|
Reverend Don Matzat's defense of Dr. David Benke's prayer with pagan
clergy in Yankee Stadium raises the question of whether or not prayer is
an act of worship.
Matzat writes in "In My opinion" as follows:
"Dr. Benke himself has clearly stated that he prayed in the presence
of clerics from other Christian denominations and from a variety of
non-Christian faiths but did not pray 'with them.' Is the Board
suggesting that David Benke is not telling the truth?"
The LCMS Handbook states that LCMS clergy are to "Renounce
unionism and syncretism of every description," Article VI 2.
Matzat wants us to believe that an LCMS pastor can offer prayers next to
pagan clergy, who are also offering prayers in the same "prayer
service," and yet not participate with them in worship because prayer
is not an act of worship. However, the Lutheran Cyclopedia does
indeed include prayer as an act of worship.
Matzat wants us to believe that location and circumstances determine when
a prayer is or is not valid and an act of worship. This then means,
that Christ doesn't hear all Christian prayers because location determines
whether or not they are acts of worship. If Benke's prayer was not
an act of worship, then he was not praying. It was all a media
fraud. If prayer is an act of worship, then Benke did indeed violate
Article VI 2 because he participated in a "prayer service" (as
they called it) with pagan clergy.
Matzat's second point is, that patriotic civic events are on the Kingdom
of the Left and therefore patriotic events cannot practice authentic
prayer or worship.
Matzat writes: "The event at Yankee Stadium was a patriotic civic
event called 'A Prayer for America.' The event involved civic leaders,
celebrities and religious leaders. It was held within the Kingdom of
the Left Hand and under the auspices of the city of New York that has no
public doctrine contradicting the Gospel."
Matzat is convinced that the Kingdom on the Left is incapable of worship.
He writes: "In defining the nature of the Yankee Stadium event, the
Board of Director states that the 'organizers' called the gathering a
'prayer service.' Who cares what the organizers called the
gathering? . . . Since when do we look to civic leaders and celebrities to
define the theological nature of an event?"
If Matzat is correct, then there is no such thing as idolatry because the
Kingdom of the Left is not capable of worship. This would mean that
all Biblical injunctions against idolatry are pointless, because, by
Matzat's definition, the Kingdom on the Left is incapable of worship, even
if they call it worship.
Note that Matzat believes that the involvement of civic leaders,
celebrities, and religious leaders negates authentic prayer and worship.
Matzat believes that authentic prayer and worship only take place when all
the participants are ordained clergy.
Matzat believes that God doesn't acknowledge that Ophra and the Mayor of
New York are capable of leading public worship because they are not
ordained clergy.
Doctor David Benke, according to Matzat, is innocent of all charges,
because prayer is not an act of worship. |
|