# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S130
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

EEE Onn SSS

130 SEMINARY ISSUES

WuereAs, All professors and administrators who are at all
interested in these matters have had more than sufficient
time to thoroughly study the documents involved; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod express its thanks to President
Preus for using his God-given courage under God’s grace,

fairly obtain, as were all parts of the Fact Finding Commit-
tee Report; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod state its absolute refusal to
tolerate the doctrinal aberrations exposed in the Fact Find-
ing Committee Report and “The Summary Report”; such

in the way described by Scripture — either may not have
happened at all, or, happened in such a way as to render
Suspect the truthfulness of the Bible, as weil as the other
aberrations listed in “The Summary Report,” pp. 26—31, un-
der the headings, “Other Positions,” and “Additional Di-
vergencies”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod declare A Statement to be
a truly Lutheran statement of doctrine on the issues to
which it speaks: as it is “derived directly from the Scrip-
tures and the Lutheran Confessions; in many cases it is the
language of Synod as it applied the Scriptures and the Con-
fessions to new problems throughout the years”; and also
because A Statement proclaims the truly Scriptural answer
to the turmoil within our Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That A Statement be signed with a clear and
open conscience as their own faith and confession:

1. By any and all who occupy teaching positions within
our synodical schools; and

2. By all administrative officers within our schools whose
office or duty includes:
a. Institutional presidency, permanent or temporary;
b. Curriculum content and structure;
c. Deans of students and faculties:
d. Placement officers.

3. And by all clergy involved in synodical and District
offices and boards, whether elective or appointive,

Possible time, and this to be completed not later than the
opening of the 1973—74 school year, with the sad but neces-
sarily prompt dismissal of all who refuse to sign and abide
by this statement of Christian doctrine, so that this falling
away from God’s Word be no longer perpetuated under the
cloak of “professionalism” and “academic freedom,” lest by
our spirit of indifferentism to false doctrine we bring God’s
wrath upon ourselves and leave to our descendants nothing
but academic opinions and suspensions of judgments,
Grace LUTHERAN CHURCH
Lexington, Mo.
Fred von Seggern, Chairman
Gary Leimkuehler, Secretary
K. Michael Simminger, Pastor

METHODS AND PRINCIPLES
OF INTERPRETATION
3-51
To Have Congregations Study the New
Methods of Biblical Interpretation

Wuereas, In recent decades there have been changes in

methods of Bible study used at Concordia Seminary, Saint
Louis; and

WHEREAS, Knowledge about and understanding of these
changes generally have not been clearly communicated to
the congregations and pastors of Synod; and

WuereEas, There presently exists an increasing degree of
polarization and divided opinion within the Synod as a con-
sequence of this communication breakdown and because of
Opposition to these changes; and

WuerEas, We believe that, under the blessing of God, our
Synod will greatly benefit from the involvement of informed
congregations and pastors in deciding issues before the
Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, (1) That we repent of the times when we
have judged one another’s position falsely because of limited
knowledge and understanding of the issues, and

(2) that we withstand all attempts to foster among us a
competitive party spirit or to push us to any hasty decisions

(3) that we instruct the presidium of our Synod in con-
sultation with the District Presidents and the circuit coun-
selors to provide channels whereby our congregations and
pastors have opportunity through Bible study to learn and
weigh the new methods used at Concordia Seminary, Saint
Louis, and so be able to judge them with knowledge and
understanding, and

Catvary LUTHERAN CHURCH
Deep River, Iowa

Larry Burck, Chairman
William Tanke Jr., Secretary
Eugene E, Stohs, Pastor

3-52A

To Permit Our Teachers to Use the Tools
of Their Profession

Wuereas, The Holy Scriptures are God’s inspired Word
whereby He creates faith and life, in Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, It is a well established principle that “Scripture
must interpret itself”: and

Wuereas, Tradition or traditional interpretation must
never block us from going back afresh to the Word to hear
God’s Spirit speak to us and men of our day; and

WHEREAS, “Everything is of itself good,” it is its use or
misuse which determines whether it is achieving its proper
and God-given purpose; and

Wuereas, Luther himself utilized the tools which were
at his disposal, even to the point of questioning the canon-
icity of books of the Sacred Scriptures, yet was not robbed
of the ability to live under the discipline of the Word; and

Wuereas, It has not been proven that the use of historical-
critical methods of Biblical interpretation produces results
contrary to the expressed confessional stance of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod (cf. Constitution of the
LCMS, Article II), but rather produces a deep probing for
the Scripture’s true teaching (cf. the many books and ar-
ticles by professors of Concordia Seminary, who utilize this
method); therefore be it

Resolved, That we, the members of the Sierra-Nevada
Pastoral Conference, living | and working in faithfulness to

fessions; and be it finally
Resolved, That we memorialize The Lutheran Church —