I came across Paul McCain's name the other day in Discovering the Plain Truth by Nichols and Mather, a sympathetic account of WCG's "reformation" written back in 1998 by two pastors of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. It was, overall, a fair presentation, and I was struck by the authors' concern, expressed directly to the Pasadena cabal of Tkach, Albrecht and Feazell, about the church's continuing hierarchical ("episcopal") structure. They were fobbed off with wishy-washy assurances that things were under review. Nearly a decade later, as far as I can tell, there hasn't been any substantive change, or have I missed the announcement about the church's board now being elected rather than appointed?
Paul McCain, currently a high ranking Missouri Synod apparatchik at that body's publishing house, was apparently instrumental in setting up a meeting between Tkach and then LCMS president Al Barry. Joe and co. initially got along famously with the lads from St. Louis, though I suspect the relationship is a bit chillier these days.
I mention McCain because he's one of those bloggers I love to hate. Paul regularly takes sideswipes at Anglicans, Catholics, ELCA Lutherans, Calvinists... anyone, I suspect, who isn't infected with that peculiar brand of near-fundamentalist Lutheranism that is endemic to the Missouri and Wisconsin Synods. LCMS folk may object to the fundamentalist label, but it's undeniable that they were a big factor in the rise of creationism in the US (along with the Seventh-day Adventists.) Last time I checked, Concordia Publishing House was still promoting the 1950s book The Flood by Alfred Rehwinkel (which I had on my shelf as a pre-WCG teenager) which attempts to prove that the geological record can be accounted for by Noah's flood (about as logical as classifying Evan Almighty as a documentary.)
On his blog McCain is now promoting a new website, created by Concordia, that takes kitsch to a new level. From the faux-1930s artwork on the main page, reminiscent of political posters in Nazi Germany, to the fawning content, it has to be an embarrassment to any thinking American Lutheran - or any of us in other parts of the world with a Lutheran history or background. No acknowledgment here of Luther's anti-Jewish rhetoric, or the invective directed against the peasant revolt. Luther was a complex figure, and this kind of selective treatment is little more than cheap sectarian apologetics.
The nearest thing I can think of are those hagiographies of Herbert W. Armstrong produced by groups like PCG. Which just goes to prove that cultic thinking can be wrapped in Nicene orthodoxy just as easily as Bible-belt Adventist apocalyptic.
27 comments:
While WCG gets all warm and fuzzy singing "What a Friend we have in Jesus", Hitler was able to accomplish a bit more by singing "What a Friend we have in Luther."
"Although Luther did not invent anti-Jewishness, he promoted it to a level never before seen in Europe. Luther bore the influence of his upbringing and from anti-Jewish theologians such as Lyra, Burgensis, (and John Chrysostom, before them). But Luther's 1543 book, "On the Jews and their lies" took Jewish hatred to a new level when he proposed to set fire to their synagogues and schools, to take away their homes, forbad them to pray or teach, or even to utter God's name. Luther wanted to "be rid of them" and requested that the government and ministers deal with the problem. He requested pastors and preachers to follow his example of issuing warnings against the Jews. He goes so far as to claim that "We are at fault in not slaying them" for avenging the death of Jesus Christ. Hitler's Nazi government in the 1930s and 40s fit Luther's desires to a tee."
"Did I not tell you earlier that a Jew is such a noble, precious jewel that God and all the angels dance when he farts?"
-Martin Luther (On the Jews and Their Lies)
We in the ELCA still wince at the mention of Luther's bad judgements, but at least we are able to admit that he was human just as we all are. One day perhaps LCMS and WELS will be able to do the same. We still love him and are most grateful for the Reformation, but we still proclaim proudly - 'Christus Victor'!!!
Some overall balance is needed in evaluating Luther and the good brought about by the Reformation.
Without it, the Vatican's leadership would be as full of vanity, jealousy, lust and greed as as the power mongers in the Church of God are today.
Martin Loofah tried to clean up the Roman Church with a little success.
Seamus
There really hasn't been a "Martin Luther" for the WCG or the Churches of God, nor a reformation of any kind we can perceive. Repeatedly getting us back on the wrong track doesn't count: The closest to the 95 theses is the Sheriff's notice on the door during the receivership.
The receivership, what a joke!
I started to make a comment about that, but what would be the use?
It's obvious, no one gives a damn about how the gov. or a cult take advantage of people. Hell, they're hand-in-hand, kiss, kiss, slurp, slurp.
