# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S124 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) RE ’S'S:@=«WZ 124 SEMINARY ISSUES ment: not necessarily those who are named in A Statement’s Study Edition (pp.4—5) and who may only favor its use for purposes of study and discussion; but those like Dr. Robert Preus, who has called upon the Synod at New Or- leans to enact A Statement “as a criterion for what is to be taught in our terminal schools” (Affirm, November 1972, p.1); and the Board of Control of Concordia Seminary in Springfield, which already intends “to employ the Statement” in supervising “the work of the Springfield Seminary” (1/19°73); and the signers of Crossroads (1 January, 1973), who see A Statement as an occasion to “rise up now and offer some tangible support for Dr. Preus” (p.1): and Dr. Preus himself, who from the beginning has declared his own hopes about A Statement’s endorsement” (p.5); and Wuereas, By contrast there are others in the Synod who have come to quite a different conclusion about A Statement: not only those who believe it first needs more study and perhaps “legitimate criticisms and suggestions” (Response of the Faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary in Spring- and periodicals (for example, CTM, November 1972, and The Cresset, June 1972) as well as other individuals and groups, all of whom Seriously question A Statement’s Scriptural and confessional adequacy: and WHEREAS, The Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations, though it approved the “doctrinal content” of A Statement, did so without ever subjecting it to serious study by the Commission itself; and WHEREAS, Even a first reading of A Statement exposes its weakness and errors: for example, the very first para- graph (“Christ As Savior and Lord”) makes a superb quote from the Augsburg Confession support a one-sided, other- worldly view of “salvation,” and where the Augustana speaks of the “way to God” here and now, A Statement concentrates instead on our future “way to heaven,” forgetting how we continually need Christ to intercede for us every day: or in connection with the same first paragraph, the Study Edition insists that unbelievers are eternally damned, at least if they are adults, and yet implies that if a person who dies unbaptized happens to be only an “infant” he might still enjoy “the infinite mercy of God,” thus reflecting a very: questionable doctrine of original sin; or in the next section (“Law and Gospel”) A Statement denies that the Gospel is “a new law,” “a norm or standard for the Christian life,” and yet shows little understanding of what our Lord meant by “a new commandment I give unto you”: or in connection with the same section, as the Study Edition betrays, the real interest here is not in Gospel but in Law, and then really in the Law as ‘instruction about good works,” sadly neglect- ing the great confessional accent upon Law as accusation: or the same section on Law and Gospel, though these are admitted to be “the two chief doctrines of Holy Scripture,” has almost no carry-over into all the many things A State- after all, least of all to its historicity: or in the section on “the inspiration of Scripture.” A Statement assumes that “imaginative additions which had their origin in the early Christian community” must by that token “not present ac- tual facts.” as if the differences between one evangelist’s version of Easter and another evangelist's version do not still present actual facts and still — “imaginative additions” and all — have their origin in God the Holy Spirit: or Section IV. C, which erroneously distinguishes Gospel as the “heart” of theology from Scripture as the “norm” of theology, im- plies that Scripture would be normative for us even if it did not “direct us steadfastly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ”: or Section III says that “to make disciples of every nation” is but “the Primary mission of the church,” rather than her only mission, forgetting that “ministering to men’s physical needs” is already begun in Word and Sacrament: and WHEREAS, Other, more detailed and full-length critiques of A Statement are also available, though, out of a concern to decelerate the controversy, have so far been withheld from publication; therefore be it Resolved, That A Statement of Scriptural and Confes- sional Principles be utilized for nothing more than discus- sion and study and, above all, in the light of Scriptural and confessional principles; and be it finally Resolved, That President Preus and his coauthors be thanked for their efforts to that end. Concorpia LUTHERAN CuurRcH Maplewood, Mo. Ear! H. Proemsey, President Gerald E. Friton, Secretary Identical: 3-32B Clifton Lutheran Church, Marblehead, Mass., Charles Lovely, President. 3-33 To Withdraw “A Statement” WueREas. President Preus’ A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles has not united the Synod, but rather contributed to the division of the church and the increase of suspicion, fear, and distrust among the brethren; therefore be it Resolved, (1) That the Synod withdraw this Statement from all further circulation and discussion, and (2) That the Synod in convention assembled reaffirm that Article II of its present Constitution is its only standard of faith, doctrine, and practice. BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH Dundee, II. Gerald E, Lange, Chairman Carol Schif, Secretary Walter G. Boss, Pastor 3-34A To Approve “Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles”’ Wuereas. Dr. J. A. O. Preus has issued A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles to the members of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and Wuereas, This document has been found to be in agree- ment with the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions (CTCR Report): therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod meeting in convention at New Orleans, La., declare its ap- proval of this document: and be it further Resolved, That we pray the Lord of the church, through the power of His Holy Spirit, through whom alone we come to faith in Him who jis the Resurrection and the Life, that He would join us together in a common bond of unity and peace, St. Paut LurHeran CHURCH Williamsburg, Iowa Milford G, Heitman, Chairman Allan H. Doehrmann, Secretary Similar: 3-34B St. John’s Ev, Lutheran Church, Clinton, Iowa, Clifford Lahann, Secretary. 3-34C St. John Lutheran Church, Bay City, Mich.. Wallace Neu- meyer, Secretary: Norman Neumeyer, President. 3-34D Grace Lutheran Church, San Diego, Calif., Edwin Ziese- mer, President: John C. Jacobsen, Pastor.