I
I
Continuing
LEHRE UNO WEHRE
MAGAZIN FUER Ev.-LuTH. HOMILETIK
THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLy-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY
Vol. VITI August, 1937 No.8
CONTENTS
Page
The Pastor and Youth. o. P. Kretzmann . _______________ . ___________________ . ___ ______ 569
Modern Psychiatry and the Bible. H. D. MellSing . ___________________________ 576
Jobann Gerhard aIs lutherisc:her Kirchenlehrer. 3. T. MaeDer . _____ 592
Outlines on the Eisenach Epistle Selections _ ____ ____ __ __ _ .______ .. __ _ G05
Miscellanea __ _ __ . _. _________ . ________ . _____ ._ .. _________ . __________ .. _____ ___ . _____ . __ _____ _ 615
Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-ZeitgeschichtIiches _________________ . ___ 622
Book Review. - Literatur _. ___ . _____________________________________________ __ _____ ._ 639
Ein Prediger muss nieht alleln toei-
den, also dass er die Schafe unter-
weise. wle sle reehte Christen soilen
sein, sondern auch daneben den Woel-
fen weh,.en, dass sie die Schafe nieht
angreifen und mit falscher Lehre ver-
fuehren und Irrtum elnfuehren.
Luthe,.
Es 1st kein Ding, das die Leute
mehr bel der Kirche behaelt denn
die gute Predlgt. - Apologle, Arl. 24.
If the trumpet give an uncertain
sound who shail prepare himself to
the battle? - 1 Cor. 14, 8.
Published for the
Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States
L CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo.
Miscellanea 615
Miscellanea
The Fellowship Question
The following paragraphs are taken from the Journal of the Amer-
ican Lutheran Conference, March, 1937, from the minutes of the First
and Second Biennial Conventions:
"Resolved, That against the background of that official pronounce-
ment [the Minneapolis Theses] and translating it into a simple statement
well suited to the interrelationships of synods and congregations, each
sovereign in its own field, we submit this declaration:
"In applying to pastoral and congregational problems, Section m of
the Minneapolis Theses, we agree to limit church-fellowship to those who
share with us our mutual faith and confessions.
"I. This declaration is based on the admonitions of Holy Scripture
concerning the Christian's relation to error in doctrine and the teachers
thereof.
"II. It is definitely in line with the principles and policies of Luther
and his associates of the Reformation period.
"III. This principle is emphatically endorsed by the said failure of
the 'union' of a century ago in Protestant Germany, where the authorities,
ignoring doctrinal distinctions, put the principles of indifferentism into
thoroughgoing practise and brought forth, instead of the 'one Church'
conceived in the mind of the king of Prussia, three churches with sharp-
ened antagonisms.
"IV. We would furthermore support this declaration with the thesis
that the history of the Lutheran Church in America from its first be-
ginnings until now does show that not indifferentism but definite prin-
ciples both in profession and in practise form the right policy for the
Church to pursue in facing its problems and its possibilities in America.
"V. Furthermore we insist that the application of this principle must
always be with courtesy, with no lack of firmness but nevertheless with
kindness.
"VI. In defining this declaration, we first of all withdraw from the
scope of that definition such church groups, such institutions and con-
gregations, such individuals, as openly deny great truths which the Uni-
versal Church has always held basic. What unanimity can faith have
with denial?
"VII. In further analysis of this problem we urge that a collective
confessional purpose of the Church is involved here and that in bearing
witness, whether one by one, with word of mouth, or collectively, in
action and attitude, it is for the witness to see to it so far as possible that
he be understood by those receiving the testimony.
"Vill. We further urge that there are public civic relationships in
the typical American community from which the church and its pastor
cannot permanently remain aloof without jeopardizing opportunity.
616 Miscellanea
"IX. In certain outward manifestations of these CIVIC relationships
we believe that the setting for public functions wherein the pastor is
asked to participate will largely determine the legitimate conclusions
drawn by a community as to compromise of confessional standards.
"X. Proper application of that principle which lies in our declara-
tion leaves no room for laxity in guarding the sanctities of pulpit and
altar.
