Christianity,  Culture

More on the Cancellation of “Issues, Etc.”

Last week, I briefly noted the cancellation of the syndicated radio program “Issues, Etc.” Today, the Wall Street Journal has an opinion piece explaining its demise.

‘The program was in all likelihood a pawn in a larger battle for the soul of the Missouri Synod. The church is divided between, on the one hand, traditional Lutherans known for their emphasis on sacraments, liturgical worship and the church’s historic confessions and, on the other, those who have embraced pop-culture Christianity and a market-driven approach to church growth. The divide is well known to all confessional Christian denominations struggling to retain their traditional identity.

‘The Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, the synod’s current president, has pushed church marketing over the Lutherans’ historic confession of faith by repeatedly telling the laity, “This is not your grandfather’s church.” . . .

‘[The radio program’s] attacks against shallow church marketing included mention of some approaches embraced by the current leadership [of the Missouri Synod]. It opposed, for instance, the emergent church — an attempt to accommodate postmodern culture by blending philosophies and practices from throughout the church’s history — and the Purpose Driven Church movement, which reorients the church’s message toward self-help and self-improvement.

‘As synod bureaucrats support congregations that hide their Lutheran identity while terminating the strong witness of “Issues, Etc.,” members of the denomination are asking if they can have their grandfather’s church back.’

Here’s the rest of the article: “Radio Silence” – by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway (Wall Street Journal).

If you are interested in supporting the program, here’s a petition that you can sign: http://www.petitiononline.com/Issues/petition.html.

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