Aww, the poor little traitor. He’s so close to Converging the LCMS, sooo close, but dangit, Twitter isn’t censoring the alt-Right like it did before Elon Musk! I didn’t even know the alt-Right was still around! They ‘trusted the plan’ which didn’t work out.
First the background to get you up to speed, then Harrison’s delicious and damning meltdown.
CTCR recommends fellowship with Ukraine, issues statement on Large Catechism volume
h ttps://reporter.lcms.org/2023/ctcr-recommends-fellowship-with-ukraine-issues-statement-on-large-catechism-volume/
By Cheryl Magness, 22 February 2023
Ooh, a double-header!
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) convened in St. Louis Feb. 16–18 for its quarterly meeting. With a deadline looming for submissions to the 2023 LCMS convention, the 20-member Commission was able to conclude much of its work for the current triennium.
The meeting featured a visit from the Rev. Serge Maschewski, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (ELCU), to discuss the potential for fellowship between the ELCU and the LCMS. Maschewski had been scheduled to meet with the CTCR in December, but ongoing fighting in the war between Ukraine and Russia prevented him from traveling. After a presentation by Maschewski to the Commission and further discussion with a CTCR subcommittee charged with evaluating church relations requests, the CTCR unanimously approved a motion to memorialize the 2023 convention to recognize fellowship with the ELCU.
A native of Kazakhstan, educated at Concordia University in the 90s, long-term affiliate of LCMS generally and of Harrison himself, likely. While the civilian suffering is undeniable, any church relief would have to 1. not encourage migration, and 2. resist politicization. Considering Zelensky kicked out the Russian Orthodox, I doubt that any Church relief will be politically neutral.
Wouldn’t it be nice if churches cared as much about the men next door, as they do the women on the far side of the planet?
In addition to recommending fellowship with the ELCU, the CTCR has, during the current extended triennium, recommended fellowship with several other church bodies, including the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Sudan/Sudan (ELCSS/S), and the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU). These overtures were approved at the February meeting. The Commission also approved a recommendation from the LCMS Board for International Mission to recognize fellowship with the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) of Sri Lanka, a mission of the LCMS that has now become an independent church body.
Meanwhile, and perhaps not coincidentally…
The other major item on the Commission’s agenda in February was the completion of its convention report, which details the CTCR’s activities throughout each triennium… as part of its convention report, the Commission unanimously adopted a statement concerning its recently published Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications. That statement is available here:
h ttps://files.lcms.org/file/preview/E1575FAC-9886-4602-BA14-D3D29CFC66B4?
On Feb. 17, 2023, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations unanimously approved a statement on Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications.
The CTCR forthrightly asserts that this volume does not change, question or supplant any doctrinal position of the LCMS, including any Synod teaching on contemporary cultural issues such as race or sexuality.
The CTCR furthermore categorically rejects any assertions to the contrary.
Odd that they feel the need to say that. “We didn’t change anything and reject every critic that says we did… without even listening to our critics!” That is what categorical rejection means, after all. Complaints about Topic X go straight to the shredder.
In feedback we have received as a Commission, it has become clear that many misconceptions about the volume have surfaced on social media, and we wish to offer this brief explanation to clarify what this volume is and what it is not.
First, the CTCR [Commission on Theology and Church Relations] undertook the production of this volume at the behest of recent Synod conventions
“We were ordered to do this. It’s not our fault!”
Second, the text of the Large Catechism itself remains entirely unchanged in this volume… This volume, however, has two very different components, in accordance with the convention resolutions from 2013 and 2016.
Uh-oh. “We didn’t change it, except where we did.”
One component is the newly composed introductions and explanatory
footnotes… They are meant to help clarify the context and language of the catechism in its historical context.
UH-OH. “We are now considering the historical context of Luther’s teachings, which may be different from today’s context. For example, we now know that all white men are evil.”
The other component is a series of excursive essays. The essays are wide-ranging attempts to engage the sorts of contemporary questions that often come up… As such, they represent individual perspectives and judgments that some in the LCMS may not share.
The place for individual, uncertain and/or contentious ideas is NOT in a catechism. That is not what catechisms are for.
Third, the selection of drafters for these excurses was not limited to LCMS authors but expanded to other Lutherans who have a record of scholarship with the Large Catechism or experience with many of these contemporary issues… . Some of these writers are from church bodies not in fellowship with the LCMS.
THEY BROUGHT IN OUTSIDERS! From the infamously corrupt ELCA, perhaps? [I could not confirm; didn’t find a full download.]
Fourth, as noted earlier, the text of each introduction, annotation and excursive
essay underwent thorough review and subsequent approval by the CTCR…
“Trust us.”
Last, while we acknowledge that certain things could have been worded differently… we remain firmly supportive of this volume…
We urge you to read it for yourselves and to make your own judgments.
And when Lutheran laymen did exactly that, their concerns were categorically rejected.
This Woke edition has already been pulled, which may explain why I haven’t been able to find a PDF of it. But I did find these excerpts!
