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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 281

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

LIFE TOGETHER
2. A commitment to the use of the historical-critical method
as a valid and preferred method for the interpretation of
the Bible.
3. A possibility that many of the Old and New Testament
stories are not really historical.
4. An acceptance that words attributed to Jesus in the
Gospels were in fact never spoken by Him, but were
later additions or interpretations made by the Christian
community after the death of Jesus.
5. A reluctance to attribute Old Testament prophecies as
pointing directly to Jesus Christ; that is, the
minimalization of predictive prophecy in the Old
Testament.
6. An insistence that Moses was not the author of the
Pentateuch, Isaiah did not pen his entire book, and Paul
may not have written all the books attributed to him in
the New Testament
(“Summary of the Findings,” Report of the Synodical President,
pp. 21–25, cited in Exodus From Concordia: A Report on the
1974 Walkout, Concordia Seminary Board of Control, 1977, p.
35)
and
WHEREAS, An example of the teaching which met objection is
found in the comments made by Concordia Seminary professor Dr.
Walter Bartling at a Louisiana Pastoral Conference, April 17–20,
1972. Bartling stated:
I can’t answer the question, “Do you believe in the historicity of
Adam and Eve?” Historicity and facticity are not even in my
dictionary.
One thing they caught most of us on is, were Adam and Eve
historical persons? I don’t know. I don’t think so. It is not
important…
I believe that many of my Christian brothers have problems with
the virgin birth of Christ.
Don’t ask me, “Do you believe in a 6-day creation?”…I have
problems with the virgin birth, real presence, bodily
resurrection.…I can’t bear the burden of Scriptural infallibility.
(Exodus From Concordia: A Report on the 1974 Walkout,
Concordia Seminary Board of Control, 1977, p. 56);
and
WHEREAS, The Walkout had a devastating impact on CSL, and
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), pitting
allegiances, the unity of congregations, and even family ties against
sound hermeneutical principles, the Lutheran Confessions, and
accepted synodical statements of belief; and
WHEREAS, Seminex and its supporters eventually folded in with
the church bodies that produced the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) which does not insist on the inerrancy of
Scripture or unconditional subscription to the Lutheran
Confessions; and
WHEREAS, The uncompromising response of the LCMS
leadership to the Walkout is a rare instance in which the all-toocommon slide of church bodies to the way of the world was checked
and resisted; and
WHEREAS, The grassroots movement in LCMS congregations in
the late 1960s and early 1970s was key to calling for doctrinal
integrity at CSL; and

281

WHEREAS, The 50th Anniversary of the 1974 Walkout will be
observed in the next triennium of the Synod, on Feb. 19, 2024; and
WHEREAS, Two generations of LCMS members have been born
since the Walkout and may know little or nothing about this time
period and the story of God graciously rescuing our Synod from
capitulating to the culture; and
WHEREAS, The cultural pressure to compromise on Scriptural
inerrancy is just as great on the present generation with evolution,
abortion, same-sex “marriage,” and universalism as part of the
accepted civil religion; and
WHEREAS, On the 40th Anniversary of the Walkout, Dr. Karl
Barth, the last living member of the Fact Finding Committee at the
time, and president emeritus of CSL, was asked by Rev. Todd
Wilken on an Issues, Etc. program, “Why should a young Lutheran
who is listening to us care about the ‘Battle of the Bible’ in The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod back in the 1970s?”, to which
Dr. Barth replied:
Well, he should be thankful that the Church, though it was
plagued at that time with things that were not pleasant, returned
to a solid basis, so that when they hear the sermons preached
today they know they are coming from a man who is firmly
convinced that the will of God for the salvation of the world and
for the rule of the Church is clearly stated in the Bible; and that
it is imperative for a church body and the pastors and the people
to have that trust that the Jesus whom they are worshipping is
indeed the Jesus that is portrayed for us in holy Scripture
(“Encore: The Anniversary of a Walkout Staged by Faculty and
Students at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis – Dr. Karl Barth,
2/20/20,” Issues, Etc., accessed Jan. 24, 2023,
issuesetc.org/2020/02/20/encore-the-anniversary-of-a-walkoutstaged-by-faculty-and-students-at-concordia-seminary-in-stlouis-dr-karl-barth-2-20-20/).
Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod mark the 50th anniversary of the
Walkout through its publications; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod re-release, via free streaming, any
videos and documentaries which recount the tumultuous events of
the Walkout; and be it further
Resolved, That all members of LCMS congregations be
encouraged to utilize these resources; and be it further
Resolved, That all pastors be encouraged to teach their
congregations about the Walkout and address with Scripture the
theological errors of our age, as our faithful forefathers have done
since the time of Martin Luther; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod recognize the professors, faculty, and
staff of Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield and those at
CSL who remained faithful to Scripture and Lutheran Confessions;
and be it further
Resolved, That all glory be given to our Lord God, Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit, who saved the LCMS from going the way of the
world; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Mid-South District, meeting in convention,
submit this as a memorial to the 2023 Synod convention.
Mid-South District

2023 Convention Workbook