LunaWitch
July 18th, 2002, 04:05 PM
I was reading the paper last week, keep meaning to post this
sorry if this post belongs in political I wasn't sure.
Suspended Minister Appeals
By Pete Bowles
STAFF WRITER
July 10, 2002
A Brooklyn minister with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has appealed a church decision suspending him from his administrative duties for participating with "pagans" in an interfaith service for victims of the World Trade Center attack.
The Rev. David Benke, pastor of St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Highland Park, was suspended as president of the denomination's Atlantic District, which has about 42,000 members and 100 congregations between the eastern tip of Long Island and Albany.
In relieving Benke of his official duties, the Rev. Wallace Schulz, the synod's second vice president, ordered him to apologize to all Christians for praying with Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus as well as Roman Catholic and Protestant clerics at a Sept. 23 interfaith service at Yankee Stadium.
"To participate with pagans in an interfaith service, and additionally, to give the impression that there might be more than one God, is an extremely serious offense against the God of the Bible," Schulz said in a June 25 letter to Benke. "Joining in prayer with pagan clerics in Yankee Stadium was an offense both to God and all Christians."
Benke, who is still allowed to serve as pastor at his church, has since requested that the synod grant him a hearing and resolve the dispute, a synod spokesman, the Rev. David Mahsman, said yesterday. He said a three-member resolution panel will be selected by draw to hear the case.
According to the denomination's bylaws, neither Benke nor Schulz are permitted to discuss the matter, Mahsman said.
However, in a 10-page letter of "clarity" to the church body, Benke said he prayed in the name of Christ at the nationally-televised event hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
"I cannot conceive of a public gathering in my adult lifetime in which prayer in Jesus' name was more necessary nor well received than Yankee Stadium," Benke wrote. "DO NOT MIX THE KINGDOMS. ENCOURAGE CHRISTIAN WITNESS."
Schulz suspended Benke after receiving complaints from 21 Missouri Synod pastors and three congregations. If Benke loses the appeal process, he will be removed from the ministry, officials said.
The Missouri Synod, which was founded in 1847 and is based outside St. Louis, is the 10th largest church body in the United States with 2.6 million members.
Copyright © 2002, Newsday, Inc.
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Comments? Opinions?
I personally thought this is just plain wrong.
This man dedicates his life to his religion only to
be shunned by his own people?
and for what?
I feel really bad for the man.
shame on Rev. Wallace Schulz, give the man a break!
:dis:
sorry if this post belongs in political I wasn't sure.
Suspended Minister Appeals
By Pete Bowles
STAFF WRITER
July 10, 2002
A Brooklyn minister with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has appealed a church decision suspending him from his administrative duties for participating with "pagans" in an interfaith service for victims of the World Trade Center attack.
The Rev. David Benke, pastor of St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Highland Park, was suspended as president of the denomination's Atlantic District, which has about 42,000 members and 100 congregations between the eastern tip of Long Island and Albany.
In relieving Benke of his official duties, the Rev. Wallace Schulz, the synod's second vice president, ordered him to apologize to all Christians for praying with Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus as well as Roman Catholic and Protestant clerics at a Sept. 23 interfaith service at Yankee Stadium.
"To participate with pagans in an interfaith service, and additionally, to give the impression that there might be more than one God, is an extremely serious offense against the God of the Bible," Schulz said in a June 25 letter to Benke. "Joining in prayer with pagan clerics in Yankee Stadium was an offense both to God and all Christians."
Benke, who is still allowed to serve as pastor at his church, has since requested that the synod grant him a hearing and resolve the dispute, a synod spokesman, the Rev. David Mahsman, said yesterday. He said a three-member resolution panel will be selected by draw to hear the case.
According to the denomination's bylaws, neither Benke nor Schulz are permitted to discuss the matter, Mahsman said.
However, in a 10-page letter of "clarity" to the church body, Benke said he prayed in the name of Christ at the nationally-televised event hosted by Oprah Winfrey.
"I cannot conceive of a public gathering in my adult lifetime in which prayer in Jesus' name was more necessary nor well received than Yankee Stadium," Benke wrote. "DO NOT MIX THE KINGDOMS. ENCOURAGE CHRISTIAN WITNESS."
Schulz suspended Benke after receiving complaints from 21 Missouri Synod pastors and three congregations. If Benke loses the appeal process, he will be removed from the ministry, officials said.
The Missouri Synod, which was founded in 1847 and is based outside St. Louis, is the 10th largest church body in the United States with 2.6 million members.
Copyright © 2002, Newsday, Inc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments? Opinions?
I personally thought this is just plain wrong.
This man dedicates his life to his religion only to
be shunned by his own people?
and for what?
I feel really bad for the man.
shame on Rev. Wallace Schulz, give the man a break!
:dis: