Atlantic District Warns Walther Conference Not To Show 911 Video With Reply From Pastor Cascione

By: Rev. Jack Cascione

 In a letter dated Oct. 22, 2003 , the Atlantic District of the LCMS threatens to file charges against Rev. Jack Cascione and Rev. Charles Henrickson if the video of President David Benke’s prayer at Yankee Stadium after 911 is shown at the Walther Conference on Friday, November 7, 2003 .  The last paragraph of the letter explains what action will be taken against Cascione and Henrickson if the video is shown.

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STATIONARY OF:  ATLANTIC DISTRICT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD 171 White Plains Road Bronxville , New York 10708 (914)337-5700 Fax (914)337-7471

October 22, 2003

Rev. Charles Henrickson 12 Founders Way Apt. D Clayton , MO 63105

Rev. Jack Cascione 31011 Greater Mack Avenue St. Clair Shores , MI 48082  

Dear Revs. Henrickson and Cascione:

I am writing on behalf of the Praesidium and Board of Directors of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.  At the latest meeting of our Board, we were presented with the agenda of the upcoming Walther Conference in early November which includes this item:  "Yankee Stadium Prayer Service Video Analysis:  How we got to this crisis and a solution" by Rev. Charles Henrickson.  All present were chagrined and deeply offended that this presentation is to be made, and call for its removal from the agenda.

Our District President, Dr. David Benke, has been cleared of all charges in connection with his faithful Christian witness through prayer at Yankee Stadium by unanimous final decision of the church-appointed Dispute Resolution Panel (finalized May 12, 2003 ).  Rev. Henrickson has continued in various forums to call Dr. Benke an unrepentant sinner. These are his words recently stated:  "Gerald Kieschnick and David Benke remain openly impenitent in regard to their unionism, syncretism, false teaching, deceptions, and other public misconduct."

Rev. Henrickson has no right to make such a judgment as a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  His rights as a member are contained in the Synod's Handbook and Bylaws.  Those rules provide for procedures for dissent from an established doctrinal resolution of the Synod. Resolution 3-07 A, under which auspices Dr. Benke participated at Yankee Stadium, is the pertinent guideline for involvement in civic events and extraordinary circumstances.

Rev. Henrickson has a right to dissent from this position, even as it must be acknowledged that this IS the position of the LCMS.  He does NOT have a right to call Dr. Benke an unrepentant sinner,  which he has done.  This letter calls upon him to repent publicly of his false and unchurchly charge of impenitence and for the sake of the Church to cease his publicly inflammatory reactions two years after the fact to Dr. Benke's appropriate participation in a civic event at the time of an extraordinary national disaster.

Further, it is stated that video of this portion of the Walther Conference will be sent to all congregations of the LCMS.  What any video of the actual Yankee Stadium event will show is Dr. Benke offering a prayer for healing "in the Precious Name of Jesus" following the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers in the presence of people who were mourning the loss of their loved ones.  Millions heard the prayer and were granted the comfort of Christ.  This spiritual leadership is "commended" by the Missouri Synod according to its own rules (LCMS Resolution 3-07A, 2001).  The people of the Atlantic District and the LCMS in overwhelming majority agree that the LCMS commendation is godly and edifying.  Continued divisive activity such as that planned by the Walther Conference and Rev. Henrickson is neither godly nor edifying.  The Atlantic District leadership calls upon you to cancel the presentation and eliminate the proposed video distribution for the sake of the Church.

When disagreements follow pastoral actions in cases of discretion, the final word of our Synod in convention is that "charity must prevail." Gentlemen, we exhort you to practice that Christian charity and to cease your divisive activity on behalf of the baptized in the Atlantic District and in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Heed the words of the Dispute Resolution Panel itself:

"The Panel concludes that the evidence, especially from the Constitution and Bylaws themselves, and from the Opinions of the Commission on Constitutional Matters (Opinions which must be honored by the Panel) does not support the suspension of Rev. David H. Benke.  While it is true that only The Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions are the basis of membership in or expulsion from the Synod, it is also true that the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod represent the collective study and will of the members of the Synod as to what the Scriptures say and how its members covenant together and teach and practice its doctrines. For that reason the collective will of the synod's members is to honor and carry out its resolutions and to provide avenue for dissent for any in disagreement until such time as the Synod itself in Convention alters its position or practice. (Bylaw 1.09, 2.39c).

