**Please do not read this if you are easily offended**. Lutherans must confront the fact that the theology and doctrines we boast in were set aside during the COVID-19 "pandemic response".
The problem in the LCMS is that we have many pastors and laypeople who profess to be Lutheran, but either don't follow our doctrine or don't know it. Our doctrine is a true blessing to the church.
Thank you for this. May Christ forgive us for our cowardice and lack of faith, and may He gird us for other trials that will invariably come. Only He can save us.
If the fruit of repentance ever occurs it will be bittersweet for me to witness.
The LCMS/LCC capitulation to the techno-fascism of '2020' wrecked the conclusion of my seminary formation, and saw presented to me the only possible choice:
to obey GOD rather than men, which also meant leaving the LCMS.
I represent four generations of a faithful Missouri Synod household, with my son being the fifth (and my Dad is still alive), yet I was allowed to walk out the door without so much as a second glance (while GOD's promising growth through my domestic missionary labors went hard-heartedly unacknowledged).
For my brothers who continue to forbear and labor in the fields attached to 'Missouri', and my family and friends who remain, in hopes of a revolution of the North American realm of the Church of the Reformations: I pray that repentance among the hierarchies comes to be a reality.
We are sorry to hear that, Josh. Indeed, the LCC is guilty of the most egregious Christian and civic cowardice through the COVID-19 drama. It was so bad compared with the witness of other Canadian Christians, that it's enough to make one sympathetic to Rick Warren's "Deeds, not creeds" slam against us. We pray that you find solace, comfort, and some justice as you pursue your post-seminary vocations. One day I will be able to tell a seminary story that does not make shipwreck of the innocent. It is a compelling picture of the problem that causes us to fold at the first hurdle. God bless you and your family.
Likewise would my story pull out the wheat with the tares, so it will remain unspoken. Yet JESUS knows... Meanwhile, the LORD of the Harvest has revealed his favor towards us, and by His gracious will has brought our mission parish into a setting where we can continue to faithfully do the Kingdom-work He has prepared for us to do- possibly even reaching disenfranchised Christians in our region that might otherwise have gone unministered to if we had become formally 'Missouri' (thinking of Dr Koontz's words in his reflections on Acts 12 in his AC commentary).
Some church historian should look into how mid-western progressivism conflicts with the conservative Christian values of LCMS and WELS members. My impression that our mass cucking during the Covid crisis was caused by Confessional Lutherans not wanting to anger their Left-liberal neighbors because flying under the radar is a cultural habit of the Cofessionalists.
Yes, a long range and deep rooted theological, sociological, anthropological, and political study is needed to understand how Lutherans in "red bastions" rolled over and presented themselves for neutering during COVID.
Post-WW2 consensus has everyone terrified of ever standing against any liberal social or cultural idea pushed on them lest they be shamed as racist.
You have Nahum Goldman in 1915 saying the goal of Zionism is to remove all nation borders (https://files.catbox.moe/513qsx.png), that goes for America. And people are just sitting around being ethnically cleansed with Haitians and Venezuelans while pastors telling us just to lay down and die. This is why I don't go to church anymore, weak pathetic leaders shilling for our enemies. It's not just Covid it's everything.
We have lost our country to enemies and are attacked for warning everyone what's happening as another Red Terror is next if we don't stop them. How can we do that if we can't even openly name who they are? I just want out of this nightmare, I did all I could to warn my brothers.
It wasn't Jews or Zionists or Arabs or Wahhabists or anyone else that did this to the Synod. It did it all by itself with its German and Scandi majorities.
I agree with everything that is written here... in fact, I could have written it myself...
My only critique is that the author failed to acknowledge that many pastors who were bullied into crazy hygiene measures, like myself, quickly stopped and publicly repented.
