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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 316

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

316

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

convention where C.F.W. Walther presented and the convention
accepted several sentences that would guide our conversation of
usury when we said, “Neither customary habit—sanctioned by a
hundred years of usage—nor financial advantages or disadvantages,
nor exclamations or authorities of humans, whether of Luther,
Chemnitz, Andreae, or Gerhard, but rather Holy Scripture shall be
the benchmark according to which we measure this doctrine”;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the 68th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod direct the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations (CTCR) to study the biblical teachings on the
practice of taking interest on loans and its impact on the Body of
Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That the CTCR report its findings before the 69th
Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Circuits 1 and 2 (Northeast Georgia and Atlanta North)
Florida-Georgia District
Ov. 5-47

To Recognize the Organization 1517
as Heterodox Tract and Mission Society
WHEREAS, The first objective of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) is to “Conserve and promote the unity of
the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10) …” (Constitution Article III
1); and
WHEREAS, As a condition of acquiring and holding membership
in the Synod, as stated in Const. Art. VI 2 of the Constitution of the
Synod, every congregation and minister must agree to:
2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description,
such as:
…
c. Participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities.

and
WHEREAS, The Scriptural basis for this requirement is
expounded in the Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the
Missouri Synod:
28. On Church-Fellowship. – Since God ordained that His Word
only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and
believed in the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31,32; 1
Tim. 6:3,4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate
between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to
have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and,
in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave
them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, churchfellowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience
to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom.
16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and as involving the constant danger of
losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17–21 (LCMS, A Brief
Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod
[adopted 1932], Of the Church);
and
WHEREAS, The organization known as “1517” is a tract and
mission society: its web site states that it “creates and distributes
theological resources and apologetic resources” (tracts) and that its
mission is “to declare and defend the Good News that we are
forgiven and free on account of Christ alone” (mission society); and

2023 Convention Workbook

WHEREAS, The organization 1517 holds itself out as “rooted in
the legacy of Martin Luther,” yet 1517 is causing theological
confusion and sowing the tares of false doctrine among the LCMS,
its clergy, and the members of its congregations, by its actions such
as:
• promoting the work of Rev. Dr. Steven Paulson, an ordained
clergyman on the clergy roster of the apostate Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and head of Luther House of
Study of Sioux Falls Seminary (a “nondenominational”
seminary), as 1517’s Senior Scholar in Residence;
• promoting non-Lutheran and non-LCMS authors, teachers,
conference speakers, and podcasters as teachers of the faith;
• lifting up men who are not qualified to be teachers in the
LCMS and have been removed from the roster of the LCMS
as teachers of the faith; and
• producing works containing heterodox theology yet holding
the same out as “Lutheran” resources;
and
WHEREAS, By its statements and actions, the organization 1517
is a heterodox tract and mission society; and
WHEREAS, “One who practices church fellowship with those
who in their doctrine depart from God’s Word becomes guilty of
their sin. 2 John 11 states explicitly: ‘He that biddeth him [who does
not bring the doctrine of Christ] Godspeed is partaker of his evil
deeds’” (Francis Pieper, D.D., Christian Dogmatics, Vol. I [St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950], 569); therefore be it
Resolved, That the organization 1517 be recognized as a
heterodox tract and mission society; and be it further
Resolved, That the Wyoming District Pastoral Conference
memorialize the Synod in convention to instruct the respective
individual members, members of congregations, agencies,
Synodwide corporate entities, and recognized service organizations
of the LCMS who are associated with 1517 be admonished by their
respective ecclesiastical supervisors or pastors as to the
requirements for membership in the Synod with regard to heterodox
tract and mission societies, in a fraternal manner, to correct such
error and promote the unity of the true faith.
Saint Paul, Chesterton, IN; Pastors’ Conference, Wyoming District
Ov. 5-48

To Distinguish Terms for Pastoral Office
from Those for Auxiliary or Helping Offices
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions simply and clearly confess
that God has established the Office of the Public Ministry for the
preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments,
through which the Holy Spirit works to create faith when and where
He wills (Matt. 28:18–20; Mark 16:15–16; Luke 2:44–49; John
20:21–23; Augsburg Confession [AC] V; AC XIV); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions also simply and clearly
confess that God, through the Church calls qualified men into this
unique and distinct Office of the Public Ministry, so that His Word
will be preached and the Sacraments will be administered to the end
that the Holy Spirit will call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the
whole Christian Church on earth and keep it with Jesus Christ in the
one true faith (1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Peter 2:7; Matt. 18:18–20; AC V; AC
XIV; Small Catechism [SC] II, Third Article); and