WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR SYNOD?

Notes: (This chart is based on the article, “Evangelical Lutheranism and Lutheran Evangelicalism” by Rev. Dr. David Adams)

1. Within in each group there are smaller groups that disagree with each other on various issues.
2. Yet, it is true that these three groups are visible and exert great influence in all areas of the LCC and LCMS: In governing and leadership
on every level, in the seminaries, in writing books, teaching materials, hymns and liturgies, etc.
3. Many in the Synod do not know what they think and do not know what all the fuss is about. Many believe that we should not work out
our differences or cling to any one position, but should stop arguing and ignore the differences because that’s the only way to restore peace.
4. The three groups are not the same size. Confessional Lutherans make up the largest group but has the greatest number of smaller groups
within it; New-Evangelicals make up the second-largest, fastest-growing and most influential group; the Moderates make up the smallest
group and it is getting smaller. Usually Moderates will side with the New-Evangelicals against the Confessional Lutherans.

Traditional / Confessional New-Evangelical Moderate / Higher Critical

Doctrine Has a high view of all doctrines of the
bible as confessed in the Formula of
Concord (Summary Formulation 1): The main
requirement for Christian unity is a
complete summary of doctrine drawn from
the Word of God that is approved by
everyone. • Is intolerant of and speaks
against false doctrine (anything contrary to
Holy Scripture) as summarized in the
Formula of Concord (Antitheses 14; Tappert):
“In order to preserve the pure doctrine and
to maintain a thorough, lasting, and
God-pleasing concord within the church, it
is essential not only to present the true and
wholesome doctrine correctly, but also to
accuse (condemn) the adversaries who
teach otherwise (1 Tim. 3:9; Titus 1:9; 2 Tim.
2:24; 3:16). ‘Faithful shepherds,’ as Luther
states, ‘must both pasture or feed the lambs
and guard against wolves so that they will
flee from strange voices and separate the
precious from the vile’ (John 10:12-16, 27; Jer.
15:19).”
Has a high view of certain points of certain Emphasizes the "Gospel" or "love" to the
doctrines in order to emphasize what the near exclusion of other doctrines. •
Church and each individual Christian must Strongly emphasizes social welfare issues.
do. • Holds to traditional positions on Some believe that the true calling of every
most theological issues, but tend not to Christian is to devote themselves to social
emphasize doctrines or the Lutheran welfare issues. • Is open to (tolerant of) a
Confessions in congregations and variety of conflicting doctrines as long as
“ministries.” • Believes the highest and there is “Gospel” or “love.”
most important emphasis is outreach. The
“Great Commission” (defined in different
ways) is above every other teaching in
congregations and in the lives of individual
Christians. • Believes that it is impractical
and would turn people away from the
Church if all doctrines of Christ were
preached and taught.

