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| Q: | I know many bits have been sent and posted with respect to Thrivent on WELS Q+A, but none of them have addressed their work with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity has been criticized by this forum for its "Theology of the Hammer," which indicates its ecumenical stance which ignores theological differences to bring everyone under one umbrella, if only for a short time during the building project. Thrivent Builds is a program where they have teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to build houses (certainly a noble thing, but under the auspices of Habitat this could bring serious questioning). After reading the posts on this forum, where it is clear we ought not to send money to groups when it is clear that false doctrine will be spread because of it, and if we have identified that Habitat for Humanity is far from true doctrine, how does it make sense to support a company (like Thrivent) when we know that it supports groups like that? Or even that the funding that we receive to publish materials in WELS is also pooled to publish materials in LCMS or ELCA, some of which contain false doctrine? While on paper they may use terminology and such that may be acceptable to us (WELS) folks, the practices seem far from being in sync with ones we would condone, especially when we can know full well where the funds are going. They have also made statements on their webpages that indicate that they are "faith-based." (http://www.thriventbuilds.com/partnership/thrivent/whyhabitat.html) I had a relative, who is an employee of Thrivent (and is a WELS member) go on a Habitat for Humanity trip through Thrivent, came back, and gave it accolades; what would be something helpful to say to him? Or is Habitat for Humanity really an OK group and previous warnings about them were really a bad analysis? | ||||||
| A: | Our Conference of Presidents has asked our WELS congregations and members not to participate with Habitat for Humanity or projects of Thrivent Builds that utilize HfH oversight. HfH site managers hold daily prayer and Bible study with project volunteers and conduct a religious dedication service at completed projects. Its falsely ecumenical views are regularly and actively promoted in the building of homes. WELS accepts grants from Thrivent and other secular corporations and foundations that do not tell us how to do our ministry or that compromise our confession. For this reason we are abstaining from participation in HfH projects supported by Thrivent. To my knowledge there has never been any "pooled" grant from Thrivent for publishing by the Lutheran churches. Although Thrivent has published and distributed materials itself, it has never offered grants for publishing ventures by any church. WELS deals with Thrivent in the same way we deal with any granting corporation or foundation. Since Thrivent is not a church, we do not have to avoid all contact with them because some of their money may be granted to programs we do not support. | ||||||
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