Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Sheet 537
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Sheet 537

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

506 “WHAT IS A DOCTRINE?”

monies not commanded by God, as long as there is mutual

agreement in [the] doctrine and in all its articles. . . .29
Sometimes the term carries the added emphasis that
such Biblical teachings are not the product of rational
proof and demonstration but are held by virtue of a
faith wrought by the Holy Spirit. This is its primary
emphasis in the following contemporary statement:

With the whole true Church of God we confess the Bible

to be the inerrant Word of God. This inerrancy of the

Holy Scriptures cannot be seen with human eyes, nor

can it be proved to human reason; it is an article of faith,

a belief in something that is hidden and not obvious. . . 30

Later 17th-century dogmaticians, following the ex-
ample of Nicholas Hunnius, made various distinctions
within the articles of faith. For them, fundamental
articles are those doctrines of Scripture which pertain
to the fundamentum, or foundation, of saving faith: the
forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Primary fundamental
articles (for example, the person and work of Christ)
are in their view constitutive for saving faith and can
be neither unknown nor denied without the loss of sal-
vation. Secondary fundamental articles (for example,
Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) they regarded
as related to the foundation of saving faith but in such
a way that persons may be ignorant of them and still
possess saving faith.

For them, nonfundamental articles are Scriptural
teachings which do not directly touch the foundation
of faith and on that account may be unknown or even
denied without destroying saving faith, provided such
a denial does not result from a conscious opposition to
Holy Scripture. The dogmaticians generally included
in this category such doctrines as the sin against the
Holy Ghost and the doctrine of angels.

For the dogmaticians, both fundamental and non-
fundamental articles are Scriptural doctrines. Questions
not answered conclusively by the Scriptures were
termed “open questions” or “theological problems.” This
somewhat complex classification of the articles of faith
was primarily intended to emphasize the greater im-
portance of certain Biblical doctrines for the faith of the
Christian.

Teaching

The term “teaching” is essentially an Anglo-Saxon
synonym of the Latin derivative “doctrine.” Its usage
is somewhat less technical than that of the term “doc-
trine.” The Random House Dictionary of the English
Language defines “teaching” as follows:

1. the act or profession of one who teaches. 2. that which

is taught. 3. Often, teachings, doctrines or precepts.
Other standard dictionaries of the English language de-
fine the term similarly.

IM. Conclusions and Applications
1. The statement and comments adopted by the two

29 Formula of Concord, Epitome, X, 7; Tappert, p. 493.

30 “Theses on Scripture and Inspiration” of The Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Australia, as quoted in Report of the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations, A Study Document on
Revelation, Inspiration, Inerrancy, p. 15.

seminary faculties in 1956 (see above) remain a sound
and useful answer to the question “What Is a Doctrine?”

2. In the New Testament and the Lutheran Confes-
sions “the doctrine” generally denotes the entire Chris-
tian doctrine viewed as a whole. As used in the ques-
tion “What Is a Doctrine?” the terms “a doctrine” or
“doctrines” reflect the atomistic usage current since the
17th century. Used in this way, “a doctrine” denotes a
part of the whole Biblical teaching on Christian faith
and life which is distinguished from the whole for
purposes of teaching or discussion.

3. No matter how skillfully or logically we divide the
whole Christian doctrine into convenient parts, or “doc-
trines,” it is important for us to remember that the one
doctrine God gave us is an organic whole. Therefore
only that which is part of this one doctrine can claim
the status of “a doctrine” in the Christian church.
Moreover, Christians will seek to study the various parts
in the light of the whole and as belonging to the whole.
Such a practice will help “minister to sound doctrine.”
(2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1)

4. Because the Lutheran Church is pledged to “the
prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New
Testaments as the pure and clear fountain of Israel,” 3!
she recognizes as a valid articulation of the Christian
doctrine only that which is a formulation of the pure
and clear teaching of Holy Scripture, the inspired Word
of God. Teachings contrary to or improperly drawn
from Holy Scripture must be rejected.

5. A mistaken exegesis of a passage or section of
Scripture does not constitute a false doctrine, provided
it does not conflict with any part of the Christian doc-
trine. However, incorrect exegesis may indeed lead to
false doctrine.

6. Isagogical judgments, that is, statements dealing
with the authorship and background of Biblical books,
are not in themselves “doctrine” or “doctrines” but aids
to the better understanding of Scripture. While incor-
rect isagogical judgments are not in themselves false
doctrines, it must be remembered that such judgments
dare not set aside or call into question the authority of
Scripture. For then they endanger not only individual
Christian doctrines but the whole Christian doctrine.

7. In seeking to determine what is included in the
doctrinal agreement necessary for the establishment of
pulpit and altar fellowship, the church should be guided
by the following statement from the Augsburg Con-
fession:

It is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church

that the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure

understanding of it and that the sacraments be adminis-
tered in accordance with the divine Word.32

The Augsburg Confession makes the preaching of the
Gospel according to a pure understanding of it and the
administration of the sacraments in accordance with the
divine Word the only absolute doctrinal demands for

31 Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, The Summary Form-
ulation, etc., 3; Tappert, p. 503.

32 Augsburg Confession, VII, 2; Tappert, p. 32.