This is Lutheran CORE’s response, dated April 2017, to the “Naked and Unashamed” movement, which has come out of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.  CORE is doubly concerned because it is unaware of any response from the administration and faculty of the seminary, the ELCA Council of Bishops, and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton rejecting or distancing the ELCA from this movement.

RESPONSE TO “NAKED AND UNASHAMED”

ELCA PASTORS AND SEMINARIANS NOT ASHAMED

TO REVEAL BLATANT AGENDA

In 2009 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly rejected as normative the traditional, Biblical definition of marriage as it approved changes to policy and practice which allowed for the endorsing of and ordaining persons in publicly accountable, “lifelong, monogamous, same gender relationships.”  There is now a movement within the ELCA which would reject any definition of marriage as normative for sexual relationships.

Known as “Naked and Unashamed,” this movement was started by seminarians at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and since then has been reaching out to other pastors, leaders, and seminary students in the ELCA who share their beliefs and values.  Their purpose and agenda are clearly revealed on their website, www.wearenakedandunashamed.org, which contains such statements as the following in regard to current ELCA policy and practice –

• “The limited and hierarchical focus on marriage and family life over alternative forms of relationality is oppressive, preferential, manipulative, and culturally irrelevant to the variety of healthy sexual, emotional, contractual, and/or romantic expressions that could be part of an appropriate Christian lifestyle.”
• “Life and liberty are being oppressed in the pressure for church leaders to be in marital relationships, or otherwise abstain from all sexual intimacy.”
• “Marriage is not the only healthy relationship model within which sexuality can be safely enjoyed.”

As seminarians and pastors who have recently been ordained, they are objecting to “overt policies and direct questioning during the ELCA candidacy process that disallow sexual intimacy, cohabitation, and committed relationality outside of civil marriage.”

What can those who hold to the traditional, Biblical view of marriage as a life-long, committed relationship between one man and one woman, and even those who hold to what was approved in August 2009, which allowed for the ordaining of persons in publicly accountable, “lifelong, monogamous, same gender relationships,” now expect?  Based upon experience of what happened before, we can only expect that those who wish to reject marriage altogether are going to pursue their agenda relentlessly until they achieve their goals, and once they do so, then all conversation is to stop and anyone who still advocates for the traditional view, and even the approved-in-2009 view, will be criticized for being disruptive, divisive, schismatic, and trouble-making.  That is what happened during the time leading up to and since the August 2009 decisions.  Why should we expect it to be any different this time?

Never is there any Biblical basis given for this group’s thinking.  And why would we expect that there would be?  Just as the documents that were approved by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2009 were based not upon the Bible, but upon psychology, sociology, and the dynamics that build trust between and among people, so this group is arguing for their desired changes on the basis of such vague reasons as “the common good,” the fact that they are “healthy” and “life giving,” “the plethora of stories we hear,” and “our values and lived experience.”  

Even in their use of the phrase, “Naked and Unashamed,” this group is turning its back on the Bible’s description of God’s judgment and mercy.  Adam and Eve were described as “naked and unashamed” before their distrust of God’s word and their disobedience.  Their transgression caused them to be ashamed, to hide, to clothe themselves in fig leaves.  Their self-justification was their primary clothing.  When God sent them out of Eden, He gave them something better.  He did not send them into the world “naked and unashamed” to make a “fresh start” of things.  Rather He clothed them even more fully – with the skins of animals who died in their place, as a forerunner of Jesus who would die in our place and whose blood would be shed to cover our sins.

According to the Lutheran understanding of the Bible, God gives us a “fresh start” in baptism.  Spiritually we go into the water naked.  Our old, sinful, deathly self is drowned in Jesus’ own death for our sake.  And when we rise in the power of His resurrection, we are immediately clothed in white robes that signify that we are more fully clothed in the righteousness, purity, and holiness of Jesus Himself.  As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5: 4, in our redemption in Christ we are not unclothed.  We are more fully clothed!

This group’s website claims that the ELCA’s teaching, expectations, and documents surrounding sexuality are “heteronormative, white-centric, economically oppressive, and non-Lutheran.”  Standards of monogamy, commitment, and chastity are deemed oppressive and demeaning.  Ideals of faithfulness and purity are rejected.  Biblical norms of “life together” are dismissed as the invention of elite, wealthy, and white Europeans.  This group asserts that other cultures have different understandings of sexual good.  In so doing, they are not only ignoring the very staunch standards for sexuality of our African fellow Lutherans, they are also ignoring the stringent sexual ethics of the Old and New Testaments, which certainly are neither elite, wealthy, white, nor European.  

