LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 91

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 91

Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament” and ‘‘all the
Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church .. . to
wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the
Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg
Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the
Smaleald Articles, the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small
Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord”; and on the
other hand makes no allowance for additional documents to be
added to the list; and

WHEREAS, Article XIV of the Synod’s Constitution sets forth
the proper procedure to change or amend the Constitution and
allows for no changing or amending by resolving to have a new
understanding of a portion of the Constitution, as New Orleans
convention Resolution 2-12 in fact does in its second “resolved”;
and

WHEREAS, Article VIII, C, of the Synod’s Constitution clearly
states: “All matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided
by the Word of God. All other matters shall be decided by
majority vote”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in its 1975 convention rescind the
1973 New Orleans convention Resolution 2-12 “To Understand
Article II of the Synod’s Constitution as Requiring the Formula-
tion and Adoption of Synodical Doctrinal Statements” as
unconstitutional; and be it also

Resolved. That the other resolutions of the 1973 New Orleans
convention, which depend upon Resolution 2-12 for constitu-
tionality: Resolution 3-01 (‘To Adopt ‘A Statement’”’), Resolu-
tion 3-09 (“To Declare Faculty Majority Position in Violation
of Article II of the Constitution”), and Resolution 3-12A (‘‘To
Deal with Dr. John Tietjen Under the Provisions of Synod’s
‘Handbook’ ”’); likewise be rescinded as unconstitutional.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Carson City, Nev.

Anton L. Larson, President
Barbara Egbert, Secretary

3-93A

To Rescind New Orleans Besolutions
2-12 and 3-01

WHEREAS, Articles II and VIII, C, of the Constitution of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod clearly establish and provide
for the continued exercise in our Synod of evangelical catholic
Christianity in the tradition of the Church of the Augsburg
Confession; and

WHEREAS, These articles are of such clarity and simplicity
of understanding that they need no further clarification or
interpretation; and

WHEREAS, Any modification or expansion of these articles
by an implicit or explicit action of a synodical convention would
have the effect of altering the confessional base of our Synod
and its evangelical heritage; and

WHEREAS, Resolutions 2-12 and 3-01 of the New Orleans
convention have the effect of modifying and expanding Articles
II and VIII, C, of the synodical Constitution; and

WHEREAS, Resolutions 2-12 and 3-01 of the New Orleans
convention have sought to bind our consciences in a manner
contrary to the clear and simple statements of Articles II and
VIII, C, of the Constitution of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved. That the New England District memorialize the
next convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,
wherever and whenever it may be held, that Resolutions 2-12
and 3-01 of the New Orleans convention be rescinded; and be
it further

Resolved. That such memorial call upon the Synod to declare
null and void all actions taken on the basis of Resolutions 2-12
and 3-01 or deriving from them either at the convention or
subsequent to it; and be it finally

Resolved. That such memorial shall call for the Synod by
this means to joyfully return to its evangelical catholic heritage
in the tradition of the Church of the Augsburg Confession.

New England District
Clifford G. Larson, Secretary

Identical or similar:

3-93B to 3-93K

Board of Directors, New England Dist.
First Trinity, Washington, D.C.
University, Los Angeles, Calif.

Trinity, Long Island City, N. Y.

Gloria Dei, Blue Bell, Pa.

Trinity, Carney’s Point, N. J.

R. Riedel

David Preisinger
Roger Timm

Geo. Sommermeyer
Erich Wildgrube, Jr.
Gerald Grimm

Our Redeemer, Foxboro, Mass. Paul Lutze
Zion, New Haven, Conn. B. L. Everist
New Jersey District Walter Zeile
St. Michael’s, La Grange Park, II. W. Bakewicz

3-94A

To Withdraw Resolutions 2-12
and 3-01 of the Synodical
Convention

WHEREAS, There has been in the history of the church the
practice of making doctrinal statements, after much fraternal
discussion under the Spirit, to speak to issues of the day as
guidance for that day; and

WHEREAS, Resolutions 2-12 and 3-01 of the New Orleans
convention, although well intentioned, have resulted in an
intensification of distrust, polarization, creation of factions,
and a deterioration of our evangelical brotherliness in the
church, consequently causing us to concentrate on our own
fighting and thereby “freezing” our outreach of Gospel mission
and ministry; and

WHEREAS, Resolution 2-12, though not so intended, has been
legalistically applied by many in the church; and

WHEREAS, Resolution 2-12 permits a convention to declare
and identify ‘‘that which has always been taught in the church”
by a simple majority vote without first pursuing evangelical
discussion with brothers who may not believe that such has
always been the doctrine of the church: and

WHEREAS, A Statement was issued as and is well suited for
a study document and raises a number of debatable questions
which must be worked out under the Spirit’s guidance before
being adopted as a doctrinal statement: and

WHEREAS, We remember, as we meet during the great Feast
of Pentecost, that we are the church, empowered and guided
by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ toward being a more
trusting, loving brotherhood which desires to share the Gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ with the world in every manner;
therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
withdraw Resolution 2-12 of the New Orleans convention and
return to a policy of binding the consciences of members of the
Synod only to Scripture and the Confessions, while also allowing
for ways in which the issues of the day and current theological
problems may be discussed and met in an evangelical manner;
and be it further

Resolved. That the Synod adopt doctrinal statements only
after extensive discussion within the congregations of the Synod
and such statements be understood as declarations of a tempo-
rary nature, which must stand the test of time and continually
be reviewed by the church under the guidance of the Scriptures;
and be it further

Resolved. That Resolution 3-01 of the New Orleans conven-
tion be withdrawn, removing A Statement from its “binding”
status, returning it to its “study” status, and commending it to
the church for guidance in studying the issues.

California and Nevada District
Theo. A. Iverson, Secretary

Identical or similar:

3-94B

Christ the King, Edmonton, Alta. C. C. Guebert