Continuing to Walk the Lonely Way
“As Luther once went the lonely way between Rome and Spiritualism, so the Lutheran Church today stands alone between the world powers of Roman Catholicism on the one hand and modern Protestantism on the other. Her doctrine which teaches that the Spirit is bound to the means of grace is as inconceivable to modern people in the twentieth century as it was to their predecessors in the sixteenth.”
Those at the shallow end of the pool sometimes accuse the editors of Gottesdienst - and you, dear readers, members of The Gottesdienst Crowd - of being “Romanizers.” This is based on the misunderstanding that Lutherans are basically Baptists who use real wine in communion, and anything ceremonially beyond that is “Romanizing.” And one can find such nonsense even among the “doctors” (cough) and Supreme Suits of the Synod.
The reality is far different. If we wanted to leave the LCMS and the Lutheran confession of faith, we could easily do so - and would be welcomed with open arms as defectors. In fact, many of us have suffered the painful loss of colleagues who have put their congregations and their brothers in the ministry - who in many cases were our close personal friends - through great angst over this very thing, even as we chose to remain with our congregations, our church body, and our confession of the Book of Concord, come what may. We remain Lutheran because it is our confession, even when we are embarrassed by those who make such ignorant assertions that conducting the Divine Service reverently and with historic ceremonies is “Romanizing.” (Yes, we Lutherans began as a distinct communion by telling our hierarchs to go pound sand, and we’ll do it again if need be). We are also subjected to the lecherous behavior of former Lutherans who lurk about our people online, seeking whom they may devour by asking, “Did God actually say?” These guys always remind me of the weirdo in a trench-coat with lollipops hanging about the playground. They can all go pound sand too!
Here we stand!
The following video is a treat, as our own Fr. William Weedon engages in Lutheran apologetics and explains specifically and eloquently why we stay on the Lonely Way, and why we continue to confess - telling his own story of temptation to flee. Of course, Fr. Weedon is not as cranky and pugnacious as I am. Therefore, unlike me, he is actually fun and uplifting to listen to.
So if you have been wondering why we should stay put in this confession and faith, and why we should indeed continue to put up with all of the Bubulum Stercus that we do as a result, watch or listen to this podcast, and rejoice in your confession of the Evangelical Catholic faith.
And thank you to Javier Perdomo for his apologetic work! He allows Lutherans (as well as those of various Protestant persuasions) to tell their stories: some of whom, like Pastor Weedon, were contemplating leaving, as well as other laity and clergy who have “come home from Rome” instead of swimming the Tiber.
Here is a great interview with the Rev. Dr. Steve Parks, theology professor at Concordia University - Irvine.
Dr. Parks has also been on Issues, Etc. discussing this issue numerous times. And he has just started his own Lutheran apologetics YT channel called Recovering the Reformation.
Other videos on Javier Perdomo’s YT channel include this interview with LCMS pastor (and former RC pastor), the Rev. Fr. Andrew Abraham:
Here is an interesting interview with a young layman named Logan Michael, who left the Baptist confession, flirted with Roman Catholicism, and found a home as a confessional, liturgical Lutheran:
Logan has other writings that can be found here.
Danish layman Michael Potamopotos explains his journey from Atheism, to the “Lutheran” State Church, to the Vineyard, and then, drawn towards Roman Catholicism, found his way to authentic confessional Lutheranism.
There is so much encouragement in these videos (and there are many more at Javier’s channel). They are a reminder of why we continue to follow the Lonely Way. There are times when, like Athanasius, standing against the whole world, we feel compelled to adopt the motto “Athanasius contra mundum.” But we are not alone. We are part of the great cloud of witnesses who confess our Lord as revealed in Holy Scripture. Indeed, here we stand. And there are times when it is meet, right, and salutary to reflect on those who walk the Lonely Way with us, and rejoice with them.