# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1173
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

546 = INTERSYNODICAL AND
DOCTRINAL MATTERS

Wuereas, The matte:
\ , rs ref i
and in Unga _ erred to in Mem

; Orials 602
therefore eo emorials 35 and 61 are still an

Mittee 3 recommended
tive votes:

w Resolution 17

ran 523) A gording to the Proceedings of

catenin ment’ as such is no longer
We i “

beine arian issues raised by “A Statement” have been

bene e or study to pastors and congregati And are
- materials and theses supplied by the President. a

HEREAS, The convention of 1950 (cf. Proceedings pone
use the reactions submitted in os)
the furtherance of ag the

Synod in 1947
a basis for gis,

reement on the

Resolved, That this Conventi
‘ P ention refer th
Memorial 621 (3). to the Praesidium for « Sides

purpose of obtaining “f
Purpos g “furtherance of a

atter contained in
consideration and for the
greement” on the issues

Set Up a Commission on Scriptural Peace
in Doctrine and Practice
(Memorial 603)
Various questions of

doctr ine and practice are causing Serious

e questions of doctrine and Practice by
nvention committees, discussions on the

b At Synod’s conventions mu
- Business matters, leaving too lit
and Practice.

ch of the time is taken up with
tle time for questions of doctrine

under discuss

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 547

sre is also too much temptation to use unscriptural methods
frst, winning votes by techniques of oratory rather than by
al persuasion; secondly, persuading delegates to follow a
rather than following the voice of Christ giving spiritual
tions out of Scripture; thirdly, applying group power pres-
rather than relying solely on the persuasiveness of Scripture;
ot nly, arbitrarily limiting debate rather than providing free and
opportunity for adequate application of Scripture; fifthly,
for a vote while delegates are still in the process of deciding
qiher than giving them ample opportunity to become convinced by
ripture; and, sixthly, deciding the issue by majority vote rather
& than by unanimous assent to the teaching of Scripture.
"To let things drift would be sinful.
‘” Jo call a special session of Synod to restore Scriptural peace
in doctrine and practice would be difficult. Because of the large
number of men in a convention of Synod and because a convention
would have to work under a definite time limit, this method of
trying to restore Scriptural peace in doctrine and practice might
prove cumbersome, inefficient, or even unworkable.

Still, it should not be impossible to restore Scriptural peace
in doctrine and practice. We recognize Holy Scripture as our sole
authority on doctrine and practice. We acknowledge that the doc-

. trinal decisions of the Lutheran Confessions are binding upon our
consciences for the reason that they agree with Scripture. We also
accept the Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Mis-
souri Synod as a Scriptural statement binding upon our con-
sciences. If everyone concerned will make the necessary effort to
be consistent and to conform to these standards of doctrine and
practice, Scriptural peace can be restored.

One possibility that commends itself is that of setting up a
Commission on Scriptural Peace in Doctrine and Practice and in-
structing this commission to use procedures which will give Scrip-
ture free and full opportunities to restore Scriptural peace in

_- doctrine and practice. ;

Under the circumstances, with so many persons involved in
differences of doctrine dnd practice, such a commission may per-
haps work most effectively if persons representing conflicting posi-
tions in a certain controversy are brought together in a Concord
Committee, say, of five to nine members, with from one to three
of each party serving on the Concord Committee. Acceptance of
a position on a Concord Committee would constitute a promise,
first, to be guided by the Lutheran Confessions, secondly, to uphold
the Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri
Synod without any reservation whatsoever, and, thirdly, to give
Scripture free and full opportunity to restore Scriptural peace in
doctrine and practice.

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