Sandy hook vigil

[bach90]

Lutheran Pastor Apologizes for Praying at Newtown... | Christianity Today

I watched the video of what Pastor Morris said at the vigil for Sandy Hook victims. (Newtown Connecticut Interfaith Vigil Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting (December 16, 2012) [6/6] - YouTube 04:30)

I did not hear him say that there were any non-Christians in heaven.
I did not hear him equivocate Christianity with other world religions.
I did not hear him intentionally try to suppress the name of Jesus.

I saw a Pastor read the Scriptures and offer hope for the victims through Jesus Christ.

Frankly, I'm a bit shocked at the flak that Pastor Morris took for participating in this vigil. If it were a celebration of the Eucharist, or something like that, I could see it. For me, this was no worse than praying at a kitchen table or for a community Thanksgiving meal. It's obvious to me that this wasn't meant to promote Unionism or deny any Christian dogma. If anything, it was a chance for the Scriptures to be read and for the LCMS to be public.

I do applaud the pastor though for apologizing at the request of President Harrison. No need to cause further disunity, regardless of who was right or wrong. I just feel this situation could have been handled within the LCMS rather than out in the public.

 

[DaRev]

It was a witness in a public venue that suggests that the LCMS supports syncretism and the notion that Christ is one of many options for gaining heaven. Pastor Morris may be doing a good job ministering to his congregation and his community during this troubling time, but no amount of trouble is an excuse for breaking the 1st Commandment which literally states "There will be for you no other gods before my face." If one is going to give a witness of Christ, it must be a clear and concise witness that Christ is the ONLY way to the Father and that all other "gods" are false and lead only to death. Anything short of that is not acceptable in the LCMS. Pastor Morris had no business participating in that interfaith gathering where false gods are invoked and prayed to.

God Bless Pr. Matt Harrison for standing firm with the word of God!

 

[QuiltAngel]

I agree with DaRev.

This was done within the Synod. Yet, thanks to all the technology out there, it has gone further than the Synod.

 

[bach90]

I'm trying to figure out how this is unionism though, I'm just not seeing it. Military chaplains do very similar things in their course of service.

 

[DaRev]

I'm trying to figure out how this is unionism though, I'm just not seeing it. Military chaplains do very similar things in their course of service.

Military chaplains participate in services with non-Christian clerics?
LCMS chaplains do not.

 

[QuiltAngel]

I'm trying to figure out how this is unionism though, I'm just not seeing it. Military chaplains do very similar things in their course of service.

Actually, LCMS Chaplains do not. I kind of have an inside tract on that one.

This article does a good job on this subject in my opinion:
Surburg's blog

 

[bach90]

After further review of the tape, I can better see how this could be a unionistic service, especially given non-Christian religions participating.

Does anybody know whether or not Pr. Morris conferred with other pastors or his DP beforehand?

 

[QuiltAngel]

After further review of the tape, I can better see how this could be a unionistic service, especially given non-Christian religions participating.

Does anybody know whether or not Pr. Morris conferred with other pastors or his DP beforehand?

Yes he had and he received mixed input on this. I am not finding my link whre Pastor Morris states that he did.

Added: here it is: http://wmltblog.org/2013/02/letter-from-pastor-robert-morris-newtown-ct/

 

[Flipper]

Pastoral Letters on the Newtown Tragedy

 

[bach90]

Pastoral Letters on the Newtown Tragedy

Good enough for me.

 

[DaRev]

President Harrison is a class act. But he had nothing to apologize for. He upheld the Scriptures, the Confessions, and the Synodical Constitution. Why is he apologizing for that?

Perhaps it's time for the synod to split so the cry babies can go join the ELCA. I'm really tired of all this crap every time someone in this church body attempts to do the correct thing.

 

[bach90]

President Harrison is a class act. But he had nothing to apologize for. He upheld the Scriptures, the Confessions, and the Synodical Constitution. Why is he apologizing for that?

Perhaps it's time for the synod to split so the cry babies can go join the ELCA. I'm really tired of all this crap every time someone in this church body attempts to do the correct thing.

President Harrison definitely did the right thing here, and I don't think there was a need to apologize. The situation was handled alot better than a similar situation in the past; that's a credit to the leadership of the President and the general attitude in the synod.

I also don't think there's a need to criticize those who raise questions. Discussions are a good thing, they help to clear up misunderstandings. There has to be a balance between congregations having a free-for-all with doctrine and liturgy and the other extreme of a Curia in St. Louis.

 

[QuiltAngel]

President Harrison is a class act. But he had nothing to apologize for. He upheld the Scriptures, the Confessions, and the Synodical Constitution. Why is he apologizing for that?

Perhaps it's time for the synod to split so the cry babies can go join the ELCA. I'm really tired of all this crap every time someone in this church body attempts to do the correct thing.

I agree with you that he has nothing to apologize for.

I think it has more to how he handled it, not that he did it. Yet, I feel like no matter how he handled it, someone would have said it was wrong. I think that it has gone into the public sector and misrepresented is where he feels he could have handled it differently.

Someone, somewhere was going to make sure the LCMS got drug through the mud. Isn't this Synodical convention year? I really hate to bring that up, but . . . .

 

[DaRev]

Someone, somewhere was going to make sure the LCMS got drug through the mud. Isn't this Synodical convention year? I really hate to bring that up, but . . . .

Oh, of course. And the one who started the whole stink...

...his predecessor!

 

[Aibrean]

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[Luther073082]

Worship, any kind of worship including simple prayers with people who are not Christians just makes no sense. It's like trying to put together a rally that is both for the health care bill and against the health care bill at the same time.

If our religion is true and we believe it to be true, that by it's very nature means all other religions are false. And if they are false we can't have our pastors praying at worship services where all sorts of different God's are being prayed to.

I think this was handled well but doing this interfaith worship service was clearly wrong and I'm glad he acknowledged that and apologized.