Just recently I heard that there will be a resolution presented at this summer's LCMS convention urging Synod to declare altar and pulpit fellowship with the American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC). I became curious about how it is that after 18 years of seemingly fruitless discussions the LCMS representatives to the most recent fellowship meetings with the AALC, Arand, Diekelman, Hartwig and Nafzger, could suddenly conclude that agreement in doctrine and practice between these two organizations had reached the point where they could now heartily recommend that the LCMS adopt such a resolution.
I started off by reading the entire report these four submitted to the LCMS president, Gerald Kieschnick, entitled "Report and Recommendation to the President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) upon completion of formal Fellowship Discussions with the American Association of Lutheran churches (AALC), October 2006." It is an exhaustive summary of the negotiations held between the two groups from 1988, six years after the AALC was organized, to July of 2006, ending with the recommendation to declare altar and pulpit fellowship.
Next I went to the AALC web site and read all the papers listed on the link About Us from Lutheran Distinctions down to Scripture and Confessions. The more I read the curiouser and curiouser I became about the LCMS representatives' recommendation. I finally concluded that not only is it curious, but once one clears away the fog it becomes apparent that the recommendation is based on a fiction, a ruse regularly relied on by theologians. It's the old scandalous trick when attempting to prove agreement or consensus among negotiators, of choosing words and phases that all involved can agree to even though each understands that others of their number give the words and phrases different meanings, meanings often exactly opposite one from the other.
Some call this disingenuous; some call it lying. The thought, of course, that respected and even eminent theologians can actually stoop to such chicanery when considering matters of such great import never enters the mind of the trusting, uninitiated reader.
The AALC and the Lutheran Confessions
The members of the AALC do not subscribe to the Lutheran Confessions, that is, the Lutheran Confessions as understood historically, namely, all the documents in the Book of Concord. They subscribe only to the three Creeds, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and the Small Catechism. In the About Us link on their web site, one must go to the second topic, About God, Section 6. Symbols: Basic and Required; Section 7. Book of Concord: Normative; and Section 8. Pure Doctrine to see where they're really coming from:
Section 6. Symbols: Basic and Required
"As brief and true statements of the doctrines of the Word of God, this Association accepts and confesses the following Symbols, subscription to which shall be required of all its members, both congregations and individuals:
"(1) The ancient ecumenical Creeds: The Apostolic, The Nicene, and the Athanasian;
"(2) The Unaltered Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism." [my emphasis, cn]
Section 7. Book of Concord: Normative
"As further elaboration of and in accordance with these [Creeds, AC, SC] Lutheran Symbols, this Association also receives [RECEIVES? yes, I'm SHOUTING] the other documents [THE OTHER DOCUMENTS? That's all they are, "other documents?"] in the Book of Concord of 1580: the Apology, Luther's Large Catechism, the Smalcald Articles, and the Formula of Concord; and recognizes them as normative for its theology." [my emphasis.]
Section 8. Pure Doctrine
"The American Association of Lutheran Churches accepts without reservation the symbolic books [ AC, SC] of the Lutheran Church because they are the presentation and explanation of the pure doctrine of the Word of God and a summary of the faith of the evangelical Lutheran Church." [my emphasis.]
The Synod, and every member of the Synod, accepts without reservation:
1. The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice;
2. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God, 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 Smalcald Articles, the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord. [my emphasis.]
As brief and true statements of the doctrines of the Word of God, this Association accepts and confesses the following Symbols, subscription to which shall be required of all its members, both congregations and individuals:
03.06.01. The ancient ecumenical Creeds: The Apostolic, The Nicene, and the Athanasian;
03.06.02. The Unaltered Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism.
03. 07. Book of Concord: Normative
As further elaboration of and in accordance with these [Creeds, AC, SC] Lutheran Symbols, this Association also receives the other documents in the Book of Concord of 1580: the Apology, Luther's Large Catechism, the Smalcald Articles, and the Formula of Concord; and recognizes them as normative for its theology.
