Welcome to the Issues, Etc. One Year CAnniversaryTM

Where were you, and what were you doing on 9/11, the day the Twin Towers collapsed in a heap of twisted metal? You remember don’t you? Similarly, many of us remember where we were and what we were doing on the day that Issues, Etc. was silenced. Those moments are seared into our collective consciousness. Unlike 9/11 however, on Black Tuesday we couldn’t turn on the TV and see the story unfold. We were never reassured by a confident and caring President standing at ground zero, putting his arm around us and saying “Thank you for your hard work.” We could only wonder and fret, pray and console one another as our Holy Week meditation was interrupted by such unwelcome news. Of course, as time passed, all sorts of things were said and postulated as to why the show was canceled. Explanations were proffered, charts plotted, blogs born, radio shows spawned, and mutual tears shed. There were Purple Palace protests, petitions, and a posturing Council of Presidents utterance. There was even a new theological term introduced – the 4th Use of the Law. There were articles in national publications that rightfully splattered egg all over the face of the LCMS, and official LCMS responses. Yet happier times have prevailed.

This week on Stand Firm, we’ll relive some of those feelings, not to rant and rave about the cancellation of the show, but to celebrate its return and new found freedom. In some ways, its been a hard won freedom, but our real freedom wasn’t won by carrying signs or signing petitions, by soldering wires or sending emails. Our real freedom was won by Jesus Christ on a cross. So we celebrate twin freedoms really, our freedom of speech and our freedom in Christ to receive His gifts and serve our neighbor, and to proclaim His truths. We celebrate the freedom of the Issues, Etc. crew to forevermore proclaim the Gospel boldly, without encumbrance, as they should.

I emailed one of my friends a graphic. It was a photo of the Hogan’s Heros cast – Hogan with his smirky smile, Colonel Klink with his monocle, and Sergeant Schultz with his beer belly. Accompanying them was a simple caption which read “Where’s My Issues, Etc?” His response on seeing the graphic was “Wow. That pic brought back some memories.” That’s what I’d like to do this week, bring back some memories. March 18th is the one year anniversary of the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and the firing of Host Pastor Todd Wilken and Producer Jeff Schwarz – what I’m calling the CAnniversary^TM, since they both got canned. As the week unfolds we’ll share sights and sounds that will indeed “bring back some memories.” And better yet, I’m going to drift into the shadows and let my guest bloggers have a shot at it.

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It's Almost Here

The Issues, Etc. one year CAnniversary^TM celebration starts this Sunday!

Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed.
Perfect man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!

Here the King of all the ages,
Throned in light ere worlds could be,
Robed in mortal flesh is dying,
Crucified by sin for me.

O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
All the sufferings of time!

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!

LSB 428

photo credit: Lawrence OP

One Circuit's Restructuring Comments & President Kieschnick's Reply

For those of you pondering your response to the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Restructuring and Governance proposals, you're welcome to compare notes with the Headwaters Circuit of the Wyoming District, whose ideas are reproduced below, and which can also be downloaded here. Following their comments is the response they received from President Kieschnick.


Response of the Headwaters Circuit, Wyoming District, LCMS to the Proposals from the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance


No. 1 – Affirming Mission and Purpose of Synod

We support the effort to assure that our confessional basis remains unchanged. God's Word and its explication through the Lutheran Confessions are what make us Missouri Synod Lutherans. Thankfully, the current language of our Constitution is clear and strong on this matter. We cannot support any changes to the wording of our Constitution without seeing the changes and having adequate time to consider them.

No. 2 – Priority of Synod Governing Documents

We support the priority of the Constitution over the Bylaws. Amending the Bylaws should not be an easy task and therefore we would recommend that such changes be made by a three quarters majority vote and not by a simple majority. The rationale used by the Task Force in regards proposal #7 and its comments that close votes do not foster unity but add to division should be applied here.

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Truth Is Power

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 ESV

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go

The Intervention

I showed up for the Elder’s meeting, and the Vicar mumbled something about an “intervention,” with a rather broad smile on his face. “Huh? What are you talking about?” My Pastor then chimed in as well, with a hearty laugh.

I then got the picture. My wife had been at church earlier in the day. She and the Vicar were planning this summer’s Vacation Bible School. She had apparently “mentioned” (or some less polite word) that I had been spending “all my time” blogging the past few days, and that she was going to stage an “intervention.”

