The Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Hultgren - Lutheran CORE

The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible in the Church

A wonderful teaching speaking against the movement that attempt to paint us against

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Lutheran CORE - Day 1

The theological conference started in worship which was opened by the Rev. Dr. Frank Senn with a great word setting the tone as we stand for the Word of God and the calling of all of us to be true to our callings as Christians baptized in Christ and as a part of the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Throughout the night a common theme was that the ELCA is in err and that, though they may be a part of it, they do not constitute the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. The Rev. Dr. Carl Braaten and the Rev. Dr. Paul Hinlicky both gave great presentations that spoke to the central err of the ELCA that began long before the CWA 2009 and though there were voices that were trying to correct the err of the direction in which the ELCA was heading, but many lacked the courage to stand long before this and stop the direction to which the Church of the ELCA was heading and gave in in places that should have been stopped yet were afraid to or gave in to avoid conflict for the sake of unity. Since August of 2009 what has occurred is instead of a continued open dialogue within the greater Church of the ELCA, for the most part all dailogue has been stopped and the undertone of things said and the continued lack of leadership when it comes to the spelling out of how the ELCA will respect bound conscience in the synods and the national body and much of the response has been contrary.
The greater issue as pointed out by Braaten and further commented on by Hinlicky is the widespread heresy of Gnosticism which places greater value on the 'secret' knowledge of the person and less on what is written in Scripture.
The tenor of the conference highlighted the frustration of many because of things that have occured since last August and how CORE has been continually misrepresented by the Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and other leaders in the ELCA. It also highlighted our need as the body of Christ to be in repentance and not be in anger and that this is not anti-ELCA, but is a meeting of those that are coming to reclaim our Reformation heritage by being more diligent in our study and teaching within the churches we serve. We should not only be studying our Confessions and the writings of Luther and other Lutheran reformers, butg do as they did focusing on the Word of God and the teachings of the early Church Fathers of the first five centuries that we may strive to the reformation of the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church as we return to our orthodox Christian faith that is still relevant in this day.

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