Werning Calls Redeemer Lutheran Church "Sinful" & Threatens Lawsuit
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

Doctor Waldo Werning describes Redeemer's invitation to meet with them as: " . . . the sinful actions of the Voters of Redeemer Lutheran Church, St. Clair Shores, Michigan." He wrote this after receiving a resolution from Redeemer requesting that he meet with them and bring all the LCMS pastors he would like to invite. Werning accuses us of sin but won't meet with us.

President Kieschnick is now exempt from all charges filed by anyone in the Synod. He in turn has exonerated Atlantic District President Dr. David Benke. However, Redeemer Lutheran Congregation and its pastor must suffer charges of libel and slander from Werning because we correctly defend the doctrine of the Trinity.

Werning writes to Redeemer Lutheran Church, "your pastor is acting as Judge in the place of Jesus." Werning does not acknowledge that according to Walther in matters of doctrine the Voters' are supreme. In his latest seven page letter, Werning has rejected their invitation to meet with him and writes: "Dr. Waldo Werning will not be tried in the 'kangaroo court' of Redeemer Lutheran Church Voters' Assembly . . ." We read here Werning's distain for LCMS congregational Voters' Assemblies.

Werning says the Voters are acting without, "any evidence" because he doesn' t believe that the statements he writes about the Trinity in his book "Health and Healing For the LCMS" about the Trinity, are false.

Since June 2001, Werning has pummeled Redeemer Lutheran Church with 70 to 75 pages of letters. His most recent letter was seven single-spaced-pages long. Circuit Counselor John Merrill has just received 27 pages of letters from Werning in one mailing.

Werning is threatening to take Redeemer Lutheran Church to court. He writes: "Are you aware of the fact that I can bring Rev. Cascione, the Board of Elders and the Voters of Redeemer Lutheran Church of St. Clair, Michigan into court for slander and defamation of character by your acting as prosecuting attorney, judge and jury . . .?" Yes, Werning should take us to court and put his blasphemy on trial.

Werning shows his flair for stewardship when claims that Redeemer Lutheran Church owes him $2,000.00. He writes to Redeemer, "Do you realize that ethically and morally you of Redeemer Church owe me over $2000 for wasted office and secretarial expenses since June 24?" He seems to have forgotten that he is the one who filed the charges. This means in his mind if he writes more letters, the congregation will owe him more money.

According to the LCMS Dispute Resolution Process, Werning's charges against Cascione are supposed to be confidential. However, every letter he sends is copied to 16 Synodical officials and pastors, in addition to the officers and Voters' Assembly of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Werning also sent our congregation 2 full pages of single spaced copy explaining why Doctor Weinrich and Doctor Scaer, both on the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, are also teaching incorrectly about the Trinity and Christology.

On pages 33 and 34 of his book, Werning claims that the Holy Trinity has three separate revelations, three forms of communication and three experiences for Christians.

In defense of this heresy Werning writes to Redeemer, "Does God the Father as a Person of the Godhead reveal Himself in creation and in judging mankind? Does God the Son as a Person of the Godhead reveal Himself as both divine and human, and as the Savior of the world on the Cross? Does God the Holy Spirit as a Person of the Godhead reveal himself as dove at the baptism of Jesus, as the Comforter, and as one who enlightens our minds to understand the Scriptures?"

Werning falsely claims that the three Persons of the Trinity are three separate activities in God. There is no question that the Apostles' Creed correctly identifies the three Persons with three works. However, Werning fails to understand that these Persons are not limited to these three works. Each of the Persons of the Trinity is involved with creation, redemption, and comforting and yet their works are one work and one communication by one God.

For example: "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30) "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (John 14:9) "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3) These are just a few examples of Werning's problem when he limits each person of the Trinity to three specific activities as if each Person of the Trinity has His separate revelation, communication, and experience for us.

Luther disagrees with Werning when he writes: "In this unique essence there are three Persons but only one God, one single Godhead; there is only one God. HENCE JESUS CHRIST IS THE CREATOR AND PRESERVER OF ALL THINGS, TOGETHER WITH GOD THE FATHER, and-after His birth from the Virgin Mary-true God and also true man." Luther's Works Vol. 22 page 16

Luther explains that the Trinity should be called, "He" and not "They" and there is only one work and one word in God, even if the Voice of God the Father, and the Dove were present at the baptism of Christ.

