Kieschnick Requested Not To Recuse Himself In Cascione Case

By: Rev. Jack Cascione
President Kieschnick has chosen to publicize charges filed against this writer under Bylaw 2.27 of the Synodical Handbook for the purpose discrediting my questions about his travel expenses.

On January 11, 2003, President Kieschnick wrote to the Board of Directors and the Council of District Presidents as follows:

"Normally I would not involve the Board of Directors in a matter such as this.  I do so in this case, however, because the aforementioned electronic communication, initiated and circulated by a pastor whose membership on the clergy roster of the Synod is on the agenda of the LCMS Praesidium in a case alleging his repeated violation of the eighth commandment, has widely published your e-mail addresses and is encouraging LCMS congregations and individual members to contact you and the Treasurer of the Synod to raise the same concerns.  I am responding at some length, sharing a copy of this memo with the LCMS Council of Presidents for their information and also because they are mentioned, unfavorably, in the referenced communication."

It was disingenuous of Kieschnick to refer to me as "a pastor" who wrote this "electric communication" because he knew I signed it.  Kieschnick is correct when he says Reclaim News, "is widely published."  Now the Synod knows that the Praesidium has on its agenda, "a case alleging HIS repeated violation of the eighth commandment."  I have received numerous inquiries asking exactly what these charges are.

On December 23, 2002 Kieschnick wrote to me, "This letter is to remind you of the importance of Bylaw 8.21e of the 2001 Handbook of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, which states 'e. While a matter in dispute is still undecided or while an appeal is contemplated or pending, publicity shall not be given to the issues in the matter by any of the parties involved.'"  The CCM has recently ruled than all charges filed under Bylaw 2.27 now include Bylaw 8.21e.

Another recent ruling of the CCM has exempted the Synodical President from Bylaw 8.21e as was seen in Kieschnick's publicity of Dr. Wallace Schulz's handling of the Benke Case

Doctor Waldo Werning has filed charges against me with President Kieschnick stating that I broke the Eighth Commandment because I have publicly condemned his false doctrine of the Trinity as found on pages 33 and 34 of his book, "Health and Healing in the LCMS."  A free copy was sent to every delegate of the 2001 LCMS Convention.  The book did not go through Synodical doctrinal review.  Kieschnick sent the case to the Praesidium.  This raises the question, is President Kieschnick more concerned about the Eighth Commandment than the First Commandment?

Werning charges that I teach, "all of God died on the Cross on Good Friday." I do indeed teach this.  Each person of the Trinity is the entire God apart from whom there is no other, yet there is only one God.  The Athanasian Creed states: "not dividing the substance." No Person of the Trinity is a part of God.

Werning also charges that I teach, "All theology is Christology."  This I indeed teach.  Without Christ there is no theology and no faith.  I also teach "All theology is the Word of the Father" and that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost" and that "All of the Bible is the Word of God."

South Wisconsin District President, Ron Meyer, has published that I broke the Eighth Commandment because I condemn Werning's false doctrine about the Trinity.

President is fully aware of the case and from his comments above, is obviously biased in favor of Dr. Werning's teaching on the Trinity even before the case is settled.

For showing bias in this case, President Kieschnick should recuse himself but this is the last thing that I want.  As a member of the Praesidium it is crucial that he continue to participate in voting on this case so the world knows what he believes about the Trinity.  Is the LCMS still a Christian Church Body or is it now under the curse of the Athanasian Creed?

Kieschnick is the President of a confessing church body.  Must we be kept in suspense?  Will he answer these questions in public?  "Is each Person of the Trinity all of God, apart from whom there is no other God, and yet there is only one God?  Second question: "Is all theology Christology?"

Luther writes: "The entire Holy Trinity is known in the Person of Christ." (LW 23:89)

"'The Son is the one and only God' John 5:20": (Koehler "A Summery of Christian Doctrine" page 32)  "Each person of the Godhead is the entire God (totus Deus)." (J.T. Mueller "Christian Dogmatics" page 148)

Pieper tells us that every person of the Trinity is fully God, not one third of God, yet there is only one God (Vol. I: 385, 386, 390, 405).  Thus we read in TLH hymn 154, verse 3, "When God the Mighty Maker died" not "When one third of God the Mighty Maker died!"

"Of these Persons each one is the whole God, besides whom there is no other God." (Luther, J. T. Muller Christian Dogmatics CPH page 148).

"Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, that God was manifest in the flesh." 1Tim. 3:16, (not a part of God manifested in the flesh).

The Athanasian Creed states that "There is one Almighty, not three Almighties.'"  The Son is Almighty.

"That is to say, Scripture bears witness that the three persons and the entire Trinity are the one true God, and that each person is perfectly and in ALL respects that one true God." (Martin Chemnitz, "Loci Theologici" CPH 1989, Page 74, and 75)

In numerous letters, Werning vigorously defends each of these false statements about God on pages 33 and 34 of his book:
1. "experiencing God in a three-fold manner"
2. "three manners of being (God above us, God among us, God in us)"
3. "three levels of reality [in God] (nature, history, existence)"
4. "three ways in which God reveals Himself"
5. "three forms of address [from God] ('You shall!,' 'You may!,' 'You can!')"
6. "one of the three ways in which God has revealed Himself"

Yes or No! Does Kieschnick support these six statements from Werning's book? Please tell us President Kieschnick, because I am being charged with breaking the Eighth Commandment for calling all of these six statements, lies?

No one experiences God.  We only experience what God has made.  Three revelations, experiences, beings, realities, and forms of address from or in God are the utterings of "pagan polytheism." (Pieper Vol. 1:390)  Werning continues to teach his manufactured divisions in God.

"In other words, each Person in the Deity is the entire God, and not a third of God.  Luther: 'Of these Persons each one is the entire God, outside which [Person] there is no other God.'  And the Christian congregation sings with Luther in the 'battle hymn of the Reformation': 'Jesus Christ it is . . . And there's none other God.'" (Pieper Vol. 1:390)

(See Colossians 2:9, LW 15: 304, 305, 310, Concordia Triglotta Formula, Of the Person of Christ, Thor. Decl. VIII Par. 44, 1029-1030, Par. 81, 1045, Pieper Vol. 1:390, Martin Chemnitz, "Loci Theologici" CPH 1989, Page 74-76)

"Jesus First" has publicly endorsed Werning's book and false doctrine of the Trinity.  Reverend Vern Gundermann is the chairman of "Jesus First." President Kieschnick attends Gundermann's church.

If I have broken the Eighth Commandment, hasn't the LCMS given up the Doctrine of the Trinity and is no longer a Christian Church Body?  It is better to have my membership removed from the Synodical roster than lose my own soul.

January 17, 2002