Ebenezer "Her Church" Lutheran (ELCA) in San Francisco, California

[xixxvmcm85]

I’ve driven past this church a couple times and theres a huge “Come pray the Goddess Rosary with us!” banner on the outside. I’ve always just assumed that it was some new-age group that has co-opted the Rosary. Whatever.

Yesterday I came to learn that this is a Lutheran church! Specifically an ELCA church. Now I know that the ELCA isn’t exactly the poster child for orthodoxy in Lutheranism, and that it (at least its clerics) embrace a lot of social policies that traditional Christians find repugnant, yet it’s been my experience that these Lutherans are usually still confessional, and creedal. How does the ELCA square this with this local “church’s” explicit paganism? I mean this church’s website has explicit prayers to “Mother Earth” and “Mother Wisdom”, and they’ve completely gutted the Lord’s Prayer. Does the ELCA even know this is happening? Do they just turn a blind eye to it figuring that this syncretism won’t leave San Francisco?

To be fair, I know that the Catholic Church in SF isn’t entirely without dirt on her hands. It took us decades to clean up the mess that is know as Most Holy Redeemer, and even now I’m very reluctant to attend Mass there.

 

[benjohnson]

That the ELCA hasn’t cleaned house tells a lot. Pray that the holy spirit gives them the guidance they need.

 

[Tomster]

That the ELCA hasn’t cleaned house tells a lot. Pray that the holy spirit gives them the guidance they need.

For centuries the Catholic Church has been falsely accused of worshipping our Blessed Mother and now this. I can only imagine how distressing this might be for you Ben. I hope this gets straightened out very soon. Quite frankly, I really don’t know it can. One can hope and pray.

 

[WD615]

Yesterday I came to learn that this is a Lutheran church! Specifically an ELCA church. Now I know that the ELCA isn’t exactly the poster child for orthodoxy in Lutheranism, and that it (at least its clerics) embrace a lot of social policies that traditional Christians find repugnant, yet it’s been my experience that these Lutherans are usually still confessional, and creedal. How does the ELCA square this with this local “church’s” explicit paganism? I mean this church’s website has explicit prayers to “Mother Earth” and “Mother Wisdom”, and they’ve completely gutted the Lord’s Prayer. Does the ELCA even know this is happening? Do they just turn a blind eye to it figuring that this syncretism won’t leave San Francisco?

Well, I’ve also known some Methodists and even Southern Baptists who refuse to refer to God as masculine. I’m not too surprised with the ELCA. The Episcopal Church and the PCUSA has been sliding into this stuff for a long time too. Most of the mainstream churches have been struggling with this. (That is they haven’t embraced it like this local church)

 

[sojo]

Oh dear Lord… its a whole “thing” after all. Check it out:

herchurch.org/id8.html

How sad that these women feel compelled to rethink and reform the entire Church in their own image.

 

[sojo]

And it appears the “Her Church” movement has been accepted by the ELCA though some of its members are not happy about it.

exposingtheelca.com/1/post/2010/05/worship-of-goddess-in-the-elca-and-lead-by-synod-council-leader.html

And its not going away any time soon – the article says the Her Church movement and the Goddess Rosary and services have been around for a long time in its original SF location but they are spreading to other ELCA locations.

 

[WD615]

And it appears the “Her Church” movement has been accepted by the ELCA though some of its members are not happy about it.

exposingtheelca.com/1/post/2010/05/worship-of-goddess-in-the-elca-and-lead-by-synod-council-leader.html

And its not going away any time soon – the article says the Her Church movement and the Goddess Rosary and services have been around for a long time in its original SF location but they are spreading to other ELCA locations.

I think the ELCA may be where the “Old Light” Congregationalists where in the 1700s/early 1800s. That group eventually moved on to Unitarianism with Harvard at the helm. The ELCA might possibly be going the same way. These spiritual descendants of the Lutherans might adopt the Unitarian equivalent of our day, New Age earth worship.

 

[steido01]

There is no word to describe this situation other than “sad.” The ELCA is certainly in need of our prayers.

Perhaps this church could do us confessional Lutherans a favor and drop the moniker for one that suits them.

