The Genetics Statement and The Authority of Faith Traditions over Scripture
for “Acts of Grace” Grace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
May 2012 by Pastor David Irgens
for “Acts of Grace” Grace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
May 2012 by Pastor David Irgens
“14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) I do not want you to be unaware of some more changes in what we used to confess in the ELCA. Since 1988 we have confessed that Holy Scripture, the “Word of God,” (Formula of Concord) is the only true norm according to which all theologies, liturgies, sermons, pastoral letters as well as personal opinion when it becomes an expression or teaching in the church, are judged. Paul wrote to Timothy in his second letter that he was concerned with teachers who had heard the Gospel of Christ and have changed what they have received from Paul into new doctrines (the principles of the Christian faith). As Orthodox (sound Biblical teaching opposed to heresy) Lutheran’s hold to what we have since the time of the reformation; the Old and New Testaments as the only true norm of the faith. The “true Christian doctrine” as the Augsburg Confession states is seen in the three Creeds; the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds as a true expression of the faith. We also accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord. (ELCA Constitutions, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions, C2.05, 2.06) When it comes to faith, the Holy Scriptures remain central as the only true norm. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Nothing usurps or trumps the authority of Scripture. Unfortunately the ELCA has changed how we regard the Holy Scriptures with regard to other faith traditions.
The Social Statement on Genetics states that, “the meaning of genetic knowledge and the debates about its use will be inadequately explored and morally dangerous without attention to the wisdom of faith traditions.” (Genetics, Faith and Responsibility, Lns. 375, 376, 378-382) “Faith traditions” are defined in the footnote as “The plural “traditions” recognizes that many faith traditions, not just Lutheran or Christian, have wisdom to bring to the table where these issues are discusses.” (ibid, p.8 footnote) While dialogue with other faith traditions is important, especially within an ethical debate, as Orthodox Lutheran Christians the “wisdom” of“other faith traditions” do not have authority over the Holy Scriptures. If our Christian Ethic is insufficient without the input of “wisdom of other faith traditions” and a supplement is needed, then they are equal to Holy Scripture, and we should not call ourselves Christians. The ELCA should be called a Liberal Protestant denomination.
The standard text for teaching seminarians what Lutheran’s believe, is a two volume book called, “Christian Dogmatics.” It was written by Carl Braaten and Robert Jensen who have left the ELCA because of the shift in the ELCA from Orthodox Lutheranism to Liberal Protestantism. Braaten explained the authority of the Holy Scriptures over everything we confess. “Luther’s Scripture principle is articulated most clearly in the Book of Concord (1580), the final collection of Lutheran confessional writings. These confessions claim to be authoritative expositions of the truth of Scripture, always acknowledging the principle of the priority of Scripture over confession.” (Christian Dogmatics, Vol. 1, p. 65) Scripture has authority over “faith traditions,” theologies, social statements, human writings and all things. The Formula of Concord makes it clear that Holy Scripture is our only true norm in the faith. “We pledge ourselves to the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testament as the pure and clear foundation of Israel, which is the only true norm according to which all teachers and teachings are to be judged and evaluated.” (Book of Concord, p. 503-504) “Here he (Dr. Luther) expressly asserts by way of distinction that the Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and norm of all doctrine, and that no human being’s writings dare be put on par with it, but that everything must be subjected to it.” (Book of Concord, p.505) Even though this is meant to refer to the writings of Dr. Luther, it also encompasses any “wisdom traditions.”
I am deeply concerned with a “new liberal protestant ethics” which describes Orthodox Lutheranism as inadequate and morally dangerous, without the supplement of “other faith traditions” and their “wisdom.” The “new liberal protestant ethics” ignores the sole factor that makes the Orthodox Lutheran Christian ethics unique, that is Orthodox Lutheran Christians actually believe that the Holy Scriptures are the “only true norm in the faith.” The ELCA needs to reform and return to its Orthodox roots or other faith traditions will dictate our ethics replacing the authority of the Holy Scriptures.