Holy Scripture
Church and Ministry
Charismatic Movement
(Pentecostal speaking in
"tongues" which they
interpret to be some other-
worldly language.)
Traditional / Confessional
Has a high view of Scripture and firmly
holds to the inerrancy and divine
inspiration of the bible. • Views the Word
of God as the source for a true
understanding of doctrine and life, and,
together with the Sacraments, as the only
divinely given means of God’s grace to
man.
See Augsburg Confession articles IV, V,
VII, VIII and XIV. Ministers are the
rightly called shepherds who preach and
teach the pure Gospel and administer the
Sacraments according to Christ’s
institution and purpose (focus: the givers
of God’s gifts). “The Church is the
congregation of saints, in which the Gospel
is rightly taught and the Sacraments are
rightly administered” (focus: the receivers
of God’s gifts). • Is concerned with
Church and Ministry issues and wants to
maintain the teaching and practice
confessed in the Book of Concord. • Is
troubled by the opposite extremes of: 1)
Romanism (undervaluing the roles of the
laity in their various vocations–e.g. the
pastor makes every decision in the church)
and of, 2) Protestantism (undervaluing the
role of the rightly called and ordained
Office of the Ministry–e.g. the Voters'
Assembly makes every decision in the
church, and lay workers are allowed to
conduct Word and Sacrament Ministry).
Rejects the Charismatic Movement as
contrary to the Word of God.
New-Evangelical
Has a high view of Scripture and firmly
holds to the inerrancy and divine inspiration
of the bible. • Tends to de-emphasize the
Word of God as a means of grace and to
think of it more as a guidebook on how to
“do” “ministry” and as a rulebook for
Christian living.
Takes a practical approach to issues of
Church and Ministry. The main
“functions” of pastors are administration,
marketing, and encouragement. Pastors are
to leaders and organizers of the true
“ministers,” that is, the laymen, and the
laymen in turn are expected to go out and
“do” “ministry.” The “Great Commission”
(defined in several ways) is the main focus
and work of the Church. Congregations are
also seen to be mostly independent of the
District and Synod.
Is tolerant of the Charismatic Movement.
Moderate / Higher Critical
Is often not clear on what it believes about
the Scriptures. Some reject the inerrancy
and verbal inspiration of the Scriptures,
some say they believe it but reject some
doctrines of the Scriptures, and most say
that God’s Word and will are in the bible
but it’s up to each individual Christian to
decide what is true and what is false (also
what applies today and what does not
apply today).
Is unconcerned with Church and Ministry
issues. Social issues are the main focus,
and each Christian should decide for
themselves which other things are
important to them.
Is tolerant of the Charismatic Movement.
 Traditional / Confessional
Women's Ordination Opposes women's ordination because the
Word of God teaches clearly and
absolutely that women may not be
ordained into the Office of the Ministry or
perform any of the functions of that
divinely ordained Office. • Values the
service of women in congregations as
parochial and Sunday School teachers,
deaconesses, etc.
Church Fellowship Believes that Church Fellowship should be
based on doctrine. • The public and
clearly stated doctrinal positions of
churches to which Christians belong
should be the basis for public fellowship
among Christians (joint participation in
worship services including the reception of
Holy Communion). • Makes the
distinction between cooperation in
externals (e.g. helping the poor--permitted
by God) and in the internal things of
Christ's Church (preaching and teaching
the Word and administering and receiving
the Sacraments--not permitted by God), so
that in internal things, when there is no
complete agreement in doctrine, there is no
fellowship.
Closed Communion Practices Closed Communion and firmly
believes that God requires people to
believe and publically confess (in words
and actions) the same Faith in order to
have fellowship at His altar.
Church Growth Rejects "Church Growth" teaching and
methods. • Is not ever willing to
compromise doctrine or to allow business
and cultural values to influence the
understanding of the Word of God in the
areas of worship, missions and evangelism.
New-Evangelical
Few are openly in favour of it, but most are
open to women performing some of the
functions of the Office of the Ministry.
Usually emphasizes the unity of all
Christians who say they believe in Jesus. •
Rejects the teaching that agreement in
doctrine as necessary for fellowship. •
Often sees itself closer to Evangelical
Protestantism than to Confessional
Lutheranism.
Practices Open Communion, usually with
some restrictions such as baptism and/or
faith in Jesus as personal Saviour and/or
belief in the real presence of Christ in the
Sacrament. • Rejects unity in doctrine as a
requirement for communing at the same
altar.
Favours “Church Growth” teaching and
methods. • Seeks to use any means available
to break down barriers to salvation (because
of a strong emphasis on outreach and an
independent attitude). Traditional doctrine
and practice are seen to be barriers to faith
and salvation.
Moderate / Higher Critical
Open to considering, and often openly
favours, women’s ordination. • Rejects the
claim that the bible teaches an order of
creation, and believes that either St. Paul
was wrong in writing down restrictions or
that those restrictions do not apply to us
today.
Believes that church fellowship should be
based on “Gospel” or “love.”
Practices Open Communion, sometimes
with no restrictions, sometimes only
welcoming baptized Christians and
sometimes suggesting that those who come
to the altar should be baptized and believe
that Christ is truly present in the
Sacrament.
Either tolerates or is in favour of “Church
Growth” teaching and methods.
 Traditional / Confessional
Worship Holds to traditional worship (liturgy and
hymns) with emphases on the Sacraments
and Law/Gospel preaching. • Is suspicious
of liturgical innovations, especially of
worship that departs from the liturgical
tradition of the Synod and that does not
use the hymnal. • Emphasizes the teaching
aspect of liturgy and hymns.
New-Evangelical Moderate / Higher Critical
Embraces “contemporary worship.” • De- Is open to many different forms of
emphasizes traditional liturgies and worship.
traditional hymns. • Does not emphasize
the teaching aspect of liturgy and hymns. •
Encourages the use of pop-culture music
forms and non-specific words in songs. •
Changes worship to suit the perceived needs
of congregational members and community.

SUMMARY Each of the three groups sees the other two as lacking something essential. Confessional Lutherans see the other two as rejecting or
compromising fundamental teachings of the Scriptures, and therefore, as being unfaithful to Christ. They see the other two as having
taken on and given in to popular American and Canadian culture, and allowing societal values and business methods to influence how
they view and interpret God’s Word. New-Evangelicals see the other two as lacking the proper passion for the lost, and as too tied
up in doctrine and social justice to embrace new methods to bring more people into the Church. Moderates see the other two as
fundamentalistic and overly simple-minded in the way they view and use the Scriptures. They see the other two as too narrow in their
understanding of doctrine, and lacking compassion for the suffering and oppressed of the world.

The present war is not a “battle for the bible” as it was in the 60s and 70s; the current conflict is between those who want to be and
remain Lutheran in the Reformation understanding of “Lutheran,” and those who want to be and believe like American Protestants,
and promote a form of American Evangelicalism while still calling themselves, “Lutheran” (“a faith that is simply a kind of general
American Evangelicalism with a slight Lutheran veneer,” or like “a Southern Baptist who just happens to use wine in the Lord’s Supper
and baptizes babies”).

Three Critical Differences: 1) Understanding the Word of God. Both Confessional Lutherans (CL) and New-Evangelicals (N-E) have
a high view of Scripture but each group uses Scripture differently. For CL the main function of the Word of God is as a means of grace.
For N-E and most Protestants the main function of the Word of God is as a means of changing and affecting the believer’s life. For
them reading the bible makes them feel good about themselves and about their relationship to God. So the Word is personal to them
and a matter of personal experience. Therefore, doctrine and catechesis are not important to them, neither is the truth of the Scriptures
as it applies to all people. 2) Worship. Regarding worship, the main difference between CL and N–E is the definition of what worship
is. For CL worship is first God serving His people by delivering to them forgiveness, life and salvation through the means of grace: the
Word and Sacraments, and second, His children responding to their heavenly Father with prayer, praise and thanksgiving. For N–E
worship is first outreach to draw the community to Christ, and second, a means to make each member of the congregation and visitors
feel uplifted and good about their Christian life. 3) The Nature of the Christian Life. For the CL every good thing of Faith and Life
is a loving gift of God. N–E see the Christian Life as something that the individual Christian does for God (a life driven by purpose).
This contrasts CL understanding that good works are God’s work in the Christian (a life lived at rest in the grace of God).

The New-Evangelical faith is influenced by the American Evangelical Movement (their books, TV shows and radio stations are
everywhere) to the point that Lutherans are being told what to do to be Christian, and they are obeying.