Doctor Waldo Werning describes Redeemer's invitation to meet with them as:
" . . . the sinful actions of the Voters of Redeemer Lutheran Church, St.
Clair Shores, Michigan." He wrote this after receiving a resolution from
Redeemer requesting that he meet with them and bring all the LCMS pastors he
would like to invite. Werning accuses us of sin but won't meet with us.
President Kieschnick is now exempt from all charges filed by anyone in the
Synod. He in turn has exonerated Atlantic District President Dr. David Benke.
However, Redeemer Lutheran Congregation and its pastor must suffer charges of
libel and slander from Werning because we correctly defend the doctrine of the
Trinity.
Werning writes to Redeemer Lutheran Church, "your pastor is acting as
Judge in the place of Jesus." Werning does not acknowledge that according
to Walther in matters of doctrine the Voters' are supreme. In his latest seven
page letter, Werning has rejected their invitation to meet with him and
writes: "Dr. Waldo Werning will not be tried in the 'kangaroo court' of
Redeemer Lutheran Church Voters' Assembly . . ." We read here Werning's
distain for LCMS congregational Voters' Assemblies.
Werning says the Voters are acting without, "any evidence"
because he doesn' t believe that the statements he writes about the Trinity in
his book "Health and Healing For the LCMS" about the Trinity, are
false.
Since June 2001, Werning has pummeled Redeemer Lutheran Church with 70 to
75 pages of letters. His most recent letter was seven single-spaced-pages
long. Circuit Counselor John Merrill has just received 27 pages of letters
from Werning in one mailing.
Werning is threatening to take Redeemer Lutheran Church to court. He
writes: "Are you aware of the fact that I can bring Rev. Cascione, the
Board of Elders and the Voters of Redeemer Lutheran Church of St. Clair,
Michigan into court for slander and defamation of character by your acting as
prosecuting attorney, judge and jury . . .?" Yes, Werning should take us
to court and put his blasphemy on trial.
Werning shows his flair for stewardship when claims that Redeemer Lutheran
Church owes him $2,000.00. He writes to Redeemer, "Do you realize that
ethically and morally you of Redeemer Church owe me over $2000 for wasted
office and secretarial expenses since June 24?" He seems to have
forgotten that he is the one who filed the charges. This means in his mind if
he writes more letters, the congregation will owe him more money.
According to the LCMS Dispute Resolution Process, Werning's charges against
Cascione are supposed to be confidential. However, every letter he sends is
copied to 16 Synodical officials and pastors, in addition to the officers and
Voters' Assembly of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Werning also sent our congregation 2 full pages of single spaced copy
explaining why Doctor Weinrich and Doctor Scaer, both on the faculty of
Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, are also teaching incorrectly
about the Trinity and Christology.
On pages 33 and 34 of his book, Werning claims that the Holy Trinity has
three separate revelations, three forms of communication and three experiences
for Christians.
In defense of this heresy Werning writes to Redeemer, "Does God the
Father as a Person of the Godhead reveal Himself in creation and in judging
mankind? Does God the Son as a Person of the Godhead reveal Himself as both
divine and human, and as the Savior of the world on the Cross? Does God the
Holy Spirit as a Person of the Godhead reveal himself as dove at the baptism
of Jesus, as the Comforter, and as one who enlightens our minds to understand
the Scriptures?"
Werning falsely claims that the three Persons of the Trinity are three
separate activities in God. There is no question that the Apostles' Creed
correctly identifies the three Persons with three works. However, Werning
fails to understand that these Persons are not limited to these three works.
Each of the Persons of the Trinity is involved with creation, redemption, and
comforting and yet their works are one work and one communication by one God.
For example: "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30) "Jesus
saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9) "All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3) These
are just a few examples of Werning's problem when he limits each person of the
Trinity to three specific activities as if each Person of the Trinity has His
separate revelation, communication, and experience for us.
Luther disagrees with Werning when he writes: "In this unique essence
there are three Persons but only one God, one single Godhead; there is only
one God. HENCE JESUS CHRIST IS THE CREATOR AND PRESERVER OF ALL THINGS,
TOGETHER WITH GOD THE FATHER, and-after His birth from the Virgin Mary-true
God and also true man." Luther's Works Vol. 22 page 16
Luther explains that the Trinity should be called, "He" and not
"They" and there is only one work and one word in God, even if the
Voice of God the Father, and the Dove were present at the baptism of Christ.
