# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S153
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

3. THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

To Declare LCMS Not in Altar
and Pulpit Fellowship with ALC

RESOLUTION 3-01

Reports 3-01—3-02 (CW, pp. 145—159); Overtures
3-51A—3-71 (CW, pp. 174—182).

Preamble

A decision on altar and pulpit fellowship between
The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod should be prefaced by the
grateful acknowledgment that there are many things
which these two church bodies have in common. The
constitutions of both the ALC and the LCMS bind their
respective churches to the Holy Scriptures as understood
in the Book of Concord. Both churches are thereby
formally committed to the central doctrine of the
Lutheran Reformation—justification by God’s grace in
Christ through faith alone. Behind their similar con-
fessional paragraphs lie both church bodies’ common
roots in Lutheran confessionalism. This joint heritage,
genuinely appreciated in both churches, is still very
much in evidence today.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod does not
claim that it has nothing to learn from The American
Lutheran Church or that its own doctrinal formulations
are beyond improvement on the basis of God’s Word.
Moreover, it must be acknowledged that human sin-

153

fulness always exists on all sides to complicate and
disturb human relations. There are no grounds in the
church for pride and self-satisfaction, only for penitent
gratitude (1 Cor. 1:31).

Doctrinal differences between The American Lu-
theran Church and The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod, however, have become increasingly pronounced
during the 12 years that these two bodies have been in
altar and pulpit fellowship with one another. In 1969 the
LCMS declared itself to bein altar and pulpit fellowship
with the ALC by a vote of 522-438. It also pledged its
efforts “to seek a unified evangelical position and
practice” and provided for the creation of an inter-
synodical commission to work toward that end (Res.
3-15). Since that time representatives of the two church
bodies have met at least twice a year in order to discuss
issues and problems, including the inspiration, iner-
rancy, and authority of Holy Scriptures; the meaning
and implications of confessional subscription; the
nature and basis of fellowship; the ordination of women
to the pastoral office; membership in ecumenical
organizations such as the World Council of Churches;
and varying practices regarding anti-Christian organi-
zations. Because of the growing evidence of disagree-
ment in these doctrinal areas, especially at the official
church body level, the LCMS in 1977 declared itself to be
in a state of “fellowship in protest” with the ALC on
account of doctrinal disagreements and stated that if