LCMS Clergy to Debate Definition of God:
Clergy Witnesses Wanted
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Clergy who are seeking a broader definition of the Trinity may also be placing the soul salvation of all who agree to these innovations in danger of eternal damnation.

For the first time in its history, LCMS clergy will meet to debate the definition of the Trinity. The meeting will take place at St. John's Lutheran Church, in Fraser, MI on February 26, 2002 at 9:00 am.

Long standing differences in the Synod on open communion, the Creeds, worship, fellowship, and authority of Scripture are all related to the Synod's understanding of God, as expressed in the doctrine of the Trinity.

On June 26, 2001, Doctor Waldo Werning filed charges against Pastor Jack Cascione of St. Clair Shores, MI. Werning claims that Cascione broke the Eighth Commandment. Cascione wrote, "Werning's writing on the Trinity is false doctrine as found on pages 33-34 of Werning's book, 'Health and Healing for the LCMS.'"

"Jesus First," a Synod-wide organization that promoted Dr. Gerald Kieschnick as LCMS President at the 2001 Convention, endorses Werning's book.

South Wisconsin District officials, Rev. Ronald Krug, Circuit Counselor, Rev. Paul Borgman, District Vice-President, and Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Meyer, District President, published letters declaring Cascione guilty of breaking the Eighth Commandment for condemning Werning's writing on the Trinity. They also publicly endorsed Werning's teaching on the Trinity.

Witnesses who have been invited by Werning to speak in defense of his teaching are: Dr. John Heins, Past President of the LCMS Council of District Presidents and the Michigan District, Rev. Toshio Okamoto, Past First Vice President of the Michigan District, Rev. John Reusch, Rev. Wayne Pohl, and Rev. Elmer Scheck.

Interested LCMS pastors who wish to be witnesses at the meeting are asked to register their names with Secretary Lois Engel at 586-294-0640. They may also email, pastorcascione@juno.com or write to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 30003 Jefferson Ave. St. Clair Shores, MI 48082.

Cascione wrote to Werning, "Unless these clergy who come with you are able to convince me from the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions that what you teach publicly in your book about the Trinity is true, I will continue to publicly denounce your teaching about the Trinity as false doctrine."

The following are quotations from Werning's book, rejected by Cascione:

1. "Truly knowing the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as Christ, guides to new experiences with God."
2. "The Three-fold Art of Experiencing God"
3. "experience Christ as Savior through prayer,"
4. "experiencing God in a three-fold manner"
5. "God revealed Himself in three ways"
6. "three manners of being (God above us, God among us, God in us)"
7. "three levels of reality [in God] (nature, history, existence)"
8. "three ways in which God reveals Himself"
9. "three forms of address [from God] ('You shall!,' 'You may!,' 'You can!')"
10. "we also reduce our possibilities of experiencing God"
11. "one of the three ways in which God has revealed Himself"

Werning was invited to present his doctrine of the Trinity to the voters' assembly of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Werning wrote back that the voters were guilty of sin, they were a kangaroo court, and that they would never judge his teaching.

LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick wrote to Werning on November 28, 2001, "Since you have neither involved yourself in informal means of reconciliation, as encouraged by President Hoesman, nor have you complied with Chapter VIII of the Bylaws, it is inappropriate to address your concerns to the President of the Synod or the Praesidium at this time."

Werning and Cascione met privately in Wisconsin on December 27, 2001. At that time Werning adamantly defended his writing about the Trinity, questioned by Cascione.

Church politics appears to run deeper than the Trinity in the LCMS. More importance is given to those who speak about God, than God.

The majority of the COP and the liberals who support "Jesus First" clearly seek broader definitions about God than allowed in the Athanasian Creed.

The promotion of contemporary worship and the Church Growth Movement in the LCMS, has pitted the desire for new creative expressions about God against the traditional confessions of the Synod, expressed as follows in the Athanasian Creed:

"Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly."

For example, Werning writes about "one of the three ways in which God has revealed Himself," while the Athanasian Creed states, "And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty." Cascione responds that just as there is only one Almighty, there can only be one revelation from God and not three revelations.

Cascione believes Werning is guilty of blasphemy and is placing the Eighth Commandment above the First Commandment.

In Cascione's opinion, if Werning's doctrine of the Trinity is the position of the LCMS, the LCMS ceases to be a Christian Church body.


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.

February 19, 2002