Here WELS Stands

An update on the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s understanding of Catholicism, which may now be the most famous theological claim in America, which I mentioned in Monday’s Michele Bachmann, the Anti-Christ, and the Political Theologian . The Christian Post   reports that the WELS’ leader, the Rev. Mark G. Schroeder

makes no apology for the church’s belief that the Roman Catholic papacy fits the biblical characteristics of the antichrist. Schroeder states that WELS draws its teachings solely from the scriptures.

“The papacy claim[s] to speak with an authority — even infallibility — that was equal to or surpassing the Word of God itself,” he explains. “By doing so, it put[s] itself in a position of being ‘anti’ or ‘in place of’ Christ.”

However, Schroeder says its denomination is not bigoted against Catholics . . . . ”We rejoice that even in the Catholic Church (where we believe the gospel has been distorted) there are many Catholics who hold to a simple faith in Jesus Christ as their savior and who will ultimately be saved.”

As far as I can tell from my very informal survey of Catholic friends and websites, most Catholics are responding as I described in the “On the Square” article, with a version of “Oh, well, yeah, they’re Lutherans, what do you expect?” A few are vexed. The controversy will not, I am fairly sure, come to anything in the end, and certainly won’t discourage Catholics who would vote for Bachmann already from voting for her.

Thanks to CatholicCulture.org for the link.