# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1160
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

618 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

“A Statement”
(Memorial 622)

Wuereas, The Synodical convention of 1947, in answer to a
question of Pastor McLaughlin “relative to the action on the five
doctrinal declarations in Memorial 616,” advised Pastor McLaugh-
lin “that he give his congregation the assurance that Synod has
again declared its doctrinal position by unanimously reaffirming
its loyalty to the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and
the Brief Statement” (Proceedings, 1947, p. 524); and

Wuereas, The resolution to adopt the five doctrinal statements
found on pages 401 and 402 of the 1947 Reports AND MEmortiats
was ruled out of order by the chairman, because he held that
such resolution conflicted with a previous resolution of the Chi-
cago Convention to study the question at issue (cf. Proceedings
1947, p. 523); and ,

Wuereas, The material submitted by the President has not
restored unity of doctrine and faith in our midst, but has even
more confused the question at issue; and

Wuereas, Synod cannot, and must not, if it would be and re-
main an orthodox church body, tolerate two opposing teachings
in its midst; now therefore be it

Resolved, That we petition Synod not to delay the settling
of the issues raised by “A Statement” any longer, but boldly con-
fess the truth of God’s Word in this matter and remove all error
from its midst by means of doctrinal discipline.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH
FREEPorT, IL.
Joun N. Sanper, President
Rosert V. Loewe, Recording Secretary
Rev. C. J. Scouts, Pastor

Re Appointment of Fourth Vice-President
(Memorial 623)

Wuereas, In the past year Dr. E. J. Friedrich has: been ap-
pointed as a Vice-President of Synod; and

Wuereas, He has signed “A Statement” and has been the
chairman of the committee which drafted, issued, and defended the
document; and

.Wuereas, “A Statement” contains doctrinal aberrations as the
words read, as was declared by the President of Synod, who also
wrote to the clergy of Synod (April 30, 1946) with regard to
the document that “there are some points with which we were

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 619

not then and are not now in agreement.... We voiced our dis-
agreement with some of the points of “A Statement” as well as"
with the accompanying letter and insisted that these be corrected
or withdrawn”; and

Wuereas, The “Agreement” between the Presidency and the
signers of “A Statement,” in which Dr. Friedrich participated,
specifically declares that “the withdrawal of “A Statement” as
a basis of discussion shall not be interpreted as a retraction”; and

Wuereas, The President is charged with “supervision regarding
the doctrine and the administration” of Synod’s servants (Con-
stitution, XI, B); and

Wuereas, The Vice-Presidents of Synod may at any time be
called upon to discharge the President’s functions (Constitution,
XI, C); and

Wereas, Only he who is firmly and fully grounded in the
pure doctrine of God’s Word can properly discharge these func-
tions; and ,

WHEREAS, In spite of the synodical President’s stipulation on
August 16, 1946, that there should be no further organizational
solicitation of adherents while the meetings of the committees
dealing with “A Statement” were being held, Dr. Friedrich on
September 28, 1946, by letter requested signers of “A Statement”
to “accelerate the distribution of Speaking the Truth in Love,
a booklet which explains, defends, and propagandizes for “A State-
ment,” and added the comment that “it should be an easy matter to
secure additional signatures”; and

Wuereas, As chairman of the “A Statement” committee Dr.
Friedrich tendered apology to Dr. E. W. Koehler for a statement in
Speaking the Truth in Love which questioned the latter’s honesty
in using Scripture, and yet thereafter, in his letter of September 28,
1946, urged brethren to “accelerate the distribution” of the booklet
containing the accusation for which apology had been made; and

Wuereas, No provision of Synod’s Constitution and By-Laws
may be construed or so applied as to nullify the clear precepts of
God’s Word (see, for example, the Second and Eighth Command-
ments); therefore be it

Resolved, That Trinity Congregation inform Synod that it does
not and cannot recognize Dr. Friedrich as qualified to be a Vice-
President of Synod, in which it holds membership, as long as
the considerations here detailed are not resolved in harmony with
Scripture’s directions, and that the congregation must, therefore,
protest his Vice-Presidency; and be it further