# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S835
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

250 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

[604] , :
To Rescind Resolution 2 of 1938 on Church Union -

DEarR FATHERS AND BRETHREN IN CuRrIstT: ,

WHEREAS, The Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions °°
demand that Christians “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace,” i, e., strive for doctrinal unity; and

the American Lutheran Church, especially in those fundamental
doctrines which have been so long in controversy between us; and’:
Wuereas, The “doctrinal basis for future fellowship between _
the Missouri Synod and the American Lutheran Church,” adopted
in 1938, is ambiguous, containing, as it does, not one but three docu-
ments, the Brief Statement of the Missouri Synod, the Declaration
of the representatives of the American Lutheran Church, and the
provisions of the entire report of Committee 16, with Synod’s ac-
tions thereon; containing, furthermore, such conflicting statements
as: Brief Statement: “Not to be included in the number of open
questions are the following: the doctrine of the Church and the
Ministry, of Sunday, of Chiliasm, and of Antichrist, these doctrines
being clearly defined in Scripture”; the Declaration of the repre-
sentatives of the A. L, C., in which certain specified views on these
points are voiced: “If the honorable Synod of Missouri will...
declare that the points mentioned ... are not disruptive of Church-
fellowship, the American Lutheran Church stands ready officially .,.
to declare itself in doctrinal agreement with the honorable Synod
of Missouri and to enter into pulpit- and altar-fellowship with it”;
and Report of Committee 16: “In some non-fundamental points
concerning the doctrine of the Last Things the Declaration of the
American Lutheran Church representatives asks tolerance for cer+
tain teachings and interpretations which have been rejected in: our
circles,” which virtually makes open questions of these points; and
Wuereas, This “doctrinal basis for union” has by many been
interpreted to mean that we are in full doctrinal agreement with
the American Lutheran Church, whereas both in 1938 and in 1941
Synod resolved that “we endeavor to establish full agreement”
(Proceedings, 1938, p. 232, 3), “that we continue our negotiations
with the American Lutheran Church in an effort to establish doc- .
trinal unity” (Proceedings, 1941, p.301,5); and
Wuereas, This ambiguity: has given rise to grave misunder-
standings which threaten the unity of our own Synod and the -
Synodical Conference and which hamper our efforts to attain true
doctrinal unity with the Ameritan Lutheran Church; and