LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 12

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ica,” convened at Yankee Stadium by the then Mayor of New York
City, Rudolph Guiliani. Since this event still seems to be on the
minds and hearts of some of our pastors and people, I believe it is
appropriate for me to address with you once more this matter of
concer.

On Sept. 23, 2001, an LCMS District President, Dr. David
Benke, participated in the event at Yankee Stadium by offering a
prayer that concluded with the words “...in the precious name of
Jesus. Amen.” Dr. Benke had informed me of his invitation to par-
ticipate, discussing this invitation in two telephone calls prior to
the event. Since I am his ecclesiastical supervisor, his consulting
with me was the proper thing to do.

My response was based on careful review of the position of the
LCMS regarding Synodical pastors participating in “civic events”
as articulated in a statement prepared by the Commission on The-
ology and Church Relations and the now sainted President of the
Synod, Dr. Alvin Barry, adopted by the Synod in convention only
two months before 9/11. Having received assurance from Dr.
Benke that the invitation to pray did not in any way include a re-
striction on his Christian witness. | offered my counsel that Syn-
odical pastors “may for valid and good reason” (see below) partic-
ipate in such an event.

Here are pertinent portions of the statement commended by the
Synod in convention “for continued use and guidance” that guided
my counsel:

“Pastors, teachers, and other officially recognized church workers
are Ofien asked to participate in activities outside of their own and other
LCMS congregations. Some of these are civic events. Offering prayers,
speaking, and reading Scripture at events sponsored by governments,
public schools, and volunteer organizations would be a problem if the
organization in charge restricted a Christian witness. For instance, if an
invitation requires a pasior to pray to God without mentioning Jesus, he
cannot in good conscience accept. Without such a restriction, a Lutheran
pastor may for valid and good reason participate in civic affairs such as
an inauguration, graduation, or a right-to-life activity. These occasions
may provide opportunity to witness to the Gospel. Pastors may have
honest differences of opinion about whether or to what extent it is ap-
propriate or helpful to participate in these or similar civic events. In
these cases charity must prevail.

There are also “once-in-a-life-time” situations. It is virtually impos-
sible to anticipate all such situations or to establish rules in advance.
Specific answers cannot be given to cover every type of situation pas-
tors and congregations face. These situations can be evaluated only on a
case-by-case basis and may evoke different responses from different
pastors who may be equally committed to LCMS fellowship principles.
The LCMS has always recognized this.

However, the response to one situation should not establish a prece-
dent for future ones. Where pastors regularly consult each other and are
convinced of one another’s integrity, they are freer to use their discre-
tion where such prior consultation is impossible. We do not want to fall
into the trap of case law rigidity by setting down rules for every con-
ceivable situation. At the same time, the exception should not become
the rule. lest the truth of the Gospel be compromised.

Many people in the LCMS at least have heard about this event held
in Yankee Stadium. Many others are also quite familiar with it. Basi-
cally, controversy has developed within our Synod due to conflict be-
tween those who believe that Dr. Benke should not have participated at
Yankee Stadium and those who believe he was right in doing so.

From an official perspective, the formal charges brought against Dr.
Benke by a number of individuals and congregations in the Synod,
seeking to have him expelled from membership in the Synod, have been
resolved. The final decision of the duly constituted and conducted Dis-
pute Resolution Panel was that Dr. Benke should not be expelled from
the Synod. Details concerning that entire process are included in my
memos to the Synod dated November 30, 2001; February 11, 2002; July
9, 2002; and May 12, 2003. These memos are available on the Synod’s
Web site al www.lcms.org/president and can be found on the Web page
for the “President’s Office” under the heading, “Leadership Corner,”
then under the subheading, “Statements.”

2004 Convention Workbook

2 SYNODICAL REPORTS

Nevertheless, it is clear to me that controversy and disagreement
concerning this entire subject still exists in our Synod. In keeping with
the President’s constitutional duty to “conscientiously use all means at
his command to promote and maintain unity of doctrine and practice in
all the Districts of the Synod” (LCMS Constitution, Art. XI B 3), lam
writing this memo to do just that. In the process, I cannot help but
“show my heart.”

Essentially, | wish to share with you two basic points. First, I agree
with the position of the LCMS, as referred to above, that pastors of our
Synod should have the freedom, tempered with the accompanying re-
sponsibility, of “offering prayers, speaking, and reading Scripture at
events sponsored by governments . . .” if the organization in charge
does not restrict a Christian witness, and if this can be done without any
compromise of our Scriptural, Confessional, and constitutional com-
mitments.

Along with this decision-making freedom there must be a climate
of trust in the Synod, especially in and among our synodically trained
pastors. For The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to be functional
and healthy, we must be able to trust that our pastors can and will make
God-pleasing decisions in day-to-day circumstances, as well as in ex-
ceptional situations. In turn, this trust will enable a healthy, faithful, and
bold public witness to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is clear to me from Holy Scripture that public Christian witness is
God-pleasing and can be eternally life changing. Biblical examples
abound, including the three men in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3); Daniel
in the lions’ den (Daniel 6); Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings
18); Peter, John, and the apostles (Acts 4-5); and Paul before Agrippa
and Festus (Acts 26). These are powerful examples of many stories in
the Bible of God-fearing people who literally risked their lives by testi-
fying publicly to the truth that there is only one God, who has revealed
Himself in Holy Scripture as the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit.

In the case of the Yankee Stadium event, the United States of Amer-
ica had only 12 days earlier been devastated by terrorism of previously
unknown proportions on our own soil. The nation was in grief, gripped
with fear, disbelief, terror, confusion, anger, and uncertainty. We are
still under terrorism alerts as I write this memo, almost two-and-a-half
years later.

The people of our nation during and following 9/11 were united by
the emotions listed above. We were not then and are not now united as
a nation in our understanding and belief about the nature of God and
the absolute necessity of saving faith in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
People of various faiths gathered in Yankee Stadium, with radically dif-
ferent understandings of God and salvation. Those differences exist in
almost every community in our country, including yours.

Does the Christian faith have anything to say to people, both Christian
and non-Christian, in such times? Of course, it does! Do we Christians
have the God-given responsibility to share our faith, with both Christians
and non-Christians, in such times of difficulty and disaster? Of course, we
do! Will God-fearing Christians differ in their understanding of how,
when, and where such faith sharing should occur? Quite obviously, yes, in-
deed!

Painfully mindful of these different understandings and respectful
of those who hold them, I believed then and I continue to believe now
that Dr. Benke’s decision to accept the invitation to pray at Yankee Sta-
dium was in keeping with the guidance given by The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod on the basis of our understanding of the
teaching of Holy Scripture.

The second point I wish to share in this memo is my unwavering
conviction regarding the absolute necessity of being prepared to share
our faith in all circumstances, especially at public gatherings, in a way
that leaves no doubt or question about the nature of that faith. There
must be no compromise, no apology, no confusion about our Christian
witness whenever we have the opportunity to share it by “offering
prayers, speaking, and reading Scripture” in public gatherings.

Here is where 1 believe clarity is especially necessary regarding the
basic issue in the Yankee Stadium controversy. Dr. Benke’s prayer
could and should have been a stronger articulation of the truth of Holy
Scripture regarding the absolute necessity of faith in Jesus Christ as the
only way to eternal life. This is not a new articulation of this conclu-