# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S498
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

498 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

tinctive confession, they are not speaking the same thing, nor are
they joined together in the same mind and judgment.

The present situation forbids us to propose that altar and
pulpit fellowship be established with the American Lutheran
Church. But since this church body has continued its Fellowship
Commission, and since the members of this Commission have
assured us of their willingness and desire to seek to establish doc-
trinal unity with us on the basis of Scripture, we recommend that
Synod declare its readiness to continue efforts in that direction,
in the hope of eventually achieving, by the grace of God, a single
document that will give expression to a full and wholehearted
agreement between the American Lutheran Church and our Synod
in all doctrines of the Holy Scriptures and in Scriptural practice.

Since the Doctrinal Affirmation and its “Clarifications” have
been eliminated by the American Lutheran Church as a basis of
doctrinal unity between itself and our Synod, no action is required
by our Synod with regard to these documents, either by way of
accepting them or of rejecting them.

The American Lutheran Church has adopted the principle of
selective fellowship in the hope of promoting unity with our Synod
and with the United Lutheran Church. In this connection it must
be remembered that the purpose of our Synod is joint defense
against schism and sectarianism, Rom. 16:17. What God has com-
manded every pastor, every congregation, and every Christian
to do, namely, to avoid those that cause divisions and offenses
contrary to the doctrine which we have learned, we are pledged
by membership in our Synod to do jointly or collectively. Joint
defense implies and demands joint action in establishing fellowship
with other church bodies or their component parts. Independent
action in the establishment of fellowship by individual members
must be regarded as an offense against faithfulness to one’s mem-
bership pledge, a breach of confidence, which, if persisted in, would
lead to separation or disruption.

- On this principle that every. member of Synod has foregone
the right to establish fellowship with another church body inde-
pendently is based Synod’s repeated warning given at St. Louis, and
again at Fort Wayne, that no action be taken by any of our pastors
or congregations which would overlook the fact that we are not
yet united. At Saginaw the attention of the members of Synod
was called to the resolution of 1941 which warns all concerned
against forcing the issue and establishing any form of outward
fellowship (prayer, pulpit, or altar fellowship), since this would
militate against the law of love and the spirit of fellowship.

The adoption of the principle of selective fellowship by the
American Lutheran Church must be regretted and its application