# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S341 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) -466 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL, MATTERS : with the sanction of the Faculty is practiced by some of: students of our St. Louis Seminary in the Association Lutheran Seminarians? Lutheran Witness, November of 1947, * . 18, G. Do you approve of or do you condemn the unionism pra - ticed by some of our Youth leaders at All-Lutheran Youth Conferences, as well as their efforts to arrange an Ajj Lutheran Youth Congress, an All-Lutheran Youth azin - All-Lutheran Study Topics, etc.? — Lutheran. Standa % July 2, 1949— Lutheran Witness, February. 11, 1947, No. vember 16, 1948 — American Lutheran, October, 1948. H. Do you approve of or do you condemn the unionism that is practiced brazenly in many sections of our Synod by both pastors and laymen in actual worship services and in open. ing and closing devotions at All-Lutheran meetings, All. Lutheran councils, All-Lutheran welfare organizations, ete? Examples are so numerous and so well known that an enumeration is not necessary. I. Do you approve of or do you condemn the publishing in the Lutheran Witness without a word of condemnation or warn- ing of such incidents? March 11, 1947— March 25, 1947 — March 9, 1948 — Dec. 14, 1948, . J. Do you approve of or do you condemn the use of our official publication, the Lutheran Witness; to make propaganda for the unscriptural principles of fellowship urged in “A State- ment”? December 16, 1947— March 23, 1948— December 14, .., 1948 — May 18, 1948 — May 3, 1949, . 2. Plead in deep earnestness that the Hon. Synod institute effective measures AT THIS CONVENTION to remove without delay this dangerous leaven of false doctrine and practice from our body. - St. Paut’s Ev. Lutueran Cuurcu Watrer Scumecxrerer, Chairman Ratpx Braver, Secretary Artuur A. Braver, Pastor [613] Reject “A Statement” _ In 1947 Trinity Congregation laid before Synod a memorial on doctrine which rose out of the issuance of “A Statement” and its companion documents ‘(the accompanying letter and Speaking the Truth in Love). The memorial was not printed in the Book of Overtures, and the 1947 convention was not acquainted with its text. ‘The overture was listed as. “similar” to Memorial 616 (Proceedings, INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 467 7, p. 522). We hold that our congregation’s communication to 14 * i may not be characterized simply as “similar” to Memo: syn 616, since it contained a specific declaration of a member con- rial ¢ tion of Synod on doctrine and practice challenged within Fellowship and embodied specific requests for action which are our ntained in Memorial 616. Therefore the congregation reiter- not “ts memorial, with the request that it be printed in the Book a Owertures for the 1950 convention. of Also, we note the following facts: 1) The “Agreement” reached by the Presidency and signers of “A Statement” in January, 1947, id vided that “A Statement” be “withdrawn as a basis of discus- sion.” Nevertheless, Speaking the Truth in Love, a booklet con- taining “A Statement” and essays defending it, was sold on the campus of our St. Louis Seminary as late as December, 1948. We face the possibility that copies are still being sold. 2) In the 1949-50 course sheets provided for our students at the St. Louis Seminary Speaking the Truth in Love is listed for collateral reading (Orientation II, 4). Since Synod has not clearly and un- equivocally declared its position over against the documents in- volved, we face the possibility that our theological students may gain the impression that the principles and judgments contained therein are acceptable to Synod and are a correct presentation of its doctrine and practice. 3) Signers of “A Statement” have pub- licly declared, after the issuance of the “Agreement,” that they fully support “A Statement.” 4) In the three years and two months since the “Agreement” was announced the two sets of “Theses,” sponsored and prepared by the Presidency, have not covered the issues raised by “A Statement,” and it is manifest that the issues involved have not been resolved by the “Theses” provided. In view of these considerations, for the sake of those herein- after mentioned, and. in order that Synod’s confessional fellowship and unity may be maintained, we resubmit the following overture, originally adopted March 25, 1947, and request that the 1950 convention take definite action upon its petitions: Because the Word of God commands us to scrutinize and judge all doctrine and requires that the practice of church fellowship be regulated by full agreement in doctrine and confession, the members of Trinity Congregation, Oak Park, IIL, have examined “A Statement” and its accompanying documents. We have taken note of the announcement of the President of Synod that “A State- ment” and its accompanying letter are withdrawn by representa- . tives of the signers only “as a basis of discussion” and that this “shall not be interpreted as a retraction.” We have also noted the assurance given that the signers hold Synod’s Scriptural position on unionism and the divisiveness of any error persistently held, and, on the other hand, we have taken cognizance of the statement that “issues” remain and that “the issues involved” shali not now “be glossed over or ignored.”