After the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012, the people of that town were in need of comfort. One response to that need was to organize a prayer service attended by the U.S. President and the State governor, with prayers led by various local Christian leaders as well as leaders of several other religions. A pastor of our sister church, the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, participated in that service.
In times of great tragedy, as in all times, there is no greater act of love than to point the eyes of the world to Jesus Christ and the salvation that He alone gives. It is impossible to clearly point to Jesus as the Lamb of God when we stand alongside those who are pointing us in countless other directions, pointing to false gods and false theologies that lead us away from our Savior’s blood.
Muslims and Jews and Buddhists wept just as many tears for the children of Sandy Hook as Christians. But they don’t have Jesus, the answer to those tears. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers,” St. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6. To share a stage and a microphone and an audience without rebuking the darkness that unbelievers speak is to violate this command from God’s Word. And if we don’t believe it prudent to follow Elijah’s example and mock Baal (the world) and his prophets when they share the spotlight with us, it’s best to descend Mount Carmel and speak from a place where no word of lawlessness is mingled with our word of righteousness.
I bring this to your attention because of the participation of one of our pastors in that service. He has since apologised to his brothers and sisters in Christ for giving such an unclear witness to Jesus through the circumstances of that service. This is good and right for this pastor to do so for it shows the willingness that all Christians ought to have to repent when they are in error and to not give offense to their brothers and sisters in Christ.
However, this pastor's actions have been misreported in the media (here).
To see how this serious issue has actually been handled, read the Missouri Synod President, the Rev. Matthew Harrison's letter (here). I thank God that the Missouri Synod has such gracious and wise leader who has provided merciful care to all sides of this sensitive issue.
You may notice that Pastor Harrison gave pastoral advice based on God's Word (not a reprimand), after lengthy conversation, and that in Christian humility Pastor Robert Morris offered his apology recognizing his error and offense against God's Word. You might also notice that Pastor Morris was aware of the possible offense and took measures to try to prevent it, and was quick to apologise once the offense was realized. This was no "reprimand" as some media outlets reported, but an excellent example of how the Church should do all things in love.
Read Pastor Morris' letter of apology here.
Read a more accurate news report of what happened here.
Read some commentary on Elijah and the prophets of Baal here.
For an excellent explanation of why interfaith services prevent the Gospel being proclaimed read this blog post titled, "The Grief Ritual of American Civic Religion".
In times of great tragedy, as in all times, there is no greater act of love than to point the eyes of the world to Jesus Christ and the salvation that He alone gives. It is impossible to clearly point to Jesus as the Lamb of God when we stand alongside those who are pointing us in countless other directions, pointing to false gods and false theologies that lead us away from our Savior’s blood.
Muslims and Jews and Buddhists wept just as many tears for the children of Sandy Hook as Christians. But they don’t have Jesus, the answer to those tears. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers,” St. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6. To share a stage and a microphone and an audience without rebuking the darkness that unbelievers speak is to violate this command from God’s Word. And if we don’t believe it prudent to follow Elijah’s example and mock Baal (the world) and his prophets when they share the spotlight with us, it’s best to descend Mount Carmel and speak from a place where no word of lawlessness is mingled with our word of righteousness.
I bring this to your attention because of the participation of one of our pastors in that service. He has since apologised to his brothers and sisters in Christ for giving such an unclear witness to Jesus through the circumstances of that service. This is good and right for this pastor to do so for it shows the willingness that all Christians ought to have to repent when they are in error and to not give offense to their brothers and sisters in Christ.
However, this pastor's actions have been misreported in the media (here).
To see how this serious issue has actually been handled, read the Missouri Synod President, the Rev. Matthew Harrison's letter (here). I thank God that the Missouri Synod has such gracious and wise leader who has provided merciful care to all sides of this sensitive issue.
You may notice that Pastor Harrison gave pastoral advice based on God's Word (not a reprimand), after lengthy conversation, and that in Christian humility Pastor Robert Morris offered his apology recognizing his error and offense against God's Word. You might also notice that Pastor Morris was aware of the possible offense and took measures to try to prevent it, and was quick to apologise once the offense was realized. This was no "reprimand" as some media outlets reported, but an excellent example of how the Church should do all things in love.
Read Pastor Morris' letter of apology here.
Read a more accurate news report of what happened here.
Read some commentary on Elijah and the prophets of Baal here.
For an excellent explanation of why interfaith services prevent the Gospel being proclaimed read this blog post titled, "The Grief Ritual of American Civic Religion".
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