# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1183
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

666 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

the forthcoming convention of the Synodical Conference of this
our resolution, so that full fellowship may be established among
all the constituent bodies of the Synodical Conference and the
Ev. Lutheran Church in Former Old Prussia.

Questions Asked by the Hon. Wisconsin Synod

DEAR BRETHREN: (Memorial 650)

Among the many divine blessings which we have enjoyed
during our one hundred years of history, of which we have been
reminded frequently at our Centennial Convention in 1949, not
the least has been the bond of unity which has welded your Hon-
orable Synod and ours together for more than three quarters of
a century. This unity is precious to us, and it is purely for the
sake of preserving it that we venture to address you at this time.

During recent years we of the Wisconsin Synod have found
ourselves constrained to voice our protest against the rising tide of
unionism and its attendant evils of indifference to Biblical truth
and undermining of confessional Lutheranism. In our action we
have taken the stand that is outlined in the Brief Statement of
the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod, Art. 28, “On Church
Fellowship,” particularly the last sentence: “We repudiate unionism,
that is, church fellowship with adherents of false doctrine, as
disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church,
Rom. 16:7; 2 John 9—10, and as involving the constant danger of
losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2: 17-21.”

In our efforts we have, however, been handicapped by the
fact that members and sometimes official representatives and
organizations of your Synod have been involved in what seem
to be obvious violations of these principles. Efforts to remedy this
situation by dealing with the individuals involved have met with
little or no success. Official discussions in an Intersynodical Forum
have been equally futile. On the other hand, the positive testi-
mony that we have tried to give has been to a considerable extent
neutralized by the silence of your Synod. The inevitable result
has been serious confusion and offense.

In an endeavor to clarify this confused and confusing situation,
which, if not corrected, will vitiate the spiritual life within both
your Synod and ours, we address to you the following questions
on the basis of the mutual fellowship of our synods:

1. Does the Missouri Synod approve of the participation of
its pastors in the programs and in the joint worship of inter-

- synodical laymen’s organizations, specifically Lutheran Men in
America? If not, only a public disavowal of the offense will
remove it.