Replies to Kieschnick on the Radio and in the Phoenix Tribune
Edited by Rev. Jack Cascione

 

LCMS Vicar writes:

"I had the opportunity to listen to Hank Hanegraff's 'Bible Answer Man' and Dr. Kieschnick's interview as recorded on Tuesday, March 26, 2002. While I firmly agree with your observation about his response to the question about baptismal regeneration, I also found his response to a caller identified as "Bob" from Florida equally disturbing. "Bob's" second question dealt with the basis of truth for the doctrine we teach in the LCMS. Dr. Kieschnick's response, as I heard it, leads one to believe that as long as the doctrine stands the test of time, the test of scrutiny, the test of debate and the test of challenge, then it must be true. Nowhere in his response did he state that the basis of each and every doctrine must be the Holy Scriptures. In other words, if we can agree together on what is to be taught as doctrine, then it must be true, never mind what the Bible says. Sounds eerily like Rome!"

It sounds like in practice President Kieschnick cannot not be challenged and he has removed the Holy Word of God from being the only norm and source of all doctrine!


Pastor From Missouri Writes:

"I think Pres. Kieschnick's comments below probably reflect mistakes or lack of knowledge rather than rejection of doctrine. It goes to the question of the theological ability of the man leading us as a Synod.

Quotes from Pres. Kieschnick on the radio (The Bible Answer Man).

On Election:

Pres. Kieschnick says: "We don't believe that God specifically points to certain individuals and says, 'You are elected to be saved.' We don't believe that God points to other individuals and says; you are not elected to be saved. We believe that God says, 'you all are already saved, you, some of you, just simply have not and will not accept that objective reality.'"

It appears that Kieschnick tried to answer the unanswerable question about why some and not others have eternal life. We cannot say that people are not saved because they "will not accept that objective reality." No one by his own power can "accept" the objective reality of Christ's saving work. There is no answer to election but the grace of God.


President Kieschnick is quoted in the Saturday, March 30, 2002, edition of "The Tribune," in the article titled "Missouri synod leader accused of breaking church law in post-9/11 prayers" by Lawn Griffiths as follows:

"The biggest challenge for the denomination, he said, is finding "consensus on what really is the reason for our existence."

He said the debate seems centered on two issues: "Mission, reaching out to lost people for Christ" or "hanging onto the truth that preserves it for generations to come."

We reply to President Kieschnick, "If you don't have the truth it isn't possible to reach out to lost souls. In fact, it is pointless. Kieschnick has made the doctrine of the Synod a burden rather than its foundation.


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.

April 02, 2002