In Statu Confessionis: What Does This Mean?

"We believe, teach, and confess that in a time of persecution, when an unequivocal confession of the faith is demanded of us, we dare not yield to the opponents in such indifferent matters. As the Apostle wrote, 'Stand firm in the freedom for which Christ has set us free, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery' [Gal. 5:1]. And: 'Do not put on the yoke of others; what partnership is there between light and darkness?' [2 Cor. 6:14]. 'So that the truth of the Gospel might always remain with you, we did not submit to them even for a moment' [Gal. 2:5]. For in such a situation it is no longer indifferent matters that are at stake. The truth of the gospel and Christian freedom are at stake. The confirmation of open idolatry, as well as the protection of the weak in faith from offense, is at stake. In such matters we can make no concessions but must offer an unequivocal confession and suffer whatever God sends and permits the enemies of His Word to inflict on us"
[Formula of Concord-Epitome, Article X,6].

"The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is never present where lies are told. There is actually more unity of the church present where Christians of differing confession honorably determine that they do not have the same understanding of the Gospel than where the painful fact of confessional splintering is hidden behind a pious lie."

-- Hermann Sasse, "Union and Confession"

A brief summary of what it is to be "in statu confessionis"

"Nihil est adiaphoron in statu confessionis et scandali."

SCRIPTURAL BASIS OF THIS QUARANTINE:

2 John 9-11 - Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching,do not receive him in your house and do not give him a
greeting: for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deed.

1 Corinthians 5:11 - I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an idolater, or a reviler, or a swindler not even to eat with such a one.

Romans 16:17 - Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and offenses contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

Mark 6:1 - Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake off the dust from the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.

Titus 3:10: Reject a man causing divisions after a first and second warning.

What follows is simply a brief description of what it is to enter into a status confessionis and a few of its practical implications. These thoughts are gleaned from several essays and materials and are not original.

To declare that one is in statu confessionis is to pronounce a state of confessional protest against an ecclesial entity which has become heterodox, such an entity being in violation of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. This declared critical state of affairs is a public, churchly, and confessional form of protest and is the most potent type of protest that can be made. To declare a status confessionis is a solemn and weighty matter. It is an exercise of the office of the keys.

To declare a state of confessional protest is something done for the sake of the saving Gospel of Christ. It is done pastorally in concern for the faith of those in error and for preserving the pure preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of the holy sacraments in the Church. It is intended to bring to repentance those who have fallen into false doctrine and errant practice.

This state of confessional protest is exhibited by severing fellowship with those in one's church body which teach false doctrine and those which support false teaching either actively in word and deed or by indifference or sticking one's head in the sand. The status confessionis means that pulpit fellowship is suspended provisionally with those pastors and church officials of one's own church body which propagate false doctrine either actively or through passivity (2 Thess. 3:13-15; Romans 16:17).

In addition to this, to declare a status confessionis means to cease and desist from all activities of word and deed which support the ministry of those within one's church body who are propagating false doctrine actively or by indifference. Finally, it should be noted that being in statu confessionis is only to be a provisional (transitional) condition in which the orthodox party remains under affliction until either full doctrinal orthodox is reached or is summarily rejected in unrepentance. It is not meant to be a permanent state of affairs - something which would be harmful if allowed to remain permanent.

How A State of Confession Is Declared By Pastors and Congregations...

1. Pastors of congregation should thoroughly catechize prepare their congregations generally and in the issues at hand. Patience and perseverence should be counseled.

2. Pastors and congregations should draft a letter of protest outlining the issues at hand and giving a clear and consise explanation of errors being protested. Those engaging in the status confessionis are to publicly declare that the church body or synod (especially certain pastors, congregations, or officials) are heterodox, giving clear theological argumentation from Scripture and the Confessions, along with any relevant church law or the constitution of the church.

3. The orthodox party must declare itself out of external fellowship (pulpit and altar) with those within the church body (synod) which teach, practice, and support (actively or by indifference) the false teachings. This includes severing of pulpit and altar fellowship in parishes, church worker conferences, church conventions, and in heterodox missionary projects. This also implies that in the long run the orthodox party would only continue in such activities with those joining in the state of confessional protest, provided they are in full doctrinal agreement and do not merely have a common complaint.

4. The orthodox party must declare that such heterodoxy is intolerable and an affront to Christ and therefore must be changed if the orthodox party is going to remain a voluntary member of the church body (synod). In effect, however, it is truly the heterodox party which leaves.

5. Pastors, professors, church officials, and other church workers joining in the public state of protest against the heterodox must explain to the church body and their congregations and institutions the nature of the heterodoxy and the reason for the action that is being taken and its necessity.

6. Clergy and congregations entering the state of confessional protest must not, by their stewardship of time, financial, and other resources,support heterodox pulpits, altars, nor missionary activities. Hence, this may imply that certain mission funds and efforts be redirected toward confessional Lutheran causes. If there are worthy mission projects and congregations being supported by districts or synods, they may be support by direct means rather than through the heterodox body.

7. It should be noted that a status confessionis doctrine and practice is fundamentally different from so-called "selective fellowship" in that in a state of confession view fellowship is established or broken on the basis of unity in confession whereas "selective fellowship" is based upon mere conservatism - establishing comfortable levels of error or agreement rather than orthodoxy.

A state of confessional protest is based upon sound doctrine, not preserving bureaucratic structures. A state of confession recognizes that external fellowship and unity is based upon agreement in orthodox doctrine and that practice is not unrelated (lex orandi, lex credendi and vice versa). A selective fellowship practice virtually understands these issues in reverse. Agreement in doctrine is made at the lowest common denominator or an Aristotelian "happy middle" within the already established external fellowship of the respective church body (synod). Orthodoxy in the selective fellowship paradigm then become more of a sociological description of theology (a kind of survey) rather than a confession of the canonical anad unchanging revelation of the living God in His written Word. In this sense "selective fellowship" exhibits enthusiasm - establishing orthodoxy on the basis of our own preparations, thoughts and works. However, doctrine is not democratic.

Status confessionis flows from confessional subscription and a pastor's ordination vows, whereas selective fellowship practice requires now definite commitment or firm confession of faith. All selective fellowship requires is a general institutional conservatism -- and even that is negotiable. In the end selective fellowship relies upon tolerating falsehood and heterodox practice.

Finally a status confessionis perspective gives comfort in the Truth of Christ which remains unchanged, wheras selective fellowship finds comfort in organizations, bureaucracies, and ultimately results in a false sense of security placing faith and hope in an undeserving object, since it is not placed in Christ's purely preached Gospel and the rightly administered sacraments (Augustana VII).

8. In beginning the process of declaring a status confessionis, those involved should from the outset build as much outward and inward unity as well as communication and organization as possible in the event that an inadequate response to the concerns raised occurs. Both boldness and organization needed.