tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7276846.post1219363521589552878..comments2021-01-03T07:14:49.256-06:00Comments on Loyal Defender: The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Free Church of AmericaDavid Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15297113968480855655noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7276846.post-60093427535745211092021-01-03T07:14:49.256-06:002021-01-03T07:14:49.256-06:00The differences
1. I think EFCA is strict on the d...The differences<br />1. I think EFCA is strict on the doctrines it does affirm. Deviations in doctrine and practice may be dealt with at least as well as the LCMS does.<br />2. Basically accurate observation by Dr. Noland<br />3. EFCA affirms the Bible as authority – not sure that there is an issue there<br />4. The EFCA statement on Baptism and Lord’s Supper should be looked at carefully. In my opinion, it could possibly be understood as compatible with Lutheran view, though many would disagree. There is a discussion in the EFCA published book, Evangelical Convictions (Evangelical Convictions - Kindle edition by EFCA, Strand, Greg, Kynes, Bill, Hamel, William. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.)<br />5. Probably true that EFCA is sympathetic to Zwingli but EFCA statement perhaps offers wiggle room<br />6. EFCA modified its view about hypocrites in the church. Basically EFCA wants doctrinal/practice discipline in the church. I’m not sure that the EFCA and LCMS differ on this issue<br />7. EFCA is neither Calvinist nor Arminian. Is this the same as LCMS? This issue should be explored further.<br />8. EFCA doesn’t like divorce, not sure there is a real difference between EFCA and LCMS on this. Issue should be explored further<br />9. Probably fair to say EFCA discourages, not sure it’s fair to say EFCA prohibits alcohol and tobacco. Some in EFCA drink alcohol in moderation.<br />10. EFCA no longer formally upholds millennialism (EFCA Now Considers Premillennialism a Non-Essential...... | News & Reporting | Christianity Today). LCMS is out of date on recognizing this 2019 EFCA development – note the discussion in this denominational listing: (Denominations - Frequently Asked Questions - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (lcms.org). LCMS is lazy in not noticing the latest development on this.<br />11. Basically correct view on the ecumenical aspect of EFCA. LCMS attitudes toward ecumenism are kind of incoherent<br />12. I would say it’s opposite of what Dr. Noland asserts here. LCMS (often though by no means always) looks only to its own roots and traditions. EFCA has a far more broad approach.<br />13. There can be good preaching in both LCMS and EFCA. These days, many sermons are available online.<br />I would also add the difference that officially, LCMS upholds six day creation and worldwide flood, while EFCA holds the line on Adam and Eve. This is not to say that many in EFCA don’t unofficially hold to six day creation and young earth. Also, there are some in LCMS who don’t. Practically speaking, there might not be a huge difference between the two denominations, but the official doctrinal statements are not the same.<br />David Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15297113968480855655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7276846.post-65619298447059176762021-01-03T07:14:18.301-06:002021-01-03T07:14:18.301-06:00Among Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor-schola...Among Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor-scholar-author-theologians, John Warwick Montgomery and David Scaer have written books referencing the Evangelical Free Church of America. In his autobiography, Fighting the Good Fight (Fighting the Good Fight, 3rd and Enlarged Edition- Wipf and Stock Publishers), Dr. Montgomery references the fact that he was a professor at an EFCA seminary (at the same time he also taught classes at an LCMS seminary—apparently, it was not an issue at either end in the early 1970s). The Southern California law school that Montgomery founded, then known as the Simon Greenleaf School of Law, is now Trinity Law School and has been associated with the EFCA for many years now. Montgomery is often favorable to the EFCA in his book, noting among other things that the EFCA library had conservative AND liberal books in their library, while liberal seminaries often had only liberal books in their library. Scaer is less favorable to the EFCA and Montgomery by extension in his own autobiography, Surviving the Storms (Surviving the Storms: Memoirs of David P. Scaer - Kindle edition by Scaer, David P.. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.). Both men have been very outspoken and prominent and are still living today (January 3, 2021).<br /><br />Looking at Dr. Noland’s comments on the EFCA and the LCMS, I offer the following remarks:<br /><br />The similarities are basically correct, including the 7.h. observation about baptism (EFCA could perhaps emphasize baptism more than it does)David Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15297113968480855655noreply@blogger.com