# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S131
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SEMINARY ISSUES 131

Missouri Synod in convention at New Orleans to recognize
Christian freedom on the part of those engaged in teaching
God’s Word, in compliance with our historical Confessional
position. (Article II of Synod’s Constitution)
S1erra-NEvaDA PASTORAL CONFERENCE
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA DISTRICT
Oren Geiger, Chairman
James A. Kabel, Secretary

Similar:

3-52B

Golden Gate Pastoral Conference, California and Nevada
District, Louis C. Marting, Secretary.

3-53A
Neither to Endorse Nor Reject Specific
Methodologies

Wuereas, In the Synod’s 125-year history, its members
have employed a variety of interpretative methods to un-
derstand God’s Word; and

Wuereas, Historical-critical methodology is particularly
useful in determining the original meaning of the Biblical
texts, which then provides the basis for responsible con-
temporary application and which is fundamental to effective
preaching and Bible study; and

Wuereas, Like any method of Biblical study, historical-
critical methodology can be abused; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod continue its tradition of neither
endorsing nor rejecting specific methodologies; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Synod continue to insist that methods
used support the authority of the inspired Scripture by
pointing Christians to its center, that is, the gracious will
and promises of God, especially as they are realized in His
Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ; and be it finally

Resolved, That pastors and professors, whatever method
of interpretation they use, are urged to employ the pre-
suppositions and controls that are stated in the CTCR doc-
ument “A Lutheran Stance Toward Contemporary Biblical
Studies,” commended by the Synod (New York, 1967) for
study and discussion.

FACULTY

ConcorDIA SEMINARY

St. Louis, Mo.

John H. Tietjen, President

Richard R. Caemmerer Sr., Secretary

Identical or Similar:

3-53B

North Region Pastoral Conference, New England District,
John Lemkul.
3-53C

Lutheran Church of the Covenant, Maple Heights, Ohio,
Albert Zimmerman, President; Omar Stuenkel, Pastor.
3-53D

Peace Lutheran Church, New Berlin, Wis., Arthur Gul-
rud, President; Christine Schwerin, Secretary.
3-53E

Christ the King Lutheran Church, Ringwood, N. J.,
Thomas L. Edge, Pastor; Shirley F. Johnson, Secretary.
3-53F

Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Minnetonka. Minn., Harold
Marquardt, Chairman; Esther Asmus, Secretary.
3-53G

Faith Lutheran Church, Westchester, II,
Bruhnke, President; La Verne Meifert, Secretary.

Edward

3-54
To Take No Position

Wuereas, Neither the Holy Scriptures nor the Lutheran
Confessions prescribe a method of interpreting the Scrip-
tures; and

Wuereas, No method of interpretation will either guaran-
tee truth or lead inevitably to error since it is the Holy
Spirit who leads the church into all truth and protects it
from error; therefore be it

Resolved, That the convention of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in New Orleans take no position concerning
the relative value of different methods of interpreting the

Holy Scriptures. Our REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH

Newark, Del.

Hilmar Fricke, President
Helen White, Secretary
Robert Heckmann, Pastor

3-35

To Encourage Contemporary Methods
of Bible Study

Wuereas, Men in the Ministry face constant criticism of
God's Word and must have every experience to face that
before they enter the ministry; and

Wuereas, The faith trusts that Word and what the Spirit
accomplishes through it; and

Whereas, The Word is its own unique power and does
not need the protection of men; and

Wuereas, Every method of study of that Word thus be-
comes a tool of the Spirit to properly equip servants for
service: therefore be it

Resolved, That we urge that each of our seminaries make
their students aware of the practice and use of contemporary
methods of Biblical study: and be it further

Resolved, That we put our trust in the Holy Spirit to
create men of faith, capable of proclaiming the eternal truths
in the face of all the opposition in our present-day society.

St. JoHN’s LUTHERAN CHURCH
Depew, N. Y.

Ernest W. Reitzel, Chairman
Audrey Cain, Secretary

3-56

To Protest Use of Historical-Critical Method
as Acceptable Method

Wuereas, Documents produced by the CTCR and confer-
ences held by the same have shown that the historical-criti-
cal method cannot be used with Lutheran presuppositions;
therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod in convention repudiate the
use of the historical-critical method without the controls
upon it as advocated by the Commission of Theology and
Church Relation’s document, “A Lutheran Stance Toward
Contemporary Biblical Studies.”

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sturgis, Mich.

Bruce Schaeffer, Chairman
H. M. Heidenreich, Pastor
Tom Baker, Assistant Pastor

3-57

To Oppose Single Use of Historical-Critical
Method

WHEREAS, We sincerely believe the use of the historical-
critical method in Bible interpretation without guidance in
its use thereof by the presuppositions of faith in the Lord
of history is the root cause for many of the Bible interpreta-
tions which are so sorely troubling the LCMS; and