The following is a negative review of "How To Start Or Keep Your Own
LCMS Church." The LCMS is now so pluralistic in its approach to church
and ministry that in practice it really has no position on the subject. We
thank Pastor Peter Dorn for his criticism. We also took the opportunity to
reply.
(The book sells for $5:00, plus $2.00 handling and
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Dear Pastor Cascione,
I received and looked over the book by you that was mailed ("How to
start or keep your own Missouri Synod Church). I thought I would give you some
feedback.
Even though I disagree with much of what you write, I found much agreement
with this book. The positive statements you made I agree with. I, too, grew up
a Missouri Synod Lutheran and support the view of church polity that you
espouse. So the question comes to my mind--what are we fighting so much for?
I do have a couple of disagreements with the book. The first is that you
are spending a lot of time and effort on something that in the Lutheran
Confessions is considered adiaphora. Church polity has always been considered
adiaphora. There is no one structure of the church, which has been given by
God. Every structure you examine has flaws, including the one you espouse (and
I agree with). The question is, does the structure help us promote the kingdom
of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ or not? This can change from generation
to generation and culture to culture, as long as it does not hinder the
preaching of the Gospel.
My second disagreement has to do with the comments made about church
growth. That seems to be everybody's punching bag right now. I have read a lot
of church growth books, and do not recognize what I read in yours and other
people's comments about church growth. The type of argument you are using
seems to be the "straw man" argument, namely, to create a position
and then knock it down. The problem with the "straw man" approach is
that it does not adequately represent that against which you are fighting.
What you are fighting is not what I am reading. I am sure you can find books
that show what you are fighting against, but church growth covers a broad
spectrum that is impossible to boil down to one thing. I disagree with much of
what I read in church growth, but that does not make it all bad. Are you
against the church growing? Don't you want to use all available tools that God
has given us to advance the Kingdom of God?
The positive statements you make I agree with. It is the negative
statements that I have a problem with--because they do not adequately take
into account the position you are fighting. If you would stop to really
listen, perhaps you would not be so negative.
Thank you.
Rev. Peter Dorn
Perhaps I don't understand Pastor Dorn's position. He writes: "I, too,
grew up a Missouri Synod Lutheran and support the view of church polity that
you espouse." Then he writes, "Church polity has always been
considered adiaphora." Adiaphora means something neither forbidden nor
required by Scripture. With his understanding of polity the Missouri Synod,
itself, is an adiaphora.
FIRST, Resolution 7-17 is hardly an adiaphora, as Pastor Dorn wishes to
characterize the doctrine of Church and Ministry in the LCMS.
Resolution 7-17 "To Affirm Synod's Official Position on Church and
Ministry"
Overture 7-39 (CW, p. 251) Whereas, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
(LCMS) has experienced during its history confusion with regard to the
doctrine of church and ministry; and
Whereas, Dr. C. F. W. Walther addressed this confusion in 1851 through
his Theses on Church and Ministry which was subsequently presented as the
position of the LCMS in 1851; and
Whereas, The book, "The position of our Church on the Question of
Church and Ministry," by Dr. C. F. W. Walther was published in 1852 and
adopted in 1854 by the LCMS in convention as the official position of the
Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod meeting in convention
in the year of our Lord 2001 affirm the above referenced writings of C. F.
W. Walther as the definitive statement of the Synod's understanding on the
subject of Church and Ministry; and be it further
Resolved, that the LCMS in convention re-affirm the decision of the
convention in 1854, recognizing C. F. W. Walther's book, "The Position
of Our Church on the Question of Church and Ministry," as the official
position of the LCMS; and be it finally Resolved, That all pastors,
professors, teachers of the Church and congregations honor and uphold the
resolutions of the Synod as regards the official position of our Synod on
Church and Ministry and teach in accordance with them.
SECOND, whether or not Pastor Dorn agrees or disagrees with the polity of
LCMS Congregations, as taught in Walther's "Church and Ministry," it
is a position that he must teach as an LCMS pastor.
THIRD, naturally Pastor Dorn feels that Church Growth is not given a fair
hearing because it promotes a different polity than taught by Walther. The
honest thing to do is to change the Synod's official doctrine on the subject
before inventing his own polity. There is no way to implement Walther's
"Church and Ministry" without a voters' assembly governing the
congregation.
If Walther's doctrine of "Church and Ministry" is a hindrance to
growth then we have to ask if it is really the church that is growing?
Of course, if the Convention votes against Resolution 7-17 the Missouri
Synod will cease to exist.
The June issue of the "Lutheran Witness" has a cover story titled
"Why Some Pastors Quit." The authors would have us believe that the
church will grow and the pastor will be happy if the people are nice. The
article clearly abandons the doctrine of "Church and Ministry" and
then searches for and explanation as to why things aren't working well in the
congregation. The entire article is an exercise in absurdity and
irrationality. Doctrine must be practiced, including church and ministry!
Blessings,
Pastor Cascione