# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S265
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Miscellaneous Resolutions
To Preserve the Authority and Clarity
of the New Testament Scriptures

this resolution to the President of the Synod. A motion to end debate
was introduced and carried, and the motion to refer was carried
[Yes: 878: No: 137].)

NEW RESOLUTION
Whereas, “The object of all textual criticism is to recover as far
as possible the actual words written by the author” (Kirsopp Lake,
Text of the New Testament [London, 1913]); and
Whereas, The standard critical edition of the Greek New Testament is Novum Testamentum Graece, often called Nestle-Aland,
abbreviated NA followed by the number of the relevant edition; and

To Give Thanks to God for the Faithful Service
of Rev. Dr. Raymond L. Hartwig
NEW RESOLUTION

Whereas, Bylaw 3.3.3 states, “The Secretary shall perform all
the
customary duties of a corporate secretary and shall serve as a
Whereas, D. C. Parker correctly writes of Novum Testamentum
voting
member and the secretary of the Board of Directors of the
Graece (1993) = NA27, “This text was agreed by a committee. When
Synod”;
and
they disagreed on the best reading to print, they voted” (Living Text
of the Gospels [Oxford, 1997]); and
Whereas, The Rev. Dr. Hartwig has faithfully served as the
Secretary
of the Synod for the last 18 years, during four different
Whereas, Decisions in Nestle-Aland have sometimes been
administrations;
and
based on historical-critical dogma, not textual criticism, e.g., in 1971

“the majority of the committee” favored punctuating Romans 9:5
Whereas, The work of the Secretary is tedious and often thankto replace Paul’s assertion that the Messiah is God with a doxology less and yet so very necessary for the smooth operation of our Synod;
(see RSV ad loc.) because “nowhere else in his genuine epistles does therefore be it
Paul ever designate ho Christos as theos” (B. M. Metzger, A Textual
Resolved, That the title of this resolution be changed [from “To
Commentary on the Greek NT [London, 1971], 522); and
Amend Bylaw 3.3.3”] to read: “To Give Thanks to God for the FaithWhereas, Future editions of Nestle-Aland will be edited with a ful Service of Rev. Dr. Raymond L. Hartwig”; and be it further
new editorial committee, a new methodology, a modified apparaResolved, That the Synod in convention rise in thanksgiving
tus, and a different goal, replacing the “original text” reflecting the
for
Dr. Hartwig and his faithful service to Christ in The Lutheran
autographs with an Ausgangstext that seeks to reconstruct the comChurch—Missouri
Synod (LCMS); and be it finally
mon source of surviving manuscripts; therefore be it
Resolved, That the chaplain lead the assembly in a prayer of
Resolved, That a New Testament text created by a committee with
thanksgiving
to our heavenly Father for providing such a man for
a new methodology and a different goal that no longer seeks “to
service
in
the
LCMS.
recover as far as possible the actual words written by the author”
prima facie undermines the Lutheran understanding of claritudo
Scripturae, the clarity of Scripture, defended by Luther in Bondage
of the Will against Erasmus’s skepticism; and be it further

Action: Adopted (9)
(The resolution received a standing vote of approval.)

Resolved, That the President of the Synod appoint a task force to
evaluate the methodology of NA28 and future editions and its implications for Lutheran theology; and be it further
Resolved, That the Task Force report its conclusions and recommendations to the 2019 LCMS convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That the editorial committee include textual scholars
who have edited critical editions of ancient texts, made emendations accepted by editors of critical editions of ancient texts, and/
or have published books or a substantial corpus of articles on textual criticism.
Action: Referred (7)
(After obtaining the attention of the chair, a delegate brought
forward this new resolution for consideration. After his motion was
seconded and during discussion, a motion was introduced to refer
“Miscellaneous Resolutions”

UPON THIS ROCK

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