1. Because it's a long way from here, and the grass always looks greener...2. Because the frisson between the various synods is invigorating.
3. Because the cardboard stereotypes of Missouri (conservative), Wisconsin (fundamentalist) and ELCA (liberal) members are uncannily accurate.4. Because you can both be horrified by and admire American Lutheranism at the same time.
5. Because of people like ELCA member Ursula Stemm, who, commenting on a proposal by a Missouri Synod task force to remove the word Missouri from the denominational name, "believes an LCMS name change would enhance the state’s reputation."6. Because of the anonymous ELCA commenter on the Pretty Good Lutherans blog who, with reference to that same proposal, innocently asks: "Any talk about removing the word “Lutheran” from their name?
"
Evangelicals?! Surely you jest!
ReplyDelete(Hm. Isn't that where Tiller got shot?)
Don't get me started about the misuse of the word "evangelical" by the various Anglo Reformed traditions. Suffice to say that when the ELCA uses the word as a self descriptor, it means it in its proper sense.
ReplyDelete;-)
I did a rant on this over on the Dunedin School blog back in August.
http://dunedinschool.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/from-the-cheap-seats-anglogelicalism/
So European evangelicals don't want anything to do with North American fundamentalists, but North American fundamentalists are the ones who call themselves evangelicals, and this is what the European evangelicals are upset about? And George Tiller's North American evangelical church sides with the Europeans in that respect?
ReplyDeleteDid I get all that straight??
Will Christianity ever not be confusing?