# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S79
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THEOLOGICAL MATTERS 79

other Lutheran denomination because some of their
brethren are pushing an understanding of the Word
which is no different from what some of my brethren
are pushing.” (Campus Commentary, February 1969.
The comments of other publications, which are well
known among many members of The Lutheran Church
~— Missouri Synod, could be quoted also); and

Wuereas, Voices are being raised against the lack
of discipline in church bodies, including our own:

More specifically, within American Lutheranism, I some-
times fear that the longed-for union (or at least altar and
pulpit fellowship) of most bodies ... may be jeopardized
if some sort of evangelical, confessional discipline . . . is
not maintained. (Horace, D. Hummel, “The Bible and the
Confessions,” Dialogue, VIII [Winter 1969], p.55. The
comments of others could be quoted also)

and

WHEREAS, The disunity in doctrine is creating great
offense among the churches of our Synod and in other
parts of Christendom; and

Wuereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ intended that the
life of the Christian and His church be one of repentance
(Matt. 4:11); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in this convention acknowledge the state of dis-
unity that exists; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention call upon our God
of grace for His pardon and renewal through His Son
and His Holy Spirit that we may in wholehearted unity
return to the divine truth of the Holy Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention urge our congrega-
tions, pastors, faculties, boards, and committees to hold
services or meditations of repentance and confession to
implore our gracious Father for His pardon and re-
newal through the Gospel of His Son; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention direct the President
of the Synod to proceed with all possible haste, in keep-
ing with evangelical practice, to correct the erring and
to remove them from office if they will not be corrected,
and to report on these activities, within the limitations
provided by synodical Bylaws, at the earliest possible
date; and be it further

Resolved, That where any conflict of jurisdiction in
matters of doctrine and practice between the President
of the Synod, or his authorized representative, and any
Board of Control, board, committee, etc., of the Synod
or its Districts, may arise, the President’s authority and
action shall have priority, as provided in Section 2.27
of the synodical Handbook; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod shall dele-
gate his authority in these matters to the Vice-Presi-
dents of the Synod or the District Presidents where this
is expedient; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention direct all responsible
officials, boards, and committees of the Synod and its
Districts to carry out vigorously their responsibilities
of the supervision of the doctrine and practice of those
persons under their authority; and be it finally

Resolved, That we as a Synod implore almighty God
to give our synodical President and all synodical and
District officials, boards, and committees grace, patience,
wisdom, and resoluteness in admonishing and correct-
ing the erring, and give to the erring humility, rever-
ence for and submission to the divinely inspired Scrip-
tures of the Old and New Testaments, willingness to
confess their error, and the hearty desire to amend their

doctrine and practice. Rev. N. Atrrep BALMER

St. Louis, Mo.
(2-29)

To Eliminate Special System of
Theological Censorship

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
in convention at New York instituted a new system of
theological censorship, establishing special censorship
groups for all of the major areas of the church’s mis-
sion: and

Wuereas, Theological clarity and doctrinal super-
vision within our church can be effectively carried on
through the recognized channels of District and syn-
odical offices; and

WuereaS, Freedom of expression by men publicly
committed to the authority of the Sacred Scriptures and
the Lutheran Confession is thoroughly consistent with
the spirit of the Reformation and with our own Lu-
theran position, which does not demand agreement on
all points of theological opinion (but only concerning the
doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the
sacraments); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, in convention at Denver, be requested to elim-
inate its present system of theological censorship as out-
lined by the New York convention; and be it further

Resolved, That doctrinal supervision and concern for
clarity of the Gospel as proclaimed in the Holy Scrip-
tures and the Lutheran Confession be maintained and
carried on by the District and synodical Presidents
through the regular channels of administration already
established throughout the Synod.

Rev. Lesvie F, FRERKING
Charlotte, N.C.

(2-30)

To Reaffirm Scriptural, Confessional
Principles of Fellowship

Like our venerable forefathers of the Reformation
Age in the history of our church, we are determined to
abide by “the plain, clear, and unadulterated meaning”
of the words of the Augsburg Confession. (Trigl.,
p. 847:4; Tappert, p. 502: 4)

We are accordingly determined to abide particularly
also by the unmistakable sense in which some articles
of the Augsburg Confession are definitively restated and
explained in the Formula of Concord because some
prominent Lutheran theologians incited controversy