to be God’s people to make up their minds. He warned that an “either-or” decision had to be made.
Twentieth-century man faces the same choice. He must decide between God or Baal.
In 1924 The Christian Century, a voice of modern liberalism advertising itself as “Protestantism’s leading non-denominational journal,” said:
Christianity according to fundamentalism is one religion and Christianity according to modernism is another . . . there is a clash here as profound and grim as between Christianity and Confucianism. The God of the fundamentalist is one God, and the God of the modernist is another... Which is the true Christian religion is the question to be settled by our generation for future generations.
The “clash” between God and Baal continues. Modern man must make a choice. The god of modernism and of The Christian Century is still the god of many prominent figures within the National and World Council of Churches. The God of fundamentalism is the God of historic Christianity.
Baal or God shows there are basically two different religions within external Christendom. The difference between these two religions is the difference between God and Baal. Informed Christians ought to recognize that the real difference within external Christendom does not lie along traditional denominational lines but within the major denominations. On the one hand there are those within these denominations who accept the fundamental truths of historic Christianity; on the other hand there are the modern liberals within these same denomination who reject historic Christianity. The situation in Christendom is like that in American politics. There are conservatives and liberals in each major political party. So there are believer in historic Christianity and modern liberals in the major denominations.
x x x
In 1997 Christian News published a seven part series on Marty’s theology beginning in the January 27, 1997 CN. CN sent the series to Marty and offered to publish any correction. Part II of the series is titled “LCMS Defended Marty’s Association with The Christian Century.” (CN February 10, 1997). When Concordia Seminary, St. Louis invited Marty to speak, a group of California laymen proposed that Marty and Otten debate at the seminary. Otten agreed but Marty declined to debate.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Evolution Tolerated in Concordia University System
Charges Filed vs. District President Defending Evolutionist
Will Harrison and LCMS Vice Presidents Take Action vs. Evolutionists?
EVOLUTION TOLERATED IN CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 11, March 14, 2011
When the editor of Christian News spoke at Concordia University Wisconsin, on February 3, a panel of professors and members of the CUW Board of Regents challenged CN to provide evidence that evolution was being tolerated within the Concordia University System. The panel insisted the CN has never presented such evidence.
CN has for decades noted that evolution was being tolerated in CUS. The editor told the panel that he had asked the schools in the Concordia University System if they insisted that all of the professors in their science and theology departments teach that Genesis must be interpreted in a natural historical manner, God created the world in six, 24 hour days, evolution is an anti-scriptural unscientific myth, and the Bible teachers that women not serve as pastors. Only Concordia University, Selma, said all of its professors must affirm the historicity of the Genesis account of creation and oppose evolution and women serving as pastors.
When the editor spoke at one of the CUS schools, he debated creation vs. evolution with a science professor at the school who defended evolution. CN has for decades noted that Dr. Harold Roellig an LCMS theologian and scientist, a classmate and friend of the editor, defended by his Northwest District and particularly by Dr. Matthew Becker, a member of this district, promoted amoeba to man evolution and billions of years for the age of the earth. Several times CN photographed a dozen pages from Roellig’s The God Who Cares. The CN editor offered to give the book to an LCMS convention committee assigned with dealing with evolution being taught as fact in the LCMS. The committee and LCMS leaders simply were not interested in examining the evidence the editor presented. CN has often said “there are none so blind as those who do not want to see.” The CN editor in his address at CUW noted: “Marquart wrote in his statement for the Lutheran Witness when he was on the LCMS presidential ballot: ‘The single most crucial issue facing our Synod, in my view, is the progressive loss of doctrinal unity. There is, for instance, the acceptance of evolution by some within the Concordia University System and there is the neo-Pentecostalism of ‘Renewal in Missouri.’” (The editor’s address is in Bonhoeffer and King: Their Life and Theology as Documented in Christian News 1963-2011).
CN challenged the faculty of CUW on February 3 to submit an overture to the next LCMS convention with this resolve:
“Resolved, that the convention of the LCMS declare that all professor in LCMS colleges and seminaries must teach that evolution is contrary to the Bible and true science and that God created the world in six, 24 hour days and not in millions or billions of years.”
