Thursday, May 26, 2016

Matthew Harrison, LCMS President, accurately diagnoses what ails the church abroad

The only problem is his own synod generally and leadership in particular in the United States are variously infected with the theological pathologies he cites.

Quoted here:

Realizing the highest growth potential is abroad, the synod is in fellowship with more than 30 church bodies worldwide, particularly in Latin American and Africa. Harrison says Lutheranism “sputters and fails” anywhere clergy don’t have extensive seminary training. For that reason, he said, church leaders in Ethiopia and other areas have asked the Missouri synod for theological support.

“They know they need pastors against glory theology, against prosperity theology and against all kinds of charismatic nonsense going on in Africa,” Harrison said at the conference. “If we are going to stand tall against the culture, if we are going to be intense about reaching out, church planting among cultures of immigrants, nonwhites, etc., we cannot shirk seminary education. It is our crown jewel because it teaches our men what they need to know and give for the gospel.”