Anonymous said...
There really hasn't been a "Martin Luther" for the WCG or the Churches of God, nor a reformation of any kind we can perceive. Repeatedly getting us back on the wrong track doesn't count: The closest to the 95 theses is the Sheriff's notice on the door during the receivership.
There was Earl Williams...nailing grace to the door of Armstrong's gilted edifice.... oh but he doesn't count, cause he's a black man... Can't have Earl getting any credit for his couragous preaching of grace... which they opposed to the last minute... and then write books and claim it was really all their idea all along!
Or as someone once said the last stage of the revolution is to shoot all the revolutionaries.
Luther was lucky the Catholic Church didn't have the Machiavellian leadership of the WCG!
History is all in who writes it.
>>>It was, overall, a fair presentation, and I was struck by the authors' concern, expressed directly to the Pasadena cabal of Tkach, Albrecht and Feazell, about the church's continuing hierarchical ("episcopal") structure. They were fobbed off with wishy-washy assurances that things were under review.<<<
Much has been written about the perceived problems of the "authoritarian" government of WCG, past and present. And although I am not sure what was or is the core problem that people object to, I think that WCG's form of government was and is the least of its problems.
If we examine the behaviour of the former and current ministers of WCG against the biblical criteria for ministerial office, we are bound to arrive at the inescapable conclusion that 99.9% of them were and are unfit to hold any office in the church of God, which founded by Jesus Christ.
If WCG's ministers had been truly converted, and led by the spirit of truth to unfeigned love of the brethren, it wouldn't matter what form of government the church had or has, as love would prevent them from abusing their office.
My family and I have just returned from the FOT in the relatively peaceful county of Devon, England. I say relatively peaceful, for a generation of young people have arisen who cannot keep their own property neither can they allow others to keep theirs. So one still has to be vigilant with ones children and property.
However, I met a number of former friends who are still attending with WCG. Many of them are very unhappy with the hand waving and emotional outburst that now accompany much of WCG's services. Not to mention the three offerings that are taken up to keep the ministers in their privilege life style. Yet none of my former friends have the courage to leave.
So, in my judgement, government is the least of WCG problems. The core problem is, there is no evidence of God's holy spirit love either dwelling amongst them or in them.
" Yet none of my former friends have the courage to leave."
a most interesting phenomenon to be sure. What's to be afraid of? I can imagine a WCG minister saying today..
"If you leave, well that's fine. You risk going to the lake of..well no, hmm, The lake of hell maybe or not depending. Separation from God to be sure of somekind, we think. You won't be in the Kingdo..hmm not that, heaven maybe, but we don't even know about that. God will withdraw his cirle of protection..no wait, that's not us. Let's see, you'll loose the 6 other members of the congregation's love, well no...not really we shouldn't do that.
I know...if you leave, the rest of us will gather around you, lay our hands on your head and pray for you. We'll lay so much guilt on you,you'll crack up. Aaaand...we'll really mess up your hair! Think about it buster!
If we examine the behaviour of the former and current ministers of WCG against the biblical criteria for ministerial office, we are bound to arrive at the inescapable conclusion that 99.9% of them were and are unfit to hold any office in the church of God, which founded by Jesus Christ.
Could not disagree more strongly. It was and is 100% of them unfit to hold any office, and that, not just in the church of God. Anywhere, really.
The whole thing was unviable from the very beginning, founded by an obsessed nut case con job.
Unlike Luthor, Herbert Armstrong was not reforming the Church of God, Seventh Day. He did not pound a nail into the door of a church with his 18 thesis of condemnation of the excesses, practices and abuses of the CoG7. Oh, no, he objected to the fact that they did not embrace British Israelism upon which he based his nutty false prophecies of doom, devastation, destruction of nations which could not be possibly Israel -- just from what we now know of DNA testing -- but he declared they should be keeping Old Testament Laws or be punished by a really, really cranky God who was Mightily ticked by the ignorant not His people who refused to keep the Laws He had done away with in the New Covenant who didn't keep them because they had lost their false identity. Also he wanted the CoG7 to do something else, and they were willing to study it, but Herb went off in a huff because they weren't fast enough for him and we forget what the issue was anyway at this point because it didn't really matter in the whole scope of things.
No, Herbert Armstrong was no Luthor. He didn't sigh and cry for the evils of the CoG7. What he did do was self-promote through his own narcissism. He had to be first. He had to be the best. He had to be at the top.
