http://rockymountainlayman.blogspot.com

Yes, I think I may get time on Monday to write up a report. Right after the convention, I had a couple of days of parish and home duties to attend to, and then Friday through Sunday, I was away at a conference. So tomorrow will be the first chance to have time to write up a good report.

The smokescreen of “congregational bias” is very transparent. The reduction of delegates, bias toward circuit forums and district resolutions for synod conventions is evidence enough of the sham of it all.

Besides this the apparent “dissent process” that is “always there as an option” for those whose conscience is harmed by heterodox resolution adopted by synod, is nothing but busy-work and a mere dead end to pacify those who dare dissent.

Add to this that the preference toward district and circuit adopted overtures to synod is also a sham. Many district adopted resolutions in 2006 that were sent to synod in 2007 to rescind heterodox resolutions from 2004 (3-08a; 8-01a and others), were not even allowed to come to the floor for consideration despite the adoption by multiple districts and the stated bias of President Kieschnick.

The answer the Rocky Mountain District received for this issue is that the floor committee had that freedom or autonomy. This is nothing but a sham answer as well, since there is little doubt that if President Kieschnick really wanted those overtures on the floor for an honest debate and vote, it would have happened. So the bias toward district input is a sham, as is the congregational bias of the new restructuring proposal.

The new restructuring proposal sets up basically a fast food franchise model with synod headquarters as the “leadership” to stamp out cookie cutter results, which have little to do with the theology of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

The new synod proposals for structure also modify Article II on doctrine. They change orthodoxy from being determined by confessing, teaching, and practicing the Scriptures and the Confessions, to what we say ABOUT THEM. This is the same error that we fell into after the Battle for the Bible. Orthodoxy is not only what you say ABOUT THE BIBLE BUT ALSO WHAT YOU SAY FROM THE BIBLE. So many might be “conservative” on the Bible, but not orthodox from the Bible in Spirit and Truth, especially when it comes to the efficacy of the Word of God.

Also the push to make synod doctrinal resolutions binding on the same level of Scripture and the Confessions, is really to take the LCMS out from under Scripture and the Confessions and make the LCMS their sole interpreter, as if the voice of the people is the voice of God (vox populi, vox Dei). We must distinguish between God and His Church. This is nothing but sectarian.

Doctrine, as Walther and others remind us, is not established by majority rule. A vote either confirms or denies what God’s Word already says; and either confirms or denies whether we are Lutheran. We do not determine doctrine or what is Lutheran, but only receive it.

It is never a matter of WHO DECIDES. This is a red herring. It is a matter of the authority of the Word of God which is what makes the Church evangelical, catholic, and one.

Charlie Henrickson promised a few days ago that he would put some detailed blogs up from Missouri.

TR