# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S505
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 505

Resolved, That hereafter the Common Confession. (Parts I
and II) be not regarded or employed as a functioning basic doc-
ument toward the establishment of altar and pulpit fellowship
with other church bodies; and be it further

Resolved, That the Common Confession, one document com-
posed of Parts I and I, be recognized as a statement in harmony
with the Sacred Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

Nore: Memorial 601, Part IV, was taken care of by Com-
mittee 6.

Communication from Ev. Luth. Joint Synod
of Wisconsin and Other States
(Memorial 602)
COMMITTEE No. 2— FLOOR COMMITTEE ON CHURCH UNION

Precious Savior, Lord of the Church, grant us Thy Holy
Spirit, the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom and peace. Keep our
hearts firmly fixed on Thy Holy Word, that it may be a living
fire in our hearts. Fill us with zeal so that our doctrine and
practice will ever glorify Thee, the only true God and Head of the
Church. Amen.

Preamble

For years our Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States has
patiently admonished the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the
fear and love of God, seeking to win her from the path that leads
to liberalism in doctrine and practice.

We of the Wisconsin Synod in our convention of 1953 with
heavy hearts had to declare that the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod by reaffirming its acceptance of the Common Confession
and by its persistent adherence to its unionistic practices “has
brought about the present break in relations that is now threat-
ening the existence of the Synodical Conference and the contin-
uance of our affiliation with the sister Synod.”

Without entering upon the question of whether the present
charges of our Synod against the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
do not already constitute the accusation of false doctrine, we
believe that it should be reiterated in no uncertain terms that
a specific charge of false doctrine is not a Biblical prerequisite for
separation from a church body. A church body which creates
divisions and offenses by its official resolutions, policies, and prac-
tices not in accord with Scripture also becomes subject to the
indictment of Romans 16, 17-18. The Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod has by its official resolutions, policies and practices created