# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S114 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 114 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 3-54 To Reject Anti-Scriptural Universalism WHEREAS, Jesus taught that He is the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12); and WHEREAS, The Athanasian Creed declares: “Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity.... This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved”; and WHEREAS, The anti-Scriptural notion that all men, regard- less of their religion, will ultimately get to heaven, has thoroughly infiltrated modern Protestantism, Lutheranism, and Roman Catholicism: 1. Vatican II left the door open for the salvation of the heathen and atheists (The Christian News Encyclopedia, pp. 1491, 1502). 2. Modern Protestantism teaches that Christianity is not the one and only true and saving faith (see ‘Evangelism When Certainty Is an Illusion” by Bishop John Shelby Spong, One, pp. 890—891). 3. Even many leading evangelicals hesitate to affirm that there is a real hell for those who reject Christ (see “Why is Christianity Today Silent? The Universalist Impulse in Evangelicalism,” One, p. 1689): and WHEREAS, The anti-Scriptural notion of universalism des- troys true mission work and does not show true love toward non-Christians when it leads them to believe that they can get to heaven without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod con- fesses in its “A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles,” adopted in 1973, that “We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and that all who die without faith in Him are eternally damned. We believe that those who believe in Christ will enjoy a blissful relationship with Him during the interim between their death and His second coming and that on the last day their bodies will be raised”; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod warn against the anti-Scriptural notion of universalism; and be it further Resolved, That the LCMS warn against the view held by so many church members that a person can get to heaven as long as he does good works regardless of his religious convictions; and be it finally Resolved, That the LCMS declare that Christianity is the one and only true and saving faith and that the Holy Trinity is the only God who actually exists and can hear and answer prayer. Trinity Lutheran Church New Haven, Mo. Orville Mever, Secretary FELLOWSHIP 3-61 To Restore Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with The American Lutheran Church Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod restore altar and pulpit fellowship with The American Luther- an Church. English District Paul E. Bacon, Secretary 3-62 To Redeclare Fellowship with ALC WHEREAS, The termination of fellowship with The American Lutheran Church by the 54th regular convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is 1. a disappointment to many members of Synod who have found a common confession and ministry with the congre- gations of The American Lutheran Church, as well as other Lutherans; 2. an embarrassment to our witness because it is perceived as a judgment on the faith and confession of other Lutherans despite the protestations to the contrary; 3. a resolution which does not permit the free exercise of conscience for those who disagree, as did the resolutions which declared fellowship in 1969; 4. an action which many feel goes beyond the requirements for the ministry of the church established by the Augsburg Confession, Art. VII; and 5. an action which many feel is contrary to the spirit of our Lord’s High Priestly Prayer (John 17:20-23) that His disciples might be one even as He and the Father are One; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod gathered in convention in St. Louis, Mo., on July 8—15, 1983— 1. Reaffirm the 1969 resolution declaring fellowship with The American Lutheran Church; 2. Declare fellowship with such Lutheran bodies as share our confession officially, such as the Lutheran Church in America, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, etc.; and 3. Make immediate efforts to participate and join in the Lutheran union which is now being planned by most other Lutheran bodies. Jehovah Ev. Lutheran Church St. Paul, Minn. R. J. Krew, Chairperson Ruth Bartling, Secretary 3-63 To Establish Fellowship with Other Lutherans WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus when He suffered, died, and rose won for us full fellowship with God; and WHEREAS, God’s fellowship comes to us and others through Word and sacraments; and WHEREAS, Our fellow Lutherans—those in the Lutheran Church in America, The American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and other Lutherans—also share this fellowship with God in the Word and sacraments; therefore be it Resolved, That the LCMS redeclare full fellowship with the ALC; and be it further Resolved, That the LCMS take steps to be ready to establish official fellowship with the new Lutheran body when it is founded; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod encourage member congregations to give expression to the fellowship we share with other Lutherans. Epiphany Lutheran Church Northfield, Ohio James Simler, Chairman Cindy Welter, Secretary 3-64A To Declare Fellowship with All Lutherans WHEREAS, We confess that “it is sufficent for the true unity of the Christian church that the Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with the divine Word” (Augsburg Confession, Art. VII, Par. 2, Tappert, p. 32); and WHEREAS, The basis for fellowship exists among all Luther- ans in the United States, who have accepted and are bound by the written Word of our Lord, the Ecumenical‘Creeds, and the Lutheran Confessions (even though there may be differences