LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 199

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 199

costal/charismatic movement and its distinctive features, while rel-
ativizing the orthodox church and confession; and

WHEREAS, Some charismatic churches are now ordaining their
own men into the pastoral office without being trained at one of
our seminaries (e.g., the charismatic church in Charlotte, NC); and

WHEREAS, True renewal in the church must be sought not in
man-made schemes, but in faithful evangelical preaching and in the
Holy Sacraments (AC V, VI, XI, XX); and

Wuereas, The proper criteria by which all claims of unity and
reunification must be tested and judged are the marks of the church,
the purely preached Gospel, and the rightly administered Sacra-
ments of Christ (AC VII, compare FC, SD X31); and

WHEREAS, More than two decades of patiently dealing with the
charismatic-movement adherents has produced an insignificant im-
provement to the LCMS (some would say it has only grown
worse); and

WHEREAS, God warns His children to protect the Body from
false doctrine (Rom. 16:17; | Cor. 5:6-7; Gal. 5:9); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod hold that neither the pentecostal/
charismatic movement in general, nor the attempted Lutheraniza-
tion of it by Renewal in Missouri (R..M.) in particular, is compat-
ible with biblical, evangelical teaching and the sobriety of The
Book of Concord; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in its
2001 synodical convention instruct the synodical President to in-
form all Ministers of Religion—Ordained who have associated
themselves with Renewal in Missouri (R.I.M.) that they have until
12-31-01 to disassociate themselves from any/all ties/connections
to/with Renewal in Missouri (R.LM.); and be it further

Resolved, That they must, in writing, recant of all pente-
costal/charismatic beliefs in general and all ties/associations with
Renewal in Missouri (R.1.M.) in particular, and that this letter of
recantation be sent by “certified mail” to the synodical President
no later than 12-31-01; and be it further

Resolved, That they be informed that failure to comply with this
synodical resolution will cause them to be removed from the
LCMS roster; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical president give a report at the next
synodical convention on the completion of this matter; and be it
finally

Resolved, That congregations and synodical entities, as a matter
of confession in time of crisis (FC X), be requested to avoid pente-
costal/charismatic “styles” of worship, because these do not ex-
press the substance of the Lutheran Confessions, but suggest, pro-
mote, and encourage an alien and unchurchly confession.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

3-128

To Ask Renewal in Missouri to Disband

WHEREAS, Renewal in Missouri (often abbreviated RIM) was
formed to address doctrinal concerns within The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, It has concerned many in the Synod that Renewal in
Missouri has seemed to function like unto a nongeographical Dis-
trict with a leader and “officers”; and

Wuereas, The Synod has met in numerous dialogue sessions
to speak with Renewal in Missouri about the doctrinal concerns
that both groups have; and

WuereEAS. The Lord has blessed these dialogues with great
progress at achieving mutual understandings and consensus on
many important points; and

WHEREAS, Further progress in doctrinal discussion can be
achieved and possibly enhanced through normal channels of dia-
logue at the Circuit and District levels; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention ask Renewal in Missouri in the spirit of unity and walking

together to disband as a standing organization with its current struc-
ture.

Immanuel
Orange. CA

3-129

To Ask Supporters of Position of Seminex to Retract
WHEREAS, Seminex celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1999; and’

WHEREAS, The LCMS declared that the theological position of
Seminex was contrary to the Bible and not to be tolerated in the
church of God; and

Wuereas, Dr. John Tietjen, President of Seminex, wrote in his
368-page Memoirs in Exile, published by the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America's Augsburg Fortress Press, “I am convinced that
40 percent of those in the Missouri Synod compromised their in-
tegrity rather than pay the price of following through on the princi-
ples to which they were committed”: and

WHEREAS, Some 350 professors and pastors on the 1999 clergy
roster of the LCMS. who signed statements supporting the theo-
logical positions of Seminex or were identified with groups back-
ing Seminex, refuse to declare if they now accept the LCMS scrip-
tural position on the inerrancy of the Bible, the historicity of the
Genesis account of creation, the J-E-D-P source hypothesis. and
the ordination of women to the Holy Ministry (Christian News,
June 14, 1999, and July 19, 1999): and

WHEREAS, Many of those who signed a statement supporting
the theology of Seminex or who made it clear that they supported
the position of the liberal professors who left Concordia Seminary
and formed Seminex are members of the Missouri District; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the 2000 convention of the Missouri District and
the 2001 convention of the LCMS ask all those who supported
the position of Seminex as stated in Seminex’s document “Faithful
to Our Calling, Faithful to Our Lord” (published in the June 14,
1999 Christian News) to retract their support of the position of
Seminex and sign a statement declaring that The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod should not permit professors and pastors
to maintain that

(1) The Bible contains errors.
(2) Man may have evolved from some primary organism.

(3) The first five books of the Bible came from the J-E-D and P
sources and were not written by Moses as the Bible says.

(4) Women should be pastors and ordained to the Holy Min-
istry.

Trinity

New Haven, MO

To Direct President to Address Continuing
Concerns re Seminex Supporters

WuereEaS, Almost all of the supporters of Seminex, liberals,
evolutionists, charismatics, and unionists who were on the clergy
roster of the LCMS when Dr. Barry was elected LCMS President
in 1992 are still on the clergy roster of the LCMS; and

WuereEAs, Five Seminex professors and about 100 graduates of
Seminex (still on the LCMS clergy roster) and other pastors and
professors still on the LCMS clergy roster who signed a statement
supporting the theology of Seminex or indicated support of Dr.
John Tietjen, President of Seminex. were asked if they repudiated
their support of Seminex and would now affirm the inerrancy of
the Bible and the Genesis creation account and are opposed to or-
dination of women; and

WHEREAS, The response to this questionnaire (Christian News,
June 14, 1999) shows that there are still hundreds on the LCMS
clergy roster who support the position of Seminex and reject the
inerrancy of the Bible: therefore be it

2001 Convention Workbook