The ACELC exists "to give a united voice against errors that are officially adopted in convention, tolerated, and/or promoted in the LCMS.”

    The Binding Key

The conference this last summer was my first time attending an ACELC event. I was intrigued by the topic of Ecclesiastical Supervision. This is a topic which has been discussed a lot in our Synod over the past few years. Sadly, the discussion has produced very little fruit. I was not disappointed with the presentations that were given at the conference. Every presentation had merit and the presenters clearly spent a significant effort in putting these papers together.

One such paper and presentation that I particularly enjoyed was “The Binding Key: The Lutheran Theology of Church Discipline.” That paper by Pr. Rojas was very well done and thoroughly researched. The case is clearly made from Scripture and the Confessions about the importance of the Office of the Keys. The effort of the paper is to reinforce and reintroduce into our modern context a discussion about the binding key in particular. Pr. Rojas makes the case that many of the issues that are seen on not only the Synodical level but even the congregational level are due to Christians having forgotten or intentionally not using the binding key. He lays this at the feet of not just laity, but clergy as well.

The paper has a theme that was heard often in the conference, which is that there is a strain of unbelief that is poisoning much of the belief and practice of Christians in the modern American Church. We are all too glad to take God at his Word when he says things that we like or that make us feel good, but are quick to dismiss the very same God and his Word when he says things that are hard.

Nonetheless, Pr. Rojas makes the point that all of Scripture is useful for us Christians and everything that has been given to us by God is good. For that reason, we would do well to listen to our God and obey him in all things. There is much more in the paper that is worth reading or hearing from the presentation and I encourage all to make use of this resource that the conversation may be extended amongst our brother pastors throughout the Synod and even perhaps within the congregations of Synod.

Rev. Quinton Cundiff

Trinity Lutheran Church

Amherst, NE