|
The September 25,, 2002 resolution adopted by the New York City Council
(published in the previous Reclaim News Release) was titled
"Supporting Rev. David Benke." Its wording strongly
suggests that it was written by those who support Benke in the LCMS.
Originally, the Yankee Stadium event was billed as a "service."
Now the New York City Council says it was a "patriotic civic
event." This is exactly what President Kieschnick, Benke, and
"Jesus First" have been saying.
Reclaim News has not been interested in the "patriotic versus civic
event" debate. All the talk about kingdom on the left or right
is rather pointless in view of the more fundamental issue.
The issue is whether prayer is an act of worship in the LCMS.
It is time for Benke to take responsibility for his actions. Instead
of hiding behind the New York City Council, why doesn't Benke have the
"courage" to say that when he prays, his prayer is worship no
matter where he prays?
To everyone's knowledge, the LCMS is now the only known Christian church
body on earth that claims prayers offered by its members are not acts of
worship. Why? So that Benke and Kieschnick can get around
Article VI.2 of the LCMS Constitution.
If prayer is an act of worship, then Benke is guilty of joint worship when
he prayed with Moslem, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, and Jewish clergy. If
prayer is not an act of worship, then the civic versus worship debate is
just a matter of semantics.
This New Yorker went to 8 years of grade school and 4 years of high school
in New York City, and graduated from Concordia Bronxville. Mrs.
Coogan was my first grade teacher in P. S. 113 in Brooklyn in 1953.
It wasn't until I went to the Seminary that I was informed that the LCMS
consistently placed its oddball clergy in the "Salt Water
Districts" since the 1920's, particularly the Atlantic District.
It is just wonderful to know that your Synod considers your region a
dumping ground for its problem clergy.
This explains why there were so many "flakes" coming out to New
York City congregations when I was growing up, from District President
Rudy (I-love-the-AELC) Russmeyer, all the way down to a majority of
pastors who did their best to fill their congregations with Masons.
I remember in the sixth grade, (1958), our congregation sent back a vicar
to St. Louis because he made a negative remark about the Masonic Lodge
meetings that were being held in the church basement. We showed
those hicks from Missouri how to run a Synod. My parents transferred
to another LCMS congregation where every voter was a Mason.
The rest of the LCMS shouldn't be surprised that the Atlantic District
pastors support Benke. Just look at the caliber of clergy we keep
sending out there.
We can now expect to see LCMS congregations, and perhaps Districts, submit
the New York City resolution to the 2004 LCMS Convention.
The world knows its own and New York City supports Benke.
Now the New York City Council is advising the LCMS on how it should preach
the Gospel. We pray that God also gives them some good advice, which
they aren't getting from LCMS Atlantic District pastors.
Perhaps the New York City Council will correct the LCMS on other doctrinal
issues.
Has the New York City Council ever advised any other church body on how to
conduct its religion? Ah, but under the heading "culture"
they can now address all areas of church and state. Many in the LCMS
would prefer cultural and civic solutions to the Synod's doctrinal issues.
The New York City Council is not concerned that Wallace Schulz has been
fired by the LLL and no longer preaches the Gospel to New Yorkers. Why
aren't they concerned about the cultural loss to the city?
They also said Benke was no longer on the clergy roster. They are
wrong. Benke is no longer a District President, but he is still on the
clergy roster and is pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
The Council has now stated that Benke's Gospel ministry was,
"comforting to many and provided an important contribution to the
City's healing process . . . . " There is Gospel reductionism
and relativism at its best. Benke has helped the entire City define
the Gospel, void of its original content. What more could Jesus want of
His called clergy?
|
|