[Gottesblog] Timeo Daneos et Dona Ferentes, by Larry Beane

www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2020/12/15/timeo-daneos-et-dona-ferentes

“Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.” — VIRGIL

There is a reason why Homer’s “Trojan Horse” has become a metaphor in nearly every language. Nearly every invasion of diabolical, revolutionary ideas comes by invitation rather than by frontal assault.

The progressive purveyors of the Gramscian “Long March Through the Institutions” understand the importance of targeting the Christian Church in order to push their agenda. And so we saw Critical Theory embed and mainstream itself into mainline churches ever so slowly over the course of decades. They used Academia as their command post: universities, Bible colleges, divinity schools, and seminaries. Scholars advocating Higher Criticism made their way into the church’s educational facilities, at first slowly, then in an onslaught.

From there, the cancer could metastasize into our parishes, parochial schools, and literature of ordinary Christians. This Trojan Horse successfully overthrew Christianity in many liberal, mainline church bodies. But the ruse was discovered in the 1970s in the LCMS, and the Critical Method was turned away by those who were willing to take a stand against it.

But this is now half a century in the past.

The Long March has left the LCMS surrounded. We have seen church body after church body succumb. And the strategy has shifted to focus on issues of race and sexuality under the color of “social justice.” Where we have seen incursions of the Critical Theory methodology in the LCMS manifests more in two distinct areas: educational institutions, and “saltwater” districts.

And before the wailing and gnashing of teeth begins, I am generalizing. There are notable exceptions. There are indeed professors and there are coastal institutions of our church that are bastions of orthodoxy. But if you are going to think strategically, you have to generalize. A good general understands that there are certain types of terrain where an ambush is more likely, where he has more reason to fear heavy artillery, or under what circumstances his own people may find themselves trapped behind enemy lines. A good bit of strategy involves playing the odds.

And playing the odds means looking at things as they are, not based on sentimentality or desires.

Odds are, if you’re going to have clubs dedicated to breaking the sixth commandment and celebrating sexual deviancy contrary to Holy Scripture, it is most likely that this Trojan Horse will be wheeled into a university setting, and again, most likely (though not exclusively) on the coasts.

If you’re going to have a violent BLM member receive a Servant of Christ award, chances are, this will be in an educational setting and, again, will likely be on one of the coasts.

If you’re going to have a convocation based on Critical Race Theory, watch the synod’s schools - especially the seminaries.

If an employee in one of our church’s institutions who is unrepentant regarding the sixth commandment and the Lord’s created order of male and female is to be promoted and lauded by the administration, that Trojan Horse is likely to be wheeled into the groves of LCMS Academia, and again, likely not in “flyover country.”

If a district is going to consecrate female “deacons” and vest them in albs and stoles, chances are that this will not be in the heartland (while the South is also sometimes known for this particular Trojan Horse).

If there are institutions bearing the name “Lutheran” to which many LCMS young people are encouraged to attend - but where they will encounter “ordained” female “Lutheran pastors” and Higher Critical Method biblical hermeneutics, what are the chances that this is an educational institution? Why do we send young people such mixed messages? Can we not cut down the Asherah poles and stop the worship on the “high places”? Instead, we wheel the abomination right into our own gates and encourage our young people to jump right in. And if young people leave our churches, then I suppose the traditional liturgy is to blame.

The quote above from Virgil’s Aeneid is loosely translated as “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” That too has become a proverb of the ages, because it is sage advice. Those who serve on boards overseeing our Concordia system and our seminaries - as well as those charged with oversight of our more liberal districts - should strive to be vigilant, prepared to sound the alarm (utilizing the tools that we have today in social media), aware of Greeks bearing gifts, and prepared to send Critical Theory right back to where it came from. Resist the urge to go along to get along. Don’t wait. The Church needs to know now!

For today, the very same handsome structure that gives you prestige and street cred - and perhaps even a large salary - will tomorrow pop open with hostile soldiers intent upon slaughtering your children in their beds.