Luther writes in opposition to Werning's three revelations in God: "He
[Jacob] does not say: 'May They bless,' using the plural number. Nor does he
repeat. No, he joins the three Persons in the one work of blessing-God the
Father, God the Shepherd [The Holy Spirit], and the Angel [Jesus Christ].
Accordingly, these three are one God and one Blesser. The Angel [Jesus
Christ]does the same work that the Shepherd [The Holy Spirit] and the God of
his fathers does. . . . It is the same will and the same work. Nevertheless,
there are three distinct Persons. Therefore Augustine was right when he said:
'The external works of the Godhead are indivisible.' Thus God's blessing is
identical with that of His Son, the Angel." (Footnote: This Trinitarian
interpretation of Gen. 48:15-16 goes back in the exegetical tradition at least
as far as Athanasian, "Discourses Against the Arians." (Luther's
Works 8:164-165)
Werning invents a false god and idol when he divides the works of God into
three revelations, three communications, and three experiences.
In response to Werning's heresy we read in Christian Dogmatics, Pieper
writes, Vol. I page 383,
"a. The names Father, Son, and Holy Ghost can denote only three
self-subsisting persons. No one who hears these names of God will think of
three modes of appearance or three activities of the same."
"Modalistic Monarchianism as developed under him is known as
Sabellianism: God, the absolute monad, reveals Himself successively 3 prosopa
(Gk. 'faces '), each representing the entire monad (Father: Creator and
Lawgiver; Son: Redeemer; Holy Spirit: Lifegiver). Opposed by Dionysius of
Alexandria. See also Unitarianism." (Lutheran Cyclopedia, CPH, 1975, page
553)
Werning again defends his heresy of three communications, revelations, and
experiences in God as follows: "Does Rev. Cascione really believe that
the Triune God with Whom everything is possible, and with Whom no thing is
impossible, cannot communicate in any manner or way that He desires? Does your
Pastor not experience God through the study of Scriptures or through
prayer?"
Here we have an example of how gross Werning's blasphemy really is. No one
experiences God through prayer. There is no question that God can do all
things. However, the Trinity cannot deny Himself. God cannot sin. God cannot
be Baal, Buddha, Allah, or Vishnu. God cannot make a rock bigger than He can
lift. God cannot have four Persons in the Trinity. God will not give three
separate communications, revelations, or experiences because God is One, one
Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Werning would have us believe that Jesus was just being hardnosed when He
refused the Devil's request to make rocks into bread, or jump off the temple,
or worship the Devil because he could have really done these things if He
wanted to.
Luther also calls claiming to experience God the devil. Luther writes:
"In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the
beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having
been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin,
power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of the Papacy and
Mahomet." Concordia Triglotta, Smalcald Articles, Part III Art. VIII,
Page 497."
Werning rails against Weinrich and Scaer because they teach that, "All
theology is Christology." It would be just as true to say that all
theology is the study of God's Word. The Word became flesh.
Luther agrees with Weinrich and Scaer when he writes. "Whoever comes
in touch with the man Christ also comes in touch with the Son of God. In fact,
the whole Trinity is found in this Man." Luther's Works 22:346
Again Luther writes: "And when you have Him, you are grasping the very
Son of God; and then you see and grasp God the Father Himself. The entire Holy
Trinity is known in the Person of Christ." Luther's Works 23:89
Who unleashed the curse of Waldo Werning on Redeemer Lutheran Church an all
the people who will be damned if they follow Werning's false teaching? It was
"Jesus First" who endorsed his book to the entire 2001 LCMS
Convention. Also, it was none other than the South Wisconsin District
President, Dr. Ron Meyer, who claims in a public letter that Werning's
teachings on the Trinity are orthodox.
I thank God that the Redeemer Lutheran Church Voters' Assembly has the
courage to resist Werning's false teaching. I also thank God for C. F. W.
Walther in his sermon, "The Sheep Judge the Shepherds" who wrote
that the lay people are the final judges of doctrine in the church because it
is their souls that hang in the balance. The lay people should judge all
doctrine and never stop judging it.