Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 128
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 128

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

128 SEMINARY ISSUES

3-424

To Accept “A Statement” as Correct
Declaration

Wuereas, The Constitution of the LCMS requires that
the synodical President supervise the doctrine of the Synod;
and

Wuereas, In keeping with this requirement (Article XI,
B 1) Dr. J. A. O. Preus has provided the Synod A Statement
of Scriptural and Confessional Principles; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions affirmed that the Statement contains nothing contrary
to the Scriptures or the Lutheran Confessions; and

Wuenreas, A study edition of the Statement has demon-
strated that it is in accord with the Scriptures and the Lu-
theran Confessions, synodical statements, and synodical res-
olutions; and

WHEREAS, Many members of the LCMS have signed the
Statement as an expression of their theological stance; while
others have flatly rejected it with such terms as “un-Lu-
theran” and “less than Scriptural”; and

Wuereas, It has thus become evident that there are dif-
ferent theologies held and taught within the LCMS; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,
in convention, declare that the Statement of Scriptural and
Confessional Principles is a correct declaration of its theo-
logical stance on the issues covered; and be it further

Resolved, That all congregations and pastors, parochial
school teachers, professors at the Synod’s colleges and semi-
naries, members of boards and commissions, District presi-
dents, and officers of Synod who cannot in good conscience
accept and teach according to the position of the Statement
and thus of Synod, be asked in love to withdraw from the
Synod and affiliate with some other church organization
whose theological position they can in good conscience sup-
port.

Zion LUTHERAN CHURCH
Pine City, Minn.

Carl Peterson, President
David M. Meyer, Pastor

Similar:

3-42B
Zion Lutheran Church, Mora, Minn.,, Elmer Althoff,
Chairman; Marilyn Jensen, Secretary.

3-42C
Trinity Lutheran Church, Warren, Ohio, Charles D. Lent-
ner, Pastor; Hilton A. Farley, Chairman.

3-43A
To Adopt and Use “A Statement”

Wuereas, A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional
Principles, published by the President of Synod in con-
sultation with the synodical Vice-Presidents speaks clearly
to the issues which trouble the LCMS today; and

Wuereas, The Statement in both its theses and antitheses
is in agreement with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions; and

Whereas, The CTCR without dissenting vote recognized
the Statement to be both Scriptural and Lutheran: and

Wuereas, The faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
has refused to comply to the request of the Board of Con-
trol and the President and presidium of Synod to state their
position toward the theses and antitheses of the Statement
and give reasons why they believe or disbelieve these theses
and antitheses; and

Wuereas, The faculty in its “Response” has called the
Statement divisive, thus indicating that the differences be-
tween the content of the Statement and the teaching at the
seminary are doctrinal and divisive differences and affect
fellowship within our church; and

WuereEas, The Report of the Synodical President's Fact

Finding Committee has shown that false doctrines are indeed
taught at Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, and that these
doctrines are contrary to Scripture and the Lutheran Con-
fessions and are condemned in the Statement; and

Whereas, The false doctrines taught at the seminary and
denoted in the Report impinge upon the authority of Scrip-
ture and the Gospel itself and are divisive of fellowship in
our Synod and such fellowship is in fact not being practiced
in some cases because of these divisive doctrines; and

WHEREAS, It is not legalistic but evangelical, springing from
a deep concern for the pure proclamation of the Gospel, to
insist that a Synod and its teachers commit themselves to
statements which are in agreement with Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions, especially in times of theological con-
troversy and crisis; and

Wuereas, Precisely such a practice was carried out by the
Lutheran church in the past as it called for signatures to the
Saxon Visitation Articles of 1592 and to the Thirteen Theses
of Dr. Walther in 1881; and

Wuereas, Such an action is not elevating such statements
of faith to the level of the Confessions or making them a new
standard of orthodoxy; be it therefore

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention assembled re-
affirm its loyalty to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions; and be it further

Resolved, That Synod adopt the Statement as a whole
and each thesis and antithesis as its position in respect to the
issues facing our Synod arising from the seminary investi-
gation; and be it further

Resolved, That every faculty member at both seminaries
of our Synod at the beginning of every academic year until
the next convention of Synod be instructed to subscribe to
the Statement, affirming his adherence to its every thesis
and antithesis; and be it finally

Resolved, That God forbid, should any faculty member
of the two seminaries fail to affirm such commitment to the
doctrine of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions as ex-
pressly stated in the Statement, the Board of Control be
instructed to call immediately for the resignation of that
faculty member.

MEssIAH Ev, LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sterling, Il.

Harold Nelson, Secretary
Eldor Mueller, Pastor

Identical or Similar:

3-43B
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa, Wis., Harold
Mueller, Secretary.

3-43C

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Rock Falls, Ill., Curtis
A. Peterson, Pastor; Kim Groharing, Chairman.

3-43D
Mount Hope Lutheran Church, Casper, Wyo., F. D.
Stewart, President; J. B. Brown, Pastor.

3-43E
Trinity Lutheran Church, Taylorville, Ill., Don Gingrey,
President; Wm. G. Marten, Pastor.

3-43F
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Roselle, Ill., James Johnson,
Secretary.

3-44
To Declare “A Statement” Scriptural

Resolved, That we petition The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod to declare that A Statement on Scriptural and
Confessional Principles is in accord with Holy Scripture and
the Lutheran Confessions as they have always been inter-
preted; and be it

Resolved, That the LCMS require all who administer and
teach, including all in official positions in Synod or its