# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S197
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CHURCH RELATIONS 197

Resolved, That the CTCR be instructed to report its
findings and conclusions to Synod’s pastors, teachers,
and congregations, if possible prior to the 1971 conven-
tion of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.

CALIFORNIA AND Nevapa DIsTRICT
Cart A. WALLIS, Secretary
(3-267)

To Study Structure and Operation
of National Council of Churches

Wuereas, Schism and division are an offense against
God and an obstacle to effective witness; and
Wuereas, Our Synod has explicitly affirmed that the
mission of the church must include a concern for all of
Christ’s people throughout the world; therefore be it
Resolved, That we request the Synod in convention
at Denver in 1959 to instruct the Commission on Theol-
ogy and Church Relations to engage in a study of the
structure and operation of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (as it has previously
instructed the CTCR with regard to the World Council
of Churches) and to prepare a comprehensive report
prior to the 1971 convention, with recommendations for
action at the 1971 convention.
Rev. Lestit F. FRERKING
Charlotte, N.C.
(3-268)

To Withdraw All Commitments to the
National Council of Churches

Wuereas, The Federal Council of Churches, which
developed into the National Council of Churches, de-
clared through its president (Rev. S. Cadman) already
in 1930: “The day is past when any realm of our eco-
nomic, industrial, social, political, or international life
will be regarded as outside the sphere of responsibility
of the churches’; and

Wuereas, The NCC is pursuing this very line so
aggressively that voices of distressed concern from
clergymen all over America have registered their public
protest through full-page ads in the New York Times
repeatedly (most recently, Nov. 18, 1968) ; and

Wuereas, The NCC has released an exclusive inter-
view with Gus Hall, national secretary of the Com-
munist Party, in which he states: “Communism and
the church share so many goals that they ought to exist
for one another” (Prairie Farmer, Sept.7, 1968); and

Wuereas, Movements like the Methodist Laymen of
North Hollywood, Calif. have been laboring tirelessly
to extricate their own denominations from the compro-
mising commitments of the NCC for valid Scriptural and
democratic reasons; and

Wuereas, There are those in our Synod who have
for years been advocating LCMS membership in the
NCC both orally and in written form at conferences and
conventions of the church: and

Wuereas, The LCA has merely referred action on
proposals to join the NCC out of deference to concerns

still being voiced by some of her people and apparently
expects to sidestep or overrule these concerns in a few
years and could then involve the LCMS in further
un-Lutheran and anti-Scriptural commitments if she ~
should in error accept the invitation to join The ALC
in pulpit and altar fellowship; and

Wuereas, Christian people, totally committed to the
Word of God and the rule of Christ in the hearts and
lives of men, would be cheered mightily by a decision
of the LCMS unequivocally and decisively to reject
any and all involvements with the anti-Christian and
modernistic NCC; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, in convention assembled in Denver, declare itself
completely out of harmony with and in Biblical opposi-
tion to the radical element of the NCC; and be it further

Resolved, That we register the seriousness of our
protest by withdrawing any and all commitments we
may have in official or unofficial association with the

NCC as now constituted. \essian LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sterling, Il.
Harovp NELSON, Secretary
Expor MvuELLer, Pastor
(3-269)
To Reject All Proposals to Join
the National Council of Churches

Wuereas, The Federal Council of Churches, which
developed into the NCC, declared through its president
(Rev. S. Cadman) already in 1930: “The day is past
when any realm of our economic, industrial, social,
political, or international life will be regarded as out-
side the sphere of responsibility of the churches”; and

Wuereas, The NCC is pursuing this very line so
aggressively that voices of distressed concern from
clergymen all over America have registered their public
protest through full-page ads in the New York Times
repeatedly (most recently, Nov. 18, 1968); and

Wuenreas, The NCC has released an exclusive inter-
view with Gus Hall, national secretary of the Communist
Party, in which he states: “Communism and the church
share so many goals that they ought to exist for one
another” (Prairie Farmer, Sept. 7, 1968); and

Wuereas, The ALC has merely deferred action on
proposals to join the NCC out of deference to concerns
still being voiced by some of her people but could side-
step and overrule those concerns in a few years and
then involve the LCMS in further un-Lutheran and
anti-Scriptural commitments if she should in error ac-
cept the invitation to join The ALC in pulpit and altar
fellowship; and

Wuereas, Christian people, totally committed to the
Word of God and the rule of Christ in the hearts and
lives of men, would be cheered mightily by a decision
of the LCMS unequivocally and decisively to reject all
involvements with the anti-Christian NCC; therefore
be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri