# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1150
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 603

~ We hold that it is the inalienable right and duty of Synod
and its members to express a judgment on the documents in ques-
tion, since they still exist unwithdrawn as public statements of
members of Synod and since, irrespective of the intent of sup-
rs of the document, they in plain language present teachings
in conflict with clear Scripture, advocate positions contrary to the
Scriptural position of Synod and its Confessions, raise unsub-
_ (E.g., “Statement,” Propositions 5, 8,11. Compare: Ps. 119:105; John
8:31-32; Rom. 16:17-18; Titus 3:10; Matt.7:15; Prov. 28:9; Jer. 23: 28-31;
Formula of Concord (Trigl., 1095): “no room is given to the least error”;
Syn. Constitution, Art. III,1: “a united defense against schism and sec-
tarianism (Rom. 16:17)”; Brief Statement, Sec. 28—29: “Since God or-
dained that His Word only, without admixture of human doctrine, be
taught and believed in the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4:11; John 8: 31-32;
1 Tim. 6:3-4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate between
orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed
into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them, Rom.16:17. We repudiate
unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine,
as disobedience to God’s command, as the real cause of the origin and
continuance of divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9—10, and
as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely,
2Tim.2:17ff. 29. The orthodox character of a Church is established not
by its mere name nor by its outward acceptance of, and subscription to,
an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually taught in its
pulpits, in its theological seminaries and in its publications. On the other
hand, a Church does not forfeit its orthodox character through the
casual intrusion of errors, provided these are combated and eventually
removed by means of doctrinal discipline, Acts 20:30; 1 Tim. 1:3.”

Lehre u. Wehre, XXXVI (1890), 262: “We Missourians consider
a church body an orthodox body only when the true doctrine is pro-
claimed from all pulpits and professors’ chairs and in all writings which
appear publicly within the organization, and on the other hand, every
erroneous teaching is put away, in the manner indicated by God, as soon
as it makes its appearance. ... Were it established that only one pastor
were preaching false doctrine or only one periodical were in the service
of false doctrine, and we did not put a stop to this false doctrine, we
would have ceased to be an orthodox Synod and would have become
a unionistic fellowship.”

Lehre u. Wehre, XIV (1868), 68 (Walther): “We .. . maintain that
in the orthodox church no error contrary to God’s clear Word dare be
tolerated; that in the orthodox church it dare not be made a matter
of liberty to depart from God’s clear Word even in the least point, be it
positively or negatively, directly or indirectly; that every such departure
from God’s clear Word within the orthodox church, even if it consisted
only in the denial that Balaam’s ass spoke, demands that steps be taken
against it, and that when all instructions, admonitions, warnings, threats,
and all patience that has been shown have proven themselves fruitless
and ineffectual in persuading the respective person or communion to
give up their contradiction of God’s clear Word, finally nothing but
excommunication or schism can result.”

Syn. Catechism, Qu. 186: “We use the doctrine of the Church prop-
erly —D. When we avoid all false churches and all other organizations
that profess a religion that is false... . Rom.16:17"; Qu. 326: “The Lord’s
Supper must be denied —D. To those of a different faith, since the
Lord’s Supper is a testimony of the unity of faith... . Rom. 16: 17.”

Concordia Cyclopedia, “Unionism”: “Religious unionism consists in
joint worship and work of those not united in doctrine. Its essence is
an agreement to disagree. In effect, it denies the doctrine of the clearness
of Scripture. It would treat certain doctrines as fundamental or essential
and others as non-essential to Christian unity.” Syn. Proceedings, 1941,

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