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Lutheran leaders declare worship wars 'sinful'
Oct. 08, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionThe Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has warned congregations that disagreements over worship styles that developed into full-fledged worship wars are "sinful."
The eight-page "Theses on Worship" was adopted unanimously in September by the denomination's Council of Presidents, which includes its top officials and leaders of its 35 regional districts.
"The polarization that is affecting the church concerning the issue of forms, rites and ceremonies is sinful and hinders the proclamation of the gospel," it says.
The document, the result of two years of work, describes worship as a command of God but says the Scriptures and doctrinal statements permit "considerable freedom" in choosing the rites and ceremonies used for worship.
The document will be distributed to pastors and churches with a memo from the Missouri Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick that acknowledges the range of worship practices among the denomination's congregations that has sometimes led to "disharmony and even polarization."
Kieschnick said the council hopes pastors, musicians and other church leaders will have "prayerful conversations" about the new theses, which are based on Scripture and the Book of Concord, a collection of Lutheran theological statements.
"We recognize that different affinities in music and worship expressions exist among us," he wrote. "Yet we believe that our future with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ must be firmly grounded in the light of Christ's forgiveness, grace, and mercy."
So-called "worship wars" -- especially whether to use contemporary or traditional worship music -- have been a source of conflict in many congregations. But some changes in worship, including an embrace of more contemporary styles, have led to increased worship attendance, according to a recent Faith Communities Today survey.
"Congregations that changed their style of worship had greater levels of conflict than those that did not, but especially in those congregations in which the conflict never became serious, they also had higher levels of vitality," wrote Hartford Seminary scholar David A. Roozen in "Faith Communities Today 2008: A First Look."
Odd to see these people
Odd to see these people pontificate about music. Do they regard their sale of KFUO as "sinful"? No more classical music for St. Louis, thanks to the Lutherans. The station will now broadcast Christian contemporary "music".
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Missouri Synod agrees to sell KFUO
By Sarah Bryan Miller
POST-DISPATCH CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC
10/07/2009
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will sell its classical music station, KFUO (99.1 FM), to Gateway Creative Broadcasting, the LCMS and Gateway announced Tuesday, for $18 million plus about $8 million in interest.
When the sale is finalized in March, pending the approval of the Federal Communications Commission and transfer of the license, it will end a 61-year tradition of classical music broadcasting under church ownership in St. Louis. KFUO will continue broadcasting in its classical format until then.
Des Peres-based Gateway, as Joy FM, broadcasts Christian contemporary music. It presently owns two rural "rimshot" stations with weak signals that do not penetrate most of the St. Louis area: KPVR (94.1 FM) in Bowling Green, Mo., and KHZR (97.7 FM) in Potosi.
The LCMS, which was prompted to sell after facing multimillion-dollar shortfalls in recent years, will finance the sale with a 10-year balloon note. According to the synod, Gateway will pay $150,000 immediately, $1.35 million at closing and smaller interest payments until a final payment of $14 million in the 10th year, for a total of about $26 million. Gateway also owes $600,000, due in March 2011, on the two small stations.
Joy FM is listener-supported. Said general manager Sandi Brown, "We are comfortable with this. This is the same way we've funded our ministry in the past," both acquisitions and day-to-day expenses.
The classical station was never advertised as being for sale, and the transaction has been conducted in secrecy. Missouri Synod Treasurer Tom Kuchta and board member Kermit Brashear, an Omaha, Neb., lawyer and politician, spearheaded the sale; Brashear conducted the negotiations.
The board decided early in its discussions that it wanted to sell to a Christian organization, but the Rev. Dr. Paul Devantier, senior vice president at Concordia Seminary, said Brashear ignored a Lutheran group that was interested in buying the station and retaining the classical music format.
Another group, the Circle of Friends headed by Noemi Neidorff and Donna Wilkinson, also sought to purchase the station.
According to Neidorff and Wilkinson, Brashear did not fulfill their requests for a copy of a term sheet for the 100,000-watt station. Instead, he proposed they buy Joy FM's two small stations, a high-definition radio channel and "intellectual property" for $5 million. HD requires special equipment. Steve Robinson, a radio industry expert who works at WFMT-FM in Chicago, calls the format "dead on arrival."
Read more at:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/tvradio/story...
I wonder if this will make
I wonder if this will make Prairie Home Companion and Pastor Engfest.
"The polarization that is
"The polarization that is affecting the church concerning the issue of forms, rites and ceremonies is sinful and hinders the proclamation of the gospel," it says.
DITTO for the Roman Catholics....especially considering WHERE it's coming from: THE TOP down.....Nowhere is this better illustrated than any number of youtube clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdyIvvUJB0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMu-F4M1ojw&feature=PlayList&p=379BF0ECDF...
Continue the search under MOTU PROPRIO SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM and "Be afraid...be very afraid......"
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