The CN editor wrote to Rev. Paul Linnemann, President of the LCMS’s Northwest District on February 10:
-----
Christian News to
Linnemann on Becker and Evolution
February 10, 2011
Rev. Paul Linnemann, President
Northwest District, LCMS
Paul@nowlcms.org
Dear President Linnemann:
On February 3 when I spoke at Concordia University Wisconsin and faced a panel of professors and members of the CUW Board of Regents, I was challenged to provide evidence that evolution was being tolerated within the Concordia University System. I did not mention the essays in A Daystar Reader by Dr. Matthew Becker and Dr. Charles Kunert, two LCMS clergymen listed in the Lutheran Annual as members of your district. Both promote evolution in these essays. I did not know whether disciplinary action had been taken vs. Becker and Kunert. I filed charges of false doctrine with you against Becker on July 26, 2010 after the many district presidents, CUS faculties, or other church leaders to whom Daystar said it sent A Daystar Reader, failed to voice any public protest or file charges vs. Becker or Kunert.
I sent copies of the formal charges to members of the LCMS’s Praesidium, Matthew Harrison, Herbert Mueller, Daniel Preus, Scott Murray, John Wohlrabe, and Paul Maier.
You responded in July that you would look into my concern after a week’s vacation.
Have you done anything about these charges? Have you asked Dr. Kunert to retract his promotion of evolution in his article in A Daystar Reader titled “The Teaching of Evolution in a Lutheran University.” Both Dr. Becker and Dr. Kunert are listed on the LCMS roster published in the 2011 Lutheran Annual.
Have LCMS President Matthew Harrison and the LCMS vice-presidents who were sent a copy of the letter I sent to you asked you to deal with this matter?
Part I of my presentation at CUW is in the February 7 CN. A report of the essay and panel discussion is in the February 14 CN.
Please let me know as soon as possible if any disciplinary action is being taken vs. Becker and Kunert. Becker regularly makes it clear on his blog that he is still solidly behind the position of Seminex condemned as false doctrine and not to be tolerated in the LCMS in Resolution 3-09 of the LCMS’s 1973 convention and reaffirmed at the 2010 LCMS convention.
Sincerely,
Herman Otten
cc. Matthew Harrison
Herbert Mueller
Daniel Preus
Scott Murray
John Wohlrabe
Paul Maier
-----
CN Provided Linnemann with more evidence on Becker
July 29, 2010
Rev. Paul Linnemann,
President
Northwest District
The Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod
1700 NE Knott
Portland, Oregon 97212
Dear President Linnemann:
Thank you for acknowledging receipt of the formal charges vs. Dr. Matthew Becker, “the intellectual leader” of the new left in the LCMS.
I could have mentioned in the formal charges much more than just what is in A DayStar Reader. However, I want to keep the charges simple. Dr. Becker does have plenty of supporters in Daystar and Jesus First. Concordia Seminary has regularly been publishing reviews by Becker while seldom, if ever, articles and reviews by those who took a strong stand against the anti-scriptural theology of Seminex and supported 3-09 of the 1973 convention reaffirmed at the 2010 convention.
Enclosed are some issues of Christian News which have material on Becker and Concordia, Portland where Becker taught while in your district.
I. Christian News, June 11, 2001
1. “LCMS District Calls for Investigation of Concordia, Portland”, p. 1.
2. “Daystar Reaching Convention Delegates”, p. 1.
3. “Daystar – Who Are We”, p. 12.
4. “Northwest District Defends Evolutionist”, p. 14.
5. “The Case for Overture 5-11 Submitted by Iowa East”, p. 14.
6. “Concordia University System College Uses Textbook Promoting Homosexuality and Attacking Christianity”, p. 15.
7. “Congregations Calling for Investigation of Concordia Portland”, p. 16.
8. “12 Pages of Queer Edward II” by Derek Jarman, required reading at Concordia, Portland.
9. “Time to Scuttle the Concordia University System?” p. 17.
10. “College Dean: Concordia, Portland, a Solid Lutheran School”, p. 17.
11. “Attorney for LCMS Prof (Becker) Demanding Retraction from CN”, p. 18.
12. “When Women Speak for God” essay by Becker at Trinity, Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois, 1997. Jesus First Leaders Charles Mueller, Sr. and Jr., pastors.
13. “Response to Attorney for LCMS Prof – Becker Denied Inerrancy of Bible” by Joseph and Richard Falbo, students of Becker when he was teaching at Concordia University, Chicago.
II. Christian News, February 16, 2004
1. “Daystar Liberals Voice No Objection – Becker Again Calls for Acceptance of Evolution in LCMS”, p. 1.
2. “A Major Issue Facing 2004 LCMS Convention: EVOLUTION”, p. 9.
3. “Evolution O.K. for Some in Jesus First”, p. 9.
