Responses

So, would it be correct to say that the church exists in order to enact the Great Commission? Matthew 28:16-20. If the answer is yes, or a qualified yes, why do we as Lutherans find evangelism and witnessing to others so difficult?

The church does exist in order to make disciples and bear witness to who God is and the love, mercy, grace and forgiveness that is offered in Jesus Christ. Lutherans find it so difficult because historically we have developed our theology, and worldview and understanding of scriptures in a world that is completely different than the one we are currently in. In the days of Luther and the reformers the entire world was Christian and so the issues were around which Christianity was most faithful to the Scriptures. In the time of Lutheran Orthodoxy, it was believed that the Great Commission was given only to the disciples and was actually fulfilled and completed by them.

Views like that do not bode well for a solid understanding of the mission of the church.

Are Mormons considered part of the church using the definition in the Smalcald Articles? I think not, but would appreciate your take on it.

Again this is where the historical understanding of the documents that we are looking at is helpful. For Luther and the reforms, they were defining themselves as Christians and showing that they were not like the “heretics” that the Roman church was saying that they were. So this is an internal discussion. Mormons were not even conceived up and did not show up until a few hundred years later.

If you go back to the beginning of the Smalcald Articles you will find articles on matters of Christian faith. These include things like the doctrine of the Trinity, Christ, sin, justification. The proper understanding of these articles would be assumed in the latter articles as well. So to deny those articles would be a denial of Christianity.

My question is not on point with this week's article, but is topical nonetheless. What do you think will be the result of the ELCA's change in position that will now allow openly gay and lesbian to serve as pastors. Some think it will hurt the ELCA, but I've heard others say they feel the church will grow since it will now be "comfortable" for those who have chosen to live in sin. I would be interested in hearing your take on this.

You are right. This is not on topic. And I do not have what it takes to predict the future. If I did, the church would be set for life. I always find it interesting different issues surface and what happens with that. For example you use the phrase “to live in sin.” Are you implying that heterosexual people do not sin as heterosexuals? Or are you saying that heterosexual sin is not as bad as homosexual sin?

Now I am not saying that any sin is OK and we can or should just overlook it. But, we in the church, have a tendency to say, not in so many words, that some sins are OK to commit, and other sins are not. And yet, we are all in need of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness in Christ.

So what does this mean? Well, one, we take the Scriptures seriously. We can’t just throw them out. But as we take them seriously and as we deal with sinners, we deal with them in love, and grace and mercy. One, we would want people to treat us with love and grace and mercy, and Two, we know that God deals with people lovingly, graciously and mercifully.

I don’t know what will happen in the ELCA as a result of the events of last week. I do know that those of us in the church need to be sure that we seeing people as God sees them and treating them accordingly. Once we get that figured out, then we can talk about what to do next, but let’s not jump the gun on that one.

Now somewhere in those three responses there should be some good dialogue. I look forward to it. Blessings.

Pastor CJ