“The events of 9/ll/2001 were certainly not directly anticipated when Resolution 3-07A was passed, nor could they have been, but the resolution was amazingly prescient in providing direction for proceeding in a situation where men equally dedicated to the Synodical principals of fellowship would inevitably be divided as to whether it was better to avoid possible doctrinal confusion by going boldly or to boldly go to 'Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim..'

“The uniqueness of the event went beyond the dimension of national tragedy.  The perpetrators of the attack were Muslims who were attacking Christians, Jews, and 'infidels' in general as well as the American way of life.  New York City has a large Muslim population of which many are black, as well as a Jewish population of considerable proportion.  At the time of the event there had already been a number of retaliatory attacks against Muslims.  The city government was very concerned that 'religious intolerance threatened to escalate to violence.'  [Letter from Rudolph Giuliani to St. Peters Lutheran Church, 10/18/02 ].  The heavy proportion of Blacks and Muslims and Jewish participants as well as Christians in the Yankee Stadium event underscores the city's desire to show that civic unity and patriotic unity existed between groups that held divergent and often-conflicting religious beliefs.  The format and objective of the event was not to provide religious, ecumenical, unionistic, syncretism.

“The format of the event consisted of a series of short presentations by representatives of both secular and religious organizations consisting of speeches, songs, and prayers.  Participants included politicians, entertainers, military, and religious leaders.  There was no specific church or religious doctrine or jurisdiction under which the event developed or took place.  Participants were given liberty to offer strength and encouragement to the community through the particular groups they represented.  No participant appeared jointly with another and none of the presentations of the religious groups acknowledged or referenced another.  Rev. Benke's prayer, even though criticized by many, was Christian. The contest does not support conclusions of religious syncretism or unionism."

We wait for communication from you advising us that Rev. Henrickson's portion of the program at the Walther Conference will not take place. This letter is a stern and forthright warning that any conference items or public statements that call Dr. Benke a unrepentant sinner will lead to ecclesiastical proceeding according to Scriptural process and the Handbook and Bylaws of the LCMS.

In Christian care,

Rev. Paul Sauer, Secretary Atlantic District, LCMS

Cc:  Members of the Praesidium, Atlantic District, LCMS

       Gerald B. Kieschnick, President, LCMS

       William Hoesman, President, Michigan District, LCMS

       James Kalthoff, President, Missouri District, LCMS

Reply To The Atlantic District Objections To Walther Conference

By: Rev. Jack Cascione

Dear Praesidium and Board of Directors of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod:

Thank you for your letter of 10/22/03 .

One of the goals of the Walther Conference is to promote the practice of congregational self-government in LCMS Congregations.  If lay people are going to take an active role in judging doctrine and practice in their congregations and the Synod, they must be informed on the issues.

Speaking on the subject of congregational supremacy, we read about Walther’s teaching on voters’ assemblies as follows:

“Furthermore, matters of doctrine and conscience which assumed great importance in the immigrant Church were not subject to popular vote, but were decided on the sole authority of the Scriptures. In such matters the Word of God hovered as a supreme authority over the congregation and Synod . . . ("Government in the Missouri Synod," by Dr. Carl S. Mundinger, CPH, St. Louis , 1947 Page 201)

Voting in the church is not an opinion poll.  Lay people must vote according to their conscience based on the Word of God alone.  They must be informed.  How are LCMS lay people to know what to believe when they are called to give their vote on issues surrounding the Service at Yankee Stadium at the 2004 LCMS Convention if they are not permitted to see and hear the facts for themselves?

Are the District and Synodical officials supposed to tell the lay people what to think?  Then there is no point to having an LCMS Convention in 2004 and Lutherans may as well go back to the Catholic Church.

