September 1, 1998
Dear Rev. Ameiss,
Your fax concerning Rev. Thomas Streiter amazed me.
You apparently know little about the last ten years of the ELCA and its Metropolitan Chicago Synod, both of which headquarters are practically next door to you.
A radical group called Lutherans Concerned has torn apart the ELCA and is attempting to silence God’s Word. Their statement introducing their organization-which I sent you and which you mistakenly call an “ELCA document” sees an “injustice” in the “scriptures” being used to condemn homosexual “orientation that is in their God-given nature.” It is their only reference to the “scriptures.”
Their program, now called “Reconciling in Christ” was very deceptively introduced as acceptance of homosexuality-that is homosexual conduct-under the guise of ministering to homosexuals.
Rev. Streiter is not some innocent bystander as your fax suggests. He was one of the very few ministers who persuaded his congregation to adopt the Reconciling in Christ program. He immediately introduced the program when he accepted the call to Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago ELCA, in 1990. In 1991 he was a leader in getting the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA to be come a Reconciling in Christ Synod. In 1995 he very publicly promoted the policy of ordaining sexually active homosexuals into the ministry of the ELCA. Just ask him, he will not be able to deny it.
The radicals were defeated 60/40 at the 1995 ELCA Church-wide Assembly. But they did succeed in intimidating the leadership of the ELCA into being silent about God’s Word of judgment against homosexuality and blessed forgiveness for repentant homosexuals.
The amazing fact is that ELCA which has prided itself on speaking to the issues of the day, has admitted it is unable to speak on the issue of homosexuality; witness its 1996 document “Sexuality: Some Common Convictions.”
Since 1993 Lutherans Concerned has used the radical ELIM/SEMINEX model to subvert the regular call procedures of the ELCA. This is called the Extraordinary Candidacy Project. What is “extraordinary” are the clergy persons being promoted for ordination and placement are sexual active homosexuals. Radicals call this leading “the church by example.” They claim, “We cannot wait for everyone in the church to understand how acute the need is” Again reference the Lutheran Concerned statement I sent you.
Now let us speak from our hearts. God’s condemning judgment on homosexuality-which you rightly see in Romans 1 and elsewhere-and His promise of forgiveness to homosexuals-and all other sinners-for the sake of Christ, is so clear in the Scriptures, that those who confuse Law and Gospel at this point are not fit for the Holy Ministry.
By perverting God’s blessed forgiveness of sins into a license to sin, these false teachers attempt to make nothing the Grace of God, which Christ earned with His bitter suffering and death. They would instead lead homosexuals to eternal destruction. This permissiveness is the very opposite of the true love that our Lord and a faithful pastor have for all sinners. It is vitally important that faithful pastors have the courage to pronounce God’s Word of Judgment on any and all sins so His blessed Word of Forgiveness will be meaningful and liberating for poor sinners. These false teachers also lead heterosexuals to ruin because they will falsely conclude that their sins which are great are small if homosexuality is accepted in the Church.
Therefore we must totally disagree with you, that there is a “similarity” between the Biblical model of ministry, as is evidenced by the LCMS document you kindly provided us, and the false teacher model of the Lutherans Concerned document which you mistakenly call the “ELCA document.”
Further , your statements about Rev. Streiter evidence a lack of comprehension of the nature of the Holy Ministry. For you to meet with Rev. Sreiter to “determine if he can comfortably live with this statement of the LCMS,” show a very low view of the office of the Pastor. Pastors are to be forthright proclaimers of God’s Holy Word. This is a far cry from comfortably living with it.
Finally, your second statement that you “expect the LCMS document and the approaches it represents to be followed in NID congregations and would act and respond accordingly were it not followed” shows a lack of understanding of your office. You are not a mere institutional shopkeeper. You are a minister called to a most important office of being a pastor to pastors. And in light of innumerable statements in the Sacred Scriptures regarding the dangers of false teachers in our midst, your office requires a high degree of discernment-going beyond a mere thorough understanding of synodical guidelines.
We hope you will seek God’s guidance in this very serious matter. The ELCA statement and the Lutherans Concerned documents are all available on the internet.
Dan and I are copying President Barry and Vice-president Kuhn. The Colloquy Board certainly did not give you the help that you needed in this matter.
We will pray that our God’s perfect will still be done. We will send you more copies of these documents by mail.
Bill and Dan Ford
