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I have been a bit ambivalent to the Lutheran Church in Norway. It is the former state Church with the royal family as their head. Perhaps it has changed now, but still, the monarch has to belong to the church even after the reforms.
I grew up in that church. I fell away from that church. I found salvation in that church when I was 19.
As a newly saved I went to church every Sunday and loved the liturgy, the hymns, the sermons and didn't see anything wrong with female priests and greeted the first female bishop welcome as well. I was invisible in the church, and that was fine by me. I didn't really identify as one of them, anyhow. I just knew I was saved and believed fullheartedly in God and His son Jesus.
I got married and moved abroad. My faith was challenged. I understood that some of the liberal views were not Biblical. I learnt, and I found a sound fellowship. I came back to Norway 10 years later and found that the church was changed. Or was it I? It was difficult to tell. I didn't belong there anymore.
A couple of years ago there was a church election, and the pro LGBT mobilised strongly to get as much influence as possible. They succedeeded, and the year following the church accepted to wed any couples, whether gay or heterosexual. I felt appalled. It was the non beliveing body of the church that took the power over the church and decided the teachings. Where did the Bible go? What is left of the gospel?
I went to church last weekend and found out. The female Bishop had a sermon on the scripture of Lazarus and the rich man. A strong scripture that could make the congregation move to tears and repentance. But no! Jesus' name was only mentioned in passing after 10 minutes of feel good but care about your fellow human message. And that only to say that He was surrounded by his friends. No mentioning of the possibility of damnation. No call for repentance. But a lot of talk about refugees. How did that happen? The whole sermon could have been a speech at the Labor Party's conference!
I was deeply saddened and disturbed. All that talking of inclusiveness and seeing the individual and feel good about how good we are speech, and I found myself alone in the corner at the coffee afterwards. I clearly don't belong there. I am blessed with having found a sound fellowship. Unfortunately it is a bit far, but rather that than spending a Sunday listening to empty words of human kindness.
Do we need this kind of state institution? It surely doesn't feel like church anymore. The church is the people following Christ. Not the building that people meet in to feel good about themselves once in a while.
I grew up in that church. I fell away from that church. I found salvation in that church when I was 19.
As a newly saved I went to church every Sunday and loved the liturgy, the hymns, the sermons and didn't see anything wrong with female priests and greeted the first female bishop welcome as well. I was invisible in the church, and that was fine by me. I didn't really identify as one of them, anyhow. I just knew I was saved and believed fullheartedly in God and His son Jesus.
I got married and moved abroad. My faith was challenged. I understood that some of the liberal views were not Biblical. I learnt, and I found a sound fellowship. I came back to Norway 10 years later and found that the church was changed. Or was it I? It was difficult to tell. I didn't belong there anymore.
A couple of years ago there was a church election, and the pro LGBT mobilised strongly to get as much influence as possible. They succedeeded, and the year following the church accepted to wed any couples, whether gay or heterosexual. I felt appalled. It was the non beliveing body of the church that took the power over the church and decided the teachings. Where did the Bible go? What is left of the gospel?
I went to church last weekend and found out. The female Bishop had a sermon on the scripture of Lazarus and the rich man. A strong scripture that could make the congregation move to tears and repentance. But no! Jesus' name was only mentioned in passing after 10 minutes of feel good but care about your fellow human message. And that only to say that He was surrounded by his friends. No mentioning of the possibility of damnation. No call for repentance. But a lot of talk about refugees. How did that happen? The whole sermon could have been a speech at the Labor Party's conference!
I was deeply saddened and disturbed. All that talking of inclusiveness and seeing the individual and feel good about how good we are speech, and I found myself alone in the corner at the coffee afterwards. I clearly don't belong there. I am blessed with having found a sound fellowship. Unfortunately it is a bit far, but rather that than spending a Sunday listening to empty words of human kindness.
Do we need this kind of state institution? It surely doesn't feel like church anymore. The church is the people following Christ. Not the building that people meet in to feel good about themselves once in a while.
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