# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S429
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
WHEREAS, Partner churches of the Synod may on occasion
amicably reorganize, divide, or release a mission or group of
congregations to become a self-governing, independent
confessional Lutheran church body which, in turn, requests a
recognition of church fellowship with the Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the President of Synod, upon the
recommendation of the CTCR, may be empowered to declare
fellowship with a self-governing, confessional Lutheran church
body that is established as a result of the mission efforts or the
reorganization of a confessional Lutheran partner church of the
LCMS; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.9.5.2.2
The Commission on Theology and Church Relations shall
assist the President of the Synod at his request in discharging his
constitutional responsibilities for maintaining doctrinal integrity as
he relates to other church bodies.
(a) It shall address itself to and evaluate existing fellowship
relations for the purpose of mutual admonition and
encouragement.
(b) When a church body applies for formal recognition of altar
and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, such recognition shall be
proposed at a convention of the Synod only after the approval of
the commission.
(c) When a small, formative, emerging confessional Lutheran
church body (identified as such by the President of the Synod as
chief ecumenical officer) requests recognition of altar and pulpit
fellowship with the Synod, after consultation with the Praesidium
and approval by the commission, such recognition may be
declared by the President of the Synod subject to the endorsement
of the subsequent Synod convention.
(d) When a mission of the Synod applies for formal recognition
as a self-governing partner church, such recognition shall be
proposed at convention of the Synod by the Board for
International Mission with the approval of the commission.
(e) When an entity (e.g., a district, mission, group of
congregations, etc.) of a self-governing partner church is
established as an independent church body in altar and pulpit
fellowship with that partner church body, and subsequently
requests recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with Synod,
such recognition may be declared by the President of Synod, after
consultation with the Praesidium and approval by the
commission, subject to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod
convention.

Commission on Theology and Church Relations
Ov. 5-07

To Exhort LCMS Partner Churches to Leave the
Lutheran World Federation
Preamble
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) “is a global communion of
145 churches in the Lutheran tradition, representing over 74 million
Christians in 98 countries.” And it declares of itself that its member
churches “share a vision, purpose, and values. We work to
strengthen our relationships and build an inclusive, respectful
communion. We are on a common journey of renewal shaped and
enriched by the different contexts within which we live”
(www.lutheranworld.org/content/about-lwf). Article III of the LWF
Constitution states, “The Lutheran World Federation is a
communion of churches which confess the triune God, agree in the

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proclamation of the Word of God and are united in pulpit and altar
fellowship.” The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is not
a member of the LWF. The LCMS is a member of the International
Lutheran Council (ILC), which is not a communion fellowship.
However, the majority of ILC member churches are partner
churches of the LCMS with whom we share altar and pulpit
fellowship.
The July 7, 2017, Reporter article “Boards and Business:
International, National Mission” states:
The Rev. Dr. Al Collver, director of Church Relations for the
Synod, provided an overview of two kinds of Lutheranism
evident worldwide. He described the differences between church
bodies affiliated with the International Lutheran Council (ILC)
and the more liberal Lutheran World Federation—with its focus
on women’s ordination, acceptance of the LGBT lifestyle and
using a higher critical approach to interpreting Scripture. Collver
explained that the ILC exists to encourage, strengthen and
promote confessional Lutheran theology and practice.
Increasingly, he said, Lutheran church bodies in the Global
South are seeking closer ties with the ILC and the LCMS. He
pointed out that the LCMS has 36 official partner churches and
25 “allied church bodies,” which have some degree of
partnership but do not yet have altar and pulpit fellowship. An
additional 14 “emerging church bodies” have made contact with
the LCMS to learn more about its doctrine and practice. Collver
also noted that many large, established church bodies are seeking
a more equal partnership with the Synod and desire theological
education, financial expertise to better manage growing ministry
institutions and help with mercy work. “There is no time like the
present to have a significant impact on world Lutheranism,” said
Collver.
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/international-nationalmission
The LCMS has remained faithful and continues to confess the truth
of God’s Word as its members subscribe unconditionally to the
Book of Concord. As a result of its confessional subscription
(Article II of the LCMS Constitution) the LCMS has not joined the
LWF. Sadly, the following LCMS partner churches with whom we
are in full altar and pulpit fellowship are members of the LWF. They
are as follows with the year they joined the LWF:
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana—2004
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya—1970
• The Lutheran Church of Nigeria—1973
• India Evangelical Lutheran Church—1970
• Japan Lutheran Church (Associate Member)—1999
• Lutheran Church in Korea—1972
• Gutnius Lutheran Church (Papua New Guinea)—1979
• Lutheran Church in the Philippines—1973
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia—1963
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania—1967
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia—1994
For the sake of our common confession with our partner churches
and in faithfulness and love for the True God and His Word, the
LCMS should exhort its partner churches leave the fellowship of
the LWF.
WHEREAS, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has as its
focus women’s ordination, acceptance of the LGBT lifestyle, and
using a higher critical approach to interpreting Scripture; and
2019 Convention Workbook