The LCMesS

Borrowed this scene from Beckfest. But the LCMS really is Ablaze!. So it seemed fitting. Still more sadness.

From Reclaim News:
"LCMS Agrees that a Congregation Can Excommunicate another Congregation"

"For the first time in the history of American Lutheran Synods, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is agreeing that one of its member congregations can excommunicate another member congregation from the LCMS. We aren't talking about excommunicating a guilty party or parties, but every man, woman, and child in the congregation, including members in nursing homes.

The Missouri District of the LCMS is agreeing that Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, Illinois can demand that Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, Missouri be excommunicated from the LCMS.

Missouri District President, James Kalthoff, has already written that Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven MO is suspended from the LCMS. This is the first step in the process of excommunication. The congregation can appeal. However, since there have been no additional developments in the case, Trinity New Haven, will be excommunicated for the same reason for which it was suspended.

The LCMS 2004 Convention's recent innovations in settling disputes reject the tenets of American justice and take a decided turn toward cultism.

The LCMS now teaches if one man in a congregation sins the entire congregation is guilty. This is a revival of guilt by association that was practiced at the time of Christ. At that time a creditor could have a debtor jailed including his wife, children, and all his relatives. This practice continued in England through the 18th Century.

Also, in the LCMS, the accused and the accuser no longer need to face each other, but may act through a second party.

Before the 2004 Convention the Synod required that the accused and the accuser face each other, as stated in Matthew 18:15-16: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."

The Synod has now reinterpreted these verses to mean that only a member of the LCMS is a "brother."

Trinity, Roselle, announced on its web-site, for anyone in the LCMS to read, that it was filing charges against Trinity, New Haven, for "failure to supervise the teaching and actions of their pastor, Herman Otten."

Trinity Roselle claims that its pastor, Rev. Charles Mueller, was slandered by the pastor of Trinity, New Haven, Rev. Herman Otten. Trinity, New Haven, by vote of the LCMS Convention, is a member of the LCMS, though its pastor, Rev. Otten is not a member of the LCMS.

Now, here comes the complicated part of all of this. Since Otten, a Lutheran Pastor, is not a member of the LCMS, the LCMS says that Otten is not a "brother" and neither Rev. Mueller nor Trinity Roselle need to follow Matthew 18: 15-16 in dealing with Otten. The LCMS now considers these verses to only apply to the LCMS, as if God wrote the Bible just for the LCMS.

Not even during the infamous days of the St. Louis Seminary Walk-Out in 1974, did the Synod excommunicate any seminary professors, students, or congregations that supported the Walk-Out. But now, the Synod is condemning an entire congregation to hell because they won't kick out their pastor, Rev. Herman Otten.

What is Otten's sin? Otten wrote that Rev. Charles Mueller, one of the pastors of Trinity, Roselle, wants the LCMS to be broad enough for those who are promoting women pastors in the LCMS.

Mueller tell his congregation that is a lie.

When Otten wrote to Mueller and asked Mueller to put in print that he never made such a claim, Mueller refused to reply because Otten is not a "brother." He also doesn't have to meet with Otten because Otten is not a "brother." The Missouri District President agrees that Mueller's congregation can file charges against Trinity New Haven but Mueller doesn't have to answer any questions from Otten or meet with Otten.

The "brothers" know how to take care of each other.

Now the Missouri District President, Doctor James Kalthoff, with the agreement of LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick, is proceeding to excommunicate an entire congregation at New Haven MO and condemn them to hell for unrepentant sin.

The advice from Reclaim News is that trial attorneys make sure they keep LCMS pastors from serving as jurors in American Courts. Their religion teaches them to condemn the accused without following the principles of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution says that the accused must be confronted by his accuser, a principle the LCMS now rejects.

Editors seeking further information may call LCMS President Dr. Gerald Kieschnick at the LCMS's International Center, (314) 965-9000 and Dr. James Kalthoff at the LCMS's Missouri District Office (341) 317-4550. Trinity Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois (630) 894-3263, Trinity Lutheran Church, New Haven, Missouri (573) 237-3026)."