LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 160

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160 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

WHEREAS, It is also taught in Holy Scripture that this God is're-
vealed through Jesus Christ and in Him alone is salvation; and

Whereas, Christ our Lord and His apostles have told us that
there is no other Mediator between God and man than Jesus Christ;
and

WHEREAS, Christ’s people are called to proclaim Christ’s name
in all kinds of situations and circumstances; and

WHEREAS, The god worshiped in the public square is often a
generic deity rather than the true God revealed in Holy Scripture;
and

WuereEas, Failure to clearly confess in the public square the true
God and Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation leads to confu-
sion and may endanger the souls of those who hear a false or un-
clear confession; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Michigan District in convention reaffirm that
the pastors and laymembers of the Michigan District remain faith-
ful to their ordination and/or confirmation vows, and by word and
deed clearly bear witness to the triune God, who alone is revealed
in Holy Scripture as the only true God and Jesus Christ as the only
Savior for all mankind; and be it further

Resolved, That the pastors, teachers, and other church workers,
District and Synod officials who are invited to participate in civic
events that may have religious elements, prayerfully consider the
guidelines established by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
in this regard, which include

a. the importance to bear public witness of our faith, so long as
participation would not give the public impression of equating the
worship of the triune God with that of other gods;

b. the understanding that such participation would not be rea-
sonably expected to cause unnecessary conflict or schism in the
body of Christ;

c, the understanding that participation would not conflict with
one’s conscience or any clear teaching of Holy Scripture; and be it
further

Resolved, That if the opportunity to participate in such events
presents itself, without conflict with any of these principles, that
pastors and other individuals of the Michigan District be encour-
aged to do so as one way to provide Christian service and witness
in the public square; and be it finally

Resolved, That this resolution be forwarded to the Synod for
consideration at its 2004 convention.

Michigan District

3-03

To Encourage Clear Proclamation
of True Christian Faith

WHEREAS, For the salvation of the world the church must
clearly teach that there is but one true God, the Holy and Most
Blessed Trinity (Matt. 28:19), and that there is only one way to
eternal life (by grace, through faith [Eph. 2:8] in Jesus Christ [John
14:6]); and

WHEREAS, We have a clear presentation of these teachings in
the three historical and common creeds of the Christian church
(Nicene, Apostles’, and Athanasian); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Southern Illinois District, in convention,
commit itself to the confession of the exclusive divinity of the one
true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as the only God and the only
means of salvation to eternal life; and be it further

Resolved, That the congregations of the Southern Illinois Dis-
trict be encouraged to make more faithful use of the Athanasian
Creed because of its clear confession of the interconnectedness of
the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and be it finally

Resolved, That in order to preserve the “unity of the Spirit of
the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3) we memorialize the LCMS gathered
in convention in 2004 to adopt this resolution.

Southern Illinois District

3-04

To Confess Openly Common Faith in Doctrine
of Salvation through Faith in Christ Alone

WHEREAS, In the days and months following the New York City
event called ‘‘A Prayer for America,” the secular media addressed
the controversy in the LCMS in very misleading ways. Of primary
concern is the fact that some commentators who are inclined to-
ward religious pluralism and universalism defended Dr. Benke for
his “religious tolerance,” and condemned his opponents for holding
to exclusivist claims for Christ and Christianity. By presenting the
case this way they assumed a dichotomy in the Missouri Synod that
is nonexistent. A few examples of this false understanding of the
real issues in the LCMS will suffice to prove the point; and

WterEAS, Bill O’ Reilly, in a program in which he defended the
participation of Dr. Benke and condemned his opponents, said:
“Jesus was inclusive, and religions that exclude in my mind are not
charitable and not following Jesus.... I think He likes the Hindus. I
think He thinks they are okay”; and

WHEREAS, New York Times reporter Daniel Waken misquoted
President Linderman as saying, “he expressed particular disap-
proval of the suggestion that Allah, the God of Islam, was some-
how inferior to the God of Christianity”; and

WHEREAS, All of these and others are defending Dr. Benke’s
participation for exactly the wrong reasons. Dr. Benke himself has
confessed that Jesus is the only way to salvation and that the tri-
une God is the only true God. He is thereby as “guilty” of “reli-
gious bigotry” (as defined by religious pluralists and universalists)
as any of his opponents. Dr. Kieschnick also has strongly defended
the doctrine that salvation is found in no other name than Jesus
(note his excellent sermon at the Concordia Austin Spring gradua-

_tion, 2002). President Linderman has publicly disavowed the quote

attributed to him in the New York Times and confessed Christ as
the only Savior of the world. The following resolution is not in-
tended to divide the convention but to prevent division where divi-
sion does not exist, and to proclaim the truth of the Gospel unani-
mously before the world. On the central matter of the Gospel’s
teaching that salvation is found in the incarnation, life, death, and
resurrection of Christ alone we are marvelously united and confess
with one voice. We ought to share together either the insult or
praise that confession brings from the world; and

WHEREAS, The controversy in the LCMS regarding Dr. Benke’s
participation in “A Prayer for America” has led many within and
outside the church to believe that our Synod is divided on the issues
of whether the triune God is the only true God, Jesus Christ is the
only Savior of the world, and that those who do not believe in
Christ’s vicarious sacrifice for the sin of the world abide under the
wrath of God; and

WueEREAS, All the major parties in this dispute are in full agree-
ment on those central doctrines; and

WHEREAS, The secular media has fostered misunderstanding re-
garding our clear and united confession of these doctrines, includ-
ing a lamentable misquote and misrepresentation of the position of
our own District President; and

WHEREAS, The misconceptions and misrepresentations fostered
in the secular media have damaged the Synod’s clear confession of
the Gospel; therefore be it

Resolved, When addressing the media all clergy, officials, and
church workers of Districts and the Synod be encouraged to consult
with the District and/or Synod public relations staff members; and
be it further

Resolved, That the 2003 convention of the Texas District
openly, boldly, and with one accord confess the truth that the only
true God is the triune God as confessed in the Nicene Creed; and be
it further

Resolved, That the 2003 convention of the Texas District
openly, boldly, and with one accord confess the truth that there is
only one Mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ, who ful-
filled the Law of God in the stead of the world, and who died as
the all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world; and be it further