Can you imagine the Want Ad's?

What would you think if you saw a want ad like this:

Wanted! One minister for a large Lutheran congregation. Must be likeable, humerous. Seminary trained preferred. Atheists OK.

Have you seen this?

"A Danish Lutheran minister who publicly denied the existence of God said Sunday he was glad to be back in the pulpit, but refused to speak about the case that led to his brief suspension last year."

He denied the existence of God, was suspended by the Lutherans, renewed his vows recently, was allowed back in the pulpit, and continues to deny the existence of God. This really is not too surprising, but just utterly silly. It truly disgusts me to even think of people in the congregation and Lutheran community, who call themselves "Christian," openly and joyfully accepting this man back into a leadership position in the Church. But, that's what will (not just can) happen when you have state run churches. If the government tells the churches what to do, dictates the goings on, you will have chaos. You will not have a church, but a business.

Do we really have to go into the absurdity of having an atheist (or maybe he'd call himself an agnostic) leader of a local body of theists? I wonder if they still call him a Christian? Sure would be a great survey topic among that group of people.

What is the role of a bishop when the church is governed by the state? Advisory? Ooooh. Look at what this particular area bishop indicated:

Lindhardt has said that although he disagrees with Grosboell's views there should be room for him in Denmark's state church.

That's like the bishops at Nicea going up to Arius and saying, "While we don't agree with your denying the true divinity of Jesus, and your teaching that Jesus was a created being (it's OK to disagree, you know...no hard feelings, eh?), we still think you should be the bishop of one of the largest and most prolific Christian congregations around."

Belief in God to be a Christian? Optional I guess.