4. “The Whole Church Is Christ’s Mission: Education for the Mission”, by Becker at Daystar Mission Conference, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, Missouri, 2004.
III. Crisis In Christendom – Seminex Ablaze
(This book was sent to all delegates to the 2004 convention and offered to all delegates to the 2010 convention. If you do not have a copy and are interested I will send you a copy.) Becker is mentioned on these pages:
1. p. 20
2. On Albert Schweitzer in Concordia Journal of St. Louis Seminary, p. 351.
3. “Stunning Minority Report in Becker Case – CN Told the Truth About Becker – LCMS NOW ALLOWS FOR EVOLUTION”, p. 390.
4. “Admirer of Schweitzer, Denies Inerrancy of the Bible and Supports Ordination of Women, Ed. Review committee Decides In Favor of Prof. Matthew Becker”, p. 39.
5. “LCMS SHOULD THANK DR. MATTHEW BECKER”, p. 392.
6. “LCMS BACKERS OF WOMEN PASTORS MEET IN ST. LOUIS . . . 8. Matthew Becker, p. 413.
7. “Letter to Kieschnick and His Daystar and Jesus First Supporters”, p. 421. Dr. Matthew Becker and others.
8. “Seminex Professor Says: BOHLMANN NOW ‘ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS’”, p. 433. Letter to Bohlmann concerning what Becker reported about Bohlmann’s change, p. 433.
9. “THE ‘LIE’ OF EVOLUTION CREEPING INTO LCMS”, 461-462.
10. “Jesus First Supporters” published by Jesus First. Lists Matthew Becker on list of 1,018 supporters, pp. 469-470.
Dr. Harold Roellig, who had been a member of your district and whose promotion of evolution Becker supports, was a classmate of mine at Concordia, Bronxville, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. We were good friends. I promoted his work exposing the masons but had to take issue with him after he went all out for evolution while at Columbia University in New York. He is the author of The God Who Cares. Several parts of the book are in the issues of CN I am sending you. When I testified at a convention committee hearing where William Diekelman was the chairman, I offered the book to Diekelman. He wasn’t interested in such evidence of the promotion of evolution in the LCMS. Hopefully, under the new administration of the LCMS there will be some scholars and theologians who know how to evaluate evidence and have the courage to stand up to “the intellectual leader” of the new left in the LCMS.
God’s richest blessings,
Herman Otten
cc. LCMS President Elect
Matthew Harrison
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Herbert Mueller
LCMS Vice-President
John Wohlrabe
LCMS Vice-President
Paul Maier
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Daniel Preus
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Scott Murray
Dr. Matthew Becker
-----
Formal Charges vs. Linnemann
February 25, 2011
Rev. Matthew Harrison,
President
Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod
1333 South Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63122-
7295
Dear President Harrison:
Rev. Paul Linnemann is the President of the Northwest District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Dr. Matthew Becker is listed on the “LCMS Roster of Ministers of Religion – Ordained” on p. 260 in the 2011 Lutheran Annual. He is listed as a member of the Northwest District.
I sent you and the other members of the LCMS Presidium the formal charges of false doctrine I filed against Dr. Matthew Becker on July 26, 2010 and a letter I sent to President Linnemann listing some of the many articles Christian News has published about and by Dr. Becker. Recent issues of Christian News sent to you show that Dr. Becker has not retracted his false doctrine as he boldly continues to champion evolution, the ordination of women and those who supported the theology of Seminex, condemned in Resolution 3-09 of the LCMS’s 1973 convention. 3-09 was reaffirmed at the LCMS’s 2010 convention.
“Linnemann and New LCMS Praesidium Sent More Evidence On Becker’s Pro-Evolution” in the August 16, 2010 Christian News included the letter I sent to President Linnemann on July 29, 2011 when he acknowledged receipt of the formal charges vs. Becker. You were sent Linnemann’s response.
Although DayStar said it sent it’s A DAYSTAR READER to all LCMS district presidents and other leaders of the LCMS, I still sent you the essays in A DAYSTAR READER edited by Dr. Becker in which Becker and Dr. Charles Kunert, who is also under Linnemann’s doctrinal supervision, boldly champions evolution.
When I filed formal charges of false doctrine against Dr. Paul Bretscher of Valparaiso and Rev. Donald Prange, I notified the district presidents that if no action was taken vs. these outspoken liberals in their district I would file charges against them. During President Kieschnick’s administration both Bretscher and Prange were removed from the LCMS clergy roster. President Linnemann has similarly been notified that if he took no disciplinary action vs. such an outspoken defender of evolution and the ordination of women in his district as Dr. Becker, charges would be filed against him.
