# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S174 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 174 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS partnership and service in the mission of our church as may be deemed appropriate. First Ev. Lutheran Church Odenton, Md. James K. Georg, President Doris Hofmann, Seerctary Daniel H. Quiram, Pastor Identical or similar: 3-44B Pilgrim, Bethesda. Md. Lester Zeitler 3-45 To Assure Expertise of Doctrinal Reviewers WHEREAS, Election to a synodical board does not necessarily certify one’s competence to serve as a doctrinal reviewer; and WHEREAS, Our Synod, recognizing this fact, has established a doctrinal review process; and WHEREAS, Unfortunately many of our current doctrinal reviewers have little more qualification to undertake doctrinal review than many members of the various boards; and WHEREAS, Doctrinal review ought concern itself primarily, even exclusively, with doctrine; therefore be it Resolved, That the following changes be made in Bylaw 11.155 a: PRESENT WORDING a. Each board, commission, and other subordi- nate group of the Synod shall advise the President of the Synod of the number and desired competency of doctrinal reviewers needed by it and may suggest a list of qualified persons. The President of the Synod shall appoint reviewers for each group according to its needs. They shall be broadly representative of the ministry of the Synod. PROPOSED WORDING a. Each board, commission, and other subordinate group of the Synod shall advise the President of the Synod of the number and the general area of compe- tency of the doctrinal reviewers needed by it. The faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, as a group; the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, as a group; and the Commission on Theology and Church Relations as a group shall, for each biennium, compile a list of individuals within the Synod, either from within or from outside their own groups, who are deemed by them to be especially qualified to serve as reviewers of the doctrinal content of the items subject to the review process. The President of the Synod shall appoint doctrinal reviewers from these lists as needed. Keeping in mind the Synod’s primary concern in establishing the doctrinal review process, the appointees shall be broadly representative of the ministry of the Synod. Memorial Lutheran Church Houston, Tex. Geo. Knudsen, Pastor 3-46 To Authorize Synod to Establish a Board of Origins WHEREAS, All real truth is God’s revelation to man, and all true knowledge and truth centers in the Triune God; and WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ emphasized the impor- tance of His special creation, and the Triune God’s control over all things; and WHEREAS, An understanding of absolute Biblical truth about origins is essential fora Christian “world life view”; and WHEREAS, All forms of humanistic evolution is not science but a form of a pagan religion; therefore be it Resolved, That the Missouri Synod establish a synodical Board of Origins and that the interim Board of Origins be appointed by the synodical] President and serve for a term of two vears; and be it further, Resolved, That at the next synodical convention in 1983 a Board of Origins be elected by the assembled delegates in the manner of any other board: and be it further Resolved, That the function of the interim Board of Origins is to accomplish the following: 1. Restate the LCMS views on both Creation and evolution. using Holy Scripture as a basis in contrasting the two approaches to origins. 2. Complete and compile a list of Creation reference materials and audiovisual aids, 3. Make available a list of qualified speakers on the subject of Creation. 4. Set up appropriate workshops, seminars, conferences. etc, in all facets of origins. 5. Report to the 1983 synodical convention its reeommen- dations as to— a) the number of members to serve on the Board of Origins and the length of each term: b) the budget required for the board to perform its duties: c) a board description of its scope and activities; d) a progress report of the interim Board of Origins. St. Paul Lutheran Church Chesterton, Ind. Joseph Brennon, President ALC FELLOWSHIP 3-51A To Rescind Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with The American Lutheran Church WHEREAS, On the basis of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions the Synod has held that agreement in doctrine and practice is necessary for the establishment and main- tenance of altar and pulpit fellowship with another church body; and WHEREAS, Our Synod entered into a state of “fellowship in protest” with American Lutheran Church at the Dallas Con- vention in 1977 (Res. 3-02A), and at the St. Louis Convention in 1979 voted to continue this (Res. 3-03) and to reconsider its relationship to the ALC in the 1981 convention because of doctrinal disagreements in the areas of— a) inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture; b) the ordination of women into the pastoral office; c) the nature and basis of fellowship; d) membership and participation in ecumenical organiza- tions (unionism): and WHEREAS, Even though at the time of this writing a final report has not yet been received from the CTCR on the nature and implications of fellowship, an excellent document entitled “The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod: A Statement of Differences” has been received by every pastor and congregation; and WHEREAS, Studying this document on a point-by-point basis has led us to conclude that whatever agreement there may have been in 1969 when fellowship with the ALC was entered into by convention vote in Denver (Res. 3-15) has in fact deteriorated rather than improved since then; and WHEREAS, The concord and doctrinal unity that Scripture requires of us can no longer be maintained if we remain in fellowship or fellowship in protest with the ALC; therefore be it Resolved, That this convention of our beloved Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod with due regret declare altar and pulpit fellowship with The American Lutheran Church im- mediately rescinded, thereby immediately rescinding Denver