Confessional Subscription or Private Interpretation?

What does it mean to be a "confessional Lutheran?" Are not all Lutherans "confessional Lutherans?" In order to be Lutheran, you must accept the Lutheran Confessions. But as I see it, defining yourself as a "confessional Lutheran" witnesses to the manner in which you accept the Lutheran Confessions. If one claims to be Lutheran but embraces the Lutheran Confessions in so far as they are in agreement with his own reason and understanding, he is not a "confessional Lutheran." A "confessional Lutheran" adjusts his reason and understanding to the Lutheran Confessions because they are the true interpretation of the Word of God. Dr. C. F.W. Walter explains what it means to subscribe "unconditionally" to the Lutheran Confessions:

An unconditional subscription is the solemn declaration which the individual who wants to serve the church makes under oath that he accepts the doctrinal content of our Lutheran Confessions, because he recognizes the fact that they are in full agreement with Scripture and do not militate against Scripture in any point, whether the point be of major or minor importance; and that he therefore heartily believes in this divine truth and is determined to preach this doctrine.

In a paper presented by Dr. Ralph Bohlmann at the conference in Phoenix last summer, he stated that the Scriptures do not speak to the issue of Dr. Benke's participation at Yankee Stadium. In response to this, Dr. Wallace Schulz stated that one Scripture verse, the First Commandment, is all that is required to pass judgment since Jews, Muslims and the heathen believe in false gods. I agree with the manner in which Dr. Schulz relates the content of Scripture to specific issues. One clear verse does settle a matter.

But, if the Lutheran Confessions happen to present a clear interpretation of that "one verse" of Scripture, a "confessional Lutheran" does not offer his own "private interpretation." According to his ordination vow, he submits his understanding to the Lutheran Confessions and "one clear section" from the Lutheran Confessions settles the manner in which the "one verse" is to be interpreted.

You cannot have it both ways. You cannot say, on the one hand, that one verse of Scripture settles a matter but on the other hand, one clear section from the Lutheran Confessions does not settle the matter of how that one verse is to be interpreted. The Lutheran Confessions are "the judge" of our private interpretations of Scripture.

There is, for example, one brief section in the Lutheran Confessions that clearly points out that God commands "civil righteousness" and rewards "civil righteousness" with temporal blessings. (Tappert 110:22-24) If a Lutheran pastor denied that God commanded or rewarded civil righteousness with temporal blessings you would inform him that he is not making the proper distinctions and point him to that brief section in the Confessions. If he is a "confessional Lutheran," the matter is settled, even though he might have previously been unaware of what the Lutheran Confessions taught on the subject. The Wisconsin Synod should review their position over against the Boy Scouts on the basis of what the Confessions declare about the value for the society and the Church of civil righteousness or "merit badges."

Regarding the matter of the First Commandment, do Jews, Turks and the heathen worship and believe in false gods? What do the Lutheran Confessions say?

Martin Luther writes in the Large Catechism: (Tappert 419:66)

These articles of the Creed, therefore, divide and distinguish us Christians from all other people on earth. All who are outside the Christian church, whether heathen, Turks, Jews, or false Christians and hypocrites, even though they believe in and worship only (the) one, true God, nevertheless do not know what his attitude is toward them. They cannot be confident of his love and blessing. Therefore they remain in eternal wrath and damnation, for they do not have the Lord Christ, and, besides, they are not illuminated and blessed by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now you see that the Creed is a very different teaching from the Ten Commandments. The latter teach us what we ought to do; the Creed tells us what God does for us and gives to us. The Ten Commandments, moreover, are inscribed in the hearts of all men.

I imagine that many of you are getting rather tired of reading that passage but the fact remains, whether you like it or not, this is what the Lutheran Confessions say about the issue. Whether or not the definite article is included before "one true God" makes absolutely no difference in the meaning of the paragraph. In addition, Martin Luther's explanation of the First Commandment in the Large Catechism makes no distinction between those who believe in the Triune God and those who do not since the Triune nature of God is not inscribed in the hearts of all men whereas the Commandments are, according to the Lutheran Confessions.

Eight months ago I did not know that the Lutheran Confessions spoke so clearly to this subject. When this section was inadvertently pointed out to me, I proceeded to review the confessional position through the volumes of Luther's Works and discovered that his thoughts in the Large Catechism were consistent with his overall thinking on the matter. Even though it is important to view the words of Luther within the total context of his writings, Luther's Works are not the judge of the Lutheran Confessions.

Did the theologians and pastors in our Synod who publicly declared that Jews, Turks, and heathen worship false gods know what the Lutheran Confessions clearly said about that issue? If they did, I would have to conclude that they purposely taught a doctrine that is contrary to the Confessions. As it is, I believe it is far more reasonable to suggest that they did not know that the particular section was there. I wonder, when Koehler wrote his notes in the annotated Small Catechism and said under the First Commandment that people have other gods "when they believe in a god who is not the Triune God," did he know what the Confessions said about this issue or did he purposely present a position that was contrary to what Confessions taught? Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I would suggest that he was unaware of what the Confessions taught on that subject.

Should we qualify the meaning of a quia subscription by saying that we believe the Lutheran Confessions are the true interpretation of the Word of God in so far as we know what the Lutheran Confessions say about every issue? No! Even though nobody has memorized the entire Book of Concord, an unconditional subscription is not conditioned by whether or not we are aware of what the Confessions say about every point of theology.

Now that the case against Dr. David Benke is over, this particular issue remains unsettled and cannot simply be ignored. It is a vitally important issue that impacts both mission and evangelism. I am sure that it will be debated and when that happens the particular quote from the Lutheran Confessions will be brought up over, and over, and over, and over and over again until those who have taught contrary to the Lutheran Confessions change their way of thinking or admit that they do not accept what the Lutheran Confessions say about this matter. If that is there admission, they are no longer "confessional Lutherans" and should probably join a more "liberal" Lutheran body.

Pastor Don Matzat
Bridgeville, PA

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