Finally, the recognition of a legitimate place for the use of the sword within God’s plan for His creation is not a license for any Christian to use the sword for any reason unilaterally deemed legitimate and necessary. And it certainly does not provide a scriptural foundation for a right to bear arms.4 Lethal force, Luther consistently taught, is rightly used only by the one placed into the of authority in the state. It is never exercised for the sake of self, but always and only for the sake of the neighbor.
This is a baldfaced lie, that Christianity and self-defense are NEVER compatible… that no Christian may ever “unilaterally” defend himself from a threat.
It’s not even coherent. You cannot defend yourself, but CAN defend the other person in the room, because only the State can be trusted with the sword?
“For middle- or upper-class Christians it is not uncommon to think that many commandments are most acutely relevant to the crimes found in poorer communities. A transformative insight of [Luther] consists in applying God’s Law prohibiting theft to less-than-obvious perpetrators—the virtuous who possess economic and societal privilege.“
Luther’s Catechism just transformed into Cultural Marxism.
However, though some of us are burdened with homosexual lust, pornographic addiction, transgenderism, pedophilia and polyamory, more often they are the speck in our neighbor’s eye rather than the log in our own (cf. Matthew 7:3-5). For decades, if we didn’t wink at fornication we certainly turned our eyes from it, as long as the acts performed outside of marriage were heterosexual ones. We shudder in disgust when it suits [us…]
How dare you find fault with child molesters when YOU sometimes use porn! You hypocrite! Control yourself, not the pedophiles around you! And just so you know, mutilating children and enjoying a pinup poster are equivalent sins!
And lo, a big controversy ensued… and the LCMS didst pull the new Catechism…
Which led President Harrison to have a meltdown.
Statement on recent online unchristian teachings
h ttps://reporter.lcms.org/2023/president-harrison-denounces-disturbing-ideologies/
Feb. 21, 2023
Dear friends in Christ,
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, its president, vice-presidents and all 35 district presidents, along with its ministerium and congregations, categorically reject the horrible and racist teachings of the so-called “alt-right” in toto (including white supremacy, Nazism, pro-slavery, anti-interracial marriage, women as property, fascism, death for homosexuals, even genocide).
Except for fascism, all of Harrison’s accusations are beliefs held by GOD HIMSELF.
God forbade interracial marriage, ruled death for sodomy, mandated female submission to husbands, carried out several genocides during Exodus/Joshua… also Tyre and some other places… supported institutional slavery (while gutting its motivation), and being the Creator of All Nations, surely wants white nations to continue existing as white nations.
It’s okay to be white.
The Synodical explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism teaches that the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not murder,” includes the prohibition of “hating, despising, or slandering other groups of people (prejudice, racism, and so forth).” The Scriptures agree: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).
Everyone who hates his brother, yes. What about everyone who hates child molesters? JESUS HIMSELF hated them. Necks and millstones, remember?
Jesus is guilty of HATE!
Every human being is precious to God and as valuable as the very blood of Jesus Christ shed for all, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16).
No. Not every single human being is precious to God. The generic statement in John 3:16 does not imply a specific statement regarding every individual regardless of their conduct.
Harrison’s rant is fascinating. “How dare you be like Jesus, you alt-Right Twits! Don’t you know that traitors and deceivers are just as precious to God as you?”
We were shocked to learn recently that a few members of LCMS congregations have been propagating radical and unchristian “alt-right” views via Twitter and other social media. They are causing local disruption and consternation for their pastors, congregations and district presidents.
Misinformation? On social media! NOOO!!! We cannot trust people to think for themselves! We only said so in order to encourage adoption of newly introduced deceptions!
They have publicly stated that they seek the destruction of the LCMS leadership. They have made serious online threats to individuals and scandalously attacked several faithful LCMS members. Through these social media posts, even our wonderful deaconesses have been threatened and attacked.
LCMS Convergence thwarted… women most affected!
This is evil. We condemn it in the name of Christ.
If I know the kind of people who fit the alt-Right label, pretty sure Harrison means “disrespected” not “threatened and attacked”. That’s BLM turf. I invite him to share a few headlines regarding these threats & attacks, just to prove he isn’t lying about his enemies. That would not be loving. That would not be what Jesus would do.
That would be… HATEFUL. And hate = murder, don’cha know, Herr Harrison. Don’t you be hatin’ on the alt-Right! They’re as precious to God as you are! Probably more so because you’re a modern pastor.
These “alt-right” individuals were at the genesis of a recent controversy surrounding essays accompanying a new publication of Luther’s Large Catechism. This group used that opportunity to produce not only scandalous attacks and widespread falsehoods, but also to promote their own absolutist ideologies.
To promote GOD’S absolutist ideologies, thank you. Which do not change with individual reinterpretations, or historical contexts, or least of all, !scientific! prog-tard-ress.
That is why I’m willing to condemn this Woke Catechism without having a proper copy to review. It introduces moral confusion regarding human sexuality, a topic that no honest Christian can NOT be certain about.
