Has David Strand been listening to the head of the Episcopal Church, Katharine JeffertsSchori? Probably not, but they certainly made some similar statements.
In an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, in response to the fact that 7,000+ people had signed a petition to bring back Issues, Etc. he "pointed out that the 7,000 signatures make up one-third of 1 percent of the church body." (St. Louis Post Dispatch, April 15, 2008)
Meaning, of course, that he's not worried about a minuscule number like 7,000 Lutherans.
In the April 19thSalt Lake Tribunethe Rev. Katharine JeffertsSchori, head of the Episcopal Church was quoted:
...one issue continues to divide Anglicans among themselves: the 2003 ordination of New Hampshire's Bishop Gene Robinson, an openly gay man in a committed relationship. Some congregations already have pulled out of the denomination, including the entire Nigerian Diocese, to voice their objections.
Ultimately, JeffertsSchori does not believe the Anglican Communion will splinter over it.
"It's a very, very small part of this church, less than 1 percent, that sees this of sufficient concern to want to leave over it," she said. "Our job is to bless their going and reassure them our door is always open and that we'll keep the light on for them."
Hmmm! Do you think that perhaps David Strand is ready - maybe even anxious - to bless our going, since we're supposedly such a small number?
A predawn earthquake rattled Southern Illinois and eastern Missouri early today, waking up neighborhoods across the area and flooding police departments with calls.
The quake measured a 5.2 magnitude and occurred at 4:37 a.m. CDT. It was centered in southeastern Illinois, five miles from the town of Bellmont, according to Timothy M. Kusky, director of the Center for Environmental Sciences at St. Louis University.
President Kieschnick, you might think it's okay to get 1/3 of 1% of LCMS members angry, but I wouldn't argue with God if I were you! :-)
Mollie Hemingway, who wrote Radio Silence in the Wall Street Journal on the cancellation of Issues, Etc. is now blogging about the LCMS at Augsburg1530. Don't miss it!
Todd Wilken’s Video on Church Consultants and Heresy!
How to be distinctly and unapologetically Lutheran in a post-denominational world. You can’t tone down Lutheran theology and practice without making it something else!
White Horse Inn producer Shane Rosenthal just let me know that Mollie Hemingway, who wrote the article "Radio Silence" in the Wall Street Journal was interviewed by Michael Horton about Issues, Etc. Click Here to listen to the interview.
The link for signing the petition is here. As of this writing there are over 4,400 signatures.
Additionally, David O. Berger of the LCMS Board for Communications Services has written an open letter to the Praesidium of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. It can be found here.
KFUO supposedly restored the archives for Issues, Etc. after removing them, however you will note that all of the links for downloading or listening to the shows are dead.
Let's not let this matter die out, as I'm sure the LCMS is desperately hoping it will. This could be make or break for the confessional wing of Lutheranism. The things the LCMS has been introducing, such as Ablaze and the Church Growth Movement, are the very things I was trying to escape when I joined the Lutheran church and I'm sure that's the case for many people. Below is some helpful information provided by Aaron Nemoyer.
Update at 12 noon. I have just received a reply from David Strand. He offered no explanation as requested and so I have informed him that I am withdrawing all financial support to the LCMS and requesting from my own church that they use my donations strictly for their own purposes without sending any of it to the LCMS district or headquarters. It is my understanding that this can be done. If enough people do this it will have an impact.
Here is all sorts of contact information to tell people what you think about this, let them know how important Issues, Etc. was to us, and ask why the show was cancelled:
Rev. David L. Strand Executive Director Board for Communication (314) 996-1200 (314) 822-0000 david.strand@lcms.org
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 (888) 843-5267 (314) 965-9000 FAX: (314) 996-1016 infocenter@lcms.org
KFUO Radio Station (314) 725-0099 (314) 725-3030 (314) 721-2969
Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick Synod President (314) 996-1402 (314) 842-7110 president@lcms.org
For anyone who comes across this and has Facebook, the most discussion it seems is going on at the "Bring back Issues ETC!!!" Facebook group. http://facebook.com/group.php?gid=11679316089
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Finally, financial help for the Schwarz and Wilken families can be sent to the following address. Just put in the memo line that it’s for the “Schwarz/Wilken Fund”. The Schwarzes especially need the help as Jeff Schwarz's wife Beth has been recently diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy and they need to go to Mayo Clinic to try figuring out what can be done.
"Schwarz/Wilken Fund" Saint Paul Lutheran Church P.O. Box 247 Hamel, IL 62046
All help and all prayers are appreciated.
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I will be continuing to post information and resources relating to the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and firing of Rev. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz. So, if you could please help me draw people to the resource of my blog, I would really appreciate it. http://latinkid.blogspot.com/2008/03/pulled-from-air-issues-etc.html
For what it's worth - not much in my opinion- here is the statement KFUO has posted now on their website. They have reinstated the archives of the show:
For programmatic and business reasons, the decision was made this week to discontinue the "Issues, Etc." program on KFUO-AM. We look forward to bringing you new programming in this time slot in the near future. Also, we thank "Issues" host Rev. Todd Wilken and producer Mr. Jeff Schwarz for their years of service on behalf of the station. Those interested may still download past "Issues, Etc." programs from the "Issues" archive on this website. Thank you sincerely for your continued support of KFUO's radio ministry.
Today the LCMS ordered the cancellation of the popular radio show Issues, Etc. without stating a reason why, and terminated the employment of Pastor Todd Wilken, the show's host, and Mr. Jeff Schwarz, the show's producer.
Speaking as an occasional guest on the show, I find this to be an extremely sad day for the LCMS. Check out the Wittenberg Trail for more information as it becomes available. A fund has also been set up to help Todd and Jeff on Wittenberg Trail. Additionally, to support the Schwarzes and the Wilkens donate to Saint Paul Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 247, Hamel, IL 62046 Make your gifts - Wilken/Schwarz Fund..
"To the Scribes, the Pharisees and the hypocrites, the heresy hunters that want to find a little mote of illegal doctrine in some Christian's eye and poke that little mote out of their eye when they've got the whole forest in their own lives and in their own eyes, I say to hell with you!" Paul Crouch.
