# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S357
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

496 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 497

must be obeyed in every instance where the marks there given
are present; and be it furthermore

Resolved, That we petition Synod to reject the contrary

ing as being contrary to the clear Word of God and to q,

that the contrary teaching shall not be tolerated within Synods,

(Signed) (Rev.) J. Bertram, Fort Dodge, Iowa

(Rev.) A. C. Dans, Chicago, II,

- Iwanver Ev. Lurneran Caurcu, Prrrssurcn, Py

Wa ttace H. McLavcati, Pastor

J. Kensey CLarkson, Secretary

(Rev.) H. D. Mensine, Tinley Park, III,
(Rev.) Ernest T. Lams, Oak Park, Il
(Rev.) A. T. Krerzmann, Crete, Ill.
Zion Ev. LUTHERAN. CHuRCH, Cutcaco, Ixt,
Cart G. Kruse, Pastor

Signatures attested by (Rev.) H. D. MENsINc
Tinley Park, Il., April 5, 1950

ward ourselves. is not the practice among our clergy and laity,
2 repugnant to Christian commori'sense, and is in contradiction
. other passages of Scripture (Gal. 6:1; 1 Cor. 4:21; 1 Tim.
5:1); and
Wuerzas, The application of Rom. 16:17-18 to other Christians
was avoided in our historic Lutheran Confessions; and
Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod is not under
the curse of a popish doctrine of infallibility; and
Wuereas, The greatest glory of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod has been its readiness to review the decisions of church
councils in the light of Scripture and to adjust its actions accord-
ingly; therefore be it
Resolved, That Rom.16:17-18 be withdrawn as a prooftext
from all official doctrinal statements of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in which it is made to refer to other Christians.

Epcar P. H. Mernonm

632
7] Position of Synod on Engagement

Wuereas, Our synodical Catechism reads: “What is marriage?
Marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman unto
one flesh. Marriage was instituted by God and is entered into
by rightful betrothal, or engagement. ” (Question 61.) See Matt.
1:19-20, 24.

The same memorial was submitted by

IMMANUEL Ev. LutH. Concrecation
Town Rich, Matteson, II.

E. Hreser, Pastor
Martin Bruper RayMonp Voiimer

March 28, 1950 Epwin Marquarnt Waereas, In conformity with the Catechism; the Springfield
arcn 20, faculty has declared in an opinion, dated December 19, 1949: “If
[631] God instituted the state of marriage, or wedlock, He also instituted
the salient part of it, the mutual consent or betrothal: . . We are

Withdraw Rom. 16:17-18 from Official Doctrinal bound by God’s Word, theréfore,-to give as our firm ‘conviction
Statements that ‘bétrothal’ and ‘marriage’ as spoken of in the Word of God,

are identical in essence and differ only as does the possession of |
privileges and their use.” pe

Wuereas, The St. Louis faculty contends in an opinion, dated
May 26, 1949: that betrothal, or engagement,.is “of human origin.”
It declares in effect that the mutual promise given at a wedding
ceremony dare not be broken, except for fornication or malicious
desertion, but that the mutual promise given in a rightful betrothal
may be broken when “such: serious situations sheuld arise as
would at once preclude a happy married estate between the
betrothed.” The St. Louis faculty would therefore grant a dis-
pensation from truce-breaking, “where God has not given such

dispensation.
Wuereas, It is intolerable that the Springfield faculty should

Wuereas, The consistent application of Rom. 16:17-18 to other
Christians requires that we regard them as “belly-servers,” and,
furthermore, that we instruct all who read the Bible that this pas-
sage requires the application of this epithet to any who disagree
with them concerning any doctrine of Scripture, which would
require all not in fellowship with us to apply such terms to us; and

Wuersas, The application of this passage to others than the
heathen among whom the Roman Christians were living is not
based on considerations inherent in the Book of Romans itself, but
is based on reasoning and deductions made centuries after the time
of St. Paul; and

Wuereas, The possession of such harsh attitudes toward other
Christians and the. teaching of them to apply such harsh terms