# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S516
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

516 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

To Clarify Synod’s Position on Prayer Fellowship
, (Memorial 613)

Whereas, The resolution of the Saginaw Convention in 1944
on Prayer Fellowship (Proceedings, 1944, p, 251 f.) has been mis-
interpreted and misused as though Synod had changed its position
on prayer fellowship from that set forth in the Brief Statement; and

Wuereas, It is evident that this was by no means the intention
of Synod (Proceedings, 1944, p, 251,5; and III, 2); therefore, be it

Resloved, That Synod declare that the phrase “provided that
such prayer does not imply denial of truth and support of error”
be interpreted to mean that those with whom we thus publicly
pray are in statu confessionis, i.e. have repudiated all false doc-
trine and have declared their perfect agreement with us in all
doctrines of Holy Scripture, their determination to defend such
agreement over against the church body to which they belong, and
their readiness eventually to sever their connection with such
-body if their testimony is rejected; and be it further

Resolved, That Synod most earnestly admonish all its mem-
bers to be guided by these resolutions.

St. Paut’s Ev. Lurweran Cxurcn
Curcaco Hetcurs, Int,
Wiuiam Lancsexn, Chairman
Water H. ALBRECHT, Secretary

ArtHur A. Braver, Pastor

Paragraphs on Question of Unionistic Prayer Fellowship
(Memorial 614)

The undersigned respectfully memorializes Synod to adopt the
following paragraphs in regard to our position on the question of
unionistic prayer fellowship:

We are just-as anxious to avoid separation as we are to
avoid unionism, and we consider it to be inevitable that because
of our contacts with erring Christians we shall sometimes be
accused of one or the other. This is the nature of questions of
casuistry, in which seemingly opposing principles bear upon a
given situation.

We deplore the fact that Romans 16:17-18 has sometimes
been wrongly applied to our contacts with erring Christians. This
Passage nevertheless contains a principle which excludes com-
plicity with all and every kind of error. .

None of the passages usually quoted against opening meetings
with joint prayer, for instance, with the representatives of the
American Lutheran Church, forbid all such prayers. These pas-
sages should not be applied in the same way to erring Christians