And so the churches of God received an inheritance. It is an evil one. They have inherited a legacy of distorted perception based on faulty premises.
The con job is this: Herbert Armstrong established himself as an authority. Once he persuaded people that he had authority from God, he proceeded to fool the people with his arrogant heresies. The people idolized him and followed him where ever his whims took them. Once they submitted to him mindlessly blindly, he could tell them anything and they would believe.
And why not?
He promised them prosperity. He promised them power as little tin horn gods as god is god, but not God. He promised them that people who irritate them now will be their utterly miserable slaves in the future, appealing to their sense of revenge. It's quite a heady package for those who are less than vigilant.
So he established his absolute authority over every aspect of each person's life, just as any good and effective cult leader should do. The people don't end up to own anything and total allegiance is given to the Leader.
And then he died.
And since the people were already subverted to follow a leader blindly, they accepted whatever incompetent boob preacher that sprung from the poisoned spring of infidelity that appealed to them. For some, that was a continuation of the abuse in the Worldwide Church of God under the Tkaches. They rejoiced in their new freedom, not realizing that nothing really had changed except the faces and the nametag on the door. The dissidents who believed that the administration did not remain faithful to the one true false prophet leader hied off to join themselves with whatever pretenders appeared to them, in their muddled lack of clarity, to be The One True whatever.
Yes, the whole thing is sick, but when people want to die in a sick ward without any treatment, what can you do? The infection spreads and spreads. Unfortunately, it spreads mighty thin what with the transmogrifications of the original pathogens devolving into seriously weakened strains of the original. It is now possible to be infected with multiple diseases, what with telephone and Internet connections on the Sabbath, completely devoid of any real emotional connection or social fulfillment -- just as long as the participants roll over and bear the neck to demonstrate their undying submission to The Leader, or in the case of United, the Council of Evil.
No, nobody is qualified for any office. Most of us wouldn't let them be dog catchers or change the oil in our vehicles because of their manifest incompetence, but they would trust their eternal spiritual lives to people who not only don't really care, but are ripping people off for the salaries and retirement packages they can get. And the people hear this in announcements and sermons every week, but seem oblivious to the obvious.
Of course, the churches of God do have one advantage: They provide endless amusement. Many of the smaller churches have declared war on the bigger ones, as witnessed by "A Sabbath Test". Then some of them turn right around and declare war on the smaller ones, as in "The Calendar Controversy", completely reversing their position that we should obey God rather than men. The inconsistencies of hypocrisy are a source of great amusement and the fun never ends as the churches act every bit as civil as women in a mud wrestling act in a pig sty. We can hardly wait for the next episode, although the revelation that the Sabbath begins at sunset rather than at the End of Evening Nautical Twilight has some rip roaring entertainment from the mouse that roared.
Still, you must admit that none of this is a product of sanity from a sound mind.
It's just plain nuts.
There will be no Reformation.
Just continuingly nutty silliness.
"The core problem is, there is no evidence of God's holy spirit love either dwelling amongst them or in them."
Which can only lead us to conclude that they did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Why not? HWA and his ministers were all baptized, and they "obeyed God's Law," so why didn't they have the Holy Spirit?
Paul
Which can only lead us to conclude that they did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Why not? HWA and his ministers were all baptized, and they "obeyed God's Law," so why didn't they have the Holy Spirit?
Did they really obey God? History suggests otherwise.
Did they repent? History suggests otherwise.
Were they ever forgiven of the sins of which they did not repent? History suggests otherwise.
If only any of this were relevant.
Or perhaps they returned to wallow in their hog slop.
Concerning the brewing, oft told, scandal, at Oral Roberts University...
"All over that campus, there are signs up that say, `And God said, build me a university, build it on my authority, and build it on the Holy Spirit,"' Brooker said. "Unfortunately, ownership has shifted."
Seems three whistleblowing Professors nailed 95 or so Feces to the door!
"If only any of this were relevant."
True, but to someone who is still mired in doctrinal Armstrongism, the admission that HWA and his HenchMinisters never had the Holy Spirit should make that person stop and think. Where does that leave the theology?
Of course, I know the real reason why HWA and his HenchMinisters never had the Holy Spirt- there isn't one.
