To Recognize the Organization 1517 as Heterodox Tract and Mission Society

WHEREAS, The first objective of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) is to “Conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10) …” (Constitution Article III 1); and

WHEREAS, As a condition of acquiring and holding membership in the Synod, as stated in Const. Art. VI 2 of the Constitution of the Synod, every congregation and minister must agree to: such as: … c. Participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities. and

WHEREAS, The Scriptural basis for this requirement is expounded in the Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod:

28. On Church-Fellowship. – Since God ordained that His Word only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31,32; 1 Tim. 6:3,4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church- fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2Tim. 2:17–21 (LCMS, A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod [adopted 1932], Of the Church); and

WHEREAS, The organization known as “1517” is a tract and mission society: its web site states that it “creates and distributes theological resources and apologetic resources” (tracts) and that its mission is “to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of Christ alone” (mission society); and

WHEREAS, The organization 1517 holds itself out as “rooted in the legacy of Martin Luther,” yet 1517 is causing theological confusion and sowing the tares of false doctrine among the LCMS, its clergy, and the members of its congregations, by its actions such as:

• promoting the work of Rev. Dr. Steven Paulson, an ordained clergyman on the clergy roster of the apostate Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and head of Luther House of Study of Sioux Falls Seminary (a “nondenominational” seminary), as 1517’s Senior Scholar in Residence;

• promoting non-Lutheran and non-LCMS authors, teachers, conference speakers, and podcast ers as teachers of the faith;

• lifting up men who are not qualified to be teachers in the LCMS and have been removed from the roster of the LCMS as teachers of the faith; and

• producing works containing heterodox theology yet holding the same out as “Lutheran” resources; and

WHEREAS, By its statements and actions, the organization 1517 is a heterodox tract and mission society; and

WHEREAS, “One who practices church fellowship with those who in their doctrine depart from God’s Word becomes guilty of their sin. 2 John 11 states explicitly: ‘He that bid de th him[who does not bring the doctrine of Christ] Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds’” (Francis Pieper, D.D., Christian Dogmatics, Vol. I [St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950], 569); therefore be it

Resolved, That the organization 1517 be recognized as a heterodox tract and mission society; and be it further

Resolved, That the Wyoming District Pastoral Conference memorialize the Synod in convention to instruct the respective individual members, members of congregations, agencies, Synodwide corporate entities, and recognized service organizations of the LCMS who are associated with 1517 be admonished by their respective ecclesiastical supervisors or pastors as to the requirements for membership in the Synod with regard to heterodox tract and mission societies, in a fraternal manner, to correct such error and promote the unity of the true faith.