Thank you, Pr. Poppe. Yes, I think I could have done a better job distinguishing between the impenitent and the penitent in these matters. I was certainly guilty of being overly cautious in Feb and much of March 2020. It is a great thing when someone is able to acknowledge error and reverse or adjust course. My primary target is those who refuse to acknowledge that anything untoward happened in our churches during COVID or that we failed as citizens. The lay leadership provided a repulsive example in so many ways, and congregations will do themselves a favor by permanently replacing laity that insisted on all the measures for as long as possible. Likewise, pastors who decided to drive the bus off the cliff with novel developments for the Lord’s Supper and who have not repented, need to change careers. Best wishes and thank you for your steadfast service.
Wonderful article. Much repentance is still needed in our church body, from both pastor's and laity. SO many people were hurt in so many unnecessary ways and still virtually, no one will acknowledge the damage done.
This is a brave article to post. I appreciate it. I am thankful for our courageous pastor and how he handled the fear in the community at that time. He did not close a single Sunday nor wore a mask in the church. I think many of us were comforted by this and gained courage ourselves through it. Our small, country church grew in size starting in 2020 and throughout 2021, because other churches were closed, limiting seating/attendance, or imposing physical requirements. We have many new, regularly attending members now because of that time. But there were difficulties as well and of course lost some members because of the same (lack of) measures and how "unloving" that was. It was truly a spiritual battle and what a thing for our shepherds to battle against.
I remember in early 2020, the first Sunday after everything really exploded in the news, we still had church. My pastor made a comment and said something like, "If we close our church now, where does it go from there? If they can get us to close our doors now, they will just try to keep them closed." No service was ever canceled. And it was strengthening for us all.
That is fantastic, thanks for sharing! Your pastor is a hero of the faith and he fulfilled his role as a shepherd who truly cares for his sheep. He’s a keeper - be sure to take good care of him.
Thank you for your post. I made an attempt to call the synod at convention to repentance for this error. It didn't pass, but a lot more people voted for it than just me, so there is that.
Take heart, about a 1/3rd of synod recognizes our utter failure to confess the faith when it was our turn, and those who repent of their cowardice shall receive from the Lord comfort and consolation, forgiveness for all of their sins. Though it could be better, not all have bowed the knee to Baal. The Lord shall look on the humble estate of His servant and give us boldness. Remember, at first the twelve fled from Jesus in His hour of need, and in the end nearly all were made bold and were martyred for the faith. May God grant us that same zeal!
Yes, I'm sure this article will help in calling to repentance with such comments as, "At that moment, I realized this bishop was terrorized by something that could kill the body but was indifferent to the one who kills the body and soul in hell.", and how you seem to be sure you did everything right. No mention that it was a difficult time. I am glad my church stayed open and I was able to receive communion, but I don't see how this article helps anything.
Hi Elizabeth, I'm glad your pandemic experience was good. You may have misunderstood - the purpose of the article was not to "help", but to bring long overdue attention to gross failures among Lutherans when it comes to living the doctrines and practices we preach.
Well, I wouldn't say my pandemic experience was good, but I am thankful for being able to go to church and receive the Sacrament. Sorry for the misunderstanding. In answer to your question I would answer that no, I don't believe that American Lutheranism has failed.
I think there is a difference between "Has it failed" and did it fail in some things. I agree on-line communion is a big fail, but I read the "gentle written rebuke" you linked, and it seemed to correctly address the issue. I am way out of my league discussing these things and probably should not have commented, and don't feel qualified to answer which doctrines were working. But thank you for responding to my comments.
Thanks, Elizabeth. My purpose is not to win an argument, but to point to a systemic failure. Lutheranism is fine. American Lutheranism is not.
Yes, the Synod told pastors to stop online communion, but we need to ask two follow-up diagnostic questions:
1. What is the theological deviance that empowered so many pastors to think online communion was acceptable, never mind closing their churches to worship? Is this secretly propagated in our seminaries? How did it enter and where has it burrowed in?
2. Why has nobody lost their jobs over this or been excommunicated? The CTCR document itself notes that remote consecration is a form of witchcraft, AKA, we have the doctrines of demons being propagated in our churches. So, it deserves more than the ivory tower response it got. The grace-upon-grace-upon-grace-upon-grace extended to these men was entirely absent when teachers and others were constructively dismissed or harassed out of their congregations for refusing the vax.