The Service at Yankee Stadium was broadcast across the entire United States , but, you don’t want LCMS laity to see it at the Walther Conference.  You are concerned that someone might say Benke and Kieschnick sinned.

Regretfully, the quotation from the Dispute Resolution Panel cited in your letter places Synodical Resolutions and By-laws above the Bible, making the Panel’s decision invalid, and a danger to every lay person’s soul.

The Panel wrote: “While it is true that only The Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions are the basis of membership . . . it is also true that the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod represent the collective study and will of the members of the Synod . . .”

Luther taught, “Scripture alone” as the collective will of the church, not Resolutions and Bylaws.

On 2,18/03 President Benke has also defended his view that Allah is the true God in an exchange with Mr. Poholman as follows:

“The Muslim God is also the true God (there IS only ONE TRUE GOD, right?) but worshipping [worshipped] in an inadequate way.  In other words, the Muslim is worshipping God but understanding God's LAW (and there is really no religion like Islam when it comes to the Law.)- what's missing?  The GOSPEL.  JESUS as the Son of God.  Jesus as the Savior of the World.  The death and resurrection of Christ for the world.  That's what the witness is about when it's given "in the Precious Name of Jesus" which is how I ended my prayer.”

Prayer is an act of worship.  The understanding that Allah is the true God would mean that President Benke, the Praesidium, and Board of Directors of the Atlantic District see no conflict in praying with Moslems etc. at Yankee Stadium.

How can you expect us to consider changing the program when I don’t believe that Allah is the true God?  It appears that you and I don’t worship the same God.

Tell me if you believe that Benke is correct?  Is Allah the true God?

You have only addressed your letter to me.  There are three other members of the Steering Committee of the Walther Conference: Rev. Neil Schmidt, Rev. Herman Otten, and Rev William Bischoff.

Regardless of my opinion, the other three have voted that we continue with the current conference as scheduled.  Of course, I’m the only fulltime called pastor on the LCMS roster.  Otten serves an LCMS Congregation but is not on the Synodical Clergy Roster and Bischoff and Schmidt are retired.  To be fair, you should also consider threatening the other three.

Also, Schmidt has threatened Rev. Henrickson more severely than the Atlantic District if he doesn’t continue with the program as scheduled.

Would you consider sending someone, such as President Benke or his representative, to offer a rebuttal after Henrickson shows the video?

You write: “This letter is a stern and forthright warning that any conference items or public statements that call Dr. Benke a unrepentant sinner will lead to ecclesiastical proceeding according to Scriptural process and the Handbook and Bylaws of the LCMS.”

The LCMS Convention is the highest tribunal in the Synod and the Convention has yet to address the Benke Case.  Resolution 3-07A, 2001, which you quote, encourages debate on the issues and you want to stop debate before the Convention.  You are attempting to cut off all criticism of Benke’s actions as if you and the CCM are above the LCMS Convention.

You have no right to control what people believe, think, or say in the church, or prevent them from coming to their own conclusions based on the Bible.

Your actions are not consistent with the practice of the LCMS.  Doctor Waldo Werning filed charges against me because I wrote that his teaching about the Trinity was false doctrine and sin.  The South Wisconsin District President also wrote that he agrees with Werning.  After adjudicating the case, the LCMS Praesidium “terminated” Werning’s charges.

So also, any LCMS pastor or layman has the right to call Benke’s actions at Yankee Stadium “sin” unless proven otherwise by Scripture alone.  Walther’s well-known sermon, “The Sheep Judge Their Shepherd” explains why lay people have the right to judge Benke’s and Kieschnick’s actions and come to their own conclusions based on Scripture alone.

The Dispute Resolution Panel openly admits that it failed to follow the criteria of judging the Benke Case on the basis of Scripture alone.

Once again: “Tell me if you believe that Benke is correct?  Is Allah the true God?

We wait for your answer.

Yours in Christ

For more information on this matter see article: "Central Illinois District Resolution Accuses of Benke of Sin"