The State of the Church: Tomorrow

Donald Muchow Leadership Conference LCMS Foundation/Lutheran Church Extension Fund San Diego, California 21 November 1999 Thank you for The introduction Your invitation to this conference The privilege to address you In preparation for this moment I faced two challenges: Too much material for the allotted time. Reminds me of my mother-in-law who, being a farm…
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Enough Is Enough

Augsburg Confession Article VII and the Grounds for Communio in Sacris David Truemper   Executive Summary This paper, admittedly a complex argument, is built on a close reading of two pieces of the confessional writings of the Lutheran Church: Formula of Concord Solid Declaration (FC SD) X, 31, and Augsburg Confession (CA) VII, 2. My attempt…
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Explanations of the 95 Theses on Church Control

Robert Schmidt Editorial Note: The following is a set of explanations to Dr. Schmidt’s “95 Theses on Church Control.” Those theses can be read here.   It is manifest that ordination administered by a pastor in his own church is valid by divine right.  Consequently, when the regular bishops become enemies of the Gospel and…
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95 Theses on Church Control

Robert Schmidt October 31, 1999 Unless I am convicted by Scripture or plain reason, I do not accept the authority of Popes and Councils, for they have contradicted themselves.  My conscience is captive to the Word of God.  I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. …
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The Promising Tradition

Stephen C. Krueger I. History We called it “The Promising Tradition” during my seminary days. It represented a thin tradition of confessing theology that boldly affirmed with Luther, and he was just borrowing the notion from St. Paul, that the gospel is victorious (as it must be) over the law. The Promising Tradition represents a…
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A Time to Confess

Stephen Krueger (with input from Matthew Becker and David Benke) Principal Author’s Note: I, SK, do not see this statement to be in any final form until members of the church (e.g., participants from the Daystar online conversation) have a legitimate, honest crack at critiquing it. First, I am better appreciating the awesome task that…
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Theses on Women in the Church – Part Three

Arnold J. Voigt III. A FEW SELECTED PASSAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT PERTINENT TO THE DISCUSSION AT HAND WHICH SPEAK TO THE MANNER IN WHICH OUR HOLY GOD DESIRES WOMEN TO EMBRACE THE GIFTS HE HAS GIVEN THEM IN THE SERVICE OF MINISTRY IN THE NAME OF HIS SON  ▬ Women “In Authority” in the Old Testament  ▬ Genesis 21:12:…
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Theses on Women in the Church – Part Two

Arnold J. Voigt Excursus: “The Order of Creation” or “The Orderings of the Creator”? □ “…because it is a woman…” [emphasis added] (CTCR-WIC, 36) □ “The Order of Creation” paragraph is followed by the words “the concepts which these terms denote are of long-standing importance… Luther for example…” (CTCR-WIC, 21). The purpose of this Excursus…
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Theses on Women in the Church – Part One

Arnold J. Voigt (Revised October 1999) The following contains resources and commentary in dialogue with Women in the Church: Scriptural Principles and Ecclesial Practice, A Report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (St. Louis: CTCR, September 1985). Introduction The question of women’s participation in the life, structure, and…
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