I have not received any response from President Linnemann to the letter I sent him on February 10 asking him to inform me if any disciplinary action is being taken vs. Drs Becker and Kunert. A copy of this letter was sent to you and the other members of the Praesidium.
I am now formally charging Rev. Paul Linnemann, President of The Northwest District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod with defending a false teacher under his jurisdiction and violating Article 4.4.5 of the LCMS’s Handbook. The charges are being sent to you since Article XI of the LCMS’s Constitution says on
“B. Duties of the President
“1. The president has the supervision regarding the doctrine and the
administration of
a. All officers of the Synod;
b. All such as are employed by the Synod;
c. The individual districts of the Synod;
d. All district presidents;
“2. It is the president’s duty to see to it that all the aforementioned act in accordance with the Synod’s Constitution, to admonish all who in any way depart from it, and, if such admonition is not indeed heeded, to report such cases to the Synod.”
The 1973 convention on the LCMS resolved in Overture 3-09 that the theology of those who formed Seminex and signed Faithful To Our Calling – Faithful to Our Lord is “in fact false doctrine running counter to the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and the synodical stance and for that reason ‘cannot be tolerated in the church of God, much less be excused and defended’ (FC, SD, Preface, 9); . . .”
When the 2010 LCMS convention adopted Omnibus B it reaffirmed 3-09 of the 1973 convention. President Jerry Kieschnick made this clear when he commented on the need to adopt Omnibus B just as it came from the committee. See “3-09 – 1973 – 2010 – The Most Significant Resolution,” the lead story in the August 2, 2010 Christian News.
If I have not followed correct procedure, please inform me what the correct procedure is when a district president refuses to discipline an outspoken evolutionist and supporter of the ordination of women in his district.
God’s richest blessings,
Herman Otten
Galatians 6:14
cc. President Paul Linnemann
Dr. Matthew Becker
Dr. Charles Kunert
Rev. Herbert Mueller
Dr. John Wohlrabe
Dr. Paul Maier
Rev. Daniel Preus
Dr. Scott Murray
Ed. A return receipt from the LCMS’s President’s office
indicated the letter was received.
Will Harrison and LCMS Vice Presidents Take Action vs. Evolutionists?
EVOLUTION TOLERATED IN CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 11, March 14, 2011
When the editor of Christian News spoke at Concordia University Wisconsin, on February 3, a panel of professors and members of the CUW Board of Regents challenged CN to provide evidence that evolution was being tolerated within the Concordia University System. The panel insisted the CN has never presented such evidence.
CN has for decades noted that evolution was being tolerated in CUS. The editor told the panel that he had asked the schools in the Concordia University System if they insisted that all of the professors in their science and theology departments teach that Genesis must be interpreted in a natural historical manner, God created the world in six, 24 hour days, evolution is an anti-scriptural unscientific myth, and the Bible teachers that women not serve as pastors. Only Concordia University, Selma, said all of its professors must affirm the historicity of the Genesis account of creation and oppose evolution and women serving as pastors.
When the editor spoke at one of the CUS schools, he debated creation vs. evolution with a science professor at the school who defended evolution. CN has for decades noted that Dr. Harold Roellig an LCMS theologian and scientist, a classmate and friend of the editor, defended by his Northwest District and particularly by Dr. Matthew Becker, a member of this district, promoted amoeba to man evolution and billions of years for the age of the earth. Several times CN photographed a dozen pages from Roellig’s The God Who Cares. The CN editor offered to give the book to an LCMS convention committee assigned with dealing with evolution being taught as fact in the LCMS. The committee and LCMS leaders simply were not interested in examining the evidence the editor presented. CN has often said “there are none so blind as those who do not want to see.” The CN editor in his address at CUW noted: “Marquart wrote in his statement for the Lutheran Witness when he was on the LCMS presidential ballot: ‘The single most crucial issue facing our Synod, in my view, is the progressive loss of doctrinal unity. There is, for instance, the acceptance of evolution by some within the Concordia University System and there is the neo-Pentecostalism of ‘Renewal in Missouri.’” (The editor’s address is in Bonhoeffer and King: Their Life and Theology as Documented in Christian News 1963-2011).
CN challenged the faculty of CUW on February 3 to submit an overture to the next LCMS convention with this resolve:
“Resolved, that the convention of the LCMS declare that all professor in LCMS colleges and seminaries must teach that evolution is contrary to the Bible and true science and that God created the world in six, 24 hour days and not in millions or billions of years.”
