tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052460553642210195.post4588808711074430492..comments2023-06-09T11:31:58.052-04:00Comments on David R. Barnhart: THE ELCA (AND NO ONE ELSE) IS TO BLAME FOR THE TURMOIL FOUND WITHIN ITS CONGREGTIONS – LORD OF LIFE, RAMSEY, MN AND EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN, COKATO, MNDavid R. Barnhart email: wordabide@aol.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05314142539508692297noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2052460553642210195.post-18338593867378890302010-07-06T00:23:32.550-04:002010-07-06T00:23:32.550-04:00David, I'm the pastor of Evangelical Lutheran ...David, I'm the pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato, and I happened to see this as I was looking online last night. I'm sure I'm a whole lot more liberal than you are in many ways, but I still believe that the scriptures must be the authoritative source and norm of our proclamation faith and life or we are lost. Many of our people, unfortunately, really do not have a Luther's view on the scriptures, that our conscience needs to be BOUND only to the Word of God and not to our feelings. I am NOT into church politics at all but this has been such a year of suffering. One of our more liberal members who says that there is a group in agreement with him in our church, really believes that those who are in anguish over what the ELCA did should leave our local congregation. But the "beef" we have it not with our local congregation! It's with the ELCA and it's "conscience" which seems to be "bound" either to nothing or to a desire just to make everyone feel good. It reminds me of a scene in the Luther movie where Martin hurts the feelings of a mother who has bought an indulgence for the good of her child. The movie isn't real history, but it does make the point that we cannot be guided by our feelings. If we had, we'd still be Roman Catholic. My blog is at www.equalsharing.com if anyone is interested. PLEASE PRAY that God's will, and only God's will, would be done in Cokato as it is done in heaven.Steve Thorsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17378015932917535496noreply@blogger.com