# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S56 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 56 SYNODICAL REPORTS and to establish a forum for discussion between the seminanes of ILC churches. The executive committee will meet again in March 1998 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to make plans for a regional conference in Africa later in 1998. The participating churches of the ILC: Africa Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa Lutheran Church of Nigeria Lutheran Church in Southern Africa East Asia China Evangelical Lutheran Church (Taiwan) Japan Lutheran Church Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod Lutheran Church in Korea Europe Confessional Lutheran Church of Finland Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Denmark Evangelical Lutheran Church of England Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (Germany) Latin America Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile Lutheran Church of Guatemala Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay Lutheran Church of Venezuela Lutheran Synod of Mexico North America Lutheran Church—Canada Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (U.S.A.) Southeast Asia and Australia Gutnuis Lutheran Church (Papua New Guinea) India Evangelical Lutheran Church Lutheran Church of Australia Lutheran Church in the Philippines 2. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria During the past triennium a series of official discussions has taken place between representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR) and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod. Preliminary conversations were held March 3I— April 1, 1995, in St. Petersburg, Russia. A second round of talks took place in St. Louis March 10-12, 1997. The representatives met for a third time in St. Petersburg, Russia, on October 13-15, 1997. During the course of these conversations the representatives discussed the doctrinal positions of the respective church bodies in light of the official confessional articles of their churches’ consti- tutions. On the basis of these talks, which included the position of the churches on a wide variety of contemporary issues in debate in Christendom today such as the doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of the ministry, the role of women, and ethical issues such as homo- sexuality and abortion, the representatives of our churches reported that our churches are in doctrinal agreement with each other. The representatives therefore unanimously recommended that the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of Ingria and The Lutheran Church—Mis- souri Synod officially declare themselves to be in church fellow- ship with each other. On October 15, 1997 the six representatives of our two churches signed a “Joint Statement of Agreement,” which was then forwarded to President Barry (LCMS) and Bishop A. Kuukauppi (ELCIR). Representing the churches and signing the statement were: ELCIR—Aare Kuukauppi, Sergei Preiman, Isto Pihkala; LCMS—Robert T. Kuhn, Samuel H. Nafzger, Raymond L. Hartwig. In keeping with Bylaw 13.03 which requires that the CTCR ap- prove applications for formal recognition of altar and pulpit fel- lowship with the Synod, the CTCR has received the charter of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria and is submitting a recom- mendation to the Synod, which is printed elsewhere in the Con- vention Workbook. 3. Committee on Lutheran Cooperation (CLC) When the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America came into existence on January 1, 1988, the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A., founded in 1966, was dissolved. The Committee on Lutheran Co- operation composed of six representatives from each church body was then formed, with official approval from the constituent church bodies. In keeping with its original purposes, the CLC meets twice a year to discuss relationships between the ELCA and the LCMS and to review and monitor cooperative endeavors carried out in the two church bodies. Such cooperative endeavors include separately incorporated inter-Lutheran agencies such as Lutheran World Re- lief, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Lutheran Re- sources Commission, Lutheran Education Conference of North America and Lutheran Film Associates. The CLC’s meetings have been devoted chiefly to reports and discussions regarding these areas of joint work. Presently serving as representatives on the CLC are the following: LCMS—Dr. Alvin L. Barry, Dr. Walter L. Rosin, Dr. Robert T. Kuhn, Dr. John P. Schuelke, Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, and Dr. Arleigh L. Lutz; ELCA—Dr. H. George Ander- son, Dr. Lowell G. Almen, Dr. Addie J. Butler, Dr. Robert N. Bacher, Dr. Daniel Martensen, and Dr. Charles S. Maahs. 4. Lutheran World Federation (LWF) The LCMS received a formal invitation to send an ecumenical guest to the Lutheran World Federation Assembly in Hong Kong, July 8-16, 1997. President Barry asked Dr. Samuel Nafzger, exec- utive director of the CTCR, to represent the Synod at this assembly. The “ecumenical guests” were invited to bring greetings to the as- sembly. Dr. Nafzger gave a full report on the Assembly to Presi- dent Barry and to the CTCR at its September 1997 meeting. B. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue Although the Synod was a part of the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue in the U.S.A from its beginning in 1965 until September 1992 (end of the ninth round), ELCA and Roman Catholic offi- cials—without inviting the LCMS to participate—proceeded to make plans for future dialogue between their churches. Both the President of the Synod and the CTCR in 1992 expressed concern and disappointment to the ELCA and Roman Catholic officials re- garding this development. In monitoring continuing developments regarding this dialogue, the commission noted that “Guidelines for Round 10 U.S.A. Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue” included provision for “consultant-observers; LCMS ... noted.” Taking into account previous developments and in light of these “Guidelines,” the commission at its February 1997 meeting adopted the following resolution: “Resolved, That since the LCMS has been excluded from full participation in Round 10 of the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue, the CTCR encourage President Barry to pursue the possibility of arranging for ‘observers’ from the LCMS to be present at the next round of this dialogue.” C. National Association of Evangelicals The LCMS is not a member of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). On the recommendation of the CTCR, how- ever, the executive director attends the annual meetings of the NAE and reports to the CTCR. The NAE met in Orlando, Florida, Mar. 3-6, 1997, and Mar. 2-4, 1998. D. National Council of Churches The LCMS is not a member of the National Council of Churches. On the recommendation of the CTCR, however, the ex- ecutive director participates in the NCC’s Faith and Order Com- mission as a representative from a nonmember church body. The Faith and Order Commission meets twice each year. Richard G. Kapfer, Chairman Samuel H. Nafzger, Executive Director