# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_M rz 1862_S66
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

66 Critique of the Report of the Seventh Synod of the [Church] Emigrated from Prussia, etc.

at once as provost, and again, with the pastors assigned to him, as royal ministry; against which the Senior Ministerii would then no longer have any right or freedom to raise objection; and thereby the real senior's office and office of overseer would be crippled... Therefore I ask that the synod put an end to this confusion. For these entanglements are among the causes why the false spirit of office and the threat of secession have arisen and now threaten almost to lay the congregations waste."

Running through the whole synodical report is a trait that characterizes the Buffalo church system quite precisely: the setting up of an authority in the church besides the sole authority of Jesus Christ, the asserting of a power besides the sole power of the Word of God. The perversion and distortion of the kingdom of Christ into a worldly kingdom, and thereby the destruction of the church of God. But there is no human governmental power in the church ordained by God; whoever nevertheless wishes to set up such a power lays hands, like a blasphemous rebel, on the crown of Jesus Christ himself. What would an earthly king say if someone else beside him should presume the power to give commands to his subjects, which they would have to obey? He would have him beheaded as a godless offender. Now the Lord Jesus has said, Matthew 20:25: "One is your master, Christ; but you are all brothers." The Smalcald Articles say: "neither Peter nor other servants of the Word may ascribe to themselves any power or authority over the churches." Paul says, 2 Corinthians 8: "I do not say this as a command; but because others are so diligent, I am also testing the genuineness of your love." Luther teaches (19, 83): "therefore I say, neither the pope, nor a bishop, nor any other person has power to set down so much as a syllable that binds a Christian, unless it happens with his own will; and whatever else is done, is done out of a tyrannical spirit." (10, 465.) "But you might say: since among Christians there is to be no worldly sword, how then are they to be governed outwardly? There must still be some authority even among Christians. Answer: among Christians there neither shall nor can be any authority; rather each one is subject to the other in turn. What then are the priests and bishops? Answer: their office is not an authority or a power, but a service and an office; for they are no higher or better than other Christians. Therefore they may lay down no law or command over others without the will and permission of those others."

For the sake of order, those who are brothers among themselves may set up seniorates, synods, provostships, etc., among themselves and give them certain higher powers, and to such human order one should, for love's and peace's sake, be obedient. But in itself, without such a transfer [of authority], a synod, a senior, and so forth have not a spark of power over their brothers. Where, indeed, should that come from?