Jerry Kieschnick, President of the LCMS is once again speaking out of both sides of his mouth. The latest example of this comes to us via Kieschnick's senior assistant, Rev. Jon Braunersreuther who wrote an email that found its way onto the internet. The email alleges several very ridiculous things.
1. That Jerry Kieschnick was not aware of any threat of any lawsuit against Rev. Todd Wilken or Jeff Schwarz.
2. That even though Jerry Kieschnick has a role on the LCMS Board of Directors, he still had no clue that the other members of the BOD initiated legal action and threatened Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz. Click here to see the full text of the letter that was sent to Todd Wilken on December 18th, 2008. This letter clearly threatens legal action against Wilken and Schowarz.
Here is what Rev. Braunersreuther's email said in defense of President Kieschnick:
President Kieschnick has neither initiated a lawsuit against anyone connected with the radio show “Issues, Etc.,” nor has he threatened or encouraged a lawsuit or any other type of legal action. Any allegations to the contrary are simply untrue. The President of the Synod has neither the authority nor the desire to initiate legal action on behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. That authority is vested solely with the Board of Directors of the Synod.
In his role as a member of the Synod’s Board of Directors, President Kieschnick is not aware of any lawsuit or threat of any lawsuit against Rev. Todd Wilken or Jeff Schwarz. By means of a copy of this email, Mr. Ron Schultz, Chief Administrative Officer of the Synod, is being requested to further respond on behalf of the Board of Directors.
President Kieschnick desires a speedy and God-pleasing resolution to matters connected with the proposed transfer of the trademark in accordance with the Board’s previous action and prays that those involved are working together to conclude the matter.
It is an undeniable fact that the LCMS threatened legal action against Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz.
The email written by Kieschnick's senior assistant, states that the LCMS Board of Directors has the sole vested authority to initiate a legal action
But, this email also admits that Jerry Kieschnick has a "role as a member of the Board of Directors".
So how is it possible for Jerry Kieschnick to have had no knowledge of the Board of Directors decision to interface with the synod's law firm and threaten legal action against Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz?
Was there a renegade conspiracy on the part of the OTHER members of the BOD to initiate legal actions and keep FELLOW MEMBER of the BOD Jerry Kieschnick in the dark as to their actions?
In order to believe that Kieschnick had NO KNOWLEDGE of these actions requires us to believe that either Kieschnick is lying through his teeth or believe that he is the most miserably untalented leader / president to ever hold office in the LCMS.
I left evangelicalism for this? Errant doctrine is certainly worse than sleazy politicians-posing-as-Presidents, but man, LCMS Inc. really deflates the joy of finding Christ-centered theology.
Posted by: Andrew DeLoach, Esq. | February 19, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Wait... there weren't sleezy politicians in the other church body? Really?!? Unfortunately, this problem seems pretty par for the course from what I've seen in American Evangelicalism since the politicization/marketing of the church.
Posted by: Mike Baker | February 19, 2009 at 11:42 AM
And this is nothing new... and are not caused by the politicization/marketing of the church. They occur when people lose sight of what the church is all about...
Posted by: Akira kurasawa | February 19, 2009 at 01:11 PM
We'll trade you Hanson (our ELCA Poohbah) for Kieschnick and two draft choices.
Then we'll cut him and send him back to the minors.
Why are these morons ruining our churches?
Posted by: steve martin | February 21, 2009 at 04:58 PM