CPH Interim President Speaks Out About Gay Episcopal Church

By: Rev. Jack Cascione
Reclaim News has reproduced Rev. Paul T. McCain reflections on the election
of a gay bishop in the Episcopal Church.  McCain is the interim President of
Concordia Publishing House, a subsidiary of the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod.

We appreciate McCain's clear thinking on the subject but do no share some of
his optimism about the LCMS.  Of course, McCain is in a difficult position.
He is the Interim President because LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick will
not agree to McCain's appoint as President of CPH.  However, the current
Board of Directors of CPH refuses to offer Kieschnick another choice for
President.  Hence, McCain remains the "Interim" President in a Mexican
Standoff between the LCMS President and the CPH Board of Directors.

McCain has to be careful about what he says.  It takes a cast iron
intestinal track to be part of a meeting of LCMS District Presidents and
University Presidents knowing that most of them would like to take communion
with ELCA sodomites.  Most of the LCMS District Presidents will not support
any LCMS Pastor who refuses to serve communion to ELCA sodomites.

After you read this article you will know why Kieschnick will never approve
McCain's appointment.  McCain simply insults too many of Kieschnick's
friends.  We can expect McCain to be out of office the moment Kieschnick's
COP cronies help elect new CPH baord members at the 2004 LCMS Convention.
-----------------------------------------------

Concordia Publish House Paul T. McCain,

August 8, 2003

Greetings Cyberbrethren:

Where This Begins . . . And Ends

Some reflections on the week's events at the Episcopalian Church USA's
convention.

The one very important thing to note that has not been clearly pointed out
is that the ECUSA headed down this slippery slope when they approved the
ordination of women years ago. And of course this was all made possible when
they embraced the higher critical method of Biblical interpretation decades
before. When the binding authority of the Sacred Scriptures is rejected, the
result is nearly inevitable. The ECUSA has given aid and comfort, for
decades, to heretics like Bishop Spong.

Therefore, the level of "shock" at the most recent turn of events in the
ECUSA is really not justified, given their history over the past several
decades. Why any church that calls itself "Lutheran" would even think of
full communion with the ECUSA is simply beyond my ability to comprehend.

The ordination of women as pastors has led, yes, even demands, the
ordination of homosexuals. If Scripture's clear statements that prohibit the
ordination of women as pastors can be ignored, or reinterpreted, so  also
every verse that speaks negatively about homosexuals.

What's next? One shudders to think. What is there in Scripture that would
prohibit a loving, consenting relationship between boys and men? Or who can
now judge the love shared among multiple couples of various genders, all
sharing a group marriage? Who dares to impose their interpretation on such
things? Who can say such things are sin if love there is enjoyed and
expressed? As the homosexual bishop put it, who could say all these
expressions of love are not gifts from God and hence sacramental? What about
bestiality? Can we say that this is not also an avenue for God's sacramental
love expressed between his creatures? The same thinking, the same
principles, the same presuppositions and logic, require all these things to
be accepted as well. Otherwise, how could they avoid the charge of being
close-minded, treating Scripture as a rulebook, practicing "proof texting"
and the like.

The ordination of women in the church is a failed experiment of monumental
proportions. It is responsible for the importation into the church of alien
doctrines of theology (the doctrine of God), anthropology (the doctrine of
man) and Christology (the doctrine of Christ), etc. It has introduced a
feminist world-view that twists and distorts the Biblical text. The
qualification for the pastoral office, that the office holder be a male, is
very clear. Discarding this Biblical mandate has led to a whole host of
other theological distortions, errors and heresies. We have seen it in the
ECUSA the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church USA, the
Methodist church and others. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is
headed full steam ahead down the very same path. At our great peril do we
ignore or hide our eyes to these grim realities and turn a blind eye toward
those working to advance this agenda, wherever they may be found. At our
peril, do we content ourselves with the pious hope, "This can't happen to
us." Never were more ominous words spoken or heard in a church just before
it headed into the same abyss from which it would appear, from all human
perspective, the ECUSA and its partner churches will not, and can not,
recover.

Because pessimism is always one of the greatest temptations for faithful
Christians and pastors, let us remind ourselves that it is in the midst of
such utter darkness that the light can, and will, shine most brilliantly.

What an amazing moment of opportunity for the church to engage in faithful
preaching of God's Word, rightfully dividing Law and Gospel, leading people
into the Biblical text and world, not merely resting content with motional
pep talks or amusing pulpit anecdotes or entertaining stories.

What a fantastic opportunity for the church, and all her pastors and people,
to dig deeply into the doctrine of the church, once again to make the
church's confession, their confession, to immerse themselves again into the
Sacred Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions.

What a moment for high-quality, in depth teaching ministry, catechizing
intensely and relevantly, not settling for "once over lightly" church
membership classes. What better time for parents to teach their children the
Small Catechism, to speak of it with them, to teach them the treasures of
the faith?

What a better moment for us to think carefully about plans to evangelize,
making sure that we are not resting content with a grandiose vision for
presenting the Gospel to millions (which can be done in moments with major
media), but instead, making sure we are about the task Jesus has given, not
merely presenting the Gospel, but actually making disciples of every nation.

What a wonderful time to rejoice in the Christ-centered and grace-focused
worship of authentic, genuine Lutheranism. Let us flee from the
simple-minded and empty-headed claim that what is important is being
"Christian" not "Lutheran." Such foolery let us have nothing to do with, but
instead, let us work all the more to show how Lutheranism is in fact nothing
more and nothing less than the pure Gospel and church.

This is a dark time, but also a tremendous moment of opportunity. Let us
therefore not despair! Let us seize the moment and act, lovingly and
passionately. Lord save us from weak resignation and from the temptation to
garner favor and regard in the eyes of the world, at the expense of clear
witness and confession! Let us be Lutheran, robustly and energetically so!
Prevent us from trying to imitate the American evangelicals with their
catch-phrases, emotionalism and mile-wide and inch-deep interests and focus.

May God grant this, for Jesus sake, and for the sake of His precious body,
the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
.
Let me conclude with a sturdy, powerful chorale of the Lutheran Church.

(Compare this hymn to "Shine Jesus Shine" or "Our God is An Awesome
God"  and you will realize why these sorts of "praise songs" are like
putting a  person on a starvation diet! Thank God for such faithful and
timeless hymns like this one from Nicholas Selnecker, one of the authors
of the Book of Concord).

Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide

Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide,
For round us falls the eventide;
Nor let your Word, that heavenly light,
For us be ever veiled in night.

In these last days of sore distress
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness
That pure we keep, till life is spent,
Your holy Word and Sacrament.

Lord Jesus, help, Your Church uphold,
For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold.
Oh, prosper well Your Word of grace
And spread its truth in every place!

Oh, keep us in Your Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Your mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

O God, how sin's dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood's spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o'er Your Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Your doctrine true.

And since the cause and glory, Lord,
Are Yours, not ours, to us afford
Your help and strength and constancy.
With all our heart we trust in You.

A trusty weapon is Your Word,
Your Church's buckler, shield and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

Oh, grant that in Your holy Word
We here may live and die, dear Lord;
And when our journey ends here,
Receive us into glory there.

O Abide With Us Lord Jesus Christ
Nikolaus Selnecker, 1530-1592

The peace of Christ be with you.

Cordially in Christ,
Paul


Rev. Paul T. McCain
Interim President/Chief Executive Officer
Concordia Publishing House
St. Louis, Missouri

1-800-325-3040
http://www.cph.org

Phone: 314-268-1011
E-mail: paul.mccain@cph.org

August 9, 2003