# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S828
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

‘INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 245

The determining of the date was left to the chairman. At the writ-
ing of this report arrangements have been made for subcommittees
of the two Commissions (A.L.C. and Missouri Synod) to meet
for the framing of the one doctrinal agreement.

; Among-the matters mentioned in the resolutions of Fort Wayne
“was the continuation of joint conferences of A. L.C. and Missouri
= Synod pastors. The resolution reads, “That pastors of both church
_bodies be encouraged to continue to meet in smaller circles wher-
ever —and as often as— possible, in order to discuss both the
- doctrinal basis of unity and the questions of church practice.” In
the summer of 1943 the various Districts were circularized by our
. Committee and the officials were asked to state whether, and how
many, intersynodical meetings had been held in their District.
At that time about 120 reports were received — most of them quite
“favorable —in which the holding of such conferences was an-
nounced. It seemed wise to the Committee on Doctrinal Unity that
‘a systematic effort be made that such intersynodical meetings be
held throughout Synod. For that reason last winter the Committee
‘on Doctrinal Unity drew up a plan according to which in. about
a hundred places throughout our country intersynodical meetings
would be convened. A meeting was held in Springfield, Ill, in
which a number of brethren together with the President, the Vice-
Presidents, and the District Presidents of Synod assembled. Papers
were discussed that might be submitted at such intersynodical
meetings. In February and March quite a number, of these meet-
ings took place. At a number of places the meetings which had
been planned had to be postponed, owing to special local circum-
stances or the season of the year. The reports that have come
from these intersynodical meetings have almost uniformly been
favorable. The meetings were attended not only by American Lu-
theran Church and Missouri Synod men, but often by members of
other Lutheran bodies. The topics that were discussed pertained
to the inerrancy of the Scriptures, the purity of doctrine as a Scrip-
tural requisite for church fellowship, and the importance of Lu-
theran unity in view of the obligations and responsibilities of the
Lutheran Church in the world today. We believe that much good
-was accomplished at these conferences. It is our hope that this
spring many more such meetings will take place. Usually at these
gatherings it was resolved to meet again either in the near or at
least in the not distant future. In our conviction this points the
way to the reaching of the goal which we have in view. The synods
will have to become acquainted with each other and through joint
doctrinal discussion grow into doctrinal unity. my

As to other Lutheran bodies, for instance, the honorable United
Lutheran Church of America, we cannot report any meetings with

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