LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Sheet 461

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GOSPEL AND SCRIPTURE

Z-01
GOSPEL AND SCRIPTURE

The Interrelationship
of the Material and Formal Principles
in Lutheran Theology
A Report of the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
November 1972

Contents
Preface 4
Abbreviations §
Introduction 6
I. Gospel as Norm in the Scriptures 7
A. In What Sense the Gospel Is Norm in the Scriptures 7
B. In What Sense the Gospel Is Not Norm in the Serptures 7

1. The Gospel Does Not Abrogate God's Law and Ordinances
2. The Gospel Is Not a Basic Principle from Which Other

Doctrines are Developed )
3. The Gospel Does Not Permit a Method of Bible Studs

Which Questions Lutheran Presuppesitions Regarfing

the Bible 10
4. The Gospel Does Not Permit Disregard of Lutheran

Principles of Interpretation 12

II. Scripture as Norm of the Gospel 14
A. What Lutherans Do Not Mean When They Say That

Scripture Is the Norm of the Gospel 14

1, That There Was No Gospel Prior to the Scriptures 14

2. That the Gospel’s Verity Derives from the Seriptures 1s

3. That the Gospel’s Power Derives from the Scriptures 17

B. In What Sense Scripture Is Norm of the Gospel 17

Conclusion Zo

Footnotes 2}

3

of the Gospel. In addition, the question continues to surface in other areas
of study, particularly in those dealing with Biblical interpretation and
church relations.

In view of the problems relative to the interrelationship of Scripture
and Gospel. this study addresses itself to the following questions:

1. What is meant by the statement that the Gospel is norm in the

Scriptures?

Il. In what sense is Scripture source and norm of the Gospel?

The present study is offered to the church in the hope that it will
provide guidance in the study and discussion of an issue that is vital to
the church's life and work, It is an attempt to chart a course that avoids
the pitfall of biblicism on the one hand and of Gospel reductionism on
the other.

Abbreviations

AC — Augsburg Confession

Ap — Apology of the Augsburg Confession

Ep — Epitome of the Formula of Concord

FC — Formula of Concord

LC — Large Catechism

SA — Smalcald Articles

SC — Small Catechism

SD —- Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord

Citations from the Lutheran Confessions are either from Concordia Trig-
lotta, The Book of Concord (Tappert ed.). or our own translation

oy

Preface

Lutheranism has ulways emphasized that the center of its faith and
theology is the Gospel of Jesus Christ The histone Lutheran Confessions
as Well as theologians in every age heve taught that God's justification
of the sinner by grace for Christ’s sake through faith a the “chiet article”
of the Christian faith and the “artigke on which the church stands or falls”
Because of its central role in heth and theology. some theelogians have
deseribed the Gospel as the “maternal prmeiple” ot Lutheranism

Lutheranism has also taught that the only source. rule, and norm tor
its doctrine and life iy Holy Scripture Beeause it accepts the Serptures
as the very Word of God Himselt, Lutheranism has refused to recognize
any other norm for aits theology or to put any other writings on the sume
level as the prophetic and apostohe writings of the Old and New Testa-
ments. This insistence that the Serptures alone ure the source and nerm
for our doctrine has been called the “formal prineple” of Lutheranism

As the President of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod noted
in his address to the 1971 Synodscal Convention there has been ingreasing
confusion within Lutheranism in recent years concerning the proper inter-
relationship of Gospel and Senpture +

Two problems in particular merit our careful attention, One is the
Impression sometimes given by those who defend the authority of Holy
Senipture that they have in effect made the Buble. rather than the Gospel
the heart and center — the “materi! principle” -— of their faith, Such
a view is frequently entized es “fundementalste or “bibhigistig "The
other problem is the impression that sometimes the Gospel is used as the
norm of theology in such a Way us to suggest that considerable freedom
should be allowed within the chureh in matters which are not am explicit
part of the Gospel This view is sometimes eritterzed as “mu nimalistie™ or
“Gospel reductionism.”

For a number of sears the Commession on Theology and Church
Relations has been invelved in discussions on tng proper relationship of
Gospel and Senpture [ts previous documents have upheld the authority
of Senpture while emphasizing thar ail Senpture is to be interpreted trom
the perspective of the Gospel However. it has heen apparent for some
ume that this topie should hase a more comprehensive treatment and
Should deal with the questen parteulurly on the basis ef our historic
Lutheran Confessions. Alreads in £964 such a study was requested by the
President of the Synod

New impetus to the study was given 1970 when the English District
referred to the CICR a memorial caling fora reaffirmation of the primacy

4

GOSPEL AND SCRIPTURE

Introduction

The affirmation that “through faith, men obtain remission of sins and
through faith in Christ are justified” 1s called by the Apology of the Augs-
burg Confession “the chief topic ferucle] of Christin doctrine” cv,
-2), While Article I of the Formula of Concord refers to the doctrines
of creation. incarnation. sanctification. and resurrection as “the chief articles
of our Christian faith” (SD 34-38), Article PHT says that the “article con-
cerning justification by faith (as the Apology says) 1s the chief article in
the entire Christian doctrine.” (61

No one who understands the Lutheran Confessions would see a con-
flict between the statements quoted above. The Symbols are saying that
“the Gospel. to wit ["which teaches”) German, welches da lehrt] that God
not for our own merits. but for Christ's sake. justifies those who believe
that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake” (AC WV. 3) is the
foremost article of the total Christian doctrine and the very heart of the
Christian faith.’

But while they ure saying this. they ure at the same time saying that
the Gospel which “is properly the promise of the forgiveness of sins and
of justification through Christ” (FC SD V. 27) ts not the only article. of
even the only important article of the Christian faith. The Symbols are
saying that among the chief artucles of the entire Christian doctrine. the
article which teaches that men “are freely justified for Christ's sake.
through faith” (AC IV, 1) is chief of all The Symbols affirm the primacy
of the Gospel (Ap IV. 178: SA Ti, 1-8). but not in such a way that
other articles of the Christian doctrine are accounted unimportant

Jonas’s translation of the Apology notes that the doctrine that we
are justified freely by faith when we believe that God for Christ's sake
is reconciled to us is “the principal matter of all Epistles. yea. of the entre
Scripture” (IV. &7). In view of this statement and of what the Symbols
say about God’s alien and His proper work (namely, that God judges in
order to show mercy: cf. Ap XII. S1. 158. FC Ep V. 10. and SD WV. 11) it
is fully in accord with the Symbols to held that Scripture has been given to
us primarily for the sake of the Gospel. While one cannot defend the view
that according to the Symbols only the Gospel is God's Word. it is true
that the Gospel is the final word that God speaks to us in the Scriptures

The heart. center. and ultimate message of the Bible is that God wishes
to be gracious to sinners for Christ's sake. Unless one hears this voice
of the Gospel (Ap IV, 257, 274. XII. 39), that is. the voice from heaven
speaking absolution to terrified consciences (AC XXV. 3: Ap XII. 99).
the whole point and purpose of the Scriptures has been missed. That is
why the Apology says that the Gospel “is of especial service for the clear.
correct understanding of the entire Hols Scriptures . and alone opens
the door to the entire Bible.” «TV. 2, German)

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