Those who thought and hoped that the decisions of August 2009 to accept same gender relationships if they are publicly accountable, lifelong, and monogamous would be enough, would satisfy those who were pressing for changes, and would be as far as this issue would go, should be alarmed to read on this group’s website that they reject those decisions because of the way in which those standards define what is a “decent and acceptable marriage in the ELCA.”  They reject the 2009 decisions because they say that “acceptable same-gender relationships must look the same as acceptable heterosexual relationships.”  

The documents of this group even give a place for advocating for polyamory (multiple partners), as evidenced in these statements.  

• “This is what we are pushing back on:  the idea that one person in your life must be the one whom you trust the most, and with whom you simultaneously work together financially, domestically, sexually, emotionally, and parentally.”
• “There exists in the ELCA multiple positions on (several different relational patterns are listed, including polyamory).  We lift this multiplicity up and demand that its full diversity be recognized within the Christian lifestyle in our church.”

There is no sense of marriage as based upon our creation as male and female, and as given its most perfect expression in the model of God’s faithful and permanent love for His people and Jesus the bridegroom’s love for the Church, His bride.  Rather this group says that “understanding and practices of marriage, relationality, and sexuality also change over time, and must be understood as contextual.”  There are “many possible forms of ‘Christian’ relationality, just as we see diverse forms of Christian worship.”  To see different expressions of sexuality as no more significant than the difference between traditional and contemporary worship would be absurd if it were not so alarming.

This group makes absolutely no mention of the long-standing and profound Biblical linkage between sexual sin and idolatry.  At the risk of being gross and offensive, I would refer you to an article entitled, “My clitoris keeps my faith alive,” posted on the “Stories” page of the “Naked and Unashamed” website.  A seminary Ph. D. student writes, “My clitoris became a gateway to the mystery of God’s presence. . . . My clitoris became more than an organ of pleasure, but a piece of heaven within me.”

How is this different from the pagan sexuality and fertility cults of the Canaanites, which the Bible clearly condemns?  This is idolatry, making a god out of part of my own body.  This is what the apostle Paul described in Romans 1: 25 as he talked about those who “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.”

Any faithful member of the ELCA should be absolutely alarmed to see this kind of thinking coming out of one of the ELCA seminaries.  Our concern for the future should be in overdrive, as we realize that our future pastors are being exposed to this kind of thinking during their seminary training.  Since this group is focusing especially on sexual ethics for pastoral candidates, are they saying that if a pastor or pastoral candidate has sex with a prostitute, it is okay, as long as s/he is respected as a sex worker?  Are they implying that if a congregation is not able to pay within guidelines, then a pastor or pastoral candidate is free to sell sexual favors to supplement income – again, as long as it is done in a healthy, life-giving, respectful, and mutually beneficial fashion?

This past February we were all reading and hearing with great alarm about the Oroville Dam in northern California.  Because of unusually heavy rains, the dam’s main and emergency spillways were significantly damaged, prompting the evacuation of more than 180, 000 people living downstream.  Those who oversee the Oroville Dam would be grossly irresponsible if they were to not take any and all necessary measures to repair the damage and ensure the future integrity of the dam.  Will the leadership of the ELCA – the Presiding Bishop, the Church Council, the Council of Bishops, those who oversee the ELCA’s seminaries – say, “Enough is enough; this has gone too far; this is not what was voted on and approved at the Churchwide Assembly in 2009”?  Or will they allow the damage and the erosion of Biblical values to continue – at probably an ever increasing rate?

Dennis D. Nelson

President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

Easter Greetings and Pastor Gjerde’s Letter Asking Bishop Eaton to Stand Against Abortion

• APRIL 20, 2017 – 9:55 PM
• LUTHERANCORE

February 2017 CORE Voice Newsletter

LUTHERAN CORE: FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FEBRUARY 2017

We of Lutheran CORE have added something new. We have been sending out a more formal newsletter, CORE Voice, in the middle of every other month – January, March, etc. We will now be adding a letter from me which we will send out in the middle of the other months – February, April, etc. If you know someone that you would to see receive these communications from us, please let us know at [email protected]. There is also the option of receiving our communications by U. S. post office mail, so please notify us if you or someone you know would like to hear from us in that way. In these letters that will be coming to you every other month, I want to share with you what is on my heart as the president of the board and the director of Lutheran CORE.

In Christ, Dennis D. Nelson

IS JESUS CENTRAL IN YOUR PREACHING, IN YOUR FAITH, AND IN YOUR LIFE?

