# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1888_S13
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1888. 13

the Christian faith, that one submits to God's Word. That holds also of the Law, because it is clearly and unambiguously revealed in Scripture. If someone refuses to let the plainly declared will of God stand, we must tell such a person that he does not yet stand with us on the same ground. Although, therefore, the Law does not belong in faith and so not in the definition of faith, yet acceptance of the Law is a necessary presupposition of unity in faith. When one says: We believe the Law, the word "believe" is taken in a quite different sense than when one speaks of Christian faith. The expression "article of faith" designates a quite definite concept: the doctrines of the Gospel, in distinction from the Law.

Thus far it has been stressed that we demand agreement in all articles of Christian doctrine. But we may also not reckon more than agreement in all articles of doctrine as belonging to the essence of unity in faith. What is not the clear doctrine of God's Word we must leave free; for that we may demand no assent.

We may not demand agreement in so-called theological problems, that is, in questions that are not decided in God's Word. That would be an overdemand. That follows also from the concept of faith. Faith has place only in the face of divine revelation. Where there is no Word of God, there can be no faith.

But we also may not demand — as belonging to the essence of unity in faith — agreement in liturgical usages, ceremonies, church constitution and similar matters. Why? Because these matters are left free in God's Word. What we are to preach is prescribed in God's Word: the whole Word of God, and indeed pure and unadulterated. But place, time and manner of the service lie in the liberty of each Christian congregation. Whether one, two or three hymns are sung before the sermon, whether we put the absolution at the beginning of the service or let it follow the sermon, whether there is a so-called liturgical service or not, whether the pastor chants or speaks the liturgy: on these there are no prescriptions in God's Word. Each congregation can arrange this as seems most fitting to it. Uniformity in ceremonies may not come into consideration as a factor when the matter is unity in faith. In general, everything that belongs to the so-called adiaphora [things indifferent], what God's Word has neither commanded nor forbidden, may not be reckoned as belonging to the essence of unity in faith. Uniformity in ceremonies is, to be sure, not a matter of indifference under all circumstances and in every respect; but it is wholly a matter of indifference as regards complete unity in faith. All congregations are one that have the same doctrine, even if each had other ceremonies. On the other hand, congregations can