Overreaction
to Convention Twists the Facts
By Bruce
A. Cameron
Here’s
a sampling of the harsh reactions to The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod’s 62nd Regular Convention
in July: We are no longer a Synod but “at best, simply a
union church body”; congregations “are going into a state
of confession against the false doctrine approved at this
summer’s synodical Convention”; resolutions passed were
“direct attacks on the Word of God.” A how-to booklet on
the “state of confession” speaks about “the lie of men
that is being tolerated and promoted.”
What
has provoked these reactions? Among other things, the adoption
of resolutions regarding participation in civic events, the
service of women and a new dispute resolution policy.
Civic
Events
At
the top of many people’s lists of what the Convention did
wrong was the handling of Dr. David Benke and his actions at
Yankee Stadium following September 11, 2001. If we are not
going to rebuke Dr. Benke, they want to know, then are there
any limits at all left in the LCMS?
What
did the Convention actually say?
It passed this resolution: “Lutheran pastors may not
under any circumstances participate in joint prayer together
with clergy of non-Christian religions. . . . According to
Scripture, acceptable, efficacious and God-pleasing prayer and
worship are possible only through faith in Jesus Christ.”
(The full guidelines are worth reading and practicing.)
However,
the Convention’s fullest rejection of syncretism [“all
religions can be joined as one and lead to the same place”]
came with the adoption of the mission challenge, ABLAZE! A
church body that is actively bringing the message of Jesus
Christ to members of other religions has not lost sight of the
Gospel, the church’s treasure.
Service
of Women
Strong
(and surprising) criticism has been aimed at the passage of a
resolution on “The Service of Women in Congregational and
Synodical Offices.” It declares that women may not serve in
the office of pastor nor exercise its distinctive functions,
but “that women may serve in humanly established offices in
the church.”
Is
this a new position?
Not at all! On
January 26, 1977, speaking at a theological symposium at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Dr. David Scaer of Concordia
Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, addressed the issue of
women’s ordination. Among other things, he said, “I
don’t know . . . that a woman in a congregation would have a
role that would necessarily be different from a man’s role.
. . . We have them singing hymns like everybody else. They
participate in the liturgy like everybody else. I suppose they
could even have a reading. . . . I could go along with Peter
Brunner, in that a woman could distribute the cup but not the
bread” (in Holy Communion). As to a woman congregational
president, Scaer reasoned: “If the congregation does not
engage in pastoral functions, then I have no objections.”
Further, he said a woman could say something of a devotional
nature in public worship under the presiding pastor’s
supervision: “Yes, I do see that. This prophecy could be
something planned ahead of time or spontaneous. I totally
agree with that.” (Quotes taken from Cassette 76-59, part
two, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, library.)
Dr.
Scaer said many other things in his presentation 27 years ago.
The point is this: It is possible to discuss these things
without going into attack mode, as though those with whom
we may disagree have renounced the Scriptures and the Gospel
of God.
Dispute
Resolution
Critics
also charge that the dispute resolution process the Convention
adopted prohibits lay people from ever challenging their
pastors. What is the truth? They may take their
complaints to the congregation or the District President. “A
simple layperson armed with Scripture is to be believed over
Pope or Council [or anyone else] without Scripture”
(Luther).
What
has been eliminated is the “double jeopardy” of repeated
charges by one person against a once-exonerated member of
Synod. Changes in Synod’s polity and structure are neither
the final word nor a matter of “adopting the truth” or
“promoting the lie.” Instead of overstatement and outrage,
let all within the LCMS talk to one another for the sake of
the Synod and the mission God has given us.
Rev.
Cameron is Pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Sparta, IL.
