# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S126
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

126 CHURCH RELATIONS

quality. In a sense it is a human book. God did use sinful
men as His instruments. Some of their wrong or inade-
quate ideas got into the Scriptures. (Emphasis ours.)

In the discussion, emphasize that inspiration is related
to the message and not to the words which bring the
message except in a secondary sense. (God’s Word and
My Faith, teachers guide, 1966, pp. 31, 32, 34)

The infallibility of the Scriptures is the infallibility of
Jesus Christ and not the infallibility of the written text.
(The Bible: Book of Faith, 1964, p. 148).

In The Bible: Book of Faith (given official stamp of
approval at the second general convention of The Amer-
ican Lutheran Church, 1964), we note that (1) the
Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the Bible
is impugned (pp. 67-79); and (2) the historical factual-
ness of Genesis 1—11 is made doubtful (pp. 54, 153); and

WHEREAS, These current and official teachings of The
ALC contradict plain Scripture (2 Tim.3:16; 2 Peter
1:21; John 10:35; John 17:17); therefore be it

Resolved, That we petition The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in convention assembled at Denver,
Colo., July 11—19, 1969, to delay declaring altar and pul-
pit fellowship with The American Lutheran Church
at this time, but to continue discussions on the basis of
the clear Word of God until such time as a complete
fellowship can be declared on the basis of Holy Scrip-

ture. BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH

St. Paul, Minn.
JOHN KOROLCHUK, Secretary

(3-86)

To Postpone Declaration

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
has always held that there can be no “union without
unity”; and

WHEREAS, Various surveys indicate that no true unity
exists (Witness: Detroit— Are Adam and Eve to be
regarded as real persons? ALC clergy acceptance —
49 percent, Missouri — 90 percent; the Bible as inspired
and inerrant: ALC clergy —- 23 percent: Missouri — 76
percent. Witness: LCMS news release, March 21, 1969,
which indicates that 13 District presidents voted against
formal declaration of fellowship with The ALC and also
indicates that from 25 to 33 percent of our congregations
found that a Scriptural and confessional basis for fel-
lowship did not exist); and

WHEREAS, Scripture continually urges us to “sound
doctrine” (Titus 1:9), warns against those who teach
otherwise and do not agree with the sound words of
Christ (1 Tim. 6:3-4), charges all to teach the same
faith (1 Tim. 1:3-4), and warns against those who will
not endure sound teaching but will turn away from
listening to the truth and wander into myths (2 Tim.
4:3-4); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod is not ready at this convention to embark upon
pulpit and altar fellowship with The American Lutheran
Church; and be it further

Resolved, That our congregation petition the LCMS

to postpone a declaration of pulpit and altar fellowship
until such time as true unity in doctrine and practice

exists.
OKLAHOMA AVENUE Ev, LUTHERAN CHURCH

Milwaukee, Wis.
WALLACE Bork, President
Wa ter Nowotny, Secretary

(3-87)

To Postpone Formal Establishment
of Fellowship

Wuereas, The 47th regular convention of the Mis-
souri Synod declared that “the Scriptural and confes-
sional basis for altar and pulpit fellowship between The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and The American
Lutheran Church exists” and resolved that “the Presi-
dent of the Synod ... make the appropriate recom-
mendations to the 1969 convention”; and

Wuereas, A God-pleasing pulpit and altar fellowship
with The ALC can be realized only on the basis of full
doctrinal unity, being of one mind especially in the
preaching of the Gospel in conformity with a pure un-
derstanding of it; and

WHEREAS, It is clear from current public teachings of
The ALC that doctrines contrary to the Holy Scriptures
are being taught, e. g.:

A. Inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21: 1 Cor. 2:13)

Underscore the fact that the Bible has a very human
quality. In a sense it is a human book. God did use sin-
ful men as His instruments. Some of their wrong or in-
adequate ideas got into the Scripture. (Emphasis ours)

When it is argued that inspiration precludes the possi-
bility of error in the Bible, a very unreal and basically
dishonest rationalization must be called into service.

In the discussion, emphasize that inspiration is related
to the message and not to the words which bring the mes-

sage, except in a secondary sense. (God’s Word and My
Faith, Teachers Guide, 1966, pp. 31, 32,34: emphasis ours)

B. Inerrancy (John 10:35; 1 Cor. 2:13: John 17:17:
1 Thess. 2:13)

The infallibility of the Scriptures is the infallibility of
Jesus Christ, and not the infallibility of the written text.
(The Bible, Book of Faith, 1964, p. 148)

The ALC holds that the inerrancy referred to here
does not apply to the text, but to the truths revealed for
our faith, doctrine and life. (“The Church’s Confessional
Stand Relative to the Scriptures,” Dr. Fredrik A. Schiotz,
June 9, 1966, Tacoma, Wash.)

and

Wuereas, The religious tenets and pronouncements
of the Masonic lodge clearly proclaim salvation by man’s
own works and virtues and therefore involve the in-
dividual Christian who subscribes to these tenets in
a clear-cut contradiction and denial of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ; and

Wuereas, It is evident that the widespread practice
of accepting into communicant membership such who
are at the same time members of the Masonic lodge
continues to exist in The ALC and that nothing has been
done or is being done to correct this situation, as is
certainly demanded where the Gospel is being preached
in conformity with a correct understanding of it and
as is likewise demanded by the Minneapolis Theses,