borrowed an apocryphal saying from Billy Graham for his new book? Check it out: Waking the Sleeping Giant.
Makes sense, I suppose. Pastor Harrison, whom I believe will be the leading candidate coming into this Synodical election, has a book published by CPH (well, more like SIX) and so President Kieschnick (never known for his writing or scholarship, though) follows suit. This should prove interesting. I wonder if the subtitle should be zzzzzzz (not a reference to the quality of the writing, mind you, for I've not read it; but to the fact the "giant" after all these years under President Kieschnick still seems rather sleepy...). I think, it's truly time for a change, no? Yes, it's time.
P.S. I want to make clear a point I've put in the comments - to observe that President Kieschnick is not known for his writing or scholarship was not intended as a slam against our Synodical President, just a statement of fact (or, at least, my perception of fact). He hasn't written much (that I'm aware of) nor is there a particular area of scholarship for which he is known. There is no shame in either one of those, for he was not elected to be either a writer or scholar. He is, however, a very engaging speaker, as those who have heard him will testify.
It seems that Pope Gerry is trying to run a book counter to that of Fr. Harrison's to glorify himself. Fr. Harrison's book is about Lutheranism in the time of unity and growth where as Kieschnik's book details the birth, growth, decline and rebirth, which, I am sure, he will take all the credit for. ALthough, I would remark "What rebirth?"
ReplyDeleteThe LCMS needs to get rid of Pope Gerry. He is a hindrance and I think a closet heretic by Lutheran standards.
At our district convention in late April, I had the chance to sit at lunch with President Kieschnick and Dr. Bob Greene--chairman of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance. I told him how our congregation was struggling with the issue of closed communion and how we desperately needed clarity and leadership on this issue from our elected leaders. His response was that he was devoting a chapter of his book to the issue of closed communion. Guess it had better be one heck of a chapter.
ReplyDeleteBefore anyone accuses him of having a ghost writer, let it be known that he has ten empty boxes of crayons proving that he wrote it himself.
ReplyDeleteLest we forget,,,, Billy Graham was the 'teaching theologian' of the LCMS masses for over three decades,,, more clergy than one wants to admit as well.
ReplyDeleteFor those old enough to remember, when BG came up with LCMS as the sleeping giant it was a very popular and much enjoyed comliment, a real self esteem jolt, as it were.
For GK to channel BG will connect to a lot of folks out there.
The accomodation to evangelical protestantism very much predates GK, at least back into the '30s as far as LCMS is concerned.
There's no rebirth....we're comatose.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes...the book will be all about the "rebirth" and his role as President.
If we're reborn, why are we still hemorraging membership?
Mother Missouri is bleeding to death.
ReplyDeleteBut the deformity fathered by the GAM is all that matters.
"For those old enough to remember, when BG came up with LCMS as the sleeping giant it was a very popular and much enjoyed com[p]liment, a real self esteem jolt, as it were."
ReplyDeleteI was still "outside" at the time and never understood why it was a compliment to be 1) noticed by a revivalist preacher or 2) to be considered an inactive non entity by him.
--helen
I would guess that most of those who are "old enough to remember" are too old to remember much. (I had to have "Anon." connect the dots.)
As Pr. Weedon alluded, there is no evidence to prove that Rev. Billy Graham ever referred to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod as 'a sleeping giant.' It really wouldn't make much sense if he had, in as much as Missouri is hardly a giant amongst the religious bodies in the US.
ReplyDeleteOther than it probably was never said; there's nothing keeping President Kieshnick from using that phrase for his title... right here in River City.
Well, from the perspective of many who went through the Battle of the Bible, which was really a coalition of Lutherans and fundamentalists, Billy Graham is "conservative."
ReplyDeleteCan we really expect anything different from the "conservatives" of that generation than to aspire to the goals and "success" of the Baptists and neo-evangelicals.
If Lutheran theology is mentioned there is nothing organic in its integration with the point of their arguments and it certainly isn't a starting point. At best they'll confuse Pietism with Lutheranism or confuse evangelISM with justification by grace.
If the writing of this book by Pres. K is in response to Harrison's writings, then when is JERRY Kieschnick planning to start going on the campaign trail in response to Harrison's own campaigning for President of the Synod?
ReplyDeleteWhen did he stop going on the campaign trail?