The CN editor wrote to Rev. Paul Linnemann, President of the LCMS’s Northwest District on February 10:
-----
Christian News to
Linnemann on Becker and Evolution
February 10, 2011
Rev. Paul Linnemann, President
Northwest District, LCMS
Paul@nowlcms.org
Dear President Linnemann:
On February 3 when I spoke at Concordia University Wisconsin and faced a panel of professors and members of the CUW Board of Regents, I was challenged to provide evidence that evolution was being tolerated within the Concordia University System. I did not mention the essays in A Daystar Reader by Dr. Matthew Becker and Dr. Charles Kunert, two LCMS clergymen listed in the Lutheran Annual as members of your district. Both promote evolution in these essays. I did not know whether disciplinary action had been taken vs. Becker and Kunert. I filed charges of false doctrine with you against Becker on July 26, 2010 after the many district presidents, CUS faculties, or other church leaders to whom Daystar said it sent A Daystar Reader, failed to voice any public protest or file charges vs. Becker or Kunert.
I sent copies of the formal charges to members of the LCMS’s Praesidium, Matthew Harrison, Herbert Mueller, Daniel Preus, Scott Murray, John Wohlrabe, and Paul Maier.
You responded in July that you would look into my concern after a week’s vacation.
Have you done anything about these charges? Have you asked Dr. Kunert to retract his promotion of evolution in his article in A Daystar Reader titled “The Teaching of Evolution in a Lutheran University.” Both Dr. Becker and Dr. Kunert are listed on the LCMS roster published in the 2011 Lutheran Annual.
Have LCMS President Matthew Harrison and the LCMS vice-presidents who were sent a copy of the letter I sent to you asked you to deal with this matter?
Part I of my presentation at CUW is in the February 7 CN. A report of the essay and panel discussion is in the February 14 CN.
Please let me know as soon as possible if any disciplinary action is being taken vs. Becker and Kunert. Becker regularly makes it clear on his blog that he is still solidly behind the position of Seminex condemned as false doctrine and not to be tolerated in the LCMS in Resolution 3-09 of the LCMS’s 1973 convention and reaffirmed at the 2010 LCMS convention.
Sincerely,
Herman Otten
cc. Matthew Harrison
Herbert Mueller
Daniel Preus
Scott Murray
John Wohlrabe
Paul Maier
-----
CN Provided Linnemann with more evidence on Becker
July 29, 2010
Rev. Paul Linnemann,
President
Northwest District
The Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod
1700 NE Knott
Portland, Oregon 97212
Dear President Linnemann:
Thank you for acknowledging receipt of the formal charges vs. Dr. Matthew Becker, “the intellectual leader” of the new left in the LCMS.
I could have mentioned in the formal charges much more than just what is in A DayStar Reader. However, I want to keep the charges simple. Dr. Becker does have plenty of supporters in Daystar and Jesus First. Concordia Seminary has regularly been publishing reviews by Becker while seldom, if ever, articles and reviews by those who took a strong stand against the anti-scriptural theology of Seminex and supported 3-09 of the 1973 convention reaffirmed at the 2010 convention.
Enclosed are some issues of Christian News which have material on Becker and Concordia, Portland where Becker taught while in your district.
I. Christian News, June 11, 2001
1. “LCMS District Calls for Investigation of Concordia, Portland”, p. 1.
2. “Daystar Reaching Convention Delegates”, p. 1.
3. “Daystar – Who Are We”, p. 12.
4. “Northwest District Defends Evolutionist”, p. 14.
5. “The Case for Overture 5-11 Submitted by Iowa East”, p. 14.
6. “Concordia University System College Uses Textbook Promoting Homosexuality and Attacking Christianity”, p. 15.
7. “Congregations Calling for Investigation of Concordia Portland”, p. 16.
8. “12 Pages of Queer Edward II” by Derek Jarman, required reading at Concordia, Portland.
9. “Time to Scuttle the Concordia University System?” p. 17.
10. “College Dean: Concordia, Portland, a Solid Lutheran School”, p. 17.
11. “Attorney for LCMS Prof (Becker) Demanding Retraction from CN”, p. 18.
12. “When Women Speak for God” essay by Becker at Trinity, Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois, 1997. Jesus First Leaders Charles Mueller, Sr. and Jr., pastors.
13. “Response to Attorney for LCMS Prof – Becker Denied Inerrancy of Bible” by Joseph and Richard Falbo, students of Becker when he was teaching at Concordia University, Chicago.