"Conclusion. The environment through which we move on into the
future, the growing Lutheran consciousness which is a present reality,
the increasing impact being made on American life, all urge us forward
along the pathway where alone Lutheran solidarity is to be found and
where alone the destiny of the Church of the Augsburg Confession can
be attained."
At 4.30 P. M. the special order of the day, "The Fellowship Question,"
was considered. It was resolved that the Rev. Dr. L. W. Boe be given the
floor. He read a paper on the subject "An Open Declaration of Aim
and Purpose," with ten appended resolutions, as follows:
"To remove the hindrances and misunderstandings that lie in the
way, not for pulpit- and altar-fellowship, not for organic union or even
federation, but for united action and testimony, and to further the great
work of winning America for Christ and for a great spiritual objective,
the following resolutions are submitted for adoption by the American
Lutheran Conference:
I
"The American Lutheran Conference declares it to be its conviction
that America, in its philosophy and thinking, in its education and train-
ing, in its national and international relations, in its production and use
of wealth and its distribution, must definitely be won for Christ and the
principles of His kingdom, and it further states, so as not to have its
position misunderstood, that this does not necessarily involve winning
America for the Lutheran Church;
II
"That, aside from the economic and social changes necessary to
remedy the ills and injustices made evident by the present depression,
a matter entirely within the power of the people today, this task of
winning America for a spiritual objective lies as a responsibility upon
the whole Christian Church of America;
III
"That the Christian Church, in order to be equal to the task, must
approach it with fasting, a giving up of many things, and prayer, and
a willingness to submit to an inner renewal by the Holy Spirit;
IV
"That the Lutheran Church, in its emphasis on the divine Word and
the means of grace, as expressed in the two cardinal principles of the
Reformation and in its Confessions, has a special contribution to make,
not in antagonism but in a friendly attitude toward other Christian
churches;
Miscellanea 617
V
"That, in order to make the witnessing of the Lutheran Church
united and effective, friendly relationships and contacts between the Lu-
theran bodies should be established on such a basis as to place no synod
or church in a false position in relation to its own faith practise;
VI
"That the Lutheran bodies should, in so far as their faith and practise
permit, cooperate in good works to the glory of God and the saving of
our people; and finally,
VII
"That the Lutheran bodies, in friendly relationship and contact, to-
gether should 'wait upon the Lord' for a revealing of His will and
purpose as to the next step forward in the Lutheran Church in America
toward full recognition in pulpit- and altar-fellowship."
VIII
"In a spirit of friendliness and with the desire for friendly contacts
the American Lutheran Conference takes cognizance of the coming of
Dr. F. H. Knubel to Milwaukee on Friday and directs its president to in-
vite Dr. Knubel, as president of the United Lutheran Church, to address
the convention at some convenient hour, and further, in the same spirit
and without the implication of pulpit- and altar-fellowship, invites
friendly representation from the Synodical Conference and the other
Lutheran bodies." (Adopted.)
IX
"In view of the general distress and suffering and the many and sober
problems confronting the people of the United States today the American
Lutheran Conference would urge that the twenty-fourth of November be
not only a day of thanksgiving, for bountiful harvests and other blessings
from the Lord, but a day of humiliation and prayer, humiliation na-
tionally and individually because of our sins, prayer for guidance into
a better day, and a day of dedication of ourselves and our means to the
support of the Church and the relief of suffering and distress throughout
our land."
X
"In order to release for the advancement of the Kingdom the poten-
tialities lying latent in the organization of the American Lutheran Con-
ference, the following recommendations are made to the constituent
general bodies:
1) "That the changes in program, institutions, and methods made
necessary and desirable because of the new relationships and the difficult
times in which we live, be faced soon and with patience, wisdom, and
courage and that whatever readjustments are made, have in view the
advancement of the interest of the American Lutheran Conference and
the whole Lutheran Church in America; and
2) "That as a method or working principle there be a recognition
on the part of each constituent body of a major or preponderant interest
40
618 Miscellanea
in a given territory and a willingness gradually to retire where there is
.only a minor interest, thus releasing the church for more intensive work
in its major field and strengthening other Lutheran bodies; and
3) "That each constituent body develop a strong Home Mission ac-
tivity in the field of its major interest and possibilities."
