A Statement of Scriptual & Confessional Principles:
Conclusion
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The 1971 convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod reaffirmed the Synod's desire to abide by its doctrinal position as stated in its constitution (Article II). The Synod clearly stated its conviction that its confessional base is as broad as Holy Scripture and that the Synod accepts anything and everything that the Scriptures teach. Moreover, the Synod declared its right as a Synod to apply its confessional base definitively to current issues, and thus conserve and promote unity and resist an individualism which breeds schism.

This Statement expresses the Synod's Scriptural and confessional stance on a number of important topics. It is hoped that the endorsement of this Statement will be of assistance to the Synod in the "conservation and promotion of the unity of the true faith" (Constitution, Article III).

The Resolution of the Missouri Synod Adopting
A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles

In its July 6-13, 1973, synodical convention, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod officially adopted A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles as a "statement of belief" which "expresses the Synod's position on current doctrinal issues." The full text of the convention's action is as follows:

Preamble
The Formula of Concord, in the Lutheran Confessions, mentions Doctor Luther as asserting that "the Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and norm of doctrine, and that no human being's writings dare be placed on a par with it, but that everything be subjected to it." The next paragraph begins: "This, of course, does not mean that other good, useful, and pure books such as interpretations of the Holy Scriptures, refutations of errors, and expositions of doctrinal articles, should be rejected. If they are in accord with the aforementioned pattern of doctrine they are to be accepted and used as helpful expositions and explanations." (FC, SD, Summary, paragraphs 9-10)

Doctor Walther's "Thirteen Theses," which emerged during the Predestinarian Controversy in America, surely fit into this category. The first of these theses appeared in Der Lutheraner, 15 January 1880, and the last in the 1 May 1880 issue. The entire 13 were approved one year later by a vast majority at the synodical convention in Fort Wayne, 11-12 May 1881 (Missouri Synod Proceedings, 1881, pp. 35-36, 41)

Our Synod has continued to be greatly concerned with doctrine, as past convention resolutions indicate (1950-1971). Also, in order to clarify the status of doctrinal statements, the Synod approved Resolution 5-24, "Status of Synodically Adopted Doctrinal Statements," at the Milwaukee convention, July 1971, which reads:

RESOLVED, That the Synod reaffirm the desirability of the formulation of doctrinal statements which clearly set forth the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and apply them to issues of our day; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Synod clearly state that such doctrinal formulations are subordinate to the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Synod distinguish between resolutions concerning doctrine formulated and adopted at a convention and more formal statements of belief which are produced by officially authorized groups, and which are then presented to the congregations and clergy of the Synod for study and discussion, and which are subsequently adopted by a synodical convention; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Synod reaffirm the resolutions of recent conventions that the Synod "honor and uphold the synodically adopted statements as valid interpretations of Christian doctrine" (1969 Proceedings, p. 91); and be it finally
RESOLVED, That in the case of the aforementioned more formal and comprehensive statements of belief that the Synod declare

(1) its position that these statements, together with all other formulations of doctrine, derive their authority from the Word of God which they set forth from the Holy Scriptures;
(2) its insistence that the ministry of the church regard these formulations with special seriousness and that those who disagree with these formulations in part or in whole be held to present their objections to them formally to those officials whom the Synod has given the immediate supervision of their doctrine;
(3) its conviction that as a result of joint study of the Word of God the Holy Spirit will lead the Synod into all truth, that possible errors in the aforementioned statements will be discovered and corrected, that instances of failure to submit to the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures will be evangelically dealt with on an individual pastoral basis, and that the Synod can speak with a voice that is Scriptural, Gospel-oriented, truly Lutheran, and that we will continue to "walk together" as a true Synod. Accordingly, the following resolution is herewith submitted.

WHEREAS, A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles, issued by the President of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in consultation with the vice-presidents of the Synod, 3 March 1972, addresses itself to the doctrinal issues troubling the church today; and
WHEREAS, A Statement presents what the Synod throughout its history has confessed and taught on these issues, as witnessed to by synodical statements, catechetical expositions, and convention resolutions; and
WHEREAS,A Statement is, therefore, neither a new standard of orthodoxy nor a document "based on private writings, but on such books as have been composed, approved, and received in the name of the churches which pledge themselves to one doctrine and religion" (FC, SD, Comp. Summary, paragraph 2); and
WHEREAS, The Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations has evaluated A Statement as follows:
We find the doctrinal content of A Statement to be in accord with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions and to contain nothing contrary to them. We also find the doctrinal content of A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles to be in accord with the doctrinal position of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod as it has been taught historically and expressed in the official doctrinal statements of the Synod (Adopted 3 November 1972); and
WHEREAS, A Statement, in its entirety, has been presented to the congregations and clergy of the Synod, and during the past 16 months has been studied and discussed throughout the church, and has been approved by various synodical boards (Board of Control, Springfield; Board for Higher Education) and congregations; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran church in the past, when confronted with doctrinal controversy and crisis, has accepted expressions of belief which are in agreement with Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, e. g., the Thirteen Theses of Doctor Walther, 1881; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod declare A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles, in all its parts, to be Scriptural and in accord with the Lutheran Confessions, and therefore a formulation which derives its authority from the Word of God and which expresses the Synod's position on current doctrinal issues; and be it further
RESOLVED, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod declare A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles to be a "more formal and comprehensive statement of belief" in the sense of Resolution 5-24 of the 1971 Milwaukee convention, and that the Synod further declare that A Statement shall hold the status defined in said resolution (Preamble, above).

Action: Adopted
Resolution 3-01
1973 Proceedings, pp.127-128

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