LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 170

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170

Theology and Church Relations

to move beyond stereotypes and other barriers while strengthening
their own understanding of the Christian faith and their commitment
to Jesus; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod be encouraged to make use of resources
already available, such as “A Common Word Between Us and You,”
“Scriptural Reasoning,” a Lutheran understanding of God’s lefthand care for the world, and other such resources, and by attending
meetings of world religious leaders, to promote religious peace and
harmony; and be it finally
Resolved, That the knowledge, love, and understanding of the
neighbor and the greater knowledge about the Christian faith that
results from these interfaith dialogues be used by the members of
the Synod to better understand and share the saving Gospel of Jesus
Christ with the world.
St. Paul, Weston, FL;
Bethlehem, Delmar NY
3-16

To Request Partner Church Withdrawal
from LWF
Whereas, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has issued
a statement that it is in basic agreement with the Roman Catholic
Church on the doctrine of justification; and
Whereas, Many of the Lutheran members of the LWF, the Roman
Catholics, and the Pope insist that Jews, Muslims, and other nonChristians can be saved without faith in Christ and do not believe
that Christianity is the only saving faith; and
Whereas, The LWF is open to churches that support abortion and
homosexual and lesbian clergypersons; and
Whereas, The Pope still insists that Rome affirms all of the
decrees of the Council of Trent; and
Whereas, Some churches in fellowship with the LCMS are members of the LWF; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 LCMS convention request that all
churches in fellowship with the LCMS withdraw from the LWF.
Trinity
New Haven, MO
3-17

To Declare Fellowship with the Siberia Evangelical
Lutheran Church
Whereas, The Siberia Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) is an
orthodox Lutheran church that over the years has requested fellowship with the LCMS; and
Whereas, All the ministers of the SELC have been trained and
educated by LCMS seminary professors and ministers; and
Whereas, Churches in fellowship with the LCMS have declared
and are already in fellowship with the SELC; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS direct its appropriate officers draw up
the necessary documents to affirm the fellowship in faith that already
exists between it and Siberia Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Zion
Fort Wayne, IN
3-18

To Reaffirm Inerrancy of Bible
Whereas, The Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church,
and most major Protestant denominations no longer affirm the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures, God’s directly revealed and inerrant
Word; and

Whereas, The Bible teaches that it is the inerrant, powerful, efficacious Word of God (John 10:35; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Cor. 11:23; 1 Cor.
14:37; 2 Tim. 3:16); and
Whereas, The Formula of Concord, one of the Lutheran
Confessions, declares, “First [then, we receive and embrace with our
whole heart] the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments as the pure, clear fountain of Israel, which is the
only standard by which all teachers and doctrines are to be judged”
(Concordia Triglotta, 851); and
Whereas, The Large Catechism, another Lutheran Confession,
states, “I and my neighbor and, in short, all men, may err and deceive,
but the Word of God cannot err” (Concordia Triglotta, 747); and
Whereas, Martin Luther affirmed the inerrancy of the Bible, writing, “The Scriptures have never erred” (Saemmtliche Schriften [St.
Louis: Concordia XV], 1481); and
Whereas, The LCMS “Brief Statement” adopted in 1932 says,
“Since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, it goes without saying that they contain no errors or contradictions, but that they are
in all their parts and words the infallible truth, also in those parts
which treat of historical, geographical, and other secular matters,
John 10:35”; and
Whereas, The LCMS, at a time when hardly any churches or seminaries insist on the inerrancy of God’s Word, should let the nation
know that in 2010 there is still one major denomination which affirms
what the Bible, the Lutheran Confessions, and Martin Luther teach
about the inerrancy of the Bible; therefore it be
Resolved, That the LCMS at its 2010 convention declare that the
LCMS maintains that the Bible, Martin Luther, and the Lutheran
Confessions teach that the Bible is without error in all matters, and
that all those on the clergy roster of the LCMS must believe and
teach that, since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, it goes
without saying that they contain no errors or contradictions, but that
they are in all their parts and words the infallible truth, also in those
parts which treat of historical, geographical, and other secular matters; and be it further
Resolved, That all delegates to any LCMS convention and all those
on the convention ballot for any position in the LCMS must maintain
that the Bible is without error in all matters; and be it further
Resolved, That any LCMS clergyman or professor who denies the
inerrancy of the Bible should be given a fair hearing and be removed
from the LCMS clergy roster if he still refuses to affirm the inerrancy
of the Bible; and be it finally
Resolved, That in this day of widespread denial of the inerrancy
and efficacy of the Bible, all professors in LCMS colleges and seminaries emphasize the inerrancy and efficacy of the Bible.
Trinity
New Haven, MO
3-19

To Continue to Oppose Higher Criticism
of the Bible
Whereas, The destructive notions of biblical higher criticism are
now being promoted within modern Protestantism and the Roman
Catholic Church; for example:
1. Pope Benedict XVI, when he was still Joseph Cardinal
Ratzinger, in his Introduction to Christianity, now being
widely promoted in the Roman Catholic Church, maintains
that a mysterious Deutero-Isaiah and not the known eighthcentury B.C. prophet wrote much of the Book of Isaiah (p. 132;
reviewed in August 9, 2006, Christian News).
2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which has the Imprimi
Potest of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger of the Interdicasterial
Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church, rejects

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