# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1132
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

566 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 567

tion with the leaders of all other Lutheran bodies, to form
tional inter-Lutheran committee for the purpose of ane ° oS
the proposed free conferences of Lutheran Pastors and laymen
Official delegations representing the American I, he
Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the United Rew”
gelical Lutheran Church met in Chicago on September 16 ion
set up a subcommittee of six, and instructed this committ we
submit to a later meeting of these delegations steps toward ore be
union” of the three bodies. The delegations, in turn, are to cube:
a Joint report to the 1950 conventions of the three churches hig
proposed merger was “heartily endorsed” by the Colle, This
Presidents of the American Lutheran Church at a meetin hel, or
Chicago on October 4. 8 held in

The “Committee of 34” held a meeting i i
omm g in Chicago on Janu
1950, in which it voted unanimously to submit three questions ¢.
the eight National Lutheran Council church bodies for consideration

!

In June, 1948, a subcommittee of the two larger committees f
amet to draw up recommendations for future negotiations. i
é'' At its Fremont Convention in 1948 the American Lutheran
*Church continued its Committee on Intersynodical Fellowship.
: However, “in the interest of prompter and more effective work,”
the Committee was divided into three subcommittees, one of which
was charged to “work on a single statement of the faith of the
church” with the Missouri Synod Committee. This subcommittee
of the A.L.C. consists of Dr. Edward C. Fendt and Dr. Bernard
J. Holm. On January 6 and 7, 1949, our Committee on Doctrinal
Unity met in Chicago to study developments up to that time. On
the 7th a meeting was held with Drs. Fendt and Holm, in which it
was resolved to authorize two men of our Committee to work with
these representatives of the American Lutheran Church in the
drafting of a “single statement of the faith.” Dr. Fritz and Pastor
Jurgens were elected to represent our Synod in this subcommittee

this year. Each church body will be asked: 1) if it is willing at
this time to approve in principle complete organic union with oth
participating bodies in the National Lutheran Council; 2) if it will
join in creating a joint ways and means committee to formulate
a plan and to draw up a constitution for such a union; 3) if it
approves in principle the transformation of the National Lutheran
Council from a common agency to a federation. A committee of
our Synod was invited and attended as observers.

Meanwhile Synod’s Committee on Doctrinal Unity endeavored
to carry out the assignment given it at the Centennial Convention,
cf. Proceedings, (1947, page 510. After its appointment by the
Praesidium of Synod, the Committee met in Chicago on January 9
1948, to organize and to initiate steps in harmony with Synod’s
directives. On January 30 of the same year, at our invitation
a meeting was held with the Union Committees of the sister synods
of the Synodical Conference, the purpose of which was to endeavor
| to formulate a mutually agreeable policy of procedure in future

negotiations. No policy was adopted. All four Synods of the
Synodical Conference were represented at this meeting.

‘On May 17, 1948, a joint meeting was held between our Com-

work. On February 12, in St. Louis, the topics and general prin-
ciples of the single statement were agreed upon, as well as the
mode of procedure, namely, that each man write a set of theses
and bring them to the next meeting. This plan was followed.

On August 29 and 30, 1949, the twelve articles were drawn up,
and a copy of the draft was sent to each member of the large
committees for study and criticism. Each larger committee met to
study the first draft, the American Lutheran Church committee
in Chicago, September 15, our Committee on Doctrinal Unity in
St. Louis, September 16. The criticisms were referred to the sub-
committee which met on October 21, and a copy of the revised
draft was again sent to each member of the larger committees.
On December 5 and 6 a plenary session of the committees was
held in which the document was once more thoroughly and con-
scientiously discussed as to its Scriptural accuracy, its historical
implications, and its contemporary adequacy. At the conclusion |
of the second day’s work it was unanimously approved by the. two
official committees as their report to their respective church bodies.
It is herewith respectfully submitted to Synod for adoption.

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Common Confession

In order to. give expression to our common Christian faith, we
hereby declare the following to be our mutual conviction and

mittee on Doctrinal Unity and the Fellowship Commission of the
American Lutheran Church, comprising eight representatives of
the A.L.C. and eight of the Missouri Synod. Since the A.L.C.

$F fonvention was to be held in October, it was the aim of the Fellow. testimony: I. God .
+e ship Commission to evaluate the spiri i ad
te ni oe € spirit and quality of our Cen- We believe and teach:
a8 tennial resolutions, cf. Proceedings 1947. a . ’

ei ngs, > Pages 510—511. At the The one and only God is the God Who has revealed Himself to

same time we discussed the policy and principles guiding the

Are ne ee cieussed the policy | us as the Creator of the world and its Preserver, to Whom the entire

creation and all creatures are subject, Who is Lord and Ruler over
all things. Through the Holy Scriptures He has revealed Himself

| pg teen
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