To Cease and Desist Publication of Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications

WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus says, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:6) and St. Paul says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9); and

WHEREAS, St. Paul warns us, “Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Rom. 16:17) and encourages men in the Office of the Ministry to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9); and

WHEREAS, It is fully in accordance with our Lutheran Symbols to demand an unconditional subscription by the teachers of our Church of those Symbols, because the Symbols themselves declare, “We have mentioned only those things we thought it was necessary to talk about so that it would be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies we have received nothing contrary to Scripture or the Church universal. It is clear that we have been very careful to make sure no new ungodly doctrine creeps into our churches” (Augsburg Confession Conclusion 5); and

WHEREAS, C.F.W. Walther, the founder of our Synod, taught, “It is furthermore fully in accord with the practice of our Church to demand an unequivocal subscription from its public teachers” (Walther, “Why Should Our Pastors, Teachers, and Professors Subscribe Unconditionally to the Symbolic al Writings of Our Church”; essay delivered at the Western District Convention in 1858. Taken from Concordia Theological Monthly April 1947; Vol. 28, No. 4); and

WHEREAS, The teachers of the Church have great impact on the harmony among our congregations and on the eternal welfare of their hearers, asour Symbols also attest: “schisms in matters of faith have also happened in our time,” and “such matters also concern the laity and the salvation of their souls” (Formula of Concord [FC] Solid Declaration [SD] Summary Content, Rule, and Norm [SC] 4– 5); and

WHEREAS, The recent publication of Luther’s Large Catechism: With Annotations and Contemporary Applications itself states that it “seeks to teach the baptized” by being a resource “for the whole church,” serving as a “cate cheti cal compendium for adults,” “that seeks to be both comprehensive and apologetic” (Rev. John T. Pless and Rev. Larry M. Vogel, Luther’s Large Catechism: With Annotations and Contemporary Applications [St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2023], 23); and

WHEREAS, Luther’s Large Catechism: With Annotations and Contemporary Applications contains essays written by those who would teach the Church, yet have not unconditionally subscribed to the Lutheran Symbols; and

WHEREAS, Some of those teachers have made public confessions that blatantly contradict our Confession and who, by remaining in fellowship with their heterodox churches, maintain only a conditional subscription to our Lutheran Symbols; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention call upon the Church to immediately cease and desist publication, sales, and distribution of Luther’s Large Catechism: With Annotations and Contemporary Applications.