Our District Presidents have an enormous obligation to untangle the two theological tiers we seem to be operating under: a) always citing Romans 13 to justify unquestioning obedience to select authorities, b) waving hands of grace, peace, and mercy to justify turning a blind eye to all sorts of aberrant doctrine and praxis among the clergy and the laity.
The DP's also have a duty to get to the bottom of every dismissal and bullying situation under COVID to make restitution and issue discipline. We have an incredibly serious problem in our body with the public projection of who we are versus the reality of what is going on at congregational, district, national, RSO and partner level. There is far too much whitewashing of institutional tombs.
Fresh air. There should have been more of this for the entirety of the last 4 and a half years. I'm already bothered by the popular history that's settled. This angle ought to be the main historical account we read in the future. I thought more would have been written while the cut was still fresh, but perhaps some will be able to put together thorough accounts now that it seems "past."
Alas.
Perhaps the next Event will help crystalize things for us.
There does need to be a reckoning along with introspection and repentance. The meme about, "oh, well, mistakes were made on both sides" is not going to fly when the perpetrators still have their livelihoods and social standing.
Here is my perspective. Everything is so clear in hindsight. The initial onslaught of the disease was deadly. My own daughter’s experience as a pharmacist in a local large hospital had many COVID deaths and it had to increase ICU units wholly dedicated to COVID patients. Here the Dr.’s learned that once patients needed to be put on a respirator they probably were going to die. I think the vast number of the deaths were unvaccinated patients. My daughter saw much death from COVID. It was devastating that those outside the system denied that it was happening.
As the months turned into years the COVID illness muted and has now become much like a cold.
Our Pastor never suspended Services and did not mask or glove but extra measures were taken for disinfecting the purificator. We spaced out in service. Individuals were free to mask or not. We went up in single file to receive communion. Our Pastor was willing to meet with us individually to receive communion. We did live stream but our Pastor said he would not live stream ever again.
I agree a lot of the mandated response was harmful, unnecessary and was masqueraded to the public as scientific when it was not. Yet, initially there was definitely severe illness. The people I was aquatinted with who died from COVID were unvaccinated. Before this, I have not personally been acquainted with as many people dying from a single infectious disease. I am 67. My daughter in law’s mother was unvaccinated and was hospitalized for weeks. She has permanent lung damage and found she can no longer travel to higher altitudes even with oxygen and does need supplemental oxygen in her daily life. There have been serious consequences from COVID infection in my extended community.
I do believe the pandemic was a wake up call to examine what we as Christians really confess and believe about The Divine Service: It is necessary that the church meet for the giving and receiving of The Word and Sacrament; Our Lord is truly present there. It was a time of increasing clarity for me of these truths. I never had considered the Church would be attacked through a public health event. It is often pointed out that churches met and people did not fall ill. However, in the future we may very well fall ill due to gathering together and what we believe about these things will require the willingness to die. This may have been training.
Don’t forget about religious exemptions from forced vaccination to keep our jobs. I asked my pastor for assistance and was told that LCMS had officially taken “no stance” and would not support parishioners seeking religious exemptions. While I have steadfastly remained faithful to Christ’s teachings and Luther’s interpretations, it was yet another example of Lutheran clergy letting me down when I needed them most. I’ve come to expect nothing from them.
I am very sorry to hear that, Beth. Your pastor did not need permission from the Synod to help his parishioner, and I hope he has repented and asked for your forgiveness. Were you able to avoid the shots and keep your job?
Thanks to God, yes, my immediate family all kept their jobs unvaccinated. He forwarded me the Synod letter. He has not mentioned it since. I’d like to think we all learned life altering lessons. Thank you so much for writing this essay. Sorry if this is dumb since I don’t know you, but I feel like all NA Lutheran pastors should be required to read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The problem in the LCMS is that we have many pastors and laypeople who profess to be Lutheran, but either don't follow our doctrine or don't know it. Our doctrine is a true blessing to the church.
