tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post2299157017295512319..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: What is the point. . .Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-79757873858271012652019-08-12T00:37:24.266-05:002019-08-12T00:37:24.266-05:00Your article summarized most of the salient causes...Your article summarized most of the salient causes of the depreciation of parochial school education in this country. Although I have worshipped as a Lutheran LCMS for many years, as a child I spent 9 years attending Catholic schools. Every reason for the decline in the local parochial schools everywhere, and the lack of resources, teachers, and parental interest in supporting these institutions was clearly laid out in your summary. I would add that the problem for the Catholic schools may be related somewhat to a general disgust by Catholic families with the significant problem of pedophile priests and the scandals which has rocked the RCC over the past 30 years. The problem with declining Lutheran schools, in my view, is a result of the cultural shift of American society during a post-Christian era in our history, as many Christians have become less religious, more worldly, spiritually lethargic, and in the case of Lutherans, have not held on to their distinctives and identity as they ought. It is sad indeed, but as the Old Testament shows us, all it takes is a generation or two which falls away, and no longer cares about the things of God, and thus a cycle of unbelief results. We may still see the trappings of religion, but the heart has been cut out. We see this cycle in Israel's OT history, and God often disciplined them for either following the false gods and idols of neighboring nations, or simply following shallow religious and legalistic practices....yet having no real fervor or spirit, or gratitude to God. It is hard to believe that we Christians are following Israel's example, but it is the truth. We must continue to talk about this wider problem, as declining schools is just one symptom of our current spiritual malaise. Pastors should begin to preach about this more often, lest the spiritual sores continue to fester, lest the LCMS also find itself without more schools and more closed churches.John Joseph Flanaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06596324816480709495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-88163266451817313562019-08-11T16:33:41.508-05:002019-08-11T16:33:41.508-05:00I did attend a LCMS elementary school and it is 10...I did attend a LCMS elementary school and it is 100% worth it. The LCMS should sink all of its spare money into excellent Christian education and building schools. It's a large reason we grew so fast in the past. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-13065329068161570312019-08-11T14:24:01.526-05:002019-08-11T14:24:01.526-05:00https://school.stpaulhamel.org/https://school.stpaulhamel.org/William Weedonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.com