LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 73

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 73

Wuereas, Members of this movement and some partic-
ipants in programs of ecumenical evangelism worship with
those who do not accept the Scriptural doctrine of justifica-
tion by faith alone; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS warn its members about the
anti-Scriptural nature of the charismatic movement: and
be it further

Resolved, That the proper District officials be asked to
deal with members of the LCMS who worship with those
who do not accept the Scriptural doctrine of justification by
faith alone.

Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH
New Haven, Mo.
Larry Scheer, Secretary

2-88

To Encourage Contracting of all Synodical
School Graduates

WuereEaS, Disagreement over the use of the historical-
critical method of interpreting Scripture results in two op-
posing theologies and therefore two kinds of graduates from
synodical schools: and

Whereas, These differences are evidenced by the opposi-
tion of students who use the historical-critical method to
those students who refrain from using it: and

Wuereas. Much success has been shown in congregations
contracting rather than calling pastors and teachers in order
to take time to examine their doctrinal stance: therefore he it

Resolved. That all future graduate pastors and teachers
be given contracts of one year duration at which time the
congregation may either extend a call or place the indi-
vidual on a synodical call list, thus relieving him of his
authority at said congregation.

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sturgis. Mich.

Bruce Schaeffer, Chairman
Albert Bumann, Secretary
H. M. Heidenreich. Pastor
Tom Baker, Assistant Pastor

2-89

To Seek Retraction of False Doctrine
in Mission:Life

Wuereas. A few of the courses in the Mission: Life cur-
riculum are teaching some of the same false doctrines and
destructive views of historical criticism which the Fact Find-
ing Committee found were being taught at Concordia Sem-
inary:

1. The revised edition of the teachers guide for Journey
to Freedom leaves room for the destructive notion that the
Bible is not inerrant in all matters and that Moses did not

write the first five books of the Bible. (See Oct. 30, 1972,
Christian News)

2. The revised edition of the teachers guide for Journey
to Freedom states on p.19: “For details consult the excellent
footnoting of the Jerusalem Bible. " The footnotes in
the Jerusalem Bible accept the anti-Scriptural J-E-D-P
source hypothesis which some Mission: Life writers and edi-
tors want members of the LCMS to accept.

3. The revised edition of the teachers guide still allows
for the anti-Scriptural notion that Isaiah did not write chap-
ters 40-66 of the Book of Isaiah. (P. 166)

4. Mission: Life's The Gate. October-December 1970, Vol.
4. No.1, questions what the Bible teaches about the author-
ship of Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus:

If Paul wrote them. we have to think about him as changed
in some respects by later exveriences in his life. If someone
else wrote them, we must explain why — and why our older
Bibles say Paul wrote them.

Our belief in the inspiration of the Bible is not involved
at all... . The style of the day in which these books were
written included the humble custom of honoring a great man
by ascribing one’s essays and letters to him. There was nothing
dishonest or false about the custom, even though we would not

do it today (Paul warns about it 2 Thess. 2:2). The question of

the authorship of the inspired books remains open.

All of these differences add up to a spirit or feeling in the
letters that is strange to the other letters of Paul. They breathe

a different kind of life. There is an attitude of moralism, of

conformity to the rules — today we can almost say an ‘‘up-

tightness’ — that does not sound like Paul. The differences can
be explained, so the specific question of authorship is not all-
important.

(The Bible teaches that Paul wrote 1 and 2 Timothy and
Titus. “Paul. Apostle of Christ Jesus by the order of God,
our Savior,” 1 Tim. 1:1 American Translation. ‘Paul,
Apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will” 2 Tim, 1:1. “Paul,
servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ,” Titus 1:1)

5. Mission: Life’s 1972 course “God's Peculiar People —
Bible Il — Introduction to the Old Testament — Students re-
source” allows for the J-E-D-P source hypothesis. It says
that the first five books of the Bible “were finally compiled
as sacred about 600 B.C.” (11)

This course denies that Daniel wrote the Book of Daniel.
“Daniel is a late treatise against the Seleucid persecution,
and Daniel is not identified as a prophet.” (12)

The course contradicts 1 Kings 6:1 when it teaches that
“The history of Israel really begins with the exodus from
Egypt. about 1250 B. Cc.” (16)

The Mission: Life course questions the promise of a per-
sonal Messiah given to Abraham. “The promise to Abraham.
that his descendants would be God's agents of blessing to all
men, was repeated each time some family change might call
it into question (13: 14-17: 17:4-8: 22:15-18: etc.)” (17). Paul
writes: “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his
Descendant. He doesn't say, ‘and, by the descendants.’ in
the plural, but in the singular. and by your Descendant,
which is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16, An American Translation)

The author of this Mission: Life course has been for more
than a decade trying to get the LCMS to accept some of the
destructive theories of historical criticism. He is quoted in
Memorial 363 in the Book of Reports and Memorials, 45th
Regular Convention of the LCMS, 1962, as writing:

Specifically in answer to your question, in a recent course
on the Book of Isaiah I credited the likelihood that it was
written by two men, and treated the prophecy from two view-
points. I have on several occasions omitted any reference to
the conflict between the ancient ecclesiastical viewpoint on the
first chapters of Genesis and modern scientific learnings. I omit-
ted this because I did not want to be a disturbing influence
toward either viewpoint and I do not think that the question
is of primary importance. I would never make belief in the

Mosaic authorship of the first five books any kind of requisite.

It seems obvious to me that at least Deuteronomy is from an-

other source and that the other four books were deeply edited.

Our Bible class editors have for some time taken thorough
cognizance of the work being done by our gifted scholars. How-
ever, in the present state of the church it would be somewhat
unwise for us to direct our courses specifically to the questions
these people are raising. In order to do so, it would be neces~-
sary for us to speak a definitely negative word to our past;

and

TueREAS. The 1972 Mission: Life course “The Lord Dances
with Me” fails to teach what the Bible says about respect for
parents and law. (See chapters titled “The Lord Dances
with Me When My Parents Bug Me" and “The Lord Dances
with Me When I'm Angry and Hateful.” Teachers are told
in the Leaders Teachers Guide for this course: “Don’t worry
about right and wrong answers. Accept whatever the stu-
dent offers.” p. 40: therefore be it

Resolved. That the LCMS ask all writers and editors for
the Mission: Life curriculum to sign A Statement of Scrip-
tural and Confessional Principles: and be it further

Resolved, That the editors and writers responsible for the
false doctrine in Journey to Freedom and God's Peculiar
People be asked to acknowledge and retract their false doc-
trine; and be it further

Resolved. That all editors and writers of LCMS Sunday
school and Bible class material who refuse to subscribe to
the inerrancy of the Bible and A Statement of Scriptural
and Confessional Principles be asked to resign; and be it
finally

Resolved. That Hymns 12 and 25 be eliminated from
Hymns for Now I used in some Mission: Life courses.
Hymn 25: “Song Maybe for Teenage Christians,” Hymns for
Now I, pp. 56—57:

If you're looking for an answer. If you're looking for a way,

If you're looking for a formula to tell you what to say,