# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1882_S65
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

— 65 —

it does not occur to me to declare them false teachers on that account."

Various motions were then made for a declaration of the sense in which the "intuitu fidei" is rejected.

The first motion read: The Hon. Synodical Conference, which has appropriated, together with the testimony of the Hon. Synods of Wisconsin and Minnesota, the concluding sentence, that the doctrine of election "in view of faith" is thereby rejected, gives the following twofold declaration on it:

a. It rejects the doctrine of its opponents characterized by that expression;

b. it does not wish in any way to represent the old teachers, who use the same phrase, as false teachers.

A second motion proposed: If the expression "in view of faith" is to mean that God was determined or moved to election by faith, or even by man's conduct, we reject it as false doctrine.

The third motion read: According to their grammatical sense these words imply that faith is either a motive for election, and in this way synergism comes into the doctrine of election of grace, or a ground of explanation, and that involves rationalism. Therefore we reject this expression. Yet we do not wish to declare the old dogmaticians false teachers on that account, if they also made use of this expression, because they were nevertheless diligent in giving God all the honour.

A fourth motion states: Because the expression "in consideration of faith" is not biblical in the doctrine of election of grace, and is also not in accord with the Symbols, because it is in itself liable to misunderstanding, and because, understood as our present opponents explain it, it serves as a cover for a false and dangerous doctrine: we therefore reject it, while we do not wish to condemn as heretics the old teachers who used the expression.

Finally it was moved to declare: the Synodical Conference does not consider itself called upon to pass judgment on the old teachers of the 17th century, but must say only that it does not hold the old teachers to be false teachers.

Since it is of the highest importance and significance to find the right wording and form here, it was resolved that a committee consisting of Professors Dr. Walther, Ernst, Stub and Pastors Koren and Stöckhardt should examine these motions carefully and submit a suitable form to the Conference tomorrow morning.