Paul
The broad question is how do we evaluate the misakes that Christians make. Luther made mistakes. He was a Christian. Does this invalidate the entire Christian movement? If the answer to this is "yes" then we are presuming that Christians should have attained to some kind of earthly perfection. This, of course, is against the theme of the New Testament with regard to humanity.
The life of the hurch is a struggle. People get hurt. James, a Jew, said some very politically incorrect things about his fellow Jews.
I disagree about some of the current WCG ministry. The qualifications for these positions are in the New Testament and there are men that meet these qualifications. No doubt some do not. But blanket statements are about the WCG ministry are just unfounded generalizations.
Gavin seems to associate creationism with the Young Earth theory. Our atheist contributors are quick to become incensed with atheists are lumped together in any way. Likewise with creationists. There are many varieties. I am a creationist and I believe the age of the earth is whatever scientist currently believe it to be -- doesn't really make much difference.
-- Neo
Paul said...quoting Anonymous...
"The core problem is, there is no evidence of God's holy spirit love either dwelling amongst them or in them."
Which can only lead us to conclude that they did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Why not? HWA and his ministers were all baptized, and they "obeyed God's Law," so why didn't they have the Holy Spirit? Paul
John 5:39
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.....
John 6:63
The Spirit gives life....
They make an idol out of a book. A book written by men about God is not equivalent to the Word of the Living God. The small still voice (of conscience) that nobody listens to is the Word of God.
Thanks to HWA's repetitive abuse of an out of context scripture in Jeremiah they've got it drilled into their heads not to trust their "deceitful" heart, so they cannot hear the voice of God. The entire church outsources their conscience to others. Only a deceitful person would tell you not to trust your heart.
The spirit of Biblicism is not the Spirit of God.
>>The broad question is how do we evaluate the misakes that Christians make.(?)<<
It might be helpful to others and stimulate further discussion if could post a brief answer to your own question.
>>Luther made mistakes. He was a Christian.<<
Luther was not a Christian! He was a very religious man, but being religious is not the same as being a Christian.
Perhaps the Apostle Paul can shed some light:
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be followers of God, as dear children.
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.
Eph 5:3 For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, as becomes saints,
Eph 5:4 neither baseness, foolish talking, jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
But then what did Luther believe? In the Kingdom of God? The central teaching of Jesus Christ? And of the Apostle Paul? The Kingdom of God? Martin Luther?
Doubtful.
When you say Luther, I assume you do not mean Lex Luthor?
I guess I'm on Rev.McCain's heresy list too. I embrace Eastern Orthodoxy's view on the atonement (called Christus Victor) but not Anselm's view (penal substitution)which Rev.McCain believes and likes. Basically it seems the LCMS believes that "they" have the "correct" doctrines and everyone else is defective. How about having this attitude: Only GOD KNOWS what ABSOLUTE truth IS! We finite humans cannot even begin to scratch the surface! I guess some people can't deal with that fact.
Misery Synod is just as legalistic and abusive as Armstrongism was. It has always interested me in watching various Armstrongite cultist jump ship into Misery Synod where they continue to spew their legalistic nonsense. Only THEY have the truth, only THEY are the true believers on the face of the earth. Every other believe is an apostate bastard who denies Christ. No thanks, been there , done that nonsense.
I believe we'd all be better off giving up the idea there is one true anything that can be easily discerned to the satisfaction of all concerned.
Could it be said that Martin Loofah was a gourd-fearing man.
Seamus
There's a lot to be said both for and against Martin Luther, but I have to give him a pass on a lot of it. Sure he did some bad things, but what can you expect from a guy who'd been living on a Diet of Wurms?
PG10 said...
Misery Synod is just as legalistic and abusive as Armstrongism was. It has always interested me in watching various Armstrongite cultist jump ship into Misery Synod where they continue to spew their legalistic nonsense. Only THEY have the truth, only THEY are the true believers on the face of the earth. Every other believe is an apostate bastard who denies Christ. No thanks, been there , done that nonsense.
That was precisely my observation as I went through my "evangelical" stage. It was either Missouri Synod or its even worse cousin - Wisconsin Synod. Like who gives a crap about the configuration of the altar?
Others got into radical Calvinists groups, which wasn't much better.
I had no problem at all with the Lutherans found in Minnesota (Evangelical Lutherans?). They were a humble group more interested in serving the community and working towards social justice.
I couldn't stomach another judgemental self-righteous sect after WCG legalism.
Is that photo Luther or Frankie Howerd??
Rodders
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