# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1857_S347
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— Page 347 —

Answer: Yes, provided I am not thereby forced to reject a prior
coming of Christ for the destruction of the Antichrist — though I
leave uncertain in what manner it will occur.

4. Is every chiliastic view that does not leave these three points
untouched contrary to the sense of Article 17 of the Augsburg
Confession, and damnable?

Answer: Yes, provided it is granted that the reservation I noted at
1, 2, and 3 does not conflict with Article 17 of the Augustana.

5. Does Pastor Schieferdecker recognize and admit that he has erred,
and now also agree with the resolutions of the Western District
Synod?

Answer: I have nowhere explicitly professed the same view of the
thousand-year kingdom that Pastor Gruber Sr. expressed at the
Altenburg convention; but I did not agree with the resolution of the
Western District Synod for the reason that it is impossible for me to
reject something I hold to be uncertain. For the same reason I still
cannot, today, agree with the judgment in question, for I hold the
following to be uncertain:

a) How far the restraint of Satan during the thousand years extends.

b) Whether all nations without exception will be Christianized.

c) In what manner Christ's coming for judgment on the Antichrist will
be revealed.

d) Whether the resurrection reported in Revelation 20 is a bodily one
or not.

6. Is it necessary, for the sake of souls' salvation, and therefore
to be solemnly promised as under oath, that the affirmative confession
to these five questions also be repeated before the offended
congregation?

Answer: Everything I confess here I am willing to repeat exactly and
word for word before the congregation as well; but as to whether I
should have offended my congregation with false doctrine, my
conscience acquits me of that.

Seventeenth Session.

Pastor Schieferdecker's answers to the questions put to him were
taken up one by one. The deepest regret was expressed that Pastor
Schieferdecker had again hedged his answers so heavily. It was
remarked: the qualification added to question 1 either has no
significance — in which case it should not have been added — or it
does have significance, in which case it limits his "yes," and we
would be back at the same point as before, with Pastor Schieferdecker
having thereby expressed the crude form of chiliasm after all; it must
have some significance, otherwise it would not have been added.

Attention was drawn to the contradiction: it remains a kingdom of the
cross, and yet becomes a kingdom of victory. If something other than
what Holy Scripture speaks of is meant by this, then Pastor
Schieferdecker must mean a worldly kingdom. For faith always triumphs
over all worldly powers; there has never been a time when faith was
defeated, and it never will be defeated — for the Church shall not be
overcome by the gates of hell.

His conclusion also contradicts the clear passage where the Lord
Jesus Christ says: "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he
find faith on the earth?" The Synod would let Pastor Schieferdecker
explain himself regarding the answers.