"The Only Remedy is the Diligent Study of the Word of God"

As quoted by Rev. Matthew Harrison, Executive Director of World Relief and Human Care... fascinating, eye-opening words from then-LCMS President F. Pfotenhauer, in his 1923 Synod Address:

Our Confessions, therefore declare: “We believe, teach, and confess that the sole rule and standard according to which all dogmas together with all teachers should be estimated and judged are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament alone, as it is written Psalm 119:105: ‘Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,’ and St. Paul: ‘Though an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you, let him be accursed,’ Galatians 1:8” [Formula of Concord, Epitome, Summary Rule and Norm; Triglotta, 777].

Hence, if a church-body wishes to be preserved from party spirit or be cured of this malady when it has broken out, the only remedy is diligent study of God’s Word. The Word of God has the property of unifying and preserving in unity. Those who say that doctrines should not be discussed in order to avoid divisions within the church do not know what they are talking about. Luther writes in the Smalcald Articles: “Therefore the church can never be better governed and preserved than if we all live under one head, Christ, and all the bishops, equal in office (although they be unequal in gifts), be diligently joined in unity of doctrine, faith, Sacraments, prayer and works of love” [Smalcald Article II/IV, 9; Triglotta, 473].

Our Synod has so far been preserved from party spirit. Although its members are scattered over distant lands and differ much as to conditions and manner of living and external interests, still there are no different tendencies, no divisions, among us despite our many frail- ties and weaknesses. It would be unheard of within our Synod to speak of a liberal party in opposition to a conservative party. We are all joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. One and the same spirit prevails in all our district conventions and in all our educational institutions. That such is the case we owe not to ourselves, but to the Word of God, which has been diligently preached and studied in our midst ever since the organization of our Synod and is still preached and studied in our churches and schools, at our conferences and synodical meetings. In our midst the Word of God has revealed its power to create and preserve unity. On the one hand, in divine matters, it permitted no other voice than that of Jesus to gain authority among us; on the other hand, it prevented the adiaphora from becoming so prominent as to estrange and to divide us inwardly, so that they were decided, often after a spirited debate, either by the minority’s submitting to the majority or by the majority’s yielding to the minority when that was demanded by charity.

May the faithful God restrain and ward off from us all doctrinal indifference which seeks to insinuate itself into our midst, so that we may confess with the fathers of our Synod: “Thy testimonies are my counselors.” Then we shall continue peacefully in one mind in spite of the fury of the devil, the world, and our flesh; we shall prove ourselves a salt in this unionistic age and be able to do the great work of the church in a God-pleasing manner. To this end may the Lord bless our present convention!

Let our prayer be the closing sigh of the authors of the Formula of Concord: “May Almighty God and the Father of our Lord Jesus grant the grace of His Holy Ghost that we all may be one in Him and constantly abide in this Christian unity, which is well-pleasing to Him! Amen” [Formula of Concord, Epitome XI, 23; Triglotta, 837].