II. Christian News, February 16, 2004
1. “Daystar Liberals Voice No Objection – Becker Again Calls for Acceptance of Evolution in LCMS”, p. 1.
2. “A Major Issue Facing 2004 LCMS Convention: EVOLUTION”, p. 9.
3. “Evolution O.K. for Some in Jesus First”, p. 9.
4. “The Whole Church Is Christ’s Mission: Education for the Mission”, by Becker at Daystar Mission Conference, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, Missouri, 2004.
III. Crisis In Christendom – Seminex Ablaze
(This book was sent to all delegates to the 2004 convention and offered to all delegates to the 2010 convention. If you do not have a copy and are interested I will send you a copy.) Becker is mentioned on these pages:
1. p. 20
2. On Albert Schweitzer in Concordia Journal of St. Louis Seminary, p. 351.
3. “Stunning Minority Report in Becker Case – CN Told the Truth About Becker – LCMS NOW ALLOWS FOR EVOLUTION”, p. 390.
4. “Admirer of Schweitzer, Denies Inerrancy of the Bible and Supports Ordination of Women, Ed. Review committee Decides In Favor of Prof. Matthew Becker”, p. 39.
5. “LCMS SHOULD THANK DR. MATTHEW BECKER”, p. 392.
6. “LCMS BACKERS OF WOMEN PASTORS MEET IN ST. LOUIS . . . 8. Matthew Becker, p. 413.
7. “Letter to Kieschnick and His Daystar and Jesus First Supporters”, p. 421. Dr. Matthew Becker and others.
8. “Seminex Professor Says: BOHLMANN NOW ‘ON THE SIDE OF THE ANGELS’”, p. 433. Letter to Bohlmann concerning what Becker reported about Bohlmann’s change, p. 433.
9. “THE ‘LIE’ OF EVOLUTION CREEPING INTO LCMS”, 461-462.
10. “Jesus First Supporters” published by Jesus First. Lists Matthew Becker on list of 1,018 supporters, pp. 469-470.
Dr. Harold Roellig, who had been a member of your district and whose promotion of evolution Becker supports, was a classmate of mine at Concordia, Bronxville, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. We were good friends. I promoted his work exposing the masons but had to take issue with him after he went all out for evolution while at Columbia University in New York. He is the author of The God Who Cares. Several parts of the book are in the issues of CN I am sending you. When I testified at a convention committee hearing where William Diekelman was the chairman, I offered the book to Diekelman. He wasn’t interested in such evidence of the promotion of evolution in the LCMS. Hopefully, under the new administration of the LCMS there will be some scholars and theologians who know how to evaluate evidence and have the courage to stand up to “the intellectual leader” of the new left in the LCMS.
God’s richest blessings,
Herman Otten
cc. LCMS President Elect
Matthew Harrison
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Herbert Mueller
LCMS Vice-President
John Wohlrabe
LCMS Vice-President
Paul Maier
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Daniel Preus
LCMS Vice-President
Elect Scott Murray
Dr. Matthew Becker
-----
Formal Charges vs. Linnemann
February 25, 2011
Rev. Matthew Harrison,
President
Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod
1333 South Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63122-
7295
Dear President Harrison:
Rev. Paul Linnemann is the President of the Northwest District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Dr. Matthew Becker is listed on the “LCMS Roster of Ministers of Religion – Ordained” on p. 260 in the 2011 Lutheran Annual. He is listed as a member of the Northwest District.
I sent you and the other members of the LCMS Presidium the formal charges of false doctrine I filed against Dr. Matthew Becker on July 26, 2010 and a letter I sent to President Linnemann listing some of the many articles Christian News has published about and by Dr. Becker. Recent issues of Christian News sent to you show that Dr. Becker has not retracted his false doctrine as he boldly continues to champion evolution, the ordination of women and those who supported the theology of Seminex, condemned in Resolution 3-09 of the LCMS’s 1973 convention. 3-09 was reaffirmed at the LCMS’s 2010 convention.
“Linnemann and New LCMS Praesidium Sent More Evidence On Becker’s Pro-Evolution” in the August 16, 2010 Christian News included the letter I sent to President Linnemann on July 29, 2011 when he acknowledged receipt of the formal charges vs. Becker. You were sent Linnemann’s response.
Although DayStar said it sent it’s A DAYSTAR READER to all LCMS district presidents and other leaders of the LCMS, I still sent you the essays in A DAYSTAR READER edited by Dr. Becker in which Becker and Dr. Charles Kunert, who is also under Linnemann’s doctrinal supervision, boldly champions evolution.
