# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S161 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) CHURCH RELATIONS 161 Lutheran Church at this time, when there is obviously no unified doctrine and practice between the two synods would be in direct violation of our own Synod's consti- tution regarding unionism (Art. VI, p. 17, Synodical Handbook); therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, in convention assembled in Denver, Colo., in July 1969, declare that the conditions for a God-pleasing pulpit and altar fellowship between The American Lu- theran Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod do not exist at the present time: and be it further Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, in convention assembled, officially declare itself opposed to fellowship with The American Lutheran Church at this time. BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH Oshkosh, Wis. Rev. WALTER H. Mo tt. Pastor Cuar_es R. Case, President (3-187) To Declare Fellowship Impossible in Present Situation The first whereas of Resolution 3-23 states: WuereaS, The “Joint Statement and Declaration” of the official representatives of The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod and the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches reveals con- sensus (CW. p.421) in the preaching of the Gospel “in conformity with a pure understanding of it” and in the administration of the sacraments “in accordance with the divine Word” (A.C. VII). and the first and second paragraphs of resolutions state: Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in this convention herewith express thanks to God for His Spirit's guidance and blessing in the deliberations and consultations with The American Lutheran Church, which resulted in the consensus expressed in the “Joint Statement and Declaration”; and be it further Resolved. That the Synod recognize that the Scrip- tural and confessional basis for altar and pulpit fellow- ship between The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and The American Lutheran Church exists, that the Synod proceed to take the necessary steps toward full realization of altar and pulpit fellowship with The Amer- ican Lutheran Church, and that the Synod invite the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches to join with us in the same. From a longer dissertation under the heading of “Joint Statement and Declaration” in the 1967 Conven- tion Workbook, p. 421, the following excerpts are being made as applying to the above-quoted paragraphs from Resolution 3-23: It should be remembered that the consultations that led to the indicated consensus are not a recent innova- tion. A number of the bodies now comprised in the par- ticipating churches were at one time in full fellowship with each other. It is true that some of these ties were later broken. Yet there have been repeated and sincere efforts at reconciliation and reunion. In the early years of the 20th century a number of attempts were made to restore the broken fellowships. In the 30s, 40s, and 50s serious and extended official conferences between the former American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod led to a series of documents and resolutions culminating in the Common Confession, a document to which the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches also subscribed... . The most recent consultations are therefore a con- tinuation of a long line of earnest endeavors to be truly united in a common commitment to, and confession of, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have led the intersynodical committee to the judgment that the time has come for the participating churches to consider action on a declaration of pulpit and altar fellowship with each other. In the above statements and declarations from the 1967 convention Proceedings and from the “Joint State- ment and Declaration” and since then constantly in other such statements and declarations in various letters and publications and public releases of and for The Lu- theran Church — Missouri Synod, it is stated and de- clared positively that “the indicated consensus” is meant to aver that true doctrinal agreement exists for this proposed “altar and pulpit fellowship between The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.” Yet nowhere in the three docu- ments. “Grace Alone.” “Scripture Alone,’ and, “The Doctrine of the Church in the Lutheran Confessions,” as “adopted by the Commissioners of The American Lu- theran Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod” and so submitted for “this consensus,” is it ever shown that the one-time points of long-standing doc- trinal controversies and ecclesiastical divisions have been allayed and removed by definite mutual statements accepted by all parties in the same spirit and in the same sense and meaning. The official reports and reso- lutions of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in its official Proceedings from 1917 to 1967 bear witness to the doctrinal controversies for all to read and to know and to verify. According to official documentation of the former Evangelical Lutheran Church or its erstwhile former bodies, as it is found in the booklet, The Union Docu- ments of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, there was no sign of any doctrinal unity. for in this booklet it is stated on page 4: “The Anti-Missourian Brotherhood was formed in 1887 by secession of 55 pastors and their con- gregations from the Norwegian Synod on account of the controversy over the question of election which had been agitating that body for some time.” On account of this point of controversy the former Evangelical Lu- theran Church in itself and through former bodies comes into reference at various times in the Proceedings of the Missouri Synod. As regards the former American Lutheran Church according to documentations from 1917 to Jan. 1, 1961. there was no evidence of any doc- trinal unity as a basis for altar and pulpit fellowship, for so it was repeatedly declared in the official Proceed- ings of the Missouri Synod, especially in 1929, 1947, and 1956. For that last year cited above, 1956, the official resolution, pp. 504 and 505, declared: “Whereas, It ap- pears from recent historical developments that the Common Confession can no longer serve as a functioning union document. therefore be it Resolved, That here- after the Common Confession (Parts I and II) be not regarded or employed as a functioning basic document toward the establishment of altar or pulpit fellowship with other church bodies.”