# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S198
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

198 CHURCH RELATIONS

Synod, in convention assembled in Denver, unreservedly
reject any and all proposals to join the National Coun-

cil of Churches. Sr. Pau’s LUTHERAN CHURCH

North Hollywood, Calif.
J. Davip WALTHER, Secretary
(3-270)

To Encourage Affiliation with Local
Councils of Churches

WHEREAS, There is a great need for confronting the
crucial issues facing the people of God and those for
whom they are responsible in love; and

Wuereas, The facilities of local congregations and
circuits may very often be limited or stifled by frustra-
tions in carrying out the mission of the church; and

WuereEaS, There may be advantages for a congrega-
tion to join local councils of churches (or ministerial
associations) in order to coordinate and carry out the
social and humanitarian aspects of the Gospel ministry;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Eastern District of The Lutheran
Church —- Missouri Synod memorialize the Synod to
draw up guidelines which will help local congregations
to determine the extent of their participation in local
councils of churches (or ministerial alliances or asso-

ciations). EASTERN DISTRICT

CLARENCE W. Rae, Secretary
(3-271)

To Seek Membership in the World
Council of Churches

WHEREAS, St. Paul admonished the church at Corinth
to let “there be no dissensions among you” (1 Cor. 1:10)
lest the church of Christ be not one but divided: and

Wuereas, All Christians are called to heal wounds
within the church, to work reconciliation, and not to
perpetuate divisions founded on human frailty: and

Whereas, It is recognized that doctrinal differences
do exist within the membership of the World Council
of Churches; and

WHEREAS, It is expected of member churches that
they will honor their confessional commitments and not
ignore evident differences or compromise their confes-
sional integrity; and

Wuereas, The work of reconciliation is best carried
on through Christian association, confessional integrity,
and earnest cooperation; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod seek membership in the World Council of
Churches as soon as possible, for the sake of Christ’s
whole church, in fraternal regard and concern for our
separated brethren in Christ, and for the fulfilling of
God's will in seeking a common understanding of the
faith and order and the life and work of the whole

church. Sr. GRecory or Nyssa LUTHERAN CHURCH

Chicago, III.
WAYNE SAFFEN, Pastor

(3-272)

To Reject All Proposals to Identify
with the World Council of Churches

Wuereas, The petition for the LCMS to join the
WCC has been heard repeatedly from certain quarters
of our church and memorials fostering such identification
have been presented again and again at synodical con-
ventions; and

Whereas, The ALC, which has offered us the hand
of fellowship, is already an active member in the WCC
and would involve the LCMS in additional entangling
alliances with the WCC if we should in error accept
such offer of fellowship; and

Wuereas, The WCC has been following a line of
political and social concern, rather than identification
with the purpose for which God established the church
(Matt. 28: 19-20: Dr. Hedegard, Swedish theologian, calls
the Uppsala assembly of 1968 “a political gathering — no
Christian meeting’): and

Wuereas, The WCC political and social gospel pro-
nouncements and activities have often been anti-Amer-
ican (Fourth Assembly at Uppsala) and prorevolution-
ary (Castro's Cuba, Carmichael’s Black Tower, Red
China, the North Vietnamese communist regime: see
the Clergymen’s Committee on China full-page ad in
the New York Times, Nov. 18, 1968, for details of the
protests from clergymen of all faiths from all over
America); and

Wuereas, The ecumenical involvements of the WCC
target organic union on a massive ecclesiastical scale,
including also Rome and her heresies, and LCMS iden-
tification with this would involve her in violation of
the Scriptural injunctions against unionism, compromis-
ing the Word of God (1 Tim. 6:3-5, Matt. 7:15; 1 Tim.
1:3, Rom. 16:17; Amos 3:3); and

WHEREAS, Strong movements of conservative concern
in many of the Protestant denominations are even now
calling for their respective denominations to withdraw
from the WCC for the above-named and other reasons.
and our tragic entry into the WCC could only help the
cause of liberalism and further distress those who are
seeking to defend the truth of God's Word: and

Wuereas, The WCC has publicly advocated and
financially supported civil disobedience contrary to the
will of God (Ex. 20; Rom. 13); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, in convention assembled in Denver, unreservedly
reject any and all overtures to identify with the World
Council of Churches as now constituted.

MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sterling, Il.

Harotp NEtson, Secretary

EvLpor MUuELLER, Pastor
(3-273)

This overture was also received from Trinity Lu-
theran Church, Rock Springs, Wyo., Gerald Rohde.
Chairman.