During these Sundays in the Epiphany season the second lesson has been taken from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, in which he has made statements like these –

“The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1: 18)

“We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power and wisdom of God” (1: 23-24)

“I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (2: 2)

But how often do people in churches – even in Lutheran churches – hear about so many other things rather than “Jesus Christ, and him crucified”? For example –

I attended a funeral at a Lutheran church. Jesus was never mentioned even once during the message. There were vague references to the love of God and the hope that we will all be together again, but no mention at all of how Jesus is the basis that hope.

The father of a high schooler who attended the 2015 ELCA national youth gathering told me that his son reported to him, “Dad, it was all about what we need to do; it was nothing about what God has done.”

I have heard a sermon on the feeding of the five thousand where the preacher said, “The miracle was not at all about Jesus. Rather the miracle was all about the boy who shared his lunch.” And then he challenged the congregation to do the modern day equivalent of sharing your lunch.

I have heard a sermon about the Gospel account of the temptation of Jesus where the preacher said, “The temptation to turn stones into bread shows that we need to fight world hunger. The temptation to bow down and worship Satan in order to regain all the kingdoms of the world shows that we need to study the issues and then vote for political candidates who will pursue peace and social justice.”

I have heard a sermon on Transfiguration Sunday where the preacher said, “As we (and then he listed several ways of serving within the congregation), we can help bring about the transfiguration and transformation of the world.”

I have heard a sermon on Christmas Eve where the preacher said, “You do not have to believe in Jesus to feel the warmth and glow of Christmas.”

And I have heard a sermon on Easter Sunday where the preacher first told of the women who came to the tomb looking for Jesus and then said, “Wherever you find people doing good, there you find Jesus.”

Pastors, if people do not hear from us about the cross and the empty tomb, how will they know the wisdom, love, and power of God? Is “Jesus Christ and him crucified” central in your preaching, in your faith, and in your living?

BEING THE SALT OF THE EARTH

We are very grateful for all of our friends who through their faithful prayers and financial support make possible the work of Lutheran CORE. There were fifty-seven individuals, congregations, and organizations who gave $100 or more just during the month of December 2016. I had the great privilege of calling all of those for whom we have telephone numbers to thank them and was able to reach the majority of them. It was a joy to hear how much they value and appreciate the work of Lutheran CORE. I want to share with you an outreach ministry that I learned about that was undertaken by the congregation of one of our friends – Zion Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Kansas.

In 1976, the bicentennial of our country, cycling enthusiasts put together the Bikecentennial, a path that cyclists could ride on across the country with maps and a supporting guidebook. The year before Harley Phillips, a member of Zion congregation and an owner of a bicycle shop, received a phone call from a couple who were blazing the trail to create the transcontinental route. Their tandem bicycle had broken down twenty-two miles out of town. Realizing that the town of Hutchinson was only five miles south of the route, Mr. Philips approached the church council, who put a shower into the former parsonage and converted the upstairs Sunday School classrooms into accommodations for riders. Word spread quickly among the cyclists, and after Harley Philipps became president of the Bicycle Dealers Association, the church and its hostel was put into the guidebook that was part of the literature that riders received as they began the route.

Comments left by those who stayed there showed the impact of the congregation’s ministry of hospitality. One person wrote, “Greetings from India.” Another wrote, “Such an act of love proves the point on your door – ‘You will never know a moment when God does not love you.’” Other comments received were, “What you did for me, you did for the Lord” and “I have not been to church for a long time – it was nice to be back.” One person even said, “Many thanks for the way in which you fulfilled Martin Luther’s 96^th thesis – ‘Be kind to cyclists.’”

I asked whether they ever had a problem with theft or property damage. Harley Phillips first replied, “Anyone lazy enough to steal would not get on a bicycle and ride across the United States.” Then he added, “If you steal something and ride for five days, they can catch up with you in a car in one day. And besides, why carry all that extra weight anyway?”

I thought it was very interesting that the town of Hutchinson is nicknamed the Salt City because of a nearby mine from which rock salt is obtained and then, after being crushed, is spread on the highways when the roads ice up. Bravo to Harley Phillips and the congregation of Zion Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Kansas, for being what Jesus said – “The salt of the earth.”

WEEKLY DEVOTIONS AND SERMON STARTERS

Are you aware of the weekly devotions that can be found on the blog on the home page of Lutheran CORE’s website? Three members of the board are contributing devotions every week.

I am writing a devotional based upon one of the following Sunday’s readings – posted every Tuesday

Steve Gjerde, vice president of the board, is writing a devotional based upon one of the previous Sunday’s readings in the Missouri Synod lectionary series – posted every Wednesday

Brett Jenkins, another member of the board, is writing a devotional based upon one of the following Sunday’s readings or a timely topic – posted every Friday

A link to these devotionals is then posted on a number of different facebook and twitter accounts. Please help us get the word out about these resources. It is our desire that they be an inspiration to all who read them and also a source of ideas, thoughts, illustrations, and images for pastors as they prepare for the following Sunday’s sermon.