Thank you for this. May Christ forgive us for our cowardice and lack of faith, and may He gird us for other trials that will invariably come. Only He can save us.
If the fruit of repentance ever occurs it will be bittersweet for me to witness.
The LCMS/LCC capitulation to the techno-fascism of '2020' wrecked the conclusion of my seminary formation, and saw presented to me the only possible choice:
to obey GOD rather than men, which also meant leaving the LCMS.
I represent four generations of a faithful Missouri Synod household, with my son being the fifth (and my Dad is still alive), yet I was allowed to walk out the door without so much as a second glance (while GOD's promising growth through my domestic missionary labors went hard-heartedly unacknowledged).
For my brothers who continue to forbear and labor in the fields attached to 'Missouri', and my family and friends who remain, in hopes of a revolution of the North American realm of the Church of the Reformations: I pray that repentance among the hierarchies comes to be a reality.
+S.D.G.+
We are sorry to hear that, Josh. Indeed, the LCC is guilty of the most egregious Christian and civic cowardice through the COVID-19 drama. It was so bad compared with the witness of other Canadian Christians, that it's enough to make one sympathetic to Rick Warren's "Deeds, not creeds" slam against us. We pray that you find solace, comfort, and some justice as you pursue your post-seminary vocations. One day I will be able to tell a seminary story that does not make shipwreck of the innocent. It is a compelling picture of the problem that causes us to fold at the first hurdle. God bless you and your family.
Likewise would my story pull out the wheat with the tares, so it will remain unspoken. Yet JESUS knows... Meanwhile, the LORD of the Harvest has revealed his favor towards us, and by His gracious will has brought our mission parish into a setting where we can continue to faithfully do the Kingdom-work He has prepared for us to do- possibly even reaching disenfranchised Christians in our region that might otherwise have gone unministered to if we had become formally 'Missouri' (thinking of Dr Koontz's words in his reflections on Acts 12 in his AC commentary).
Some church historian should look into how mid-western progressivism conflicts with the conservative Christian values of LCMS and WELS members. My impression that our mass cucking during the Covid crisis was caused by Confessional Lutherans not wanting to anger their Left-liberal neighbors because flying under the radar is a cultural habit of the Cofessionalists.
Yes, a long range and deep rooted theological, sociological, anthropological, and political study is needed to understand how Lutherans in "red bastions" rolled over and presented themselves for neutering during COVID.
Post-WW2 consensus has everyone terrified of ever standing against any liberal social or cultural idea pushed on them lest they be shamed as racist.
You have Nahum Goldman in 1915 saying the goal of Zionism is to remove all nation borders (https://files.catbox.moe/513qsx.png), that goes for America. And people are just sitting around being ethnically cleansed with Haitians and Venezuelans while pastors telling us just to lay down and die. This is why I don't go to church anymore, weak pathetic leaders shilling for our enemies. It's not just Covid it's everything.
Not to mention Solzhenitsyn - https://files.catbox.moe/pti3tl.jpg and https://files.catbox.moe/khk98o.jpg
We have lost our country to enemies and are attacked for warning everyone what's happening as another Red Terror is next if we don't stop them. How can we do that if we can't even openly name who they are? I just want out of this nightmare, I did all I could to warn my brothers.
It wasn't Jews or Zionists or Arabs or Wahhabists or anyone else that did this to the Synod. It did it all by itself with its German and Scandi majorities.
I agree with everything that is written here... in fact, I could have written it myself...
My only critique is that the author failed to acknowledge that many pastors who were bullied into crazy hygiene measures, like myself, quickly stopped and publicly repented.
