# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S175
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CHURCH RELATIONS 175

Wuereas, Fellowship with The ALC would draw us
into communion with a weaker Lutheran body and
naturally weaken the status, character, Biblical loyalty,
and strength of the LCMS; and

Wuereas, Many pastors and congregations would
find themselves in conscience bound to withdraw from
the LCMS or practice selective fellowship and selective
stewardship should pulpit and altar fellowship between
the two synods be consummated; therefore be it

Resolved, That our Synod do not establish pulpit and
altar fellowship with The American Lutheran Church.
Grace LUTHERAN CONGREGATION
Indianapolis, Ind.
W. E. Bexnine, Chairman
J. A. Seetye, Secretary
L. M. Hreser, Pastor

(3-217)
To Decline to Establish Fellowship

WHEREAS, It is the experience and conviction of many
pastors and congregations that there are serious dis-
parities in doctrine (e. g., verbal inspiration) and prac-
tice (e.g., lodge membership) between The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod and The American Lutheran
Church pastors and congregations; and

Wuereas, Surveys and studies have repeatedly and
consistently demonstrated much weaker Biblical con-
victions and practices among The ALC pastors than
among those of the LCMS (e. g., Milwaukee Journal,
February, March, April 1966; Christianity Today,
Oct. 13, 1967: Lutheran Layman, September 1967); and

WHEREAS, Many pastors and congregations would
find themselves in conscience bound to withdraw from
the LCMS or practice selective fellowship and selective
stewardship should altar and pulpit fellowship between
the two synods be consummated; and

Wuereas, The ALC at its last convention voted to
establish altar and pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran
Church in America, a move that clearly indicates a will-
ingness to establish fellowship with those with whom
it is not in full doctrinal accord, and reveals a laxity
toward doctrine that makes its statements regarding
doctrinal agreement with the LCMS suspect; and

Wuereas, The ALC is a member of the World Coun-
cil of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation and
is contemplating membership in the National Council
of Churches — all of which are violating our traditional
Scriptural principle of seeking church fellowship
through agreement in doctrine and practice; therefore
be it

Resolved:

That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod de-
cline to establish altar and pulpit fellowship with The
American Lutheran Church; and

That we continue to support every effort toward
Lutheran union that is based on an unqualified accep-
tance of the Holy Scripture as the inerrant, verbally

inspired Word of God and of the Confessions of the
Lutheran Church as a correct exposition of the doctrine

of the Word. St. Joun Lutueran Cuyurcu

Roselle, III.
DELMER Wo rr, Secretary

(3-218)

To Refuse to Enter into F. ellowship
with The ALC

Wuereas, It is evident that the Synod in 1969 will
be requested to declare itself to be officially in pulpit
and altar fellowship with The American Lutheran
Church; and

WHEREAS, Such fellowship certainly would not solve
the doctrinal problems in our Synod but would rather
tend to make them less obvious; and

Wuereas, The ALC, while theoretically taking the
same or a similar position as we do with respect to
lodges that have an anti-Christian religion, does not
in general apply this position; and

Wuereas, Dubious statements within The ALC that
undermine the foundation of the church on the Holy
Scriptures as the infallible and errorless source and
norm of our faith have not been corrected or refuted;
and

Wuereas, Pastors and congregations of The ALC
have made our testimony in this matter more difficult
and in fact have undermined both our witness and our
practice by receiving into membership persons either
disciplined by our churches or refused membership
by them; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod refuse to enter into altar
and pulpit fellowship with The American Lutheran

Church, St. Peter's Ev. LutHEraN Cuurcu

Brownstown, Ind.

Joun Kamman, Chairman
RICHARD BARTELS, Secretary
J. V. Mover, Pastor

(3-219)
To Refuse Fellowship at This Time

Wuereas, We, the members of St. Paul’s Lutheran
Church (Missouri Synod) of Orange, Calif., have in
prayerful earnestness followed the directives of Reso-
lution 3-23 of the 1967 synodical convention; and

Wuereas, Our delegates faithfully received the infor-
mation given at our 1968 District convention; and

WHEREAS, We have ordered and studied the fellow-
ship materials suggested by our synodical President;
and

WHEREAS, We have met in circuit discussion, in an
intersynodical council in Orange, and in congregation
study sessions; and

WuereaS, We have learned that there appears to be
a lack of information in The ALC regarding their own