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The entire September 2002 issue of
"Jesus First," was written by is by former Ohio District
President David Buegler and was sent to every LCMS congregation and
president.
The head reads, "Do You Know What is Going On In The LCMS."
The article is prefaced with the words: "Veteran Pastor David Buegler
Explains To His Congregation."
The editors of "Jesus First" give the following preface to
Buegler's article:
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"Editor's Note: In
respond to questions from his members, Rev. David Buegler laid out
60 copies of a 'Synodical White Paper' for anyone to pick up.
Those copies found wide circulation and brought requests from many
sources to make his paper available to the church. Permission
is granted to make copes. Printed copies are available to
order." |
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The following is the third section of eleven sections in the article by
Buegler printed by "Jesus First." Buegler develops a
logical progression based on the assumptions stated in the third section
titled, "Enter the "Confessionals."
(Our rebuttal will be published in the next
Reclaim News release.)
"Enter the 'Confessionals'" by Rev. Buegler
"That movement I will call 'confessional.' It was a step beyond
'conservative' because after the seminex split all parties in power were
theologically conservative. This confessional movement took upon
itself other features such as 'high' liturgical practices, an elevated
teaching regarding the role of clergy 'over' laity, more emphasis on
'sacramentalism' than on evangelism and mission, a battle against 'church
growth' principals,
a desire to repeal the 1969 Synodical decision to allow women's suffrage.
It became a movement to legalize our Synod's long established
understanding of 'close communion' so as not to allow any pastoral
discretion, and a tightening up of our Synod's long-running understanding
of the varies levels of how we can fellowship with other Christians.
Clergy in this movement were marked by wearing clerical collars in most
public settings. Some in this movement held that laity could only
receive absolution from clergy and that private confession should be
emphasized in the parish and that there should never be a worship service
that does not offer Holy Communion.
People in our Synod (like me) who believed that in all the miracles of the
Bible, the inerrancy of Scripture, that God created the world in six
24-hour days, the historicity of Adam and Eve, that Moses parted the Red
Sea etc., etc., etc. were now labeled as 'moderates or liberals' if they
didn't hold to the 'Ft Wayne Confessional' movement. Partially as a
result of his leadership of this movement, Robert Preus was removed from
his office as Ft. Wayne president by the Board of Regents with the
concurrence of Synod President Ralph Bohlmann. The battle was about
to get nasty."
CLICK HERE TO
READ PASTOR CASCIONE'S REBUTTAL |
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