To Uphold Deep and Broad Study of Holy Scripture in Synod Seminaries

WHEREAS, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, have historically grounded pastoral formation in sustained, direct engagement with the text of Holy Scripture in the original languages; and

WHEREAS, Faithful pastoral ministry requires not merely acquaintance with the biblical text through secondary sources, but the ability to read, translate, and interpret Holy Scripture firsthand for preaching, teaching, catechesis, pastoral care, evangelism, and defense of the faith; and

WHEREAS, The Church benefits when pastors are formed to handle the Word of God with confidence rooted in direct textual study rather than dependence upon external aids alone; and

WHEREAS, Our Lord commands His Churchto love God not only with heart and soul but also with mind (Matt. 22:37), and St. Paul exhorts ministers to “rightly handl[e] the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15); and

WHEREAS, St. Paul pronounces the very words of Scripture and indeed every word of Scripture as “God-breathed and useful” (2 Tim. 3:16 NIV) and himself declares and defends the Gospel of Christ with arguments based on the precise wording of the sacred Scriptures; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Luther warned that the devil himself seeks to deprive the Church of the biblical languages: “We do not see many instances where the devil has allowed [Greek and Hebrew] to flourish by means of the universities and monasteries; indeed, these have always raged against the languages and are even now raging. For the devil smelled a rat, and perceived that if the languages were revived a hole would be knocked in his kingdom which he could not easily stop up again. Since he found he could not prevent their revival, he now aims to keep them on such slender rations that they will of themselves decline and pass away. They are not a welcome guest in his house, so he plans to offer them such meager entertainment that they will not prolong their stay. Very few of us, my dear sirs, see through this evil design of the devil” (Luther’s Works 45:358); and whereas Dr. Luther perceived that nothing less than the Gospel itself was at stake: “In proportion then as we value the gospel, let us zealously hold to the languages. For it was not without purpose that God caused his Scriptures to be set down in these two languages alone—the Old Testament in Hebrew, the New in Greek” (ibid., 359); and

WHEREAS, Dr. C.F.W. Walther envisioned thus regarding his seminary in 1883: “In this house, neither the word of man nor the wit and wisdom of man, but rather the Word of God and the entire Word of God, and that which serves the elucidation and application of that Word, shall be studied with un wearied diligence, day after day, from the first rays of the morning until late after nightfall” (cf. C.F.W. Walther, “1883 Dedication Address,” Concordia Journal 15 no. 3 [July 1989]: 224); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod seminaries, across all their programs, maintain and enhance courses of study that attend to careful, thorough study of Holy Scripture and ensure that all pastors certified for ordination demonstrate strong knowledge of and glad reception of “the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the … only true standard or norm by which all teachers and doctrines are to be judged” (FC SD, Comprehensive Summary, 3); and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm and encourage the seminaries to maintain and deepen rigorous instruction in the original languages of Holy Scripture, emphasizing direct translation and exegetical engagement with the biblical text; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage the seminaries to resist trends toward reduced or merely introductory engagement with the biblical languages in pastoral formation; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod seminaries be commended and encouraged to double down on forming pastors who are capable of independent, faithful handling of the scriptural text in the original languages for the sake of the Church’s preaching and teaching; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod seminaries in still in our future pastors those habits and disciplines that maintain the ongoing study of Scripture, including the knowledge and use of the biblical languages, throughout a lifetime of ministry, and that circuits and districts foster and encourage the same; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for His Word and pray for pastors formed to proclaim it faithfully and confidently.