25 November 2008

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

[This was reportedly said by A. C. Piepkorn in defiant response to hearing about Lutheran conversions to Rome. John Damm reported it to Dr. Secker]:

"I will march to the gates of Rome and stand and plant my banner."

1 comment:

Carl Vehse said...

That's a significantly different response than an LCMS response discusseed in an April 12, 1995, Christian Century column by a former LCMS Lutheran. The columnist noted:

The election of evangelical old Pope John XXIII made it hard for Missourians to see that benign figure as Antichrist. So they let the doctrine suffer neglect, and moderated its force through a policy of muting their name-calling. Still, the air was not really cleared until, given a common enemy in advocates of women's ordination, the president wished Your Holiness greetings in Christ, strength for service and God's blessing.

Things were so much easier back when people could make and enforce Brief Statements, swear without fingers crossed to church Confessions, stick by historic judgments and principles, and write, instead of "Your Holiness," "Dear Very Antichrist."


The column writer is the legendary Franz Bibfeldt's protege (and his erstwhile foster parent), University of Chicago Divinity School Professor (now emeritus) Martin Marty.