Delegate Dialog: I’m a schismatic?

July 9, 2007 · Filed Under theology

I leave for a few days (more on that in another post…), and what happens? There’s an avalanche of convention-related mail that arrived on Friday & Saturday, that’s what!

The avalanche included:

A “top of the ticket” voting guide from the National Evangelical Lutheran Conference
A convention open-house invite from the President of Valparaiso University (with an RSVP deadline of July 6, which was kind of problematic given that it was only mailed on July 5…)
“BETWEEN THE LINES—–TRUTH TO TELL” vol.4 no.2, July 15, 2007 edition, sub-titled ” ‘GLOBAL WARMING’—–An Assessment of the LCMS in the Ablaze! Era” (note: they say that this global warming is good…)
The latest edition of the LCMS Reporter
Christian News’s “Crisis at the Crossroads, Summer 2004″ video cassette
“Introducing Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr. - Nominee for President of the LCMS” DVD

Also included was the latest “Delegate to Delegate” newsletter mailing from TBNJFPAC, this one signed by the Rev. James C. Rogers. Rev. Rogers informs his fellow delegates that,

“Those who are standing for office in the LCMS sometimes have a public record of positions that they hold on important issues. I am sad to say the record of some candidates is troubling. A small group within the synod has created and signed a new confession. Some have declared this new confession to be a basis for church fellowship. In effect a new and exclusive church within the LCMS has been created, based on this new confession.”

Rev. Rogers then goes on to describe That They May Be One (TTMBO) and The Keller Resolution. Oddly enough, he doesn’t mention the Jesus First Affirmations, and all the folks who have signed on to them. This strikes me as a somewhat limited view of the different things floating around synod these days that could be viewed by some as problematic, but I’m sure he has his reasons and/or justifications for being so capricious and limited in his list for this newsletter. But, I digress…

It seems as though my having joined other signatories of TTMBO is problematic for Rev. Rogers, for he states that “If elected, how can those who signed TTMBO serve with integrity alongside the elected officials who have not signed their new confession?”

I find this concern somewhat odd, given that the creators of TTMBO clearly state that

“If after studying this statement, you agree with what it states and would like to add your name to it, you are welcome to do so. On the other hand, if you disagree with what is contained therein, we sincerely ask that you please demonstrate from Holy Scripture and The Lutheran Confessions where this statement is in error. Our desire is to confess nothing but the truth.

Affixing signatures to this statement is not intended to serve as the basis of fellowship with one another. We make no judgment upon those who for their own reasons choose not to sign the document. We simply want to provide the opportunity for men and women to confess what they believe to be the one true Christian faith.”

It seems pretty clear, at least it did (and still does) to me. There is nothing in TTMBO that is at odds with what has always been confessed in Historic Lutheranism. Neither is a fellowship “test” being put into place. That all being the case, agreement with TTMBO should present no real problems of any sort.

But, it does present Rev. Rogers with some very significant problems. To wit: “If elected, those who have signed TTMBO face a huge ethical dilemma. They will have to choose between upholding the demands of their schismatic new confession — or breaking that commitment to work effectively with other elected officials. Please join me in electing people to lead the LCMS who have not signed TTMBO.”

I don’t like being labeled as a schismatic. It’s just not true. I’m a Lutheran. I’m a Christian. That is what I confess. If any part of that confession is provably in error (i.e., contra Scripture or Confessions), then that is what should, nay must, be done.

Prove where TTMBO is contra Scripture or Confessions — the documents upon which the LCMS was built — or kindly stop your smear campaign and retract your baseless accusations, Rev. Rogers.

-ghp

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Tags: church, convention, heterodoxy, lcms, lutheran, politics, theology