PLEASE BE PRAYING FOR THE PASTORAL SUMMIT

Please be in prayer with us for the Summit on Pastoral Formation, which Lutheran CORE will be holding on June 21, 2017 at Grand View University in Des Moines. Responding to the concern that we have been hearing from many pastors and lay congregational leaders, who wonder where their congregations’ next orthodox and outreach-oriented pastor will come from, we will be gathering ten leaders from four different Lutheran church bodies – ELCA, LCMC, LCMS, and NALC – to begin wrestling with the question –

How can we best raise up and support a new generation of Lutheran pastors who will be Biblical and confessional in their theology and missional/evangelistic in their perspective and practice?

The list of ten church leaders who have been confirmed as participants can be found in the January 2017 issue of our newsletter, CORE Voice, which can be found on our website, www.lutherancore.org.

In this first phase participants will be asking such questions as, What is the nature of twenty-first century culture and the twenty-first century church which contribute to this challenge?, and Why do approaches that have worked in the past not work today?

In Matthew 9: 37-38 Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” The first thing we need to do if we agree that the Church in the future will need faithful, orthodox, and outreach-oriented pastors is to pray.

THRIVENT CHOICE

Many thanks to those who are supporting our ministry by designating their Thrivent Choice dollars for Lutheran CORE. If you are a member of Thrivent Financial and qualify for Thrivent Choice dollars, may we suggest that you consider designating those funds to support our work of being a Voice and Network for Confessing Lutherans. And may we also remind you of two things –

First, the deadline for designating your dollars for 2016 is March 31

Second, you will need to designate our full name, Lutheran Coalition for Reform, not our shortened name, Lutheran CORE

* * * * * * * *

We would love to hear from you. Please detach and return to us at

Lutheran CORE, P. O. Box 1741, Wausau, Wisconsin 54402-1741

Name_________________________________

Address_______________________________

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Phone Number__________________________

Email address___________________________

_______Prayer request

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_______My greatest concern for the whole Christian Church, my denomination/church body, or my own congregation is ______________________________________________________________________________

_______Please accept my gift, which I have enclosed

Newsletter for Epiphany 2017

The following letter was sent in June 2015 to the sixty-five synodical bishops of the ELCA and to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton after the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in favor of same-sex marriages. Of the sixty-six people who received the letter, CORE heard back from only one – the bishop of the Oregon Synod – and he basically minimized our concerns.

June 28, 2015

Dear

Thank you for the ministry of oversight which you are providing for the Church.  God has entrusted you with the enormous responsibility to care for His flock, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ gave His life.

The social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” as approved by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August 2009, describes four different positions that members of the ELCA hold “with conviction and integrity” regarding same-gender relationships.  After acknowledging that “at this time this church lacks consensus on this matter,” the social statement then continues with these words: “Regarding our life together as we live with disagreement, the people in this church will continue to accompany one another in study, prayer, discernment, pastoral care, and mutual respect.”  

I am writing as president of the board of Lutheran CORE on behalf of all the pastors and congregations of the ELCA who do not celebrate and agree with the recent Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage.  Many are wondering what impact this ruling will have upon them both now and in the future.  Some are wondering whether the law will continue to allow them to marry and not marry according to their religious convictions, and what will happen if the laws were to be changed.   Some are wondering whether in the future churches will lose their tax-exempt status if they refuse to perform or host same-sex marriages.  Some are wondering what steps they should be taking now to preserve and protect their legal right to not perform same-sex marriages.  

The human sexuality social statement also states, “The ELCA recognizes that it has a pastoral responsibility to all children of God.”  I am writing to encourage you in your calling to uphold this principle and to ask how you will do so.  Since 2009, those who have supported the changes in our teaching on sexuality and marriage have seen those changes confirmed and supported in many concrete ways: the ordination of practicing homosexuals, public statements by various leaders of the ELCA, a new working group on ministry to same-gendered families, and an increased tolerance of transgenderism, to name a few examples.  Lutheran CORE and its constituents do not believe that equal confirmation and support have been afforded those of a traditional mindset.  How will you now unreservedly lend your affirmation, pastoral care, and episcopal defense to those who uphold the traditional view of marriage?     

Thank you, again, for your ministry of leadership, oversight, and pastoral care.  And thank you for your attention and response to our concern.  

Sincerely,

Dennis D. Nelson

Retired ELCA Pastor, President of the Board of Lutheran CORE