# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S512
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

512 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

Wuereas, Prayer Fellowship, by Theodore Graebner, used in
our theological seminary at St. Louis, contains a number of un-
scriptural statements and misrepresentations; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That we urge Synod to declare unequivocally:

That joint prayer, or prayer fellowship, with heterodox Lu-
therans is contrary to the Word and will of God; and

That the defense and persistence in joint prayer, or prayer
fellowship, with such heterodox will lead to the application of
Rom.16:17 to the offenders; and

That Synod instruct its Praesidium and the District Presidents
to admonish the offenders and, if they show themselves obstinate,
to deal with them according to the example given us by our fathers,
namely: “We cannot walk together any longer. We can no longer
pray together.”

(Signed) (Rev.) A. C. Dagns, Chicago, I.
ZION Ev. LUTHERAN CuHurcH, Cuicaco, IL.
Cari G. Kruse, Pastor

Signatures attested by (Rev.) H. D. MENsInG
Tinley Park, Ill., April 5, 1950

[644]
Repudiate Pamphlet “Prayer Fellowship,”

by Theodore Graebner

Wuereas, A pamphlet entitled Prayer Fellowship, by Theodore
Graebner, contains a number of unscriptural statements and mis-
representations, for example, the statement: “Rom. 16:17 deals with
senemies of the truth who come with the sinister purpose of deceiv-
ing innocent hearers, the simple-minded Christians” (page 4).
The words italicized by us are not found in the plain words of
’ Rom. 16:17, but are an addition by the author of the pamphlet; and

Wuereas, Synod has always recognized that Rom.16:17 and
similar passages are pertinent to the question of prayer fellowship
(Lehre und Wehre, 1927: “That prayer fellowship presupposes
a fellowship in the faith, Scripture abundantly teaches, e. g., Rom.
16:17, where the Christians are admonished to avoid those who
do not continue in the Apostles’ doctrine. . . .Whom we are to
avoid, with them we also do not practice prayer fellowship.”
Proceedings, Oklahoma District, 1937: “Whoever is altering the
teachings of Jesus, thereby is creating a division in the Church,
placing himself in opposition to all who adhere to Christ’s doc-
trine. We have been told by St. Paul that we must avoid such