LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 144

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DISTRICT AND CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 145

2-08

To Retain Current Translation of Nicene Creed
in New LCMS Service Book and Hymnal

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Worship is expected to
present the Synod in convention with a proposed new service book
and hymnal (2001 Workbook, pp. 30-31); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Worship has field-tested a num-
ber of proposed changes in the translation of the Nicene Creed
(Lutheran Hymnal Project Field Test Materials 2003, pp. 32-36);
and

WHEREAS, The current translations of the Nicene Creed in The
Lutheran Hymnal (1941) and Lutheran Worship (1982) are faithful
translations, very similar to each other, and deeply familiar to the
people of the LCMS through decades of use; and

WHEREAS, The proposed changes in the translation of the
Nicene Creed would be unnecessary improvements, potentially
troubling to the piety and faith of the people; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod retain
the current translation of the Nicene Creed, as found in Lutheran
Worship, in the Synod’s new service book and hymnal.

Emmaus, South Bend, IN; Trinity, Goodland, IN; South
Bend Circuit 5, Indiana District; Circuit 26 Forum, South
Wisconsin District

2-09
To Adopt Creeds as Published in Lutheran Worship

WHEREAS, We are commanded in Scripture to “stand fast and
hold to the traditions which you were taught” (2 Thess: 2:15); and

WuhEREAS, The three ecumenical creeds are major confessional
symbols of the Lutheran church and not merely ordinary parts of
the church ceremony subject to treatment as adiaphora under the
Formula of Concord; and

WHEREAS, The versions of the three ecumenical creeds found
in Lutheran Book of Worship (ELCA) are not new translations, but
contain changes that cannot be harmonized with the Latin, German,
or English texts as they are given in the Book of Concord, to which
every LCMS pastor and congregation subscribes without reserva-
tion; and

WHEREAS, The versions of the three ecumenical creeds found
in Lutheran Book of Worship were condemned in 1978 by the Spe-
cial Hymnal Review Committee of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod, subsequently causing them to be rejected for usage in
Lutheran Worship, and

WHEREAS, The versions of the three ecumenical creeds found
in Lutheran Worship are accurate and faithful, with an exception
as noted in the second resolve below; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention direct the Synod to follow the recommendations for the
translations of the three ecumenical creeds presented in the 1978
report of the Special Hymnal Review Committee; and be it further

Resolved, That the Liturgy Committee of the Lutheran Hymnal
Project and the Commission on Worship be directed to include the
versions of the three ecumenical creeds found in Lutheran Worship
with the exception that the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed as written,
“the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints,” be replaced
with “the holy Christian Church—the communion of saints.”

Redeemer
Sidney, OH

2-10
To Use Word Christian in Apostles’

and Nicene Creeds in New Hymnal

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Hymnal uses the word “Christian” in
its translation of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; and

Wuereas, Lutheran Worship uses the word “Christian” in its
translation of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; and

Wuereas, With near unanimity our Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod uses the word “Christian” in confessing the Apostles’
and Nicene Creeds; and

Wuereas, Even with proper and persistent teaching, the word
“catholic” would still be associated with the Roman Catholic
Church, especially by visitors and those new to the faith; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the new Lutheran hymnal use the word “Chris-
tian” in its translation of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; and be it
further

Resolved, That a footnote be included to explain that the ancient
texts use the word “catholic” which means “the whole church as it
confesses the wholeness of Christian doctrine.”

Circuit 6 Forum
North Wisconsin District

2-11

To Retain First-Person Singular in Nicene Creed

Whereas, A proposal has been made to change the word / to
We in the Nicene Creed (at “I believe’’), with the rationale that the
original form of the creed was written with the plural pronoun and
that the plural We gives voice to the corporate and collective unity
of the Christian church; and

WHEREAS, There are cogent arguments that challenge the ra-
tionale of this proposal, namely these:

1. The original form of the creed was in the plural (we) because it
was first declared by the bishops assembled in a.D. 325 in
Nicaea, but when the creed began to be employed in worship set-
tings, the first-person singular was used instead.

2. Whenever and wherever the creed was used by the church of an-
tiquity in worship settings, it was always with the first-person
singular.

3. The first-person singular gives the creed a baptismal context like
that of the Apostles’ Creed, which is likely to have been why it
was consistently used in the creed in worship.

4. The corporate nature of the church is not stated in the creed by
the use of the person of the verb (we as opposed to J), nor has it
ever been stated in this way, but by the expressed confession of
faith in “one holy Christian and apostolic Church.”

5. The first-person singular is the form of the creed that we have
received not only in uniformity in the worship tradition we have
inherited, but also in the symbols of the Lutheran church to
which every Lutheran pastor vows allegiance.

6. Any substantive changes in the creed to which we have vowed
allegiance, however well intended, and even if theologically al-
lowable, should be rejected for the very reason of our confes-
sional subscription;

therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention reject any proposal that would change the Nicene Creed’s

“I believe” to “We believe,” and instead retain the original.

St. Paul
Kewanee, IL

2-12

. To Adopt New American Standard Bible
or New King James for Use in Service Book and Hymnal

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Worship is expected to
present the Synod in convention with a proposed new service book
and hymnal (2001 Workbook, pp. 30-31); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Worship has announced its de-
cision to recommend the English Standard Version (2001) as the