LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1962, Sheet 105

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DOCTRINAL MATTERS 105

Section B

Memorial 331 presents for doctrinal judgment a num-
ber of propositions related to the nature of the Word
of God and to the inspiration, inerrancy, interpretation,
and clarity of Scripture. AS they stand without context,
these propositions do not express the consensus of our
church and should not be taught as truths. However,
the effective teaching of theology, especially in the train-
ing of ministers of the Word, may well require the frank
examination, the critical evaluation, and the firm refu-
tation of some of the views reflected in these proposi-
tions. Therefore be it

Resolved, That the questions raised in Memorial 331
be referred to the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations, to pastoral conferences, and to congregations
for study; and be it further

Resolved, That the commission be directed to prepare
a progress report within two years, and if necessary to
develop a statement on the doctrine of Scripture, with
consideration of its relation to the issues raised in
Memorial 331; and be it finally

Resolved, That this progress report be distributed to
the church for study and be presented to the next syn-
odical convention for approval.

Action: After several minor amendments were ac-
cepted, Section B was adopted as printed above.

Section C

Wuereas, Memorials 338, 339, and 340 present ques-
tions involving historical problems, regarding the can-
onicity and authorship of sections of the Holy Scripture
which are related to the doctrine of Scripture; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the questions raised in these me-
morials be referred to the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations for inclusion in the study of the
doctrine of Scripture indicated in Section B above.

Action: Section C was adopted as presented by
Floor Committee 3. The entire resolution was then
adopted.

Resolution 9 and Synodically
Adopted Doctrinal Statements

RESOLUTION 3-17

Memorials 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 334,
613 A, 613 B, 613 C, pp. 148—151, 164, 273-275, Reports
and Memorials

Unprinted Memorial 311 A, pp. 117—121,
Today’s Business

Introduction. At various times the Synod has adopted
doctrinal statements which have grown out of her wit-
ness to important issues of the day. Applying the truths
of Holy Scripture and standing under the Confessions,
these doctrinal statements have served as the Synod’s
response to the problems and controversies which con-
fronted the church.

By way of illustration we note that the Synod in

1881 in her discussions with other members of the Lu-
theran Synodical Conference adopted the Thirteen
Theses on Election and Conversion as a simple and clear
statement of her beliefs.

In 1932 the Synod adopted A Brief Statement of the
Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, which dealt
with questions and controversies among Lutherans and
with the theological issues disturbing the church.

In 1950 the Synod adopted the Common Confession
Part I as a joint statement to serve as a basis for fellow-
ship between the Missouri Synod and the former Amer-
ican Lutheran Church; in 1956 Part II was added to
form one document composed of Parts I and II and
recognized as a statement in harmony with the Sacred
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. (Proceedings,
1956, p. 505)

The convention of 1959 adopted the Statement on
Scripture, which the Synod declared to be a correct
exposition of the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures. This
Statement on Scripture was also adopted by the Syn-
odical Conference.

Such doctrinal declarations stand in the history of
our Synod as specific responses to contemporary issues.
There is every expectation that such witness will con-
tinue as issues arise on which the Synod feels compelled
to speak. The Synod has not placed one statement
above the others. The Synod regards all the statements
as standing under the Holy Scriptures and under the
Confessions.

Wuereas, Without prejudice to the doctrinal content
of any of these statements, the Synod in convention as-
sembled in 1962 has declared Resolution 9 of Commit-
tee 3 of the 1959 synodical convention to be unconstitu-
tional; and

Wuereas, The status and use of synodically adopted
doctrinal statements calls for further study and clarifi-
cation (some memorials urge the Synod to place A Brief
Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri
Synod on the level of the Lutheran Confessions and to
add it to Article II of the Constitution of the Synod;
other memorials urge the Synod not to expand the con-
fessional basis of our church by the addition of synod-
ically adopted declarations); and

Wuereas, The Synod is genuinely concerned about
maintaining doctrinal purity and confessional unity;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its confessional
basis as stated in Article II of the Constitution: “Synod,
and every member of Synod, accepts without reserva-
tion:

“1. The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testa-
ment as the written Word of God and the only rule and
norm of faith and of practice;

2. all the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church as a true and unadulterated statement
and exposition of the Word of God”; and

Wuereas, Synodically adopted doctrinal statements,