Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Clergy who are seeking a broader definition
of the Trinity may also be placing the soul salvation of all who agree to
these innovations in danger of eternal damnation.
For the first time in its history, LCMS clergy will meet to debate the
definition of the Trinity. The meeting will take place at St. John's Lutheran
Church, in Fraser, MI on February 26, 2002 at 9:00 am.
Long standing differences in the Synod on open communion, the Creeds,
worship, fellowship, and authority of Scripture are all related to the Synod's
understanding of God, as expressed in the doctrine of the Trinity.
On June 26, 2001, Doctor Waldo Werning filed charges against Pastor Jack
Cascione of St. Clair Shores, MI. Werning claims that Cascione broke the
Eighth Commandment. Cascione wrote, "Werning's writing on the Trinity is
false doctrine as found on pages 33-34 of Werning's book, 'Health and Healing
for the LCMS.'"
"Jesus First," a Synod-wide organization that promoted Dr. Gerald
Kieschnick as LCMS President at the 2001 Convention, endorses Werning's book.
South Wisconsin District officials, Rev. Ronald Krug, Circuit Counselor,
Rev. Paul Borgman, District Vice-President, and Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Meyer,
District President, published letters declaring Cascione guilty of breaking
the Eighth Commandment for condemning Werning's writing on the Trinity. They
also publicly endorsed Werning's teaching on the Trinity.
Witnesses who have been invited by Werning to speak in defense of his
teaching are: Dr. John Heins, Past President of the LCMS Council of District
Presidents and the Michigan District, Rev. Toshio Okamoto, Past First Vice
President of the Michigan District, Rev. John Reusch, Rev. Wayne Pohl, and
Rev. Elmer Scheck.
Interested LCMS pastors who wish to be witnesses at the meeting are asked
to register their names with Secretary Lois Engel at 586-294-0640. They may
also email, pastorcascione@juno.com
or write to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 30003 Jefferson Ave. St. Clair Shores,
MI 48082.
Cascione wrote to Werning, "Unless these clergy who come with you are
able to convince me from the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions that what you
teach publicly in your book about the Trinity is true, I will continue to
publicly denounce your teaching about the Trinity as false doctrine."
The following are quotations from Werning's book, rejected by Cascione:
1. "Truly knowing the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as Christ,
guides to new experiences with God."
2. "The Three-fold Art of Experiencing God"
3. "experience Christ as Savior through prayer,"
4. "experiencing God in a three-fold manner"
5. "God revealed Himself in three ways"
6. "three manners of being (God above us, God among us, God in
us)"
7. "three levels of reality [in God] (nature, history, existence)"
8. "three ways in which God reveals Himself"
9. "three forms of address [from God] ('You shall!,' 'You may!,' 'You
can!')"
10. "we also reduce our possibilities of experiencing God"
11. "one of the three ways in which God has revealed Himself"
Werning was invited to present his doctrine of the Trinity to the voters'
assembly of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Werning wrote back that the voters were
guilty of sin, they were a kangaroo court, and that they would never judge his
teaching.
LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick wrote to Werning on November 28, 2001,
"Since you have neither involved yourself in informal means of
reconciliation, as encouraged by President Hoesman, nor have you complied with
Chapter VIII of the Bylaws, it is inappropriate to address your concerns to
the President of the Synod or the Praesidium at this time."
Werning and Cascione met privately in Wisconsin on December 27, 2001. At
that time Werning adamantly defended his writing about the Trinity, questioned
by Cascione.
Church politics appears to run deeper than the Trinity in the LCMS. More
importance is given to those who speak about God, than God.
The majority of the COP and the liberals who support "Jesus
First" clearly seek broader definitions about God than allowed in the
Athanasian Creed.
The promotion of contemporary worship and the Church Growth Movement in the
LCMS, has pitted the desire for new creative expressions about God against the
traditional confessions of the Synod, expressed as follows in the Athanasian
Creed:
"Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without
doubt he shall perish everlastingly."
For example, Werning writes about "one of the three ways in which God
has revealed Himself," while the Athanasian Creed states, "And yet
they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty." Cascione responds that
just as there is only one Almighty, there can only be one revelation from God
and not three revelations.
Cascione believes Werning is guilty of blasphemy and is placing the Eighth
Commandment above the First Commandment.
In Cascione's opinion, if Werning's doctrine of the Trinity is the position
of the LCMS, the LCMS ceases to be a Christian Church body.