If you’re not familiar with the term, an intervention is generally the term used when a cult member is collared by family members and an expert, and isolated for a time as the cultist is “deprogrammed,” hopefully resulting in the loss of his or her undesirable attachment to the cult. In my case, my wife seems to have noticed I was spending a bit more time than usual "blogging," and wasn’t too appreciative. Of course, like any true cult member, I can explain:

First of all, I wasn’t blogging! I wasn’t! I was just getting ready to blog. And if that isn’t enough of a excuse reason, it’s for a very important event. As I’m sure you already know, next week is the one year anniversary of the cancellation of the Lutheran radio talk show Issues, Etc., when Pastor Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz, the host and producer of the show, got canned by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. So I’m calling it the One Year CAnniversary^TM. I’ve been sacrificing my own personal time to provide for you, the reader, a quality product. Next week, the entire seven days will be filled with audio and visual treats, and more, all to celebrate the CAnniversary^TM, or what I view as more of a liberation than a drive-by firing.

The best part of the festivities will be the guest bloggers who have generously agreed to share their thoughts, past, present, and future, on the whole Issues, Etc. CAnniversary^TM. I’m not talking about some rag tag team of blogging wannabees here either – I mean the crème de la crème of the LCMS: radio glitterati Pastor Bill Cwirla, apologist Chris Rosebrough, and Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, journalist extraordinaire Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, and for the crème on the latte, Pastor Todd Wilken.

So I’m busy getting ready. I hope you’ll spread the word, but please don’t remind my wife. I’m in enough trouble already! And if you see a little less of me this week, well, you’ll know why! I'll either be "not blogging," or in the dog house.

Christ, the Life of All the Living

Thou hast suffered great affliction
And hast borne it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion,
Fully to atone for me;
Thou didst choose to be tormented
That my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

LSB #420, v. 6

Proposed Constitutional Amendment Wording / Delegate Selection

The proposed rewording of the LCMS Constitution by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance has been released, and is available for study here. Thanks to Kiley for pointing this out.

For a good review of the process by which delegates to the Synodical Convention are selected at their Circuit Forums, check out Pastor Tom Chryst's review at Preachrblog.

For Reasons Unrelated to the Merits of This Proceeding

A friend of mine on The Wittenberg Trail asked me the following question:

Scott - I'm interested in your understanding of the meaning to the stated reason for the withdrawal of the lawsuit: "Opposer The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod withdraws the above-captioned Opposition with prejudice, for reasons unrelated to the merits of this proceeding."

The above quote comes from the LCMS attorneys on their formal Withdrawal of Opposition to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which can be viewed here (scroll down to the second and third pages). (By the way, the LCMS did not file a lawsuit, but rather was opposing the trademark application for the Issues, Etc. name filed by Mr. Madsen.)

Rather than speculate on the legal meaning of the phrase, I emailed Mr. Harvey Madsen. He was kind enough to provide me with the following response, which is reproduced in its entirety, for your reading enjoyment and legal edification. Thanks to Mr. Madsen for sating our curiosity:

Scott,

1. You asked for a layman-speak translation. To be accurate, brevity is impossible.

As to what the language, “Opposer The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod withdraws the above-captioned Opposition with prejudice, for reasons unrelated to the merits of this proceeding” means, I note:

1A. LCMS counsel in their pleadings used the term “on information and belief” as a basis of making statements, some of which were false, and some of those which officials of LCMS knew to be false. However, they did not make the statements under oath so they had the technical escape hatch of saying they believed it but did not swear to it. In my response and challenge to the LCMS allegations I also used the “on information and belief” formula, however, I am prepared to stand by it under oath at two levels: (1) that I the asserted facts recited were true, and (2) that what I stated as my belief was truly my belief and that I was prepared to document the basis for that belief, and (3) I was prepared to accept the court’s order of punishment (like being forced to pay the opponent’s legal fees) if my stated facts were not true or my
beliefs unreasonable.

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Simony Gone Bad, Not that It Was Ever Good

Fortunately, God gave me a conscience, or I’d outright steal this blog post by Pastor Larry Beane at Gottesdienst Online. The topic is Modern-day Roman Catholic Simony. It’s short, to the point, and funny. That’s all I’ll say, or I’ll spoil the fun.

Thanks for Pastor David Petersen for pointing this one out, which I somehow previously missed.