Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1954, Page 53

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Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America, 1954 53

vention. The copy of the Common Confession I hold in my hand
may be offered as Exhibit 1 in the case. The markings then made,
during that discussion, are still there. Let us look at them:

1. Election. Note in margin of my copy: “Election a cause of
faith” in the Brief Statement.

2. Means of Grace. Notes in Margin: “John 10: 35 missing.” —
“In all their parts and words in the ‘Brief Statement.’ » Under-
scored are the two phrases: “Supplied to the holy writers content
and fitting word” and “the Holy Scriptures in their entirety as the
inspired Word of God.” We noted also during the discussion that
the Word of God is treated under the heading “The Means of
Grace.” We also asked why the ALC’s “content and fitting word”
had been substituted for Missouri’s “verbal inspiration.” An
while we were assured by the members of Missouri’s Unity Com-~-
mittee that it was synonymous with “verbal inspiration,” we have
in the meantime been informed by editor Ruff of the Lutheran
that when the ULC adopted the so-called Pittsburgh Agreement,
it was only after the ULC had been assured by the chairman of
their unity commissioners, Pres. Knubel, that “content and fitting
word” was not synonymous with Missouri’s “verbal inspiration” —
only on that assurance that the ULC accepted the Pittsburgh
Agreement.

3. Justification. Notes: Underscored “secured and provided for
all men.” Entered on the margin: “has declared the whole world
righteous in Christ” in the Brief Statement. And when the paren-
thetical statement is added: “This is often spoken of as objective
justification,” we immediately ask: “By whom is it thus spoken of?”
Most certainly not by any true Missourian. Missouri’s doctrine has
on this point rather been: “Those who say that God has made the
whole world righteous, but deny that He has declared the world
righteous, deny thereby in reality the whole of justification; for
this, that the Father has declared the world righteous, must not be
separated from this, that the Son made the world righteous, when
the Father raised Christ from the dead.” (Syn. Conf. Proceedings,
1872, page 43.)

4. Conversion. Notes: “gQ lines in the Brief Statement.” —
“Rom. 8:7; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21 lacking.” — Underscored: God
brings the contrite sinner to faith in Christ as his Savior. And let
us here call attention to the Fort Wayne resolution of 1941, calling
for a “more sharply defining” or an “amplifying” of the Brief
Statement. In the Brief Statement no fewer than ninety lines are
devoted to this fundamental and much-controverted doctrine. The
Common Confession settles it in five lines. The article which ap-
peared in the ALC’s official organ, the Lutheran Standard, long
after this agreement had been reached at Milwaukee, and which
was based on the old error of differentiating between natural and
willful resistance, did not violate any of the principles to which
Article VII of the Common Confession would bind one. .

5. The Church. Notes: Underscored: “altar and pulpit fellow-
ship.” Prayer fellowship is here omitted, though that was included
in the resolution adopted by the Synodical Conference at its Chi-
cago convention in 1940. Also on the margin is the notation: “An

allowable and wholesome latitude of theological opinion” demanded
by the ALC.