Your Committee proposes in the following certain measures prac-
ticable apart from merger or union of existing Lutheran bodies which
are still striving to realize implications of their own form of organization.
A
In an attempt to discover the present relationship between the United
Lutheran Church in America and the American Lutheran Conference,
your Committee submits the following:
1. As far as statements of faith are concerned, the bodies are in
agreement.
2. In their official declarations both bodies oppose unionism.
3. Both bodies recognize the evil of societies holding antichristian
doctrines and warn against them. The American Lutheran Conference
does not tolerate the membership of pastors in these societies.
4. The American Lutheran Conference is earnestly desirous of pulpit-
and altar-fellowship with the United Lutheran Church in America, but
is convinced that a difference in practise regarding the membership of
pastors in societies holding antichristian doctrines presents an obstacle
to the consummation of such fellowship.
B
The American Lutheran Conference is equally desirous of pulpit-
and altar-fellowship with the Synodical Conference.
C
1. Your Committee recommends that the American Lutheran Con-
ference create a permanent commission on fellowship and cooperation.
This commission shall be empowered to initiate conferences with
other Lutheran bodies relative to fellowship and closer cooperation and
to deal with similar commissions elected by such other Lutheran bodies.
2. Your Committee recommends that the American Lutheran Con-
ference invite the United Lutheran Church in America and the Synodical
Conference to create similar commissions.
3. Your Committee recommends that the American Lutheran Con-
ference invite the United Lutheran Church in America and the Synodical
Conference to express themselves on what matters and to what extent
they would be willing to cooperate with us even before complete fellow-
ship is established.
This statement has reference to such matters as cooperation in the
National Lutheran Council, in inner missions, in allocation of Home Mis-
sion fields, in the promotion of institutions of higher learning, and in the
National Lutheran Editors' Association.
Miscellanea 619
D
In clarification of the meaning of unionism your Committee submits
the following considerations:
1. Unionism is well defined in the Minneapolis Theses. Unionism
exists "where the establishment and maintenance of church-fellowship
ignore present doctrinal differences or declare them a matter of in-
difference."
2. Unionism is not necessarily implied in every type of joint endeavor
within a community where pastor and congregation may participate.
With Dr. GulIixson's statement at Milwaukee your Committee is in agree-
ment: "I believe that there are public functions in the typical American
community from which the church and its pastor cannot permanently
remain aloof without jeopardizing in some measure opportunity."
3. While the character and extent of such community cooperation
must in large measure be determined by the local congregation and its
pastor, this guiding principle should be kept in mind: that under no
circumstances shall the clear purpose of the Lutheran Church be ob-
scured or compromised. In the words of the Washington Declaration,
that Church "is bound in duty and in conscience to maintain its separate
identity as a witness to the truth which it knows; and its members,
its ministers, its pulpits, its fonts, and its altars must testify only to
that truth."
On the basis of the report of the Committee on Fellowship the Pre-
liminary Committee submits for adoption the following resolutions as
"The Declaration of the American Lutheran Conference on Fellowship":
"1. The American Lutheran Conference voices its joy over agree-
ment with the United Lutheran Church in America and the Synodical
Conference so far as official confessions of faith are concerned.
"2. We rejoice that in official declarations each body concerned op-
poses unionism.
"3. We rejoice that the respective bodies recognize the evil of so-
cieties holding antichristian doctrines and warns against them.
"4. The American Lutheran Conference is earnestly desirous of
pulpit- and altar-fellowship with the United Lutheran Church in
America.
"5. The American Lutheran Conference is equally desirous of pulpit-
and altar-fellowship with the Synodical Conference.
"6. The American Lutheran Conference respectfully recommends and
urges the selection of committees on fellowship by the respective con-
stituent bodies in order to initiate conferences with other Lutheran bodies
relative to fellowship and to deal with similar commissions elected by
other Lutheran bodies. It shall be within the province of each church-
body, if it so decides, to act jointly with other commissions of the Amer-
ican Lutheran Conference so appointed. In any case final approval or
disapproval of commission or committee recommendations in regard to
altar- and pulpit-fellowship rests with each individual church-body as
far as it is concerned.
