20060223
    This is a trying time for the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod. The synod, once the bastion of conservative, confessional Lutheran theology and practice, is now under assault from multiple forces of liberalism and duality both from within and without the synod. For most people, this degradation of the LC-MS is nothing more than another byline news article about religion, but for the millions of Americans who call themselves LC-MS Lutheran Christians, it is a war of faith shattering proportions. Unfortunately, it is also a war that the true confessional conservative elements of the LC-MS seem to be losing.
    The linked article describes one battle in this ongoing war, which is the recent revocation of the doctrinal certification of the Concordia Publishing House’s recently published Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. The book itself was a modern reprint of the Book of Concord, the cornerstone collection of confessions and theology of Martin Luther and the Lutheran Church. The book was designed, and very much accomplished, making the translated 16th century theological writings accessible to everyone, not just the professors, theologians, and dare I say, the few pastors who have bothered to read the book and apply it to their understanding and practice of Lutheran theology.
    The success of this new edition had an unintended consequence, mainly in that it clearly opened the door to the cynical liberalism being practices by such parasynodical groups such as DayStar and Jesus First. Suddenly, the anti-theology being preached by these groups was revealed for what it was- a degradation of the teachings of Lutheran Christianity.
    As a result, the group DayStar successfully petitioned the LC-MS Commission on Doctrinal Review to revoke the book’s doctrinal certification and to force CPH to revise the book in such a way that the language accusing groups like DayStar of its heresy will be softened or eliminated.
    Too as a result, another blow has been dealt to the conservative, confessional Lutheran foundation of the LC-MS. This reality should be seen as a cautionary tale for all other conservative, confessional Christians of whatever denomination to be wary of the encroachment of liberalism on the truths that all of us Christians must hold dear. The devil is assaulting us, and right now we’re letting him win.
DLH
Not to put too fine a point on it, that really sucks.
It’s OK for them to subvert the Confessions while the Confessions are realatively unknown, but not that tens of thousands of copies are out there for the world to see, the liberalizing groups are being seen for what they really are.
The Reformation couldn’t have happened without Gutenburg’s printing press. The papacy could pull the wool over an ignorant and illiterate population’s eyes, but not one that had easy access to Scripture. The same goes for “Jesus First.”
One can only pray that enough Lutheran Christians see this event for what it is and take issue with what is happening.
DLH