your commitment to lutheranism

[GracetotheHumble]

I converted from Roman Catholicism.

I don't hear this often. Although we did have a Pastor once who was a former Roman Catholic. Hopefully the change has served you well.

 

[SalusaSecundus]

I don't hear this often. Although we did have a Pastor once who was a former Roman Catholic. Hopefully the change has served you well.

Indeed. I studied my way in and despaired my way out. Thankfully a local LCMS pastor told me the gospel and it was like coming up for air.

 

[LizaMarie]

S.S.^^ I have also been studying both the RC and EO churches but for now the doctrine of justification as taught in Lutheran churches keeps me Lutheran. Like you I need a liturgical church, one grounded in history, so as much as I admire my non -denominational or Baptist or AG brothers and sisters I can't go back there. I was raised LCMS, went non denominational for a number of years, then ELCA-now attend a WELS.
I need the(real presence in the) Eucharist, as well as strong gospel preaching, so that leaves out all but RCC,EO, Anglican or Lutheran. As most of the Episcopalian churches in this country have slid too far to the left, that leaves confessional Lutheranism for me for now.

 

[MyChainsAreBroken]

What kind of lutheran church do you go to? LCMS
How long have you been a member? A little over a year, but I haven't attended for a few months :/ I'm going this Sunday, though!
What do you like about your church, what not? I love the liturgy, the pastor, the congregation, the theology, etc. I dislike the modern building (it doesn't fit the congregation tbh) and the issues I've had been employed by the church's parochial school. I was treated badly there and it's made things very awkward.
How do you view their doctrine? I like it very much, though my husband and I both have severe reservations about Young Earth Creationism.
How important is it to you that you go to a lutheran church specifically? It matters more that it be a conservative, confessional, liturgical Lutheran parish than just generally Lutheran.
How well do you know the Lutheran Book of Concord? Not very well.
Do you have it, and do you regularly study it? No.

 

[KEPLER]

The ELCA operates off of a national platform the same as the LCMS. To say that your Church is conservative and then turn around and say they allow female clergy is an oxymoron. Also as a denomination the ELCA condones abortion and homosexuality which would mean these are also condoned by your Church. If you are going to an ELCA congregation you are attending a liberal denomination.

OK, enough, this needs a response.

You've made a rather severe category error here. A church/sect which ordains women pastors does not belong to either the 'liberal' or 'conservative' category. You are committing the same logical fallacy that fundagelicals make when they shoe-horn theological concepts into (pretty distinctly American) political categories.

For example, the Assemblies of God are an extremely conservative group (anti abortion, anti same sex marriage, no drinking, dancing, smoking, whatever) which nevertheless does ordain women. We in the LCMS see that as heterodox, but it does not (cannot) belong to the category 'liberal'.

Please stop telling another board member what his congregation believes. You may tell him what you believe, but you're treading dangerously close to violating the 8th commandment when you start trying to speak for his congregation. There are a great number of renegade congregations in the ELCA which do not support the national platform; I suspect you have no idea whatsoever whether his congregation is one such or not.

Kepler