# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S513 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 502 “WHAT IS A DOCTRINE?” Responding to the above resolution, the faculties of the two seminaries devoted considerable time to a further study of the question “What is a doctrine?” and by the spring of 1956 had formulated the following statement and comments: A doctrine is an article of faith which the church in obedience to her Lord, and in response to her specific needs, derives according to sound principles of inter- pretation from Scripture as the sole source of doctrine and sets forth in a form adapted to teaching. Comment on the Definition I. A doctrine. In the Lutheran Church the term “a doc- trine” is used to designate the church’s formulation of a part of the Scriptural revelation of the will of God. Il. Is an article of faith. Every doctrine must be or- ganically related to the intention of the holy and gracious God for the faith and life of man as revealed in His Word. Ill. Which the church, in obedience to her Lord. Every claim of God upon men is to be received by the church in the full obedience of faith. IV. And in response to her specific needs. The formu- lation of such doctrines is conditioned by the historical situation in which the church finds itself. V. Derives according to sound principles of interpreta- tion from Scripture as the sole source of doctrine. Such formulations are based either on express statements of Scripture, or on direct implications of Scripture state- ments, or on a synthesis of a number of related statements of Scripture. The procedure in each case must be in ac- cordance with the basic law of interpretation that Scrip- ture is its own interpreter and as divine revelation claims total submission from man. VI. And sets forth in a form adapted to teaching. The purpose of these formulations is that of communication, whether it be for preaching, teaching, refuting error, or defending the truth. “All Scripture is given by inspira- tion of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3: 16-17) 5 While this definition has considerable merit, it does not distinguish clearly between the various usages of the term “doctrine” in the New Testament, the Lutheran Confessions, and post-Reformation dogmatic theology. Nor did it fully satisfy those who were urging the question, and the matter again came before the Synod at Cleveland, Ohio, June 20—29, 1962. The Proceedings of this convention contain the following resolution: Wuereas, Memorial 331 points up the importance of the question: What is a doctrine? and particularly the rela- tionship of doctrine and practice, or application of doc- trine; therefore be it Resolved, That this memorial and the supporting brief be referred to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations for serious study, consideration, and report; and be it further Resolved, That the results of this study be sent to all pastors and teachers at least one year before the next convention. . . .6 In 1964, the Commission on Theology and Church Relations issued in pamphlet form a Report on “What Is a Doctrine?” This report quotes the statement adopted at Saginaw and the definition proposed by the two seminary faculties and says: 5 The Lutheran Witness, LXXV (May 8, 1956), 178. 6 Proceedings, 1962, p. 108. The commission . .. found the definitions of doctrine adopted or authorized by the Synod adequate, in harmony with the Scriptures and the Confessions. Pursuant to the above resolution the commission is submitting this report to the pastors and teachers. It includes the statements adopted or authorized by the Synod and pertinent state- ments from the Confessions. These statements of the Con- fessions are simple, they view doctrine as a whole, and they preclude false distinctions between doctrine and application of doctrine. The report adds a number of quotations from the Lutheran Confessions which illustrate the confessional usage of the term “doctrine” and emphasize that doc- trine in the Christian church is to be derived from Scripture. This in turn is followed by an appendix with suggestions for study.* At the 46th regular convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in 1965, the floor committee on doctrinal matters studied the report of the Commis- sion on Theology and Church Relations on “What Is a Doctrine?” and recommended the following: Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations in its report on “What Is a Doctrine?” responded to a resolution of the Cleveland Convention (Proceed- ings, 1962, p.108); and Wuereas, The commission could not give the time and did not have the opportunity prior to issuing its report more than a year ago to attempt a full-scale study and reformulation of a definition of “doctrine”; and Wuereas, The study on fellowship, especially in the historical section of Theology of Fellowship, has given insights that bear on a definition of doctrine; and Whereas, It may be expected that the ongoing studies on various Biblical topics, as well as the proposed study on Biblical hermeneutics, may well shed further light on the nature of a doctrine as well as the proper manner of formulating doctrine; therefore be it Resolved, That this convention gratefully approve this report of the Commission on Theology and Church Rela- tions as an adequate response to the memorial originally addressed to the Synod at Cleveland; and be it further Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and Church Relations be encouraged to continue its study of the question “What is a doctrine?” and formulate a further definition that takes into account the results of all its Biblical and theological studies, indicating if possible the distinctions between — a) “the doctrine” and “a doctrine” or “doctrines”; as well as b) related terms such as “dogma,” “article of faith,” “teaching,” as these terms are used in Scripture as well as the Lutheran Confessions; and be it finally Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and Church Relations submit the results of this study to the members of the Synod for careful study and to a future convention of the Synod for adoption. This recommendation of the floor committee was adopted by the convention.§ The following is an attempt to carry out the instruc- tions of the Synod as laid down in the above resolutions. IJ. USE AND MEANING OF THE TERM “DOCTRINE” AND RELATED TERMS The very persistence with which the question “What Is a Doctrine?” has been and still is being asked suggests that there is something intrinsically difficult about the 7 Report, p. 8; also Convention Workbook, 1965, p. 40. 8 Proceedings, 1965, pp. 98—99.