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| This hideous papal crown, suggesting his political authority, is the reason that Pope-King is a title favored by the ultras in Roman Catholicism. This also appeals to Protestant wannabees. |
In Catholicism, we believe that God has given the 'teaching authority' (that is, the 'magisterium') to the leaders of the Church in order to teach faith and morals infallibly. Protestants tend to believe that this grant of correct interpretation is given to all, through the Holy Spirit.
Given that the Bible itself says that no Scripture is a matter of private interpretation, I would hope that no Christian would say that they "interpret the Bible for themselves." Even so, there's a fine line between what Protestants (in general, since it's tough to generalize like that) say they're doing and what the Bible says we're not supposed to do...
Given that the Bible itself says that no Scripture is a matter of private interpretation, I would hope that no Christian would say that they "interpret the Bible for themselves." Even so, there's a fine line between what Protestants (in general, since it's tough to generalize like that) say they're doing and what the Bible says we're not supposed to do...
ELDONUT Priest:
You don't know what you're talking about. I urge you to talk to your pastor and take heed to his counsel. In the name of Christ, I plead with you to turn from this path of hatred and vitriol.
LCMS Pastor, Former WELS:
“Which is not the same as rejecting the customs connected to the expression of the Office having over a thousand years of custom in the Western liturgy. As Lutherans we accept the practices of the Western Christian Church when they do not interfere with the Gospel. Ordination is NOT a human ordinance (Walther). But at the same time pastors are not the be all or end all of Church practice. We all bow before the Office as it is defined in the Scriptures. Pastors are expected to lead (shepherd) and laymen are expected to obey and follow (sheep). When the pastors screw up they are expected to obey the Word (but not the laymen's interpretation of the Word). But the laymen don't have the authority to judge the pastors, only those who have the same call. Pastors judge pastors.”
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| The bishops mitre (hat) is considered more modest than the crown, but the message is clear - "Don't cross the infallible bishop." |
GJ - I find this sinuflecting toward Rome alarming, and it certainly does not harmonize with Luther - not that they mind.
WELS beats this into their clergy. Anyone in a position is to be obeyed - no questions asked. This obsession with power has allowed the Gausewitz Justification by Faith catechism to be replaced with the Kuske UOJ catechism.
Bishop Stephan and Pope Walther created the template for these mini-papacies in the Synodical Conference.
Just to make matters worse, faculty at the Ft. Wayne and St. Louis seminaries get their students all jived up about Roman/EO worship and pretensions.
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| This is the most popular post on Ichabod, with over 107,000 views. |
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| As Luther said in the sermon for this Sunday, about false teachers - "No one sends them. They come of themselves. This is the true description of false prophets, that they force themselves into the ministry." |
Someone wanted to be a bishop, so he gathered those together who would make him one and submit to the authority he demanded.
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| In WELS, ordination means becoming an expert in everything, even when a state school says, as they did to Brenner, "You need a year of study to qualify as a graduate student." |