Thank you, Pr. Poppe. Yes, I think I could have done a better job distinguishing between the impenitent and the penitent in these matters. I was certainly guilty of being overly cautious in Feb and much of March 2020. It is a great thing when someone is able to acknowledge error and reverse or adjust course. My primary target is those who refuse to acknowledge that anything untoward happened in our churches during COVID or that we failed as citizens. The lay leadership provided a repulsive example in so many ways, and congregations will do themselves a favor by permanently replacing laity that insisted on all the measures for as long as possible. Likewise, pastors who decided to drive the bus off the cliff with novel developments for the Lord’s Supper and who have not repented, need to change careers. Best wishes and thank you for your steadfast service.
Wonderful article. Much repentance is still needed in our church body, from both pastor's and laity. SO many people were hurt in so many unnecessary ways and still virtually, no one will acknowledge the damage done.
This is a brave article to post. I appreciate it. I am thankful for our courageous pastor and how he handled the fear in the community at that time. He did not close a single Sunday nor wore a mask in the church. I think many of us were comforted by this and gained courage ourselves through it. Our small, country church grew in size starting in 2020 and throughout 2021, because other churches were closed, limiting seating/attendance, or imposing physical requirements. We have many new, regularly attending members now because of that time. But there were difficulties as well and of course lost some members because of the same (lack of) measures and how "unloving" that was. It was truly a spiritual battle and what a thing for our shepherds to battle against.
I remember in early 2020, the first Sunday after everything really exploded in the news, we still had church. My pastor made a comment and said something like, "If we close our church now, where does it go from there? If they can get us to close our doors now, they will just try to keep them closed." No service was ever canceled. And it was strengthening for us all.
That is fantastic, thanks for sharing! Your pastor is a hero of the faith and he fulfilled his role as a shepherd who truly cares for his sheep. He’s a keeper - be sure to take good care of him.
Thank you for your post. I made an attempt to call the synod at convention to repentance for this error. It didn't pass, but a lot more people voted for it than just me, so there is that.
Take heart, about a 1/3rd of synod recognizes our utter failure to confess the faith when it was our turn, and those who repent of their cowardice shall receive from the Lord comfort and consolation, forgiveness for all of their sins. Though it could be better, not all have bowed the knee to Baal. The Lord shall look on the humble estate of His servant and give us boldness. Remember, at first the twelve fled from Jesus in His hour of need, and in the end nearly all were made bold and were martyred for the faith. May God grant us that same zeal!
Amen, and thank you for the work to try to get the Convention to take it seriously.
Yes, I'm sure this article will help in calling to repentance with such comments as, "At that moment, I realized this bishop was terrorized by something that could kill the body but was indifferent to the one who kills the body and soul in hell.", and how you seem to be sure you did everything right. No mention that it was a difficult time. I am glad my church stayed open and I was able to receive communion, but I don't see how this article helps anything.
Hi Elizabeth, I'm glad your pandemic experience was good. You may have misunderstood - the purpose of the article was not to "help", but to bring long overdue attention to gross failures among Lutherans when it comes to living the doctrines and practices we preach.
Well, I wouldn't say my pandemic experience was good, but I am thankful for being able to go to church and receive the Sacrament. Sorry for the misunderstanding. In answer to your question I would answer that no, I don't believe that American Lutheranism has failed.
No problem. Which doctrines were working from your perspective?
I think there is a difference between "Has it failed" and did it fail in some things. I agree on-line communion is a big fail, but I read the "gentle written rebuke" you linked, and it seemed to correctly address the issue. I am way out of my league discussing these things and probably should not have commented, and don't feel qualified to answer which doctrines were working. But thank you for responding to my comments.
Thanks, Elizabeth. My purpose is not to win an argument, but to point to a systemic failure. Lutheranism is fine. American Lutheranism is not.
Yes, the Synod told pastors to stop online communion, but we need to ask two follow-up diagnostic questions:
1. What is the theological deviance that empowered so many pastors to think online communion was acceptable, never mind closing their churches to worship? Is this secretly propagated in our seminaries? How did it enter and where has it burrowed in?
2. Why has nobody lost their jobs over this or been excommunicated? The CTCR document itself notes that remote consecration is a form of witchcraft, AKA, we have the doctrines of demons being propagated in our churches. So, it deserves more than the ivory tower response it got. The grace-upon-grace-upon-grace-upon-grace extended to these men was entirely absent when teachers and others were constructively dismissed or harassed out of their congregations for refusing the vax.
