The ELCA and the Two Kingdoms
Upon further review, as they say in pro football, more needs to be said about the ELCA's problem distinguishing between the Two Kingdoms.
Luther was very clear in saying that there are times when it is indeed right and proper for the Church to "tweak the Prince's nose." Social justice is a Law issue (and it's worth remembering that the preaching of the Law- which is necessary to the proclamation of the Gospel- is Left Hand stuff).
What is to be complained of is not so much that the ELCA is so political. It's that it's so extreme, so ill-informed, so one-sided...and so wrong.
There is nothing wrong with "tweaking the Prince's nose." The problem is that the ELCA is quick to tweak whenever Far Left political interests would be served thereby, and remarkably silent when it comes to abortion, gay "marriage," the idolatry of feminine language for God, or any other issue on which speaking up for the weak and the powerless or for the ethics of the New Testament would be politically incorrect. It is not the failure of the ELCA to distinguish between the Two Kingdoms, really, that is the problem; it's the problem it has with the First Commandment. Its god is the Far Left vision of social justice; it's Law is political correctness, and its Gospel is not the forgiveness of sins, but trendy radical Leftist chic.
The Prince's nose sometimes needs to be tweaked, even if the Prince's name is Bush. The problem is that the ELCA's nose needs to be tweaked constantly. It is in no position to advise others on matters of social ethics; Christ's metaphor of the mote and the beam applies here.
Luther was very clear in saying that there are times when it is indeed right and proper for the Church to "tweak the Prince's nose." Social justice is a Law issue (and it's worth remembering that the preaching of the Law- which is necessary to the proclamation of the Gospel- is Left Hand stuff).
What is to be complained of is not so much that the ELCA is so political. It's that it's so extreme, so ill-informed, so one-sided...and so wrong.
There is nothing wrong with "tweaking the Prince's nose." The problem is that the ELCA is quick to tweak whenever Far Left political interests would be served thereby, and remarkably silent when it comes to abortion, gay "marriage," the idolatry of feminine language for God, or any other issue on which speaking up for the weak and the powerless or for the ethics of the New Testament would be politically incorrect. It is not the failure of the ELCA to distinguish between the Two Kingdoms, really, that is the problem; it's the problem it has with the First Commandment. Its god is the Far Left vision of social justice; it's Law is political correctness, and its Gospel is not the forgiveness of sins, but trendy radical Leftist chic.
The Prince's nose sometimes needs to be tweaked, even if the Prince's name is Bush. The problem is that the ELCA's nose needs to be tweaked constantly. It is in no position to advise others on matters of social ethics; Christ's metaphor of the mote and the beam applies here.
Comments