Luther writes in opposition to Werning's three revelations in God: "He [Jacob] does not say: 'May They bless,' using the plural number. Nor does he repeat. No, he joins the three Persons in the one work of blessing-God the Father, God the Shepherd [The Holy Spirit], and the Angel [Jesus Christ]. Accordingly, these three are one God and one Blesser. The Angel [Jesus Christ]does the same work that the Shepherd [The Holy Spirit] and the God of his fathers does. . . . It is the same will and the same work. Nevertheless, there are three distinct Persons. Therefore Augustine was right when he said: 'The external works of the Godhead are indivisible.' Thus God's blessing is identical with that of His Son, the Angel." (Footnote: This Trinitarian interpretation of Gen. 48:15-16 goes back in the exegetical tradition at least as far as Athanasian, "Discourses Against the Arians." (Luther's Works 8:164-165)

Werning invents a false god and idol when he divides the works of God into three revelations, three communications, and three experiences.

In response to Werning's heresy we read in Christian Dogmatics, Pieper writes, Vol. I page 383,
"a. The names Father, Son, and Holy Ghost can denote only three self-subsisting persons. No one who hears these names of God will think of three modes of appearance or three activities of the same."

"Modalistic Monarchianism as developed under him is known as Sabellianism: God, the absolute monad, reveals Himself successively 3 prosopa (Gk. 'faces '), each representing the entire monad (Father: Creator and Lawgiver; Son: Redeemer; Holy Spirit: Lifegiver). Opposed by Dionysius of Alexandria. See also Unitarianism." (Lutheran Cyclopedia, CPH, 1975, page 553)

Werning again defends his heresy of three communications, revelations, and experiences in God as follows: "Does Rev. Cascione really believe that the Triune God with Whom everything is possible, and with Whom no thing is impossible, cannot communicate in any manner or way that He desires? Does your Pastor not experience God through the study of Scriptures or through prayer?"

Here we have an example of how gross Werning's blasphemy really is. No one experiences God through prayer. There is no question that God can do all things. However, the Trinity cannot deny Himself. God cannot sin. God cannot be Baal, Buddha, Allah, or Vishnu. God cannot make a rock bigger than He can lift. God cannot have four Persons in the Trinity. God will not give three separate communications, revelations, or experiences because God is One, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Werning would have us believe that Jesus was just being hardnosed when He refused the Devil's request to make rocks into bread, or jump off the temple, or worship the Devil because he could have really done these things if He wanted to.

Luther also calls claiming to experience God the devil. Luther writes: "In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of the Papacy and Mahomet." Concordia Triglotta, Smalcald Articles, Part III Art. VIII, Page 497."

Werning rails against Weinrich and Scaer because they teach that, "All theology is Christology." It would be just as true to say that all theology is the study of God's Word. The Word became flesh.

Luther agrees with Weinrich and Scaer when he writes. "Whoever comes in touch with the man Christ also comes in touch with the Son of God. In fact, the whole Trinity is found in this Man." Luther's Works 22:346

Again Luther writes: "And when you have Him, you are grasping the very Son of God; and then you see and grasp God the Father Himself. The entire Holy Trinity is known in the Person of Christ." Luther's Works 23:89

Who unleashed the curse of Waldo Werning on Redeemer Lutheran Church an all the people who will be damned if they follow Werning's false teaching? It was "Jesus First" who endorsed his book to the entire 2001 LCMS Convention. Also, it was none other than the South Wisconsin District President, Dr. Ron Meyer, who claims in a public letter that Werning's teachings on the Trinity are orthodox.

I thank God that the Redeemer Lutheran Church Voters' Assembly has the courage to resist Werning's false teaching. I also thank God for C. F. W. Walther in his sermon, "The Sheep Judge the Shepherds" who wrote that the lay people are the final judges of doctrine in the church because it is their souls that hang in the balance. The lay people should judge all doctrine and never stop judging it.


Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.

December 13, 2001