02-08-2007, 10:34 AM
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#488 (permalink)
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| | Re: Why are SUVs and Christianity similar?
On Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:29:55 -0500, "R.H. Allen" <kkarie@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>Curtis L. Russell wrote:
>> On Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:42:04 -0500, "R.H. Allen" <kkarie@hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> You're just describing the centuries-old rift between Catholics and
>>> Protestants (some of whom, primarily Lutherans, still accept the primacy
>>> of the Pope). If I were Catholic I'm sure we could get into a heated
>>> debate about it.
>>
>> I assume that you somehow mean that SOME Lutherans accept the primacy
>> of the Pope.
>
>Precisely. Sorry if my wording was confusing. Though I think that to say
>they accept the *primacy* of the Pope is a bit strong -- they accept the
>doctrine of apostolic succession, which opens the door to papal primacy,
>but the degree to which such non-Catholic churches accept primacy varies
>(and for the most part, the non-Catholic churches that accept this are
>Eastern churches rather than Protestant ones).
>
>> While I am not aware of any, and am aware that the three
>> largest Lutheran churches in the U.S. do not, I guess it could be
>> true. Like to hear the name of the Lutheran Church and where it is
>> located. It could be true, but I doubt it.
>
>As I recall, they call themselves Evangelical Lutherans, Evangelical
>Catholic Lutherans, or some variation thereof. I guess a specific
>example would be the Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran, an offshoot
>of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. They follow an episcopal polity,
>their priests are ordained according to apostolic succession, and they
>won't ordain women until such a time as the Pope okays it. Here's one I
>was able to find in Kansas City via Google:
>
>http://www.ecclnet.org/
The answer, then, is no, the major Lutheran Churches do not recognize
the primacy of the Pope. The Missouri Synod specifically rejects
apostolic succession. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod does
not AFAIK recognize it (coming from the MS).
Apostolic succession as recognized by the Lutheran churches does NOT
in any way recognize the primacy of the Pope - rather, it is a claim
that the sources of the church go back in succession to Peter. That
does not in anyway make the current Pope his avatar. So, no, apostolic
succession does not equal papal primacy.
The small church that you indicated does show deference to the Roman
Catholic church and the Pope. It can't hold some of the listed dogma
and doctrine and hold belief in the primacy of the Pope without
reservation. And while it is evidently HQ'd and started in Missouri, I
rather doubt much connection to the Missouri Synod. If they came from
there, they would have had to reconstitute apostolic succession.
Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...
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