LCMS Needs Another “Crossroads” Document

Christian News, February 11, 2013

“Liberals, Evolutionists, Unionists, Universalists Not Disciplined - WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE LCMS?” on page one of the February 4, 2013 Christian News noted that now in both the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod churchmen are permitted to pray and worship with Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs and Bahais and other non-Christians and maintain that “The Muslim God is also the true God.”

The top officials of the LCMS asked that no publicity be given to a unionistic and syncretistic prayer service in Newtown, Connecticut where President Barak Obama spoke and LCMS, Muslim, Bahai, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and United Church of Christ clergy were among those who led in prayer. While some on the Steadfast Lutheran blog initially registered a protest, all reference to the syncretistic service was soon removed. When CN was told LCMS President Harrison and the president of the LCMS’s New England District spoke at some length with the LCMS pastor in Newtown, who prayed with the non-Christians prior to the service, CN contacted LCMS President Harrison and LCMS Pastor Robert Morris, who participated in the service.  CN asked both if Harrison had spoken with the LCMS pastor. Did he ask the pastor not to participate and will any disciplinary action now be taken?

Neither Harrison nor the LCMS pastor would answer the questions. CN again called the office of the LCMS President on January 28. This time CN asked “Has any disciplinary action been taken against Pastor Morris? Will there be a public apology for violating the LCMS’s constitution? Has anyone filed charges against the pastor who publicly prayed with Muslim, Bahai, Jews, and Roman Catholics as was done when Dr. Benke prayed with non-Christians in a service led by Oprah Winfrey in Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001?” Harrison continued to refuse to answer Christian News.

“Double Standard in LCMS?” an editorial in the February 4, 2013 CN mailed on January 31, 2013, noted that when such a unionistic and syncretistic service took place under the presidency of Jerry Kieschnick many of those associated with the organized conservatives registered a vigorous protest, but they are now remaining silent about the Newtown prayer service. Many signed a statement titled “That They May Be One – A Scriptural and Confessional Statement Concerning Church Fellowship and Public Prayer.” It is in this issue of CN together an editorial in the February 11, 2002 CN titled “Sign On – A new ‘crossroads’ document.”

Various Confessional Lutheran groups during the next few weeks will be holding meetings.  So far none of them have indicated that any of the following issues will be discussed: the syncretistic service in Newtown, CT; a call for a 21st Century Formula of Concord; the promotion of the Emerging Church which appeared in the Concordia Journal of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; the high praise in the LCMS for Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who denied the resurrection of Christ and other doctrines;  the toleration of LCMS evolutionists and supporters of women’s ordination; and the growing praise in the LCMS of such liberals as Father Richard Neuhaus and Arthur Carl Piepkorn.

“The President’s Polytheism” in the February 1, 2013 The Standard Bearer comments on the unionistic service in Newtown involving President Obama. It says: “But Scripture demands more than the personal belief in and worship of the one true God. The monotheism taught in Scripture also forbids the toleration of other gods and requires the rejecting and condemnation of them.”

The Standard Bearer adds: “At the interfaith meeting President Obama and other Christians, who may not have gone a whoring after other gods, but they did play footsy with those gods. By spiritually flirting with the gods of other religions, these professing Christians did not practice true monotheism as it is defined by God in Scripture. They did not break down the altars of other gods by condemning those other gods and testifying plainly there is only one God. When they spoke of Jesus (President Obama did speak of Him) they did not declare Him to be the only Savior and proclaim that there is no salvation outside of Him.”