When I filed formal charges of false doctrine against Dr. Paul Bretscher of Valparaiso and Rev. Donald Prange, I notified the district presidents that if no action was taken vs. these outspoken liberals in their district I would file charges against them. During President Kieschnick’s administration both Bretscher and Prange were removed from the LCMS clergy roster. President Linnemann has similarly been notified that if he took no disciplinary action vs. such an outspoken defender of evolution and the ordination of women in his district as Dr. Becker, charges would be filed against him.
I have not received any response from President Linnemann to the letter I sent him on February 10 asking him to inform me if any disciplinary action is being taken vs. Drs Becker and Kunert. A copy of this letter was sent to you and the other members of the Praesidium.
I am now formally charging Rev. Paul Linnemann, President of The Northwest District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod with defending a false teacher under his jurisdiction and violating Article 4.4.5 of the LCMS’s Handbook. The charges are being sent to you since Article XI of the LCMS’s Constitution says on
“B. Duties of the President
“1. The president has the supervision regarding the doctrine and the
administration of
a. All officers of the Synod;
b. All such as are employed by the Synod;
c. The individual districts of the Synod;
d. All district presidents;
“2. It is the president’s duty to see to it that all the aforementioned act in accordance with the Synod’s Constitution, to admonish all who in any way depart from it, and, if such admonition is not indeed heeded, to report such cases to the Synod.”
The 1973 convention on the LCMS resolved in Overture 3-09 that the theology of those who formed Seminex and signed Faithful To Our Calling – Faithful to Our Lord is “in fact false doctrine running counter to the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and the synodical stance and for that reason ‘cannot be tolerated in the church of God, much less be excused and defended’ (FC, SD, Preface, 9); . . .”
When the 2010 LCMS convention adopted Omnibus B it reaffirmed 3-09 of the 1973 convention. President Jerry Kieschnick made this clear when he commented on the need to adopt Omnibus B just as it came from the committee. See “3-09 – 1973 – 2010 – The Most Significant Resolution,” the lead story in the August 2, 2010 Christian News.
If I have not followed correct procedure, please inform me what the correct procedure is when a district president refuses to discipline an outspoken evolutionist and supporter of the ordination of women in his district.
God’s richest blessings,
Herman Otten
Galatians 6:14
cc. President Paul Linnemann
Dr. Matthew Becker
Dr. Charles Kunert
Rev. Herbert Mueller
Dr. John Wohlrabe
Dr. Paul Maier
Rev. Daniel Preus
Dr. Scott Murray
Ed. A return receipt from the LCMS’s President’s office
indicated the letter was received.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
National Walther Conference VIII
Christian News, Vol. 49, No. 10, 3/7/11
National Walther Conference VIII
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12
WDWD- WWWD
What Did Walther Do When He Was President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod?
What Would Walther Do If He Were President of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Today?
Would Walther Promote a 21st Century Formula of Concord and Twenty-First Century
Reformation as the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Approaches?
What Would Walther Do About Church Growth and Family Life in the LCMS Today?
What Would Walther Do and Say About the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church Today?
What Would Walther Do About Those on the LCMS Clergy Roster who:
a. Support Evolution
b. Deny the inerrancy of the Bible.
c. Deny justification by faith alone in the merits of Christ and claim that Muslims, Jews and other non-Christians can get to heaven without saving faith in the merits of Jesus Christ.
d. Claim the LCMS clergy roster should be open for those who promote abortion and homosexuals serving as pastors.
e. Support the ordination of women to the pastoral ministry.
f. Promote such destructive notions of the higher critics of the Bible as the J-E-D-P source hypothesis.
What Would Walther Do
About Defending the Rights of Laymen and Congregations and the Move Toward Hierarchicalism in the LCMS?
What Would Walther Do About “Bureaucratitis” in the Church?
Would he support full time district presidents and paying some church officials and executives several times more than the salary of the average pastor?
What Would Walther Do About the LCMS’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations?
What Would Walther Do About LCMS Sister Churches Remaining in the Lutheran World Federation which Includes the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The LWF supports abortion, homosexuality, universalism, and demythologizing the Bible.
What Would Walther Do About the Promotion of the English Standard Version of the Bible in the LCMS today?
What Would Walther Do About the Promotion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the LCMS today and referring to him as “a confessional Lutheran” and perhaps the greatest Lutheran since Martin Luther.
