Do all Lutherans look at abortion the same way? No they don’t, plain and simple.
The largest Lutheran body in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) has on their website Dig Deeper what they call “Abortion (Lutheran view)”. Quoting from The ELCA Social Statement on Abortion :
A developing life in the womb does not have an absolute right to be born, nor does a pregnant woman have an absolute right to terminate a pregnancy.
The statement does go on to say that abortion should be a last resort but the fact that they start the explanation with the statement declaring that the unborn has no right to be born is telling in a gut wrenching kind of way.
Here’s the statement from my little corner of Lutheranism, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod:
The LCMS believes that abortion is contrary to God's Word and "is not a moral option except, except as a tragically unavoidable byproduct of medical procedures necessary to prevent the death of another human being, viz., the mother"
I’ve had my share of criticisms of the LCMS but on this matter the LCMS is right on target. By coming right out of the gate and stating that abortion is contrary to God’s Word, the LCMS clearly sets itself apart from apostate groups like ELCA who claim to speak for all Lutherans. The statement is short and sweet, to the point, without any having to link to additional documents that celebrate the "Gift of Our Diversity" as justification for the taking of an unborn life.
So, do all Lutherans look at abortion the same way? Again, no they don’t.
5 comments:
I am a member of an ELCA church.
I have pretty much learned that if they say one thing...then the opposite must be true.
I think that the leadership of the ELCA is in the grip of evil.
Other than that they are ok.
Steve,
I do know there are good and faithful pastors as well as members of the ELCA just as there are very bad people who despise Christ and His work in the LCMS. This is the reason I don’t often talk about ELCA.
What grinds my gears sometimes is that the ELCA all to often speaks for all Lutherans wherever they are. I was looking for something to include in a post on abortion when I stumbled upon the “Lutheran view” on the Dig Deeper site. Imagine my surprise…
I can’t even count how many times I’ve lay out the differences when folks assume that one denomination is the same as the other.
Frank,
It is a crying shame what has happened to the ELCA.
The liberalism of the sixties has infected many churches. The radicals of the 'me' era are now leading many churches down the garden path.
Christ will always take care of His church, despite the efforts of these misguided (to say the least) leaders.
Keep up the good work, Frank!
As I'm sure you know, we have the same problem in the LCMS even if the results look a bit different.
Frank,
I guess where you have people...you'll have problems. In this day and age of inclusivity and pluralism I guess we'd be fools to expect anything else.
When the Lord builds a church, the devil sets up shop right next door (or in church leadership).
Thanks Frank!
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