Reader's Responses to Texas D.P. Kieschnick's Views
Following are email responses from Reclaim News readers regarding the views of Texas District President Dr. Gerald Kieschnick regarding the Missouri Synod and its doctrine.
Dear Jack,
Your Reclaim News mailing list had an interesting article authored by President Gerald Kieschnick of the Texas District titled "Critical Issues Facing the Lutheran Church - Doctrinal Unity." This was published in the Texas Messenger, April 1999. It was preceded by some notes indicating that it was also published previously in a 1998 Lutheran Witness issue, although the wording on this was a bit unclear. Which Lutheran Witness issue was it published in? I would appreciate a full citation. The article deserves a response through official channels.
Yours in Christ,
Martin R. Noland
Dear Marty:
Thanks for the reply.
You may have noticed that Kieschnick's article from the April 1999 Texas District Messenger only says, "This is the ninth in a series of 10 articles on Critical Issues Facing The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as they appeared in an article by Dr. Kieschnick in The Lutheran Witness in 1998."
The statement is intentionally vague. It actually refers to page 18 of the June, 1998 issue of The Lutheran Witness. The five Synodical presidential candidates were given the opportunity to state their views and plans for the Synod should they be elected Synodical President. Kieschnick offered 10 statements. Statement (9) reads "Doctrinal Unity-Will the source of our doctrinal unity be an increased reliance on tradition, heritage and convention resolutions, or an unequivocal insistence upon clear passages of Scripture-and Scripture alone-for such unity?"
The article in the April 1999 Texas Messenger is an expansion of Kieschnick's views on the above.
Please read my response to pastor Hargar. There is much more that could have been said on the issue as you indicate. My initial answer was intended to be as simple as possible. For example, I asked the value of memorizing the catechism and adopting convention resolutions since they become irrelevant by following Zieschnick’s understanding of the Bible. I'm looking at the lay readers and attempting to show them what they actually loose with Kieschnick's definition of doctrinal unity. They will no longer be Lutheran.
In my opinion Kieschnick's views on doctrinal unity show that he is unfit for the office of Texas District President let alone Synodical President and Chairman of the CTCR. He has been reading too much material from Willow Creek. Invitations to participate in Willow Creek Conferences held in Missouri Synod Congregations are sent to the Texas District Pastors from the Texas District Office. Obviously, a majority of the pastors in Texas no longer agree with the vows they took to up hold the Lutheran Confessions when the became pastors or Kieschnick would not be District President.
Yours in Christ,
Jack
Dear Brother Jack:
A good explanation of where the Texas District and its president are heading. I missed one thing however in your explanation between the Scripture and confessions -those words "norma normans" and "norma normata" - the difference between the rule of Scripture is that it is "the rule that rules," while the confessions are "the rule that is ruled." The confessions are authoritative because they are based squarely on the word of God. That's why we accept them. I'm sure you're aware of that, but what I have added undercuts further what Kieschnick is saying about the Scripture being our sole source of doctrine.
Blessings,
Rev. Burton Harger
Dear Rev Harger,
Thank you for your reply. I didn't get into "norma normans" and "norma normata" because I thought I would lose the lay reader. I did try to cover the thought with the words, "Haven't we also agreed that the Lutheran Confessions are a source of doctrine because they are a correct exposition of Scripture?" I also tried to direct them to the source for this kind of information with my quote from Walther found in Pieper.
Yours in Christ,
Jack Cascione
"THOUGHTS FROM PRESIDENT KIESCHNICK - TEXAS MESSENGER APRIL 1999
"Doctrinal Unity
Will the source of our doctrinal unity be an increased reliance on tradition, heritage and convention resolutions or an unequivocal insistence upon clear passages of Scripture and Scripture alone for such unity?"With this opening salvo, Rev Kieschnick calls for dissolution of the Missouri Synod in favor of fully independent congregations that divine their own confessions and doctrine according to their own personal interpretation of Scripture. The Michigan 102 have the same purpose.
But what about the relationship between the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions? From which of these sources comes LCMS doctrine? Members of the Synod, as we have already seen, pledge "acceptance without reservation" to both. But from which one is our doctrine actually derived?
An immature attempt to cause confusion and division. I have read these words before, Rev. K. You have, too. GENESIS 3: 3&4.
Jim Heap, LCMS Laity
Michigan