03.08. Pure Doctrine
The American Association of Lutheran Churches accepts without reservation the symbolic books [AC, SC] of the Lutheran Church, not insofar as but because they are the presentation and explanation of the pure doctrine of the Word of God and a summary of the faith of the evangelical Lutheran Church. [all emphases mine.]
So now we know what the AALC misrepresenters mean when they refer to the Lutheran Confessions or Symbols: the three Creeds, the Augsburg Confession and the Small Catechism.
To call something a Confession without subscribing to it is as meaningless as calling a Creed a Creed without subscribing to it. The Creed can still be called a Creed but it is not your creed. To call the Book of Concord the Lutheran Confessions when you do not subscribe to all the documents contained in the book is meaningless. You can still refer to them as the Lutheran Confessions but they are not all your confessions. You are talking a different language than those who subscribe to all the writings of the Book of Concord as Confessions. And when it becomes obvious that your language is pointedly meant to mislead, the best thing for those who are the object of your scam is to stay as far away from you as they possibly can.
It must be concluded, then, given its position on the Lutheran Confessions, that the AALC is not a truly Lutheran church body. If, in spite of this, the LCMS declares altar and pulpit fellowship with the AALC, it will be declaring altar and pulpit fellowship with a non-Lutheran organization. Quite an historic occasion, to say the least.
LUTHERAN DISTINCTIONS
Introduction:
3. "In the language of the Confessions [AC, SC], not only do we "believe, teach and confess," but we also "reject and condemn.""
What is a Lutheran:
2. "..........a Lutheran is one who subscribes to the authority of the Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] and the three Ecumenical Creeds. These confessional writings [AC, SC] and creeds are recorded in the volume, The Book of Concord.....[which contains "other documents.......the Apology, Luther's Large Catechism, the Smalcald Articles, and the Formula of Concord.'"Sectiton 7 above, cn]."
3. "According to the Confessions [AC, SC] themselves......."
5. "Along with the Scriptures, Lutherans subscribe to the Confessions [AC, SC] as normative for faith and life because they are 'a true exposition of the Word of God.' And this confession is made by both people and pastors who call themselves 'Lutheran.' So people who join Lutheran churches subscribe to the Confessions [AC, SC] as they have been taught them according to the Small Catechism. Historically, Lutheran pastors have been required to subscribe to the Confessions [AC, SC] unconditionally." [my emphasis.]
(Historically when Lutheran pastors subscribe to the Confessions, by Confessions is meant all the documents contained in the Book of Concord. The same when the Confessions are referred to as the Lutheran Symbols. These people know that. Yet they mean to mislead the reader into thinking that they also, like Lutheran pastors historically, subscribe to all of the content of the Book of Concord as "Confessions" when they so demonstrably do not. Can anyone believe that the four LCMS representatives were unknowingly taken in by this?)
The American Association of Lutheran Churches (TAALC)
6. "According to this same Statement of Faith, The AALC adheres to the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] because they are a true interpretation of the Word of God......"
The AALC and the LC-MS
2. "There is certainly much that the LC-MS and The AALC have in common. Both maintain the same high view of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC ]." Same words, different meaning. Disingenuous? Worse?
ABOUT GOD
Above-Section 5-8
GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Twice in this section they use the familiar Lutheran prefatory language, 1. "On the basis of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions (The Book of Concord), we affirm the following......."; 2."On the basis of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions (The Book of Concord), we reject the following.........," even though they only subscribe to two of the Confessions contained in the book. Their affirmation is therefore meaningless. Can anyone believe that the four LCMS representatives were unknowingly taken in by this?
SCRIPTURAL AND CONFESSIONAL PRINCIPLES
VI "We reaffirm our acceptance of the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and our unconditional subscription to the symbolic books [AC, SC] of the Lutheran Church....... We accept the Confessions [AC, SC] because they are drawn from the Word of God and on that account regard their [AC, SC] doctrinal content as a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and as authoritative for our work as ministers of Jesus Christ and servants of The American Association of Lutheran Churches.
"1. We acknowledge that the doctrinal content of the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] includes not only those doctrines of Holy Scripture explicitly treated in the Confessions [AC, SC]......."