620 Miscellanea
"7. The American Lutheran Conference hereby establishes a Com-
mission on Lutheran Cooperative Endeavor to ascertain in what matters
and to what extent other Lutheran groups would be willing to cooperate
even before complete fellowship is established.
"8. In clarification of the meaning of unionism, the following state-
ments are submitted:
"a. Unionism is well defined in the Minneapolis Theses. Unionism
exists 'where the establishment and maintenance of church-fellowship
ignore present doctrinal differences or declare them a matter of in-
difference.'
"b. Unionism is not necessarily implied in every type of joint en-
deavor within a community where pastor and congregation may par-
ticipate.
"c. While the character and extent of such community cooperation
must in large measure be determined by the local congregation and its
pastor, this guiding principle should be kept in mind: that under no
circumstances shall the clear purpose of the Lutheran Church be ob-
scured or compromised. In the words of the Washington Declaration,
that Church 'is bound in duty and in conscience to maintain its separate
identity as a witness to the truth which it knows; and its members, its
ministers, its pulpits, its fonts, and its altars must testify only to
that truth.'
"Resolved to eliminate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in this report and that the words
'in compliance with the mandate voted by the Milwaukee convention' be
substituted as an introduction and that 6, 7, 8 be retained, these three
paragraphs, with above introduction, to be received by the convention for
consideration as a substitute for resolutions on the entire question.
"No.6 (with above introduction) was adopted." P. E. K.
Certification of School-Teaching Pastors
In view of the fact that there is a steady trend toward raising the
standards of the teaching profession in most States, the Board of Educa-
tion suggests that all pastors who are teaching in parish-schools in our
Synod obtain the necessary information with regard to certification and
try to get life certificates as soon as possible. In a few years the demands
made by the States may be so high as to result in closing schools whose
teachers do not possess the professional training required by State laws.
P.E.K.
Not a Preacher's Preacher
Some years ago I happened to attend a service in another congrega-
tion in which a good friend of mine in the ministry had been invited to
preach. When we met after the service, he said, "If I had known that
you would be present, I should have read my sermon over once more
before I preached it." He said this more or less in a joking manner, but
the real joke was that it would not have hurt his sermon in the least if
he had read it over another time; and he knew it, too. But why should
he go to some extra pains for one person, a preacher, that he failed to
take for a whole churchful of laymen?
Miscellanea 621
I don't know; but I do know that I wouldn't do it. I would spend
more time on a sermon any time for laymen, who always may have
some difficulty in getting the point, than for preachers, who ought to
know more or less what it is all about. And this is the absolute truth.
Not long ago I preached to over a hundred pastors without having
a single word of the sermon written down beforehand in black on white.
r do not believe that I've ever done this with any sermon preached be-
fore my congregation. Those sermons have been written out in full for
nearly twenty years.
A preacher's life's duty is to preach to laymen, and not to preachers.
Once in a while he may be called on to preach before fellow-pastors; but
that is the exception. If a preacher puts forth his best efforts only in
exceptional cases, if good preaching is not the rule with him, he has cer-
tainly missed a lot of things, and his congregation has not gained much
either. (From a parish-paper)
Samson's Foxes
To the story of Samson recorded Judg. 15, 4. 5: "And Samson went
and caught three hundred faxes (o.AOOJtE%Cl.C;), and took torches (ACl.J.t1C6.1ICl.C;),
and turned tail to tail, and put a torch between two tails, and fastened it.
And he set fire to the torches and sent the faxes into the corn of the Phi-
listines," we find an interesting parallel in the fable of Aesop on the farmer
and the fox. The fable runs thus in part: "The well-grown crop of the
neighbor caused the wicked farmer to be envious; and he desired to
destroy the fruit of his labors. Having caught a fox (o.AOOJtE%U), he
fastened a lit torch (bCl.A6v) to him and released him into the crop of
the neighbor. And he was released into it and did not go aside, as the
god which sent him advised, but burned (EVSJtQ'l'J