Anyone trying to sully the reputation of the LCMS based on comments from a small number of online provocateurs does not know the loving, faithful, generous, kind and welcoming Synod that I have met all across the nation. Our people are delighted to gather with sinners of every stripe to receive full and free forgiveness from our crucified Savior and are not represented by these few men with their sinful agenda.
Oh, but I am LOVING, Mr. Harrison! I’m writing this savage fisking with a grin on my face! There is no hate here!
I am not speaking about the individuals who may have expressed theological concerns about the essays published alongside the Catechism. I’m talking about a small number of men who based their opposition upon racist and supremacist ideologies. The former we welcome. The latter we condemn.
The LCMS is a robust Christian community under the absolute authority of the inerrant Scriptures as the very Word of God and bound together in subscription to our Lutheran Confessions. Theological dialogue is good. We have clear processes for registering concerns over published materials, and we encourage such theological critique. The biblical confession of the LCMS on doctrine and life is true and unchangeable.
I know this game. If you have doubts about the conduct of your leaders, the “Christian” thing to do is go to them individually, share your concerns, then watch Pastor smile and nod and reassure you that you’re the problem and you need to shut up now that you’ve been heard.
Actually, that IS Christian… step one. Step two is going back again with allies who agree with you, and Step Three is social media.
Step Three can be accelerated by… for example… categorical rejection complaint-handling policies.
LCMS congregations agree to uphold our biblical standards. We are not a top-down institution. That said, I will work together with our pastors and district presidents to address this matter wherever it arises among us and reject it. We issue the cry of Jesus: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). We are confident that the same Law and Gospel that broke the hard heart of St. Paul, himself a murderer and blasphemer, can and will do the same today. We are all called to repentance daily. “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Where that call to repentance is not heeded, there must be excommunication.
“We are not a top-down institution,” said the Peoples’ Beloved Unified Biblical President while issuing a fatwa on the dissidents he categorically refused to listen to.
God is not going to repent of His past support for slavery, genocide and racial purity. Would Harrison excommunicate God Himself? If he allowed a Cultural Marxist to be printed alongside Luther’s Catechism then the answer is yes… yes, Harrison WOULD excommunicate God for past opposition to the Current Thing.
Of all the things I’ve seen as LCMS president, this is the most bizarre.
Seriously? He never noticed Twitter before? Should we tell him about reddit?
I am informed that other conservative denominations are experiencing similar challenges. This horrid attack of the devil drives us to be firm in our confession. Our message of Christ the Savior for all…
Savior for only the repentant.
…our local and global mission that serves the entire human race with forgiveness and joy…
Excepting Russia? Why not fellowship with both UKR and Russia? They’re adjacent and it would silence doubters such as me.
…stands firmly opposed to Satan and all evil. Our steadfast message of love and biblical fidelity on the cultural issues of marriage, sexuality, race, and life is an assault on the devil and his minions to no end. Our steadfast witness and assistance to our global Lutheran friends has the devil fuming.
It’s possible I’m a bit off base here, and Harrison is screeching at opponents against his support of Ukraine rather than against his Woke Catechism, but that’s not what Harrison said and the correlation is high.
While he might intend LCMS charity to Ukraine as nonpolitical war relief for civilians, this screed against “alt-Right Nazis” whose beliefs mirror God’s own, makes me think Harrison would just as happily ship artillery shells to Zelensky’s depot. After all, complaints about misinformation passing uncensored on social media is a policy statement photocopied from the Bidenreich playbook. As is the banning of self-defense, and so on.
Lastly, “we didn’t change the Catechism, we only included essays by outsiders giving their personal opinions that reinterpret the Catechism” is textbook Talmudic deception.
[Bible quotations about martyrdom omitted.]
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matthew C. Harrison
President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
You are not in Christ, Mr. Harrison. You are quite provably opposed to Him. Please come to your senses and make public repentance.
An odd thing about this is that previously, Harrison correctly ousted Pastor Matthew Becker in 2015 for (among other offenses) teaching that Scripture does not technically prohibit women from ordination. Upon leaving the LCMS, Becker hooked up with the ELCA, which is good proof of heresy.
Why, then, is Harrison going full Woke now? He strained the gnat of female ordination but now, swallows the camels of “white privilege” and “some Christians are women trapped in male bodies”. The change cannot be only a long-standing association with Rev. Maschewski.
I wonder if the difference is the Fauci jab. There have been reports of Christians abandoning the faith, suddenly and consciously, after getting jabbed. It’s not something that a !scientific! study can be done upon, yet the anecdotes are mounting… and I sense that spiritual battle lines are being drawn. Our daily choices are having moral significance that they ordinarily might not.
Whatever good Harrison has done previously, he now accuses Twitter ghosts of conspiring to commit what Almighty God already did & taught, little of which is relevant to criticisms of the Woke Catechism he just tried to push. One hopes that LCMS leadership is not as !Unity! as Harrison claimed.