Lutheran Pastor Question.

  • Thread starter Thread starter MaryT777
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Wisdom said:
I respect that. Heck we have a closed communion and it is printed out as well.

However, what I find strange about the LCMS and other conservative sects of Lutheranism is their refusal to join in public prayer with other Christians. It really comes across to the non-lutheran as smug and we don’t come from the same creator nor worship the same creator. It has been 500 years Lutherans get over yourself a little. I think it is time conservative Lutherans revisit that issue as it is baffling to non Lutheran Christians.
Click to expand...
Closed communion is also baffling for many Christians who come from denominations where they practice Communion to any believer or any other type of less stringent criteria.
If they give you a chance to explain the theology behind it sometimes that helps but not always.
 
Wisdom said:
I respect that. Heck we have a closed communion and it is printed out as well.

However, what I find strange about the LCMS and other conservative sects of Lutheranism is their refusal to join in public prayer with other Christians. It really comes across to the non-lutheran as smug and we don’t come from the same creator nor worship the same creator. It has been 500 years Lutherans get over yourself a little. I think it is time conservative Lutherans revisit that issue as it is baffling to non Lutheran Christians.
Click to expand...
That would only be the WELS and ELS Synods that practice that, Wisdom. Other confessional Lutheran bodies, such as LCMS, AALC and ELDoNA, have no issues praying with other Christians. We only restrict fellowship at the altar and in who can preach in our churches.
 
The bigger problem for at least confessional LC-MS Lutherans is praying with non-Christians since we do not pray to the same God.
 
Packerland said:
That would only be the WELS and ELS Synods that practice that, Wisdom. Other confessional Lutheran bodies, such as LCMS, AALC and ELDoNA, have no issues praying with other Christians. We only restrict fellowship at the altar and in who can preach in our churches.
Click to expand...
👍 Exactly. We are called to pray for and with our fellow Christians. Holding an “ecumenical service,” OTOH is entirely different.

P.S. - Packerland, I love the name. I was born in the “Holy City” of Green Bay and I even bought stock for the wife and I. 😃
 
steido01 said:
👍 Exactly. We are called to pray for and with our fellow Christians. Holding an “ecumenical service,” OTOH is entirely different.

P.S. - Packerland, I love the name. I was born in the “Holy City” of Green Bay and I even bought stock for the wife and I. 😃
Click to expand...
Yeah they would not like you here in ND/MN…lol. Green Bay is the “Unholy City” lol

OTOH…I have a friend that was an ELCA pastor until some issues came out that forced him out. He then joined the LCMC, but it currently not a pastor. He is trying to get a job with LCMC. He does not have to go to seminary or become ordained again. It is a bit confusing lol.
 
aidanbradypop said:
Yeah they would not like you here in ND/MN…lol. Green Bay is the “Unholy City” lol

OTOH…I have a friend that was an ELCA pastor until some issues came out that forced him out. He then joined the LCMC, but it currently not a pastor. He is trying to get a job with LCMC. He does not have to go to seminary or become ordained again. It is a bit confusing lol.
Click to expand...
Too many Vikes fans in that part of the world… couldn’t live there if you paid me. 😛

It makes sense that an ELCA pastor wouldn’t need to undergo any remediation to join the rostered clergy in the LCMC. After all, the LCMC was formed by breakaway ELCA congregations that wanted to remain closer to the Confessions than the main body, and the LCMC still calls some pastors from ELCA seminaries.

Now if an LCMC or ELCA pastor wanted to become LCMS, I’d imagine that the Synod might require additional Greek, Hebrew, or Lutheran theology courses (the ELCA offers “alternative routes” to becoming a pastor that omit some necessary theological study). Of course, they would be required to uphold the Confessions.

On the other end of the Lutheran spectrum, I know of a WELS pastor who suffered a messy divorce (not his choice or fault) and was no longer permitted to preach in the WELS. He joined the local LCMS parish as a member and, with the help of the LCMS pastor, began the process of becoming rostered. I’m not sure what that process entailed or whether he’d have needed to be re-ordained or not. 🤷 Sadly, he died before completing the process. Now I’m curious. Boy, will I have questions for pastor Sunday! 😃
 
steido01 said:
Too many Vikes fans in that part of the world… couldn’t live there if you paid me. 😛

It makes sense that an ELCA pastor wouldn’t need to undergo any remediation to join the rostered clergy in the LCMC. After all, the LCMC was formed by breakaway ELCA congregations that wanted to remain closer to the Confessions than the main body, and the LCMC still calls some pastors from ELCA seminaries.

Now if an LCMC or ELCA pastor wanted to become LCMS, I’d imagine that the Synod might require additional Greek, Hebrew, or Lutheran theology courses (the ELCA offers “alternative routes” to becoming a pastor that omit some necessary theological study). Of course, they would be required to uphold the Confessions.

On the other end of the Lutheran spectrum, I know of a WELS pastor who suffered a messy divorce (not his choice or fault) and was no longer permitted to preach in the WELS. He joined the local LCMS parish as a member and, with the help of the LCMS pastor, began the process of becoming rostered. I’m not sure what that process entailed or whether he’d have needed to be re-ordained or not. 🤷 Sadly, he died before completing the process. Now I’m curious. Boy, will I have questions for pastor Sunday! 😃
Click to expand...
I know that he went to an ELCA seminary in Mn. He was a pastor for the ELCA for many years and would probably still be if it hadn’t been for the problem that removed him from the ELCA roster. Once that problem happened and the ELCA dropped him off the roster, he suddenly became LCMC. 🤷

We also had a Catholic priest here that left his calling in the Church due to some outside issues and later joined the Independent Catholic Church of North America and holds “mass” in an ELCA parish on Sunday afternoons. 🤷
 
I think the early German settlers stayed pretty close to the Mississippi River if they strayed out of the Midwest 🙂
 
=MaryT777;10819124]If an ELCA pastor decided to convert to the LCMS could he still be a Pastor in the new synod. I assume of course if it was a she the answer is no. But if it were a man would there be a process whereby he could remain a pastor or would he need to go to the LCMS seminary?
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Click to expand...
i’m NO EXPERT.

But I would think each case needs to be handled on a case by case basis. Contact the Bishops Office nearest you.

It seems reasonable that an assement of current beliefs needs to be done?

God Bless you,
Pat/PJm
 
Packerland said:
Thanks for the welcome, Mary. I suppose if there could be a comparison, it would be if a Polish National Catholic priest with valid orders entered the Catholic Church.
Click to expand...
I’m afraid don’t understand that comparison. When a PNCC priest becomes a Catholic priest, there is no re-ordination.
 
Wisdom said:
I respect that. Heck we have a closed communion and it is printed out as well.

However, what I find strange about the LCMS and other conservative sects of Lutheranism is their refusal to join in public prayer with other Christians. It really comes across to the non-lutheran as smug and we don’t come from the same creator nor worship the same creator. It has been 500 years Lutherans get over yourself a little. I think it is time conservative Lutherans revisit that issue as it is baffling to non Lutheran Christians.
Click to expand...
I don’t think it’s baffling to the Orthodox.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top