# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1173
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

648 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

division makers. Rom. 16:17. That implies of course that we do not
have prayer fellowship with them.”); and

Wuereas, The author of Prayer Fellowship, in direct contra.
diction to the doctrinal position of Synod, contends “that neither
the’ texts” (the texts commonly quoted in our circles as being
pertinent to the question of prayer fellowship, such as Rom. 16:17,
etc.) “nor the contexts in which they stand have anything to do
with prayer fellowship. In fact, not a single one of them refers
to prayer at all” (page 7); and

Wuereas, The pamphlet Prayer Fellowship contains many false
and dangerous assertions, for example, the amazing statement that
the Catholic Church agrees with the Lutheran Church “in the
fundamen:
Articles, Triglotta, p. 460, state that there was no contention or
dispute between the Lutherans and the Catholics concerning the
doctrines of the Trinity and of the Incarnation. But regarding the
doctrine of justification by faith alone, the Smalcald Articles
declare: “Upon this article all things depend which we teach and
practice in opposition to the Pope, the devil, and the whole world.”
In contradiction to this assertion of the Smalcald Articles, the
author of Prayer Fellowship asserts: “The New Testament was
written before the present relationship of Christian bodies agreeing.
in the fundamentals (including the Catholic Church, see Triglotta,
p. 460), but differing in other doctrines, yet existing side by side”
(page 10). According to these words, as they read, the doctrine
of justification by faith alone, which the Formula of Concord calls
“the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine,” is not included
in the “fundamentals” of the Christian faith.) ; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That we petition Synod to. repudiate the pamphlet
entitled Prayer Fellowship, by Theodore Graebner, as being out
of harmony with the clear Word of God, as being contrary to the
official position of Synod, and as being detrimental to the Christian
faith; and be it furthermore

Resolved, That we petition Synod to order Concordia Publish-
ing House to withdraw this pamphlet from circulation; and be it
furthermore

Resolved, That Dr. Theodore Graebner be dealt with in an

evangelical and unprocrastinating manner, so that he may be
converted “from the error of his way,” James 5:20.

(Signed) Zion Ev. Lurneran Cuurca, Curcaco, Int.
Cart G. Kruse, Pastor

Signature attested by (Rev.) H. D. MEensine
Tinley Park, Ill., April 5, 1950

” but differs “in other doctrines” (The Smalcald °

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 649

Dr. Graebner’s Aberrations and Dr. Behnken’s
Ineffective Action
(Memorial 645)

Wuereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1917 rightly stated: “We
hold it to-be a self-evident truth that, where there is no unity of
faith, there ought to be no unity of worship. If the texts of Scrip-
ture which forbid unionism (for example, Rom. 16:17; 1 Tim. 6:34f.)
do not apply here, they are devoid of meaning” (Lutheran Witness,

- 1917, p. 292); and

Wuereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1920 rightly declared:
“Joint. prayers presume Christian fellowship. ... If joint prayer
signifies anything, it signifies the spiritual unity of those who pray:
and if the words of Christ that we must worship ‘in spirit and in
truth’ mean anything at all, they mean that our prayers must in-
deed be spoken with no denial, explicit or implicit, of those truths
which His Spirit has taught us” (Homiletic Magazine, 1921, pp. 231,
233); and
' Wauereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1923 correctly affirmed:
“Joint worship of those who are divided by many shades of Chris-
tian belief . . . is against the conscience of everyone who is mind-
ful of Rom. 16:17. To be separate is the command which we have,
to be separate from those who do not agree in every point with
the doctrine of the Apostles” (Lutheran Witness, 1923, p.67); and

Wuereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1931 correctly asserted:
“Rom. 16:17-18 is removed by Dr. Neve from -the category of
pertinent texts because Paul’s warning is declared to be directed
‘against fanatical Judaists who had disturbed Antioch and the
Galatians and were now about to invade the Roman congregation.’
Pure assumption, even if it is supported by Weiss, Godet, and
Luthardt. The Apostle warns against errorists and schismatics in
the most general terms. As for v.18, we shall remember that
divisions in the Church have been caused chiefly by those who
sought personal advantages, rather than Christ, and .who practiced
deception upon those who innocently followed their leadership”
(Concordia Theological Monthly, 1931, p. 571f.); -and

Wuereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1943 cast aspersions on
the use of Rom. 16:17 with reference to joint prayer by stating:
“The refusal to join in prayer, defended with reference to Rom.
16:17 and similar texts, has proved an obstacle to a better under-
standing” (Lutheran Witness, 1943, p. 274); and

Wuereas, Dr. Theodore Graebner in 1945 bluntly asserted:
“Neither the texts (Rom.16:17 etc.) nor the contexts in which
they stand have anything. to do with prayer fellowship. In fact,