Worldview Everlasting

You raise a valid concern. It’s not uncommon to hear the popular apologetic, “Beware of groups that say you need the Bible and _______.” Sometimes, when Lutherans say “Scripture and Confessions,” this sounds a little like they are one of those groups.

However, Lutherans are not saying that the Bible is insufficient. The Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord) are a summary of the doctrine that is taught in Scripture. Saying that we subscribe to the Book of Concord isn’t functionally any different than the statement that you made in your question.

When you made the assertion, “Isn’t the Gospel the only authoritative reference we should use?” You made a statement of faith — a confession. The Book of Concord is merely a much larger, more detailed, historic statement of faith that has been confessed by billions.

The purpose of this statement of faith is concord (peace). By confessing the faith together we are expressing Christian unity. At times Christians will say, “We all believe the same things.” Confessional Lutherans are saying exactly that, except that we aren’t just saying it, we have a signed document that keeps us honest.

Rev. Robert O. Riebau

To add to what Rev. Reibau said, to “Confess” something is to “same say” something. Therefore, a “Confession” must be placed under and “normed” by that which it “same says”.

Matthew Lorfeld, Pastor
Messiah Lutheran Church
La Crescent, MN
http://www.messiahlacrescent.org

J – I think you are coming at this issue from a slightly backwards approach. It is not that the Lutheran Church has said, “As we have confessed these confessions, you must accede to our will”. Rather, in the course of very real historical problems and heresies, we have made a confession that is in agreement with the Scriptures. The Confessions are not some document designed to supplant the Scriptures. They do not create anything new – they simply say what the Scriptures teach.

So what does this mean? Well, as a pastor I have subscribed to the Confessions, I have made them my own. This is not something done by force – rather I gladly make these faithful confessions my own, for they speak correctly on a multitude of issues in Scripture. If the are true and accurately confess what the Scriptures teach, why wouldn’t I confess them?

The reason why such a confession is necessary is because false doctrine happens — people make very bad and wicked claims about Christ, and thus it is necessary to make a good and proper confession over and against error. That is what the Creeds were – every line in them counters some error of the Early Church. Likewise, in the rest of the Confessions (for the Creeds are part of them) other real and tangible errors are addressed. The Confessions are almost like the Doctrinal Cliff Notes – a way of making sure relatively quickly that if we are talking that we are on the same page and do not carelessly fall into the errors that the Church has already discovered — they are a great and wonderful tool of convenience.

As for the Confessions being binding… well… I wouldn’t force anyone to confess them. I can conceive of crafting other confessions that would work too. But here is the thing – we have a good and proper confession here — if someone rejects it and the doctrine it contains, that shows me that there probably is a theological problem.

Another angle that might be brought up is this – I haven’t bound myself to the Confessions simply for my own good – that was a promise for my congregation, so that they would know what I will teach. When I was confirmed and confessed the Doctrine of the Small Catechism, that wasn’t simply for my own good – rather it was a promise to the rest of my congregation that I would stand with them in defending God’s Truth. A Confession isn’t some cruel stick from above which happens the individual’s right to choose (an attitude that is sadly common in the US), but it is a CONfession… a time to speak (fess) with (con) others so that together we might in harmony speak the truth together. I wonder if some of your reservation to the idea of the Confessions isn’t just that you’re from a theological background that strongly emphasizes individual spirituality rather than corporate.

Hope this helps.

Rev. Eric J. Brown
Zion Lutheran Church – Lahoma, OK