Posted on 08/25/2010 12:26:33 PM PDT by SmithL
In my former Church it is about 120 so far. More come every week when they actually see what we have.
Is the ELCA going to discontinue all ecumenical talks with the Roman Catholics? Not sure how well their teachings on homosexuality serves the ELCA’s ministry and message of reconciliation entrusted to us by God
Praying for mercy for self-satisfied and self-directed souls who have yet to know the release and joy of Jesus’ grace poured out in his precious blood for sinners such as I.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ6LAdMTDLY
What grace is mine that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from His scars poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live and in His name be known
So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him . . . .
There is no NALC. After this meeting, the NALC will presumably be constituted. However, it will have no congregations in it until they start joining.
Many ELCA sources trumpet the “minuscule” numbers of congregations that have left the ELCA sine the ill-fated 2009 “churchwide assembly”, and the fact that those that have left are divided between several church bodies. These ELCA sources try to represent the NALC now being formed as very insignificant and unimportant.
If NALC is so microscopic and insignificant, why is “Bishop” Mark Hanson taking the time out of his busy, globe-trotting schedule to address the constituting meeting?
The answer is that it seems that many ELCA congregations (and their pastors) have been waiting for the formation of the NALC before leaving the ELCA. Others that have already left are planning to join the NALC or will at least consider doing so. No one (especially not this Orthodox layman) knows how many congregations will join the NALC—it may be a tiny number, or it may be the 1,000 congregations that have been mentioned by some.
Moreover, the hemorrhaging of members and of member contributions from the ELCA continues. This will happen whether the NALC attracts a large number of congregations or not.
As for Hanson, he is spouting the same old song-and-dance to the NALC constituting meeting as he has spouted before. It’s sheer gobbledy-gobble, means nothing, and will have no influence. But it might even drive away more members and congregations from the ELCA!
No there are not anywhere near 20,000 congregations. The ELCA website claims only 10,500.
I am confused as to the need for the NALC when most congregations that have already left went to the LCMC. What is the difference?
Lightman can probably give a better answer, but I would say that NALC would be more on the evangelical catholic side whereas LCMC would appeal more to the congregationalists. I think it has to do mostly with church polity and, to some extent, worship style.
NALC will also organize itself as a real church body. LCMC is a coalition of independent congregations.
LCMC welcomes evangelical catholic congregations, by the way, but real evangelical catholicism is not congregational. That is one reason why at least some congregations are waiting for NALC before they leave the ELCA.
OK, then how will the NALC differ from the LCMS?
NALC will ordain women.
If it weren’t for the insistence on women’s ordination, all the conservative/confessional Lutherans in the ELCA and LCMC would join LCMS, the Orthodox Church, or the Roman Catholic Church.
they are staying because of the ordination of women? i would think it would be the opposite.
They are willing to take a half step to get back to Biblical principles but they're not willing to go all the way.
....These people [joining NALC or LCMC to support women’s ordination] will eventually be back in the same soup they think they’re escaping now.....
You’re right!
http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MorrisFeminism.php
You and aberaussie became LCMS, I became Orthodox, and Michael Root (the former dean of the ELCA’s Southern Seminary) has just become Roman Catholic.
http://scecclesia.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/news-just-in-michael-root-becomes-catholic/
So at least some ELCA Lutherans are not stopped from joining churches that do not ordain women.
By the way, with the departure of Dr. Root from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, if anyone who has any connection with the Traditional Christian faith at all is thinking of becoming an ELCA pastor—don’t do it!!!! With even Southern Seminary becoming hollowed out, ALL the ELCA seminaries will be lousy, not to mention heretical!
NALC will ordain women.ELCA, LCMC, and probably NALC, celebrate open communion. LCMS & WELS celebrate close/closed communion.If it weren’t for the insistence on women’s ordination, all the conservative/confessional Lutherans in the ELCA and LCMC would join LCMS, the Orthodox Church, or the Roman Catholic Church.
Like women's ordination, that's a deal-breaker for some people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.