Our District Presidents have an enormous obligation to untangle the two theological tiers we seem to be operating under: a) always citing Romans 13 to justify unquestioning obedience to select authorities, b) waving hands of grace, peace, and mercy to justify turning a blind eye to all sorts of aberrant doctrine and praxis among the clergy and the laity.
The DP's also have a duty to get to the bottom of every dismissal and bullying situation under COVID to make restitution and issue discipline. We have an incredibly serious problem in our body with the public projection of who we are versus the reality of what is going on at congregational, district, national, RSO and partner level. There is far too much whitewashing of institutional tombs.
God's peace and blessings to you and your family.
Fresh air. There should have been more of this for the entirety of the last 4 and a half years. I'm already bothered by the popular history that's settled. This angle ought to be the main historical account we read in the future. I thought more would have been written while the cut was still fresh, but perhaps some will be able to put together thorough accounts now that it seems "past."
Alas.
Perhaps the next Event will help crystalize things for us.
There does need to be a reckoning along with introspection and repentance. The meme about, "oh, well, mistakes were made on both sides" is not going to fly when the perpetrators still have their livelihoods and social standing.
Here is my perspective. Everything is so clear in hindsight. The initial onslaught of the disease was deadly. My own daughter’s experience as a pharmacist in a local large hospital had many COVID deaths and it had to increase ICU units wholly dedicated to COVID patients. Here the Dr.’s learned that once patients needed to be put on a respirator they probably were going to die. I think the vast number of the deaths were unvaccinated patients. My daughter saw much death from COVID. It was devastating that those outside the system denied that it was happening.
As the months turned into years the COVID illness muted and has now become much like a cold.
Our Pastor never suspended Services and did not mask or glove but extra measures were taken for disinfecting the purificator. We spaced out in service. Individuals were free to mask or not. We went up in single file to receive communion. Our Pastor was willing to meet with us individually to receive communion. We did live stream but our Pastor said he would not live stream ever again.
I agree a lot of the mandated response was harmful, unnecessary and was masqueraded to the public as scientific when it was not. Yet, initially there was definitely severe illness. The people I was aquatinted with who died from COVID were unvaccinated. Before this, I have not personally been acquainted with as many people dying from a single infectious disease. I am 67. My daughter in law’s mother was unvaccinated and was hospitalized for weeks. She has permanent lung damage and found she can no longer travel to higher altitudes even with oxygen and does need supplemental oxygen in her daily life. There have been serious consequences from COVID infection in my extended community.
I do believe the pandemic was a wake up call to examine what we as Christians really confess and believe about The Divine Service: It is necessary that the church meet for the giving and receiving of The Word and Sacrament; Our Lord is truly present there. It was a time of increasing clarity for me of these truths. I never had considered the Church would be attacked through a public health event. It is often pointed out that churches met and people did not fall ill. However, in the future we may very well fall ill due to gathering together and what we believe about these things will require the willingness to die. This may have been training.
Don’t forget about religious exemptions from forced vaccination to keep our jobs. I asked my pastor for assistance and was told that LCMS had officially taken “no stance” and would not support parishioners seeking religious exemptions. While I have steadfastly remained faithful to Christ’s teachings and Luther’s interpretations, it was yet another example of Lutheran clergy letting me down when I needed them most. I’ve come to expect nothing from them.
I am very sorry to hear that, Beth. Your pastor did not need permission from the Synod to help his parishioner, and I hope he has repented and asked for your forgiveness. Were you able to avoid the shots and keep your job?
Thanks to God, yes, my immediate family all kept their jobs unvaccinated. He forwarded me the Synod letter. He has not mentioned it since. I’d like to think we all learned life altering lessons. Thank you so much for writing this essay. Sorry if this is dumb since I don’t know you, but I feel like all NA Lutheran pastors should be required to read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer.