# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S527
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 527

Synodical Membership
in the National Lutheran Council
(Memorial 620)
 Waerzas, Your Committee was instructed by the President
the Southeastern District to study the matter of affiliation with
the National Lutheran Council; and
Wuereas, After due study and deliberations it finds no valid
reason why the Missouri Synod should: not affiliate with the
National Lutheran Council; therefore, the Committee offers the
yy following resolution for consideration and recommends favorable
ction:
i, WHEREAS, Synod, in its 1944 convention, declined to apply for
_membership in the National Lutheran Council because, “according
"to the best information available,” this “would apparently involve
“our Synod in unionistic principles and endeavors beyond a mere
- co-operation in externals and thus violate Scriptural principles
- which we are bound to observe”; and
Wuerzas, The uncertainty underlying this resolution has been
since dissipated by the printing of the revised constitution of the
National Lutheran Council for the perusal of all; and
Wuerzas, Provisions have been made in this constitution to
safeguard the doctrinal position of the constituent members as
specifically stated (Preamble, p. 2); and
Wuereas, In their respective constitutions the participating
Lutheran church bodies accept the Holy Scriptures as the Word
of God and the only source, norm, and guide of Christian faith
and life; and
Wuereas, In their respective constitutions the participating
bodies accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and Luther’s
Catechism as the true exposition and presentation of the doctrine
of the Holy Scriptures; and
Wuereas, The participating bodies are of the conviction that
they can and should serve the Lutheran Church at large by
co-operating in matters of common interest and responsibility,
co-operation in which does not affect their distinctive principles;
“Therefore said church bodies do hereby establish and will
maintain a common agency - - 2”; and
Wuereas, Furthermore, it is specifically stated that membership
in the Council does not necessarily obligate a participating synod
to participate in every project of the Council, as set forth in
Article X, Section 6: ;
“A participating body may determine the extent of its par-
ticipation in the work of the Council; and its non-participa-