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The Idolatrous Religion of Conscience — A Lutheran Lesson for Us All
Albert Mohler
Author, Speaker, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"It wasn't primarily about sex." With those words, Lutheran theologian Robert Benne explained that the actions recently taken by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to normalize homosexuality were not primarily about sex at all, but about theological identity. "The ELCA has formally left the great tradition for liberal Protestantism," Benne declared.
Taking its stand with the radical theological revisionism of the Protestant Left, the ELCA "left the Great Tradition of moral teaching to identify with United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church," Benne lamented.
Writing in Christianity Today, Benne argued that his denomination had abandoned the Gospel for a social gospel. "The liberating movements fueled by militant feminism, multiculturalism, anti-racism, anti-heterosexism, anti-imperialism, and now ecologism have been moved to the center while the classic gospel and its missional imperatives have been pushed to the periphery."
Benne, director of the Roanoke College Center for Religion and Society, offers a first-hand account of what took place in Minneapolis in August as the ELCA met for its Church Wide Assembly. The actions were sweeping in scope and effect. The ELCA voted to allow churches to call partnered homosexuals as ministers and then adopted a Social Statement on Sexuality (which passed by one vote) which insists that the Bible offers no clear teaching on homosexuality.
As the smoke now begins to clear from the votes in Minneapolis, a larger issue comes clearly into focus -- the authority of the "bound conscience."
As Robert Benne explains, the ELCA's authority-smashing actions were made possible by the denomination's adoption of a "bound conscience" principle that, in effect, means that anyone can believe almost anything and demand a place at the table, if they claim that their belief is rooted in a "bound conscience."
Mark Hanson, the ELCA's Presiding Bishop, explained that the "bound conscience" principle calls upon all Lutherans to respect the "bound consciences" of those with whom they disagree. Documents released or adopted by the ELCA explained in multiple ways that a conflict of interpretations concerning the Bible should not lead to a break in fellowship. For example:
The very fact that several different positions may be bound to Scripture means that we cannot assert one interpretation of Scripture over another but are called to respect consciences in the community of faith on this matter. The emphasis of "conscience-bound" is not on declaring oneself to be conscience-bound; rather it is that we recognize the conscience-bound nature of the convictions of others in the community of Christ.
Most Recent User Comments
giladan
11/4/2009 7:35 PM
I attend a baptist church but have admired Martin Luther for having the courage to stand up to a very corrupt power. One of the biggest powers of that day which made His life very miserable. Nevertheless he conformed his will to Bible teaching and said, "here I stand I can do no other." That is how everyone who claim Christ's name should comport themselves. Conscious means nothing if it doesn't reflect the correct.
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spamella
10/28/2009 2:06 PM
I write as a lifelong Lutheran, who as an adult, found myself also in a lifelong committed loving relationship with another woman. I was learning through the world, and liberal ELCA that is was ok because of "grace". But as I turned 50, felt need for serving Lord, and rededicated myself to Him, my story is archived at Wordalone under title God Did Call Sinners, But He Did Call Us Not To Sin.
Through Holy Spirits power and my personal choice to be accountable, there are others who have held me up through prayer and counseling as I have learned to walk in obedience, as my conscience is bound to Scripture, not making scripture be bound to my conscience.I still love the woman I was involved with, but cannot be in relationship with.To do that I needed church family that was true to the word, that had arms to hold when I cried, that prayed with me when I couldn't, and that I have needed, or would fall. This is a walk that needs strong teaching, loving fellowship, and God's truth John 17:17!
Through Holy Spirits power and my personal choice to be accountable, there are others who have held me up through prayer and counseling as I have learned to walk in obedience, as my conscience is bound to Scripture, not making scripture be bound to my conscience.I still love the woman I was involved with, but cannot be in relationship with.To do that I needed church family that was true to the word, that had arms to hold when I cried, that prayed with me when I couldn't, and that I have needed, or would fall. This is a walk that needs strong teaching, loving fellowship, and God's truth John 17:17!
sanlynn_2000
10/28/2009 12:33 PM
So well-written, thought out, and helpful. I grew up Missouri Synod Lutheran and witnessed churches leaving to go ELCA. Hearing more on bound-conscience speaks to our continued need to respect, accept, and defer to the inspired Word of God than yielding to our consciences. Would love to and need to hear more on what the Bible-based, loving response is to sin, especially when the sin is committed by family and friends. This also causes us to fall. As one example, we don't want to and don't know how to rebuke, respond to and relate to our gay family member. They are so like us in many ways and we don't want to completely end fellowship with them. So we rely on theories like bound-conscience to rationalize how we plan to move forward. We also need a loving message, based on God's word, to go along with the condemnatory message that we have down very well on the sin of practicing homosexuality. It would win us more converts and keep more from falling. Thank you again.
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