LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 127

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SEMINARY ISSUES 127

3-39A

To Commend President Preus for Issuing
“A Statement”

Wuereas, Divergencies in doctrine have troubled the
LCMS for a number of years; and

Wuereas, The President of the LCMS has submitted
A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles, not
as a “new standard of orthodoxy,” but “as a tool to identify
theological and doctrinal issues which the Synod needs to
consider and resolve”; and

WuereEas, The Commission on Theology and Church Re-
lations has commended the President for producing this doc-
ument and sharing it with the church; and

Wuereas, The authors of the Formula of Concord have
stated: “This, of course, does not mean that other good, use-
ful, and pure books, such as interpretations of the Holy
Scriptures, refutations of errors, and expositions of doctrinal
articles, should be rejected. If they are in accord with the
aforementioned pattern of doctrine they are to be accepted
and used as helpful expositions and explanations” (Tappert,
p. 506:10); and

Wuereas, The LCMS, meeting in convention at Milwau-~
kee in 1971 has stated in Res. 5-24: “Resolved, That the
Synod reaffirm the desirability of the formulation of doc-
trinal statements which clearly set forth the teachings of the
Holy Scriptures and apply them to issues of our day”; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That we commend President Preus for issuing
A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles, which
identifies and repudiates many modern liberal theological
views which are antagonistic to the loyal, Gospel-centered
proclamation and living of the truth as set forth in the
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod declare its acceptance of A
Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles as a
valid and necessary response to the issues which are trou-
bling our church today; and be it finally
Resolved, That we urge the President and all others in
a position of doctrinal supervision to initiate whatever addi-
tional action may be necessary to maintain the preaching
and teaching of God’s Word in its truth and purity in our
midst.
St. JoHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rochester, Mich.
Richard L. Keinath, President
George J. Mahder, Secretary

Similar:

3-39B
St. Matthew Lutheran Congregation, Spring Lake, Mich.,
R. J. Hemmelsbach, Chairman; Leo Zupin, Secretary.

3-39C
Peace Lutheran Church, Warren, Mich., Vernon Muehl,
Chairman; Douglas Primeau, Secretary.

3-39D

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Brookfield, Ill., Warren
Fletter, Secretary.

3-39E

St. John’s Lutheran Church, St. Johns, Mich. Richard D.
Wells, President: Robert D. Koeppen, Pastor.

3-40

To Endorse Doctrinal Content
of “A Statement”

Wuereas, Our beloved Synod is involved in a doctrinal
controversy that is tearing us apart; and

Wuenreas, President Preus has restated the official doc-
trinal position of our Synod in A Statement of Scriptural
and Confessional Principles; and

WuereaS, The Commission on Theology and Church Re-

lations has found A Statement to be in accord with the
Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and our Synod’s doc-
trinal position; and

Wuereas, The Predestinarian Controversy was settled in
1881 by the adoption of Dr. Walther’s Thirteen Theses as the
official statement of our Synod; be it therefore

Resolved, That Synod, in convention, endorse the doc-
trinal content of A Statement; and be it further

Resolved, That those pastors, teachers, and laymen who
do not agree with the doctrinal content of A Statement “pre-
sent their objections to them formally to those officials whom
the Synod has given the immediate supervision of their doc-
trine” (1971 Proceedings, p.165); and be it further

Resolved, That they also “be asked to present their con-
cerns to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations”
(Cleveland Res. 3-17 quoted in 1971 Proceedings, p. 118);
and be it finally

Resolved, That Synod declare “its conviction that as a re-
sult of joint study of the Word of God the Holy Spirit will
lead the Synod into all truth, that possible errors in synodi-
cally adopted statements will be discovered and corrected,
that instances of failure to submit to the clear teaching of
the Holy Scriptures will be evangelically dealt with on an
individual pastoral basis, and that the Synod can speak with
a voice that is Scriptural, Gospel-oriented, truly Lutheran,
and that we will continue to “walk together” as a true
Synod.” (1971 Proceedings, p. 165)

ConcorDIA LUTHERAN CHURCH
Cleveland, Ohio

Andrew F. Slivka, President
LeRoy W. Myers, Secretary

3-41

To Accept “A Statement” and Support
the President

Wuereas, A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional
Principles has been prepared by Dr. J. A. O. Preus, President
of Synod, and mailed to all congregations of Synod; and

Wuereas, This Statement expresses not only the true
Scriptural and confessional position to which the Missouri
Synod has traditionally held but also rejects the false and
contrary positions which have invaded certain areas of our
Synod and which have been the cause for much protest and
division within the Synod; and

WHEREAS, It is our belief that most of the present divisions
and causes for offense would be removed if the LCMS would
support its President in this Statement and insist that all its
pastors, professors, and teachers and officials declare their
agreement with it and teach accordingly; and

Wuereas, It is both hypocritical and subversive to sail
under a false flag by teaching and practicing contrary to the
public and accepted doctrine of one’s church body; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That St.Paul’s Lutheran Church of Fairmont,
Minn., herewith petition The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in convention at New Orleans to accept as its own the
Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles and as-
sure the President of Synod of its loyal support in bringing
about unity within Synod according to this Statement; and
be it further

Resolved, That Synod be asked to require of all those
who cannot conscientiously accept the Statement of Scrip-
tural and Confessional Principles that they give clear and
forthright reasons for their objections so that these may be
dealt with honorably, or contrary-wise that they relinquish
their positions of trust within the Synod and seek affiliation
with church bodies with which they do find themselves to
be in agreement; and be it finally

Resolved, That we implore God’s Holy Spirit to grant
oneness of teaching, unity of spirit, and peace to our Synod.

St. Paut’s LUTHERAN CHURCH
Fairmont, Minn.

Duane Roloff, Chairman
Herbert Haertel, Secretary