About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.7 million members in more than 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
The lavender description of ELCA, above, is from the standard ELCA news release. The ELCA began with 10,000 congregations and 5.3 million members. They have lost the equivalent of The ALC.
The former denominational executives probably realize now that they were better off separate, but Crumley and David Preus both sought to glue themselves together with the Seminex faction guiding the agenda. Both of them have been quoted as regretting the merger.
The pivotal issue driving the radicalism of ELCA is the quota system, which continues to drive the group into the ground.
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| "Brett, don't pay attention to this post. The facts are grossly exaggerated. I wanted to lose to Liz Eaton, really." |
Quotas based on race and sexual orientation mean that qualified people are bypassed in favor of the quota pick. The quota winners know one another all too well and make sure they have greater numbers and more power. Mark Hanson got gay ordination and gay marriage passed in 2009, and he was pushed out by Elizabeth Eaton.
Straight white males have no quota power. A woman has one quota brownie point. A lesbian has two points. A Black lesbian has three points. That is why so many women now occupy top executive positions in ELCA. Each woman is a two-fer if not a three-fer.
Men are introduced in the ELCA news releases with information about their wives, children, and grandchildren. The latest bishop elections had 3 (three) men elected. But when women are appointed to positions - like President of Luther Seminary, President of Wartburg Seminary - nothing is said about a spouse or any personal relationship.
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| The Episcopal Bishop was elected with almost no pastoral or oversight experience. No matter - she was at least a two-fer and almost destroyed her denomination. |
Selective Diversity
Diversity today is always quite selective. What Mark Hanson thought and did and accomplished for The Cause was meaningless compared to a candidate like Eaton who was a two-fer (married with a child) and favoring three-fers. In the olden days, which are not very old in ELCA, a leader going for re-election was normally re-elected. That was definitely true in the ALC-LCA.
Diversity never means including more conservatives. Nor does it mean making the gay quota 2% since that would match the numbers in America, 2% of the population. Watch TV news talking heads discuss policy. It is easy to see the quota at work.
Since Elizabeth Eaton has been ELCA bishop, several colleges and two seminaries have been given to women. I guess Berkeley had a woman president, but that tiny seminary was on its way to merging with a college. Luther Seminary was a big win for militant feminists.
Wartburg's new female president laid off three staffers once she was installed, but she added them to her prayers, which must have been a terrific boost. I think Wartburg is another Berkeley, headed for a merger of some type.
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| ELCA-Episcopal heads in the US and Canada lined up for this shot. |