# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1857_S349
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— Page 349 —

...eous at the Last Day, some dead person might here or there already
be raised. But on the fourth question he appeals to the fact that he
does not know what kind of resurrection Revelation 20 teaches. So, in
his view, millions could still rise before the Last Day. He must
confess that, since he believes with the Christian Church that the
resurrection of the dead happens on the Last Day, there can be no
possible talk of a resurrection of the flesh before the Last Day in
Revelation 20. What stands there is "souls." It would be an outrage
to interpret as flesh what stands as "the souls" — namely, the souls
of the beheaded, etc. The Synod agreed that Pastor Schieferdecker
should once more be asked whether, with these additions to his "Yes,"
he had meant to limit it, or whether he believed that the truth he
confesses really lies in the words as they were put to him, and that
he had made the additions only so that we would not think he meant to
concede more than we were asking of him.

Pastor Schieferdecker then declared: he had only wished, with his
additions, to indicate that he did not believe they were contrary to
the faith, but rather could well be brought into agreement with it;
that he could say "Yes" while still believing what he had stated in
the additions. But had he added nothing at all, he would have given
the dear brothers the impression that he was hereby abandoning
everything he believed he had recognized from the prophetic word,
which would be contrary to sincerity and honesty. The brothers
recognized that his conviction on these matters did not agree with
the Synod's conviction; otherwise he would have to approve the
judgment issued by the Western District Synod. And in view of the
brothers' conviction that they could not tolerate, in their midst, a
hope such as he had expressed — since it is contrary to the purity of
doctrine — he would not hold it against the brothers if they
terminated church fellowship with him, although he would gladly
remain in relation to the Synod if it could bear what he had stated
and confessed in his additions.

Against this it was remarked to Pastor Schieferdecker: the questions
put to him concerned the simplest elements of our Christian faith.
What simple Christian, one who truly stands in the Church's faith,
would need to hesitate, say, at the question: do you believe that the
Church of Christ remains hidden under the holy cross until the Last
Day? — hesitate to answer with a plain "Yes," without further
qualifications? Who would think to limit this "Yes" with all manner
of additions, unless he simply did not believe that the Church of
Christ — the communion of believers and saints — will stand under the
cross until the Last Day. For no Christian can deny that even now the
victory over all the antichristian world powers is already being
celebrated, albeit hidden from the world. The addition must therefore
stand opposed to the kingdom of the cross — that is, he can no longer
confess with the Christian Church that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus
Christ will remain a kingdom of the cross until the Last Day. So it
is, too, with the remaining questions: they likewise concern the
simplest articles of the faith, so that, sadly, it is only too clear
that he, as he has himself stated, holds a different faith from the
one the Synod confesses with the Christian Church.

Since Pastor Schieferdecker made no reply to this,

Resolved: that a committee be appointed, consisting of the district
presidents, the professors of our institutions, and one