"2. With the fathers, we recognize that not everything in the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] is a part of its doctrinal content........... We recognize, for example, that subscription to the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] does not bind us to all strictly exegetical details contained in the Confessions [AC, SC].......... However, since the Confessions [AC, SC] want to be understood as Biblical expositions, we reject the notion that we are not bound by our confessional subscription to the exposition of Scripture contained in the Confessions [AC, SC] or to the doctrinal content which the Confessions [AC, SC] derive from individual Bible passages."
"3. We recognize that the Confessions [AC, SC] must be read and studied............ but we reject the view that our confessional [AC, SC] subscription means only that we regard the Confessions [AC, SC] as a historically correct response to the problems encountered by the church when the Confessions [AC, SC] were written."
"4. We recognize that the doctrinal content of the Confessions [AC, SC] centers in Jesus Christ ......but we reject the view that the doctrinal content of the Confessions [AC, SC] includes......Accordingly, we do not accept the idea that our subscription to the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] permits us........"
"5. We recognize that the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] contain........."
"6. We recognize the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] as a true exposition of Holy Scripture and therefore reject the opinion that our subscription to the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] leaves us........"
"7. We acknowledge that our subscription to the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] pledges us to preach and teach........We therefore reject the opinion that all Biblical matters not explicitly treated in the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] are open questions."
"8...........We therefore reject the notion that it is legitimate to maintain the doctrinal conclusions of the Confessions [AC, SC] without accepting their Biblical basis........."
"9. Finally, we affirm that our acceptance of the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] means not only that we tolerate the doctrinal content of the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] as a viable option for Lutheran Christians today, but that we in fact preach, teach and confess the doctrinal content of the Lutheran Confessions [AC, SC] as our very own."
So how did the LCMS nafzgerites handle all of this? See for yourself (the resolution and cover letter to the AALC President can also be found at http://www.taalc.org/Assets/LCMS.APF.Resolution.pdf ):
I skip the Whereas' and jump down to the Resolves.
Resolved, That we give thanks and praise to God for the faithfulness of our brothers and sisters in the American Association of Lutheran Churches to the Holy Scriptures and to Lutheran confessional theology and for their faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude to God the unity of confession that He has given to our churches under the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod formally declare altar and pulpit fellowship with The American Association of Lutheran Churches; and be if further
Resolved, That the LCMS recognize the The American Association of Lutheran Churches as a partner church and that the President of the Synod be responsible for implementing this relationship; and be it further
Resolved, That we implore the Lord of the Church to continue to strengthen the bond of fellowship between our churches and that, ablaze with His Spirit, we may together be renewed in our commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to all the world; and be it finally
Resolved, that upon passing this resolution we rise to sing the Common Doxology to the glory of God.
"Approved by Commission on Theology and Church Relations
February 16, 2007"
[emphasis added.]
Get it? This is how the nafzgerites handled it:
First Resolve: ".....the faithfulness of our brothers and sisters in the American Association of Lutheran Churches to the Holy Scriptures and to Lutheran confessional theology." Note: not faithfulness to Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, but faithfulness to Scriptures and to Lutheran confessional theology. Big difference when the AALC's position on "Confessions" and "Symbols" is understood.
Second Resolve: "That we acknowledge.......the unity of confession that He has given to our churches under the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions." This statement, of course, is patently untrue. There is no unity of confession when the AALC effectively limits the Lutheran Confessions or Symbols, to the Creeds, the Augsburg Confession and the Small Catechism and the LCMS by the same terms includes all the documents in the Book of Concord.
I won't even bother taking time to consider with the reader the AALC's problems with the Holy Spirit and the charismatic leanings within it's ranks. The fact that they spend so much time on the subject in their Constitution and the many papers on the subject that can be accessed on their web site, plus the time spent on discussions of the subject with the LCMS nafzgerite fellowship negotiators, is a sure indication of the extent of the problem. But then the LCMS declared peace with its own charismatics long ago so what difference does a few more make?
My advice in all of this?: LCMS, stay as far away from the AALC as you can, as far as the east is from the west
Clyde Nehrenz
LCMS layman
April 2007