Well, this past weekend I received the latest issue of Christian News, and according to the way he normally operates, the CN Editor, Rev. Herman Otten published a copy of our Fraternal Admonition, a letter he wrote to us (or more specifically, to me, asking us who we were, what we were doing, why we preferred the ESV to AAT, and if we were willing to file charges of false doctrine against Matthew Becker), Paul McCain's Cyberbrethren response to the Fraternal Admonition, and a letter to the editor (of CN) from someone asking that Herman please publish an article about our organization (the Association of CONFESSIONAL Lutheran Congregations, which isn't our name).
True to form Pastor Otten didn't bother to publish my short response to him asking that he kindly visit our website, take a look at our FAQ document, get back in touch with us personally if he still had any questions about what we were doing, and finally, that he try to put the best construction on what we were doing . . .
Since he chose not to publish my response to him, I'll publish both is orginal note to me and my response, so that everyone may see it and judge it on its own merits.
Pastor Otten Wrote . . .
Pastor Otten Wrote . . .
Open letter to ACELC:
Paul McCain, on his cyber brethren blog has published a rather critical response to your group. CN will publish it together with any answer you might have. Just who is in your group? Would you be willing to file charges of false doctrine vs. such an outspoken liberal as Matthew Becker now that 3-09 of the 1973 convention was reaffirmed and Harrison and good vice-presidents were elected?
McCain is the chief reason why the LCMS is going for the ESV which is 91% RSV. CN will publish your response to what CN has been publishing about the RSV and ESV for the last several years. Please explain why you prefer the ESV to the AAT. Note particularly "We need a Good Bible - a Critique of the RSV-ESV by William Beck updated by Herman Otten, CN, May 17, 2010, and "A Plea To Compare AAT With ESV" in the same issue of Christian News.
Paul McCain, on his cyber brethren blog has published a rather critical response to your group. CN will publish it together with any answer you might have. Just who is in your group? Would you be willing to file charges of false doctrine vs. such an outspoken liberal as Matthew Becker now that 3-09 of the 1973 convention was reaffirmed and Harrison and good vice-presidents were elected?
McCain is the chief reason why the LCMS is going for the ESV which is 91% RSV. CN will publish your response to what CN has been publishing about the RSV and ESV for the last several years. Please explain why you prefer the ESV to the AAT. Note particularly "We need a Good Bible - a Critique of the RSV-ESV by William Beck updated by Herman Otten, CN, May 17, 2010, and "A Plea To Compare AAT With ESV" in the same issue of Christian News.
God's Glessings,
Herman Otten
I replied to him (by the way, literally within minutes of receiving the above query) . . .
Dear Pastor Otten,
I received your e-mail letter on the afternoon of 7/26/2010, but as only one member of the Steering Committee, I feel it would be improper for me to personally comment on what you have written. What I have done, however, is forwarded a copy of your letter to the full ACELC Steering Committee. Any response we might give will have to come from all of us. By the way, if you have not visited our website, you might find that our public statement and admonition answers at least some of your questions regarding the makeup and purpose of our group.
We look forward to a "fair and balanced" coverage of what our group is doing.
Yours in Christ's Service,
Rev. Drew Newman, ACELC Steering Committee Member.
We look forward to a "fair and balanced" coverage of what our group is doing.
Yours in Christ's Service,
Rev. Drew Newman, ACELC Steering Committee Member.