May Christ guide us into all truth through His Word,
In Christ, Pastor David Irgens
“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) I do not want you to be unaware of some more changes in what we used to confess in the ELCA. Since 1988 we have confessed that Holy Scripture, the “Word of God,” (Formula of Concord) is the only true norm according to which all theologies, liturgies, sermons, pastoral letters as well as personal opinion when it becomes an expression or teaching in the church, are judged. Paul wrote to Timothy in his second letter that he was concerned with teachers who had heard the Gospel of Christ and have changed what they have received from Paul into new doctrines (the principles of the Christian faith). As Orthodox (sound Biblical teaching opposed to heresy) Lutheran’s hold to what we have since the time of the reformation; the Old and New Testaments as the only true norm of the faith. The “true Christian doctrine” as the Augsburg Confession states is seen in the three Creeds; the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds as a true expression of the faith. We also accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord. (ELCA Constitutions, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions, C2.05, 2.06) When it comes to faith, the Holy Scriptures remain central as the only true norm. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Nothing usurps or trumps the authority of Scripture. Unfortunately the ELCA has changed how we regard the Holy Scriptures with regard to other faith traditions.
The Social Statement on Genetics states that, “the meaning of genetic knowledge and the debates about its use will be inadequately explored and morally dangerous without attention to the wisdom of faith traditions.” (Genetics, Faith and Responsibility, Lns. 375, 376, 378-382) “Faith traditions” are defined in the footnote as “The plural “traditions” recognizes that many faith traditions, not just Lutheran or Christian, have wisdom to bring to the table where these issues are discusses.” (ibid, p.8 footnote) While dialogue with other faith traditions is important, especially within an ethical debate, as Orthodox Lutheran Christians the “wisdom” of“other faith traditions” do not have authority over the Holy Scriptures. If our Christian Ethic is insufficient without the input of “wisdom of other faith traditions” and a supplement is needed, then they are equal to Holy Scripture, and we should not call ourselves Christians. The ELCA should be called a Liberal Protestant denomination.
The standard text for teaching seminarians what Lutheran’s believe, is a two volume book called, “Christian Dogmatics.” It was written by Carl Braaten and Robert Jensen who have left the ELCA because of the shift in the ELCA from Orthodox Lutheranism to Liberal Protestantism. Braaten explained the authority of the Holy Scriptures over everything we confess. “Luther’s Scripture principle is articulated most clearly in the Book of Concord (1580), the final collection of Lutheran confessional writings. These confessions claim to be authoritative expositions of the truth of Scripture, always acknowledging the principle of the priority of Scripture over confession.” (Christian Dogmatics, Vol. 1, p. 65) Scripture has authority over “faith traditions,” theologies, social statements, human writings and all things. The Formula of Concord makes it clear that Holy Scripture is our only true norm in the faith. “We pledge ourselves to the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testament as the pure and clear foundation of Israel, which is the only true norm according to which all teachers and teachings are to be judged and evaluated.” (Book of Concord, p. 503-504) “Here he (Dr. Luther) expressly asserts by way of distinction that the Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and norm of all doctrine, and that no human being’s writings dare be put on par with it, but that everything must be subjected to it.” (Book of Concord, p.505) Even though this is meant to refer to the writings of Dr. Luther, it also encompasses any “wisdom traditions.”
I am deeply concerned with a “new liberal protestant ethics” which describes Orthodox Lutheranism as inadequate and morally dangerous, without the supplement of “other faith traditions” and their “wisdom.” The “new liberal protestant ethics” ignores the sole factor that makes the Orthodox Lutheran Christian ethics unique, that is Orthodox Lutheran Christians actually believe that the Holy Scriptures are the “only true norm in the faith.” The ELCA needs to reform and return to its Orthodox roots or other faith traditions will dictate our ethics replacing the authority of the Holy Scriptures.
May Christ guide us into all truth through His Word,
In Christ, Pastor David Irgens