# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S168 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 168 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 3-43 To Study Nature of Lutheran Identity WHEREAS, When two or more churches accept mutual pulpit and altar fellowship, they thereby become one church; and WHEREAS, The ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amer- ica) in 1997 formally declared pulpit and altar fellowship with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ, all of which belong to the Calvinist- Reformed tradition and confession; and Wuereas, The ELCA in 1997 formally accepted a “Joint Dec- laration on the Doctrine of Justification” with the Roman Catholic Church; and WHEREAS, The Reformed churches have historically affirmed an understanding of the Lord’s Supper which denies the real pres- ence of the body and the blood of Jesus in the Sacrament (see the Formula of Concord, Art. VII); and WHEREAS, Roman Catholic understandings of justification con- tinue to confuse Law and Gospel; and WHEREAS, This tragedy for American Lutheranism has a com- plex background and global implications (for sample documenta- tion see overtures in the Convention Workbook of the Synod in 1977 (pp. 112-13); 1979 (p. 113); 1981 (pp. 177-78, 188); 1983 (pp. 116, 120-21); 1986 (pp. 128, 133-34), and 1989 (pp. 178-79); and WHEREAS, These actions by the ELCA raise fundamental ques- tions about the Lutheran character of the ELCA and about the ap- propriate relationship which the LCMS should have with the ELCA at local, District, and national levels; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention express its deep regret that the ELCA through these actions has ceased clearly and unambiguously to confess the two most cen- tral confessional Lutheran distinctives (justification and the sacra- mental presence); and be it further Resolved, That the President of the Synod be requested to take all appropriate steps to lead the Synod at all levels in a careful study of the nature of Lutheran confessional identity, and to do so in the closest possible cooperation with our sister churches throughout the world. Faculty Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, IN 3-44 To Prohibit All Forms of Joint Worship with ELCA WHEREAS, Art. VI of our Synod’s Constitution establishes con- ditions for membership in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, mandating, among other things, “renunciation of unionism and syn- cretism of every description”; and Wuereas, Reports that members of the Synod are violating this condition of membership continue to trouble the Synod; and WHEREAS, The most frequent and aggravating of these viola- tions involve joint services with clergy and/or congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters has de- clared that joint services with church bodies not in fellowship with our Synod, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are. in fact, in violation of the synodical Constitution; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con- vention assembled expressly forbid its members from participating in joint worship services, including those that do not involve par- ticipation in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, involving either the members of the ministerium or the congregations of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church in America; and be it further Resolved, That all District Presidents be directed to scrupu- lously enforce the synodical Constitution and Bylaws with respect to unionism; and be it finally Resolved, That District Presidents of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod who fail to enforce the synodical Constitution and Bylaws with respect to unionism be considered in violation of said directives themselves and dealt with as such by the Synod. Bethany Fort Wayne, IN 3-45 To Withdraw Recognition of ELCA as Legitimate Lutheran Church WHEREAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has declared itself in full communion with the Presbyter- ian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ; and WHEREAS, These three churches deny the real presence of the true body and blood of our Lord in the Sacrament of the Altar; and WHEREAS, The ELCA has adopted a statement which asserts that “‘a consensus in the basic truths of the doctrine of justification exists between Lutherans and Catholics”; and WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Church, in its official cate- chism, states that, “Justification establishes cooperation between God’s grace and man’s freedom. On man’s part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to con- version, and in the cooperation of charity”: and WHEREAS, The President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Rev. Dr. Al Barry, has stated, “It is important to note that The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is not part of these proposals, nor do we agree with them. In our view these proposals represent a significant movement away from the scriptural and con- fessional position of historic Lutheranism”; and Wuereas, Many people, both within the Lutheran church and without, are confused and uncertain as to what these proposals mean and what, in fact, it means to be a Lutheran, therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at its 1998 convention publicly deplore and disassociate itself from the actions of the ELCA; and be it further Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at its 1998 convention withdraw recognition of the ELCA as a legitimate Lutheran church until these proposals are withdrawn; and be it fi- nally Resolved, That the congregations of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod be encouraged to receive into membership only those people from congregations of ELCA who have been prop- erly instructed and have shown an understanding and acceptance of the historic teachings of the Lutheran church. Messiah Danville, CA 3-46 To Initiate Steps for Dialogue Wuereas, Jesus envisions the demonstrable unity of the church as a physical witness to the world (John 17) and therefore a goal to be actively pursued by all who follow Him; and WHEREAS, Lutherans of the LCMS and ELCA share a funda- mental doctrinal commitment to the Lutheran Confessions promot- ing the realization that there’s more that unites us than divides us; and Wuereas, Laity of each church body regularly transfer mem- bership between the two churches suggesting that leaders, or at least the clergy of these two bodies, should be seeking to minimize confusion about our mutual beliefs; and WHEREAS, ELCA and LCMS pastors who do dialogue together frequently discover considerable agreement in contrast to more highly publicized and extreme positions attributed to either national body (such as in areas of pro-life issues and concems over irre- sponsible ecumenical activity); and