Got to try out the new Lutheran service book today

[royalfan5]

It was okay, but like a good Lutheran, I like the old way better. I have a hard time saying very God instead of true God, and still want to say quick and the dead. However, if you want to see a room of uncomfortable people in church, go when Lutherans are breaking in something new.

[Okla-homey]

It was okay, but like a good Lutheran, I like the old way better. I have a hard time saying very God instead of true God, and still want to say quick and the dead. However, if you want to see a room of uncomfortable people in church, go when Lutherans are breaking in something new.

May I infer from this that Lutheran authorities are leaving the door open to the notion there may be more than one "true" God? If that's true, I contend that's a slippery slope indeed. The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" may be at the bottom of the hill.;)

[royalfan5]

May I infer from this that Lutheran authorities are leaving the door open to the notion there may be more than one "true" God? If that's true, I contend that's a slippery slope indeed. The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" may be at the bottom of the hill.;)
I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing open communion will have to happen before we even start thinking about the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

[Okla-homey]

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing open communion will have to happen before we even start thinking about the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Open communion? The church I was raised in didn't even want people who were'nt members of the congregation (parish) to take part. They've softened some since those days. Now, if you profess belief in eternal salvation through acceptance of Christ as your personal savior and have publicly done so, you're good-to-go.

Frankly, I think if JC were present, He'd just be happy folks were doing "this in remembrance of Me."

[royalfan5]

Open communion? The church I was raised in didn't even want people who were'nt members of the congregation (parish) to take part. They've softened some since those days. Now, if you profess belief in eternal salvation through acceptance of Christ as your personal savior and have publicly done so, you're good-to-go.

Frankly, I think if JC were present, He'd just be happy folks were doing "this in remembrance of Me."
ELCA does open communion, LCMS and WELS don't. My Grandfather and I are pro-open communion for the same reason you are, my Grandma sides with the establishment. LCMS and WELS like to keep to themselves, and avoid ecumenical ties of any sort, e.g. the prohibition on joining the Boy Scouts because of the reference to God in the swearing in that is not Lutheran approved theology.

[Okla-homey]

ELCA does open communion, LCMS and WELS don't. My Grandfather and I are pro-open communion for the same reason you are, my Grandma sides with the establishment. LCMS and WELS like to keep to themselves, and avoid ecumenical ties of any sort, e.g. the prohibition on joining the Boy Scouts because of the reference to God in the swearing in that is not Lutheran approved theology.

Many of my peeps on Pop's side are Missouri Synod Lutherans in SC. In fact, when we lived in the Dutch Fork region of SC (an anglicized corruption of Deutsch Fork) in the Midlands near Columbia, I was a member of Troop 23. That troop was sponsored by St Andrews Lutheran Church, where many aunts, uncles and cousins were members. I think many of them thought I was a heathen because I was a Baptist...from Oklahoma. :D

Those Lutherans were the only non-Baptist or Methodist folks I knew as a child. My Okie Mom said it was okay because they were probably Christians.

[royalfan5]

The Boy Scout thing is more of a WELS thing than anything else. In real German areas of Nebraska and Kansas, you get more inter-Lutheran squabbling because your only Church choices are Lutheran varieties and maybe German Congregational or Methodists. I'm guessing the Lutherans who have to co-exist with other denominations are more open than the Lutherans who have only themselves to compete with.

[Okla-homey]

The Boy Scout thing is more of a WELS thing than anything else. In real German areas of Nebraska and Kansas, you get more inter-Lutheran squabbling because your only Church choices are Lutheran varieties and maybe German Congregational or Methodists. I'm guessing the Lutherans who have to co-exist with other denominations are more open than the Lutherans who have only themselves to compete with.

True dat. There were lots of denominational variations on a theme in that part of the state. Interestingly and as an aside, we were members of nearby St Andrews Baptist Church (so named because of the neighborhood) which was vaguely troubling to my grandmother back in Ardmore. She was afraid we might have fallen in with some heretical splinter sect of Baptists who acknowledged sainthood.:eek:

[royalfan5]

True dat. There were lots of denominational variations on a theme in that part of the state. Interestingly and as an aside, we were members of nearby St Andrews Baptist Church (so named because of the neighborhood) which was vaguely troubling to my grandmother back in Ardmore. She was afraid we might have fallen in with some heretical splinter sect of Baptists who acknowledged sainthood.:eek:
Heh, my family is split ELCA and LCMS, so both sides are constantly recruiting the other. So Baptist don't do the Lutheran thing and choose from one of the 10 or so accpetable Church names? Lutheran Churches can't name themselves after a place until there are already, a St. Paul, John, Mark or Luke(in that order) and then you have to exhaust biblical places like Zion, Bethlehem, Mount Olive,Emmanus, and then you go to Trinity, Emmanuel, or Peace, and if that fails, Prince of Peace or King of Kings is acceptable. If all those are used up, you can use your location.

[Okla-homey]

Heh, my family is split ELCA and LCMS, so both sides are constantly recruiting the other. So Baptist don't do the Lutheran thing and choose from one of the 10 or so accpetable Church names? Lutheran Churches can't name themselves after a place until there are already, a St. Paul, John, Mark or Luke(in that order) and then you have to exhaust biblical places like Zion, Bethlehem, Mount Olive,Emmanus, and then you go to Trinity, Emmanuel, or Peace, and if that fails, Prince of Peace or King of Kings is acceptable. If all those are used up, you can use your location.

It's usually First (if it applies) then the location. E.g. First Baptist Church of Tulsa, South Tulsa Baptist Church, Thomas Road Baptist Chuch, etc. However, when we lived in Wichita, we were members of Emmanuel Baptist Church.

[royalfan5]

It's usually First (if it applies) then the location. E.g. First Baptist Church of Tulsa, South Tulsa Baptist Church, Thomas Road Baptist Chuch, etc. However, when we lived in Wichita, we were members of Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Fair enough, but it seems to me a biblical name of some type just sounds more churchy. The Baptists seem like they are naming a bank instead of a church.

[Okla-homey]

Fair enough, but it seems to me a biblical name of some type just sounds more churchy. The Baptists seem like they are naming a bank instead of a church.

I think it's a deliberate attempt to avoid any Romanist trappings. Honestly.

[royalfan5]

I think it's a deliberate attempt to avoid any Romanist trappings. Honestly.
Fair enough, being as Lutherans are just Catholics that made the correct changes we don't avoid Romanist trappings near as much. We even get to make the sign of the cross from time to time.