To Give Thanks to God for 1700th Anniversary of First Council of Nicaea

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1. 10To Give Thanks to God for 1700th Anniversary of First Council of Nicaea
2. 11RESOLUTION 5-13A
3. 12Overtures 5-37, 5-44 (CW, 358–59, 362)
4. 13WHEREAS, The year 2025 marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nica ea, its having begun in Asia
5. 14Minor on May 20, A.D. 325; and
6. 15WHEREAS, The First Council of Nicaea opposed Arianism and confessed the doctrine of the Holy Trinity from the
7. 16Scriptures, that the Son is homoousios (“of the same substance”) with the Father, equal in power, majesty, and glory;
8. 17and
9. 18WHEREAS, The confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church are in concord with the ancient symbols of the
10. 19faith, including the Nicene Creed; and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod continues to confess the doctrine of the
11. 20Holy Trinity according to the Holy Scriptures and the ecumenical creeds, especially the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds,
12. 21which deal specifically with the nature of the eternal relations between the persons of the Holy Trinity ; and
13. 22WHEREAS, Heresies, errors, and other potential misunderstandings of the doctrine taught and confessed in these
14. 23ancient ecumenical creeds are in need of renewed attention and response, including discussion surrounding the eternal
15. 24subordination of the Son (Carl L. Beckwith, “Eternal Subordination of the Son: Arianism Past and Present,” Concordia
16. 25Theological Quarterly 89, no. 4 [Oct ober 2025]: 307–28) and modern social trinitarian teachings that view God as an
17. 26inherently relational being, emphasizing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three distinct, conscious persons with three
18. 27distinct wills in an eternal, perichoretic, loving communion who serve as a model for human relationships, among others;
19. 28and
20. 29WHEREAS, Certain Christian groups have made a mockery of the ecumenical creeds by changing their language to
21. 30accommodate views at odds with biblical theology, morality, and views of gender and sexuality; therefore be it
22. 31Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of
23. 32Nicaea; and be it further
24. 33Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage ongoing catechesis of pastors, church workers, and
25. 34congregations in the classical trinitarian doctrine confessed by the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, for the sake
26. 35of the Gospel and the right confession of the Triune God, especially as it is expounded in Luther’s catechisms; and be it
27. 36finally
28. 37Resolved, That the Synod task the Commission on Theology and Church Relations with producing a study of the
29. 38texts, theology, and usage of the three ecumenical creeds and of the contemporary theological errors challenging those
30. 39creeds and their doctrine for the sake of the edification of the church.
31. 40The Chief Financial Officer and LCMS Accounting and Financial Services staff, in consultation with the Finance
32. 41Committee, anticipate no significant incremental costs as the activity is understood to be within the existing scope and
33. 42budget of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (estimate required by Bylaw 3.1.7 [g]).