 

[xixxvmcm85]

And it appears the “Her Church” movement has been accepted by the ELCA though some of its members are not happy about it.

exposingtheelca.com/1/post/2010/05/worship-of-goddess-in-the-elca-and-lead-by-synod-council-leader.html

And its not going away any time soon – the article says the Her Church movement and the Goddess Rosary and services have been around for a long time in its original SF location but they are spreading to other ELCA locations.

So the ELCA is aware of it, but doesn’t care. That is quite the shame.

 

[hn160]

The ELCA knows about this church and the ELCA ordains homosexuals, many of the churches have the Rainbow Symbol on their church signs. Remember the ELCA is in communion with other Church Bodies that ordain homosexuals. Take a look at this statement on the ELCA web site elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Journal-of-Lutheran-Ethics/Issues/August-2004/The-Church-and-Homosexuality.aspx

 

[xixxvmcm85]

The ELCA knows about this church and the ELCA ordains homosexuals, many of the churches have the Rainbow Symbol on their church signs. Remember the ELCA is in communion with other Church Bodies that ordain homosexuals. Take a look at this statement on the ELCA web site elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Journal-of-Lutheran-Ethics/Issues/August-2004/The-Church-and-Homosexuality.aspx

Trust me, it’s no surprise to us San Franciscans that the ELCA accepts homosexuality.

I was just shocked to see that this local church not only dispensed with traditional morality, but seemed to practically throw out the very foundation of Christian belief. The members of the ELCA (and the Episcopal Church for that matter) still recite the Nicene Creed, don’t pray to any “Goddess”, and don’t espouse this pantheism that “Her Church” seems to be doing. I just thought that it might be one thing for the ELCA to embrace modern ideas of morality, but down-right paganism?

 

[sojo]

Yes, it is sad to see these people so mislead. But the most maddening is for them to co-op the word “rosary” and put it together with the word “goddess.” As Catholics, we already have enough Protestants accusing us of “worshipping” Mary without this to muck up the waters.

 

[gcnuss]

I will have to admit to being embarrassed by this. As a member of the ELCA, I am appalled that Herchurch exists and must say that it does not represent my theology in any way.

 

[aidanbradypop]

I will have to admit to being embarrassed by this. As a member of the ELCA, I am appalled that Herchurch exists and must say that it does not represent my theology in any way.

Pastor Gary…Could this be due to the lack of authority in a centralized body in the ELCA?

 

[just_came_back]

You know as much disagreement that I had when I left the LCMS, I will stand with them ANYDAY and the WELS over the heresy that the ELCA promotes. This is just unreal.

God bless all confessional Lutherans.

 

[Tomster]

Pastor Gary…Could this be due to the lack of authority in a centralized body in the ELCA?

You might have hit on something here abp.

 

[gcnuss]

Pastor Gary…Could this be due to the lack of authority in a centralized body in the ELCA?

Given the current direction of ELCA leadership, I would say that there is no authority, centralized or not, that is willing to take a stand against this.

 

[Tomster]

Given the current direction of ELCA leadership, I would say that there is no authority, centralized or not, that is willing to take a stand against this.

Despite our past differences, gcn, please know that you are in my prayers. That’s for sure,

 

[aidanbradypop]

Given the current direction of ELCA leadership, I would say that there is no authority, centralized or not, that is willing to take a stand against this.

That is one thing I love about the Catholic Church…the authority of the Church. I seems those that lack authority often break apart. Without authority, churches like this one is allowed to go about and bending to society to please a few. Sadly, pastors as yourself are often left to fight off these kind of things.

Christ did not reword His teaching of the Eucharist because a few people felt a bit uncomfortable with eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

 

[JonNC]

Given the current direction of ELCA leadership, I would say that there is no authority, centralized or not, that is willing to take a stand against this.

So, Pastor, the issue is not a lack of authority, but an authority that is either unwilling
correct these folks, or worse, find nothing wrong with their teachings.
It does does not sounding lack authority, rather you need new authority.
As you know, the LCA/ELCA is where I was baptized , confirmed, and received first Holy Communion. You are ever in my prayers.
Jon