Piper on the Tornado, the Lutherans, & Homosexuality

John Piper has set the blogosphere ablaze with his recent post entitled, The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality. It has caused so much ruckus that he has written a follow-up to this post to ensure that his readers do not misconstrue his words. You can also read CBMW, TheResurgence, Christianity Today, and Justin Taylor's comments on and support for Piper's posts. If you have not heard about the tornado that struck during the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's national convention, here's an eyewitnesses account of the calamity.

On a day when no severe weather was predicted or expected...a tornado forms, baffling the weather experts—most saying they’ve never seen anything like it. It happens right in the city. The city: Minneapolis.

The tornado happens on a Wednesday...during the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's national convention in the Minneapolis Convention Center. The convention is using Central Lutheran across the street as its church. The church has set up tents around it’s building for this purpose.

Piper notes the schedule of what was to occur during the 5th session of ELCA's convention.

Date: Wednesday, August 19
Time: 2PM
Title: "Consideration: Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality"
Description: Whether practicing homosexuality should disqualify someone from pastoral ministry.

The eyewitness then continues his account of the tornado.

This curious tornado touches down just south of downtown and follows 35W straight towards the city center. It crosses I94. It is now downtown.

The time: 2PM.

The first buildings on the downtown side of I94 are the Minneapolis Convention Center and Central Lutheran. The tornado severely damages the convention center roof, shreds the tents, breaks off the steeple of Central Lutheran, splits what’s left of the steeple in two...and then lifts.

Did this tornado just by chance hit the church that the ELCA was meeting at, at the exact moment of the beginning of their meeting? Looks more like design than coincidence to me. Or was this tornado sent by God as judgment upon the ELCA? They did, in fact, eventually pass the proposed social statement on human sexuality, which allows practicing homosexual pastors. Or was this tornado a warning sent not only to the ELCA, but also to everyone who hears of this phenomenon? With more wisdom than I have, Dr. Piper reminds us all of Luke 13:4-5.

“Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Therefore, we would be wise to take this event as an opportunity to repent of our own sins, lest we be judged and find ourselves outside the Cross of Christ.