# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S517
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 517

as.we apply them to reprobates, anti-Christian errorists, enemies
~. Joint prayer is a confession of agreement on the doctrine
of Christ’s atonement, but is not necessarily a confession of agree-
ment on all details of doctrine.
_ Cases of casuistry must be decided on the principle that the
‘purpose of an organization or a meeting helps to identify it as
permitting or not permitting joint prayer. Also to be considered
is the possibility of Biblical offense and whether or not some
persons attend the meeting for a unionistic purpose.
_. We do not expect that there will ever be 100 per cent agree-
ment among Lutherans on all details of doctrine. It is our desire
to find ways to express the degree of unity which we do have
with Lutherans of other synods, at the same time striving to
‘maintain safeguards against unionism.
Fargo, N. Dak. V. M. ScHRoEDER
_ ACTION
Concerning Memorials 613 and 614 Committee 3 submitted
the following resolutions, which were adopted by Synod:
Wuereas, No pulpit and altar fellowship between the Mis-
- gouri Synod and the American Lutheran Church has as yet been
. established; and
Wuereas, God’s Word demands that all things shall be done
decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40), so that there be no confusion
and offense; and
Wuereas, We as members of Synod are united as brethren in
faith for the preservation of God’s pure Word and Scriptural
practice; therefore be it

Resolved,
A. That we re-affirm the resolutions on prayer fellowship
adopted by the Saginaw, Mich., Convention (June 21—29, 1944)
and recorded in the Proceedings of 1944 (251£.), which resolutions
read as follows: “We re-affirm the position taken at the Fort
Wayne Convention (page 303, paragraph 1) that in the meantime
it be understood that no pulpit, altar, and prayer fellowship has
been established between us and the American Lutheran Church;
and until such fellowship has been officially declared by the
synods concerned, no action is to be taken by any of our pastors
or congregations which ignore the fact that we are not yet united.
However, joint prayer at intersynodical conferences, asking
God for His guidance and blessing upon the deliberations and dis-
cussions of His Word, does not militate against the resolution of
the Fort Wayne Convention, provided such prayer does not imply
denial of truth and support of error. Local conditions will de-