Speaker and possible debaters to be announced when the entire program is completed. Many consider Concordia Seminary, St. Louis where Walther served as first president, the ideal site for a celebrating of Walther’s birth at Walther Conference VIII just a few days after Walther’s 200th birthday. Walther was born on October 24, 1811. He died May 7, 1887. Christian News has prepared a special plaque commemorating Walther’s 200th birthday. It is featured on page one. A 20x28 inch lithograph of C.F.W. Walther printed in 1887 suitable for framing is available from Christian News for $2.00 plus $2.00 postage.
Speakers at the Walther Conference VII were Matthew Harrison, John Wohlrabe, Fred Baue, Martin Noland and Todd Wilken. Speakers at previous Walther Conferences included Kurt Marquart, Don Matzat, Congressman William Dannemeyer, LaMarr Blecker, Governor Albert Quie, Daniel Preus, Rolf Preus, Jack Cascione, William Bischoff, Norm Dierking, Al Loeschman, Robert Hill, Louis Brighton, William Schmacher, Dale Meyer, Sam Hoard, David Menton, Jack Baumgarn, Tom Bye, Robin Fish, Edwin Suelflow, Timothy Otten, Erich von Fange, William Koch, Robert Doggett, Tom Pfotenhauer, George Wollenburg, Charles Hendrickson, Roger Eigenfield, and others. Neil Schmidt has been the moderator for all of the Walther Conferences. He served on the Board of Regents at the St. Louis seminary for 13 years.
National Walther Conference VIII
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12
WDWD- WWWD
What Did Walther Do When He Was President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod?
What Would Walther Do If He Were President of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Today?
Would Walther Promote a 21st Century Formula of Concord and Twenty-First Century
Reformation as the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Approaches?
What Would Walther Do About Church Growth and Family Life in the LCMS Today?
What Would Walther Do and Say About the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church Today?
What Would Walther Do About Those on the LCMS Clergy Roster who:
a. Support Evolution
b. Deny the inerrancy of the Bible.
c. Deny justification by faith alone in the merits of Christ and claim that Muslims, Jews and other non-Christians can get to heaven without saving faith in the merits of Jesus Christ.
d. Claim the LCMS clergy roster should be open for those who promote abortion and homosexuals serving as pastors.
e. Support the ordination of women to the pastoral ministry.
f. Promote such destructive notions of the higher critics of the Bible as the J-E-D-P source hypothesis.
What Would Walther Do
About Defending the Rights of Laymen and Congregations and the Move Toward Hierarchicalism in the LCMS?
What Would Walther Do About “Bureaucratitis” in the Church?
Would he support full time district presidents and paying some church officials and executives several times more than the salary of the average pastor?
What Would Walther Do About the LCMS’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations?
What Would Walther Do About LCMS Sister Churches Remaining in the Lutheran World Federation which Includes the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The LWF supports abortion, homosexuality, universalism, and demythologizing the Bible.
What Would Walther Do About the Promotion of the English Standard Version of the Bible in the LCMS today?
What Would Walther Do About the Promotion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the LCMS today and referring to him as “a confessional Lutheran” and perhaps the greatest Lutheran since Martin Luther.
Speaker and possible debaters to be announced when the entire program is completed. Many consider Concordia Seminary, St. Louis where Walther served as first president, the ideal site for a celebrating of Walther’s birth at Walther Conference VIII just a few days after Walther’s 200th birthday. Walther was born on October 24, 1811. He died May 7, 1887. Christian News has prepared a special plaque commemorating Walther’s 200th birthday. It is featured on page one. A 20x28 inch lithograph of C.F.W. Walther printed in 1887 suitable for framing is available from Christian News for $2.00 plus $2.00 postage.
Speakers at the Walther Conference VII were Matthew Harrison, John Wohlrabe, Fred Baue, Martin Noland and Todd Wilken. Speakers at previous Walther Conferences included Kurt Marquart, Don Matzat, Congressman William Dannemeyer, LaMarr Blecker, Governor Albert Quie, Daniel Preus, Rolf Preus, Jack Cascione, William Bischoff, Norm Dierking, Al Loeschman, Robert Hill, Louis Brighton, William Schmacher, Dale Meyer, Sam Hoard, David Menton, Jack Baumgarn, Tom Bye, Robin Fish, Edwin Suelflow, Timothy Otten, Erich von Fange, William Koch, Robert Doggett, Tom Pfotenhauer, George Wollenburg, Charles Hendrickson, Roger Eigenfield, and others. Neil Schmidt has been the moderator for all of the Walther Conferences. He served on the Board of Regents at the St. Louis seminary for 13 years.
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