# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S528
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

528 INTERSYNODICAL AND. DOCTRINAL MATTERS

Committee Report on the Lutheran World Federation
(Memorial 624)
The committee appointed by the Praesidium of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod, pursuant to Resolution 2, page 563, Pro- Te |
ceedings of the Forty-Second Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod, Houston, Texas, 1953, has endeavored
to carry out the task assigned to it by Synod:

“Resolved, That the Praesidium of Synod appoint a committee \
of three to |

1) study the constitution and objectives of the Lutheran World i
Federation:

2) evaluate the practical working of this body in the light of \
Scriptural doctrine and practice; |

3) make recommendations with respect to action by Synod in \
the matter of the invitation to membership in the Lutheran World
Federation or the extent of possible co-operation with the same;

4) submit its findings and recommendations to the College of

Presidents by September, 1954, for study and possible amendment,

_after which they shall be submitted to all pastors and congrega-
tions of Synod by January 1, 1955, for study with a view to action
at Synod’s general convention in 1956.”

We the committee apologize for the fact that the complexity

and the delicacy of our task made it impossible for us to meet the
deadline requirements of paragraph four. \

I

The question of membership in the Lutheran World Federation
must be answered on 2 doctrinal and confessional basis. The con-
fessional position of The Lutheran Church — Missouri ynod on
church fellowship has been set forth in the Brief Statement, para-

graphs 28 and 29, as follows:

“98, Since God ordained that His Word only, without the ad-
mixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian |
Church, 1 Peter 4:11; John 8:31, 32; 1 Tim. 6:3, 4, all Christians are \
required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox
church-bodies, and in case they have strayed into heterodox
A church-bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17.
We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the
4 heterodox adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s
command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John
a 9,10, and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of
| God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21.