ReplyDeletenever known for his writing or scholarship, though
ReplyDeletePastor Weedon, with respect, you are known for your gracious tone and style, and the above is disappointing
Speaking of apocryphal sayings, the supposed quote from Billy Graham has its orgins in an apocryphal saying of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." This he allegedly said after he discovered the US had been attacked before we had recieved a formal declaration of war from Japan. There is some question as to whether he said it or not. At best there is a letter to Ogata Taketora in which he refers to the US as a 'sleeping enemy.'
ReplyDeleteI'll leave it to the reader to consider the irony.
Dear Anon,
ReplyDeleteLet me try that again. It was NOT intended as a slam. It was intended as a statement of fact. The Synodical President is not known for being a writer, but a speaker; nor is he widely regarded as a scholar. No shame in either one of those. I do wonder about the book, given that. It will be interesting to see of what sort it is.
I guess that's much like saying Pr. Weedon is not known for his good taste in beer. Not a slam a statement of absolute objective truth. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd you would be absolutely right!
ReplyDeleteRev. Bergstrazer: ”As Pr. Weedon alluded, there is no evidence to prove that Rev. Billy Graham ever referred to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod as 'a sleeping giant.'”
ReplyDeleteThe claim that Billy Graham referred to the Missouri Synod (...or the Lutheran Church... or Lutheranism) as a "sleeping giant" has been noted previously by various Lutherans.
But the only statement of Billy Graham I found was from his June, 1970, Foreword to James Kennedy's Evangelism Explosion book, first published in 1970, in which Graham wrote: "In the words of a Canadian pastor who saw 103 members added to his church in the first eight months of implementing this ministry, this plan of Dr. Kennedy's is 'the most revolutionary technique for personal evangelism to mobilize the sleeping giant of our laity to be discovered in the twentieth century.'"
So here Billy Graham was quoting a Canadian pastor [was he Lutheran?] referring to the laity as a "sleeping giant."
Thus the "sleeping giant" reference to the Missouri Synod by Billy Graham appears to be like Martin Luther’s fabled preference for a “wise Turk” ruler over a “foolish Christian,” or Luther's fictitious ink-throwing episode.
The sleeping giant is the LCMS laity. I really don't think it would be in President Kieschnick's best interest to awaken the giant right now, but I'm hopeful some of the rest of us will accomplish that task.
ReplyDeleteYamamato said it...did they suprise us? did we let them do it?
ReplyDeleteEither way ...does not matter... it provided more polarizatition of the Worlds Powers ...invited more wholesale killing... provided meaningless National pursuits of sheep in the world...and according to History allowed the Allied ...US ... German... and what ever other scientists to push forward with the ultimate goal of MURDERING the WORLD ....SATAN's desire...As always we have to look no further than the mirror... we all, The whole church is rsponsible for it's own demise... does not the church fall short of grace...
The title "Synodical President" and/or any other "Political Title"
ReplyDeleteassociated to our "Faith" is "Cheap Talk" or a "Cheap Substitute" or "Anti Christ"...based on the comments in this blog... whether a writer or a speaker "Pope Gerry" as Chris called him is providing Nothing but "SPIN and ShaGrin"... he and he (Harrison) is running for an elected office in an organization which cannot be counted on.
Scott,
ReplyDelete"Cannot be counted on" is right if you are referring to something infallible or some such. The office of Synodical President shares all the weaknesses of the sinful being who holds it, whoever he is. Yet the office is not thereby something to be despaired of. As with every member of the royal priesthood of the baptized, God establishes His rule and reign in the midst of "his enemies" - our own sinful flesh! Even so God continues to work through our humble Synod with all its weaknesses and frailties. It's just another example of the miracle of grace - God uses the weak and foolish and the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are. Go figure!
So while it is indeed true that no one should ever look for salvation from a political office in the Church, a Synod, or a man - other than from the God-Man, our Blessed Lord Jesus - it is true that we have the responsibility to ask ourselves which man who is willing to hold the office do we judge to be the better candidate for doing so. And all the while, we never forget that he is but as forgiven sinner, as we are.
The deceit, the lie of the devil consists of this, that he
ReplyDeletewishes to make man believe that he can live without God's Word.
Thus he dangles before man's fantasy a kingdom of faith, of
power, and of peace, into which only he can enter who consents
to the temptations; and he conceals from men that he, as the
devil, is the most unfortunate and unhappy of beings, since he
is finally and eternally rejected by God.
... Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), Temptation, London:
SCM Press, 1955, p. 25
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteBefore anyone accuses him of having a ghost writer, let it be known that he has ten empty boxes of crayons proving that he wrote it himself.
I don't think is putting the best construction on it as required by the Eighth Commandment