# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S190 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 190 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS ... the churches which pledge themselves to one doctrine and religion we have declared to one another with heart and mouth that we will not make or receive a separate or new confession of our faith (Concordia Triglotta, The Formula of Concord, Thor- ough Declaration, comprehensive summary pages 849, 851); and WuEeEREAS, Fellowship in the LCMS is based on the Gospel as defined by the three ecumenical creeds which we promise to keep whole and undefiled or perish everlastingly as stated in the Athanasian Creed: Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic [i.e., universal, Christian] faith. Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled. without doubt he shall perish everlastingly ... This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faith- fully and firmly, he cannot be saved; and WHEREAS, the identity of the true church is based on the correct confession of the Gospel in Article VII of the Augsburg Confes- sion: Article VII: Of the Church Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered; therefore be it Resolved, That as a basis of membership in the Synod, all LCMS congregations, when confessing a creed in a Communion service, only confess one of the three ecumenical creeds: and be it further Resolved, That the maintenance of fellowship in the LCMS and the identification of the true church are based on the confession of the three creeds; and be it finally Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who wish to de- part from such uniform confession of the Gospel in the three ecu- menical creeds during a Communion service be removed from membership in the LCMS in accordance with Article II and Article IV 4 of the LCMS Constitution. Redeemer St. Clair Shores, MI 3-124 To Codify Use of Only the Three Universal Creeds WHEREAS, Our synodical Constitution identifies and confesses (as does the church catholic) only three creeds, they being the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian; and WHEREAS, These three creeds have been normative in the church since well before the Reformation; and WHEREAS, Some churches confess creeds other than the three universal creeds (creeds written or adopted by their clergy): and WHEREAS, These new creeds have not been accepted by the church-at-large and can be both confusing to the people and incor- rect in doctrine; therefore be it Resolved, That only the three ecumenical creeds will be used by the members of the LCMS; and be it further Resolved, That if other creeds are formulated on a local level they should first be approved for use by the entire LCMS: and be it finally . Resolved, That all churches and pastors be encouraged in faith- fulness to only the symbols stated in our synodical Constitution. St. John, Waterbury, CT; St. Peter, Norwalk, CT; Trinity, Denver, CO; St. Paul, Naugatuck, CT 3-125 To Maintain Confession of Historic Creeds in LCMS Congregations Wuereas, The Lutheran Confessions were written to lead our churches to the Holy Scripture and the creeds: ~.., but that we wished indeed to lead our churches and the schools, first of all to the fountains of Holy Scriptures and to the Creeds, ... (Preface to the Book of Concord, Triglotta, p. 21); and WHEREAS, Most of the communicants in the LCMS were con- firmed with the following vows: Do you also as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, intend to continue steadfast in the confession of this Church, and suffer all even death, rather than fall away from it? I do so intend, with the help of God. (“Rite of Confirmation,” p. 24, The Lutheran Agenda [TLH]); and WHEREAS, The Book of Concord states we will not make or re- ceive another confession of faith in reference to the three creeds as follows: ~... the churches which pledge themselves to one doctrine and religion, we have declared to one another with heart and mouth that we will not make or receive a separate or new con- fession of our faith, (Concordia Triglotta, the Formula of Con- cord, Thorough Declaration, Comprehensive Summary, pp. 849, 851); and WuEerEAS, Fellowship in the LCMS is based on the Gospel as defined by the three ecumenical creeds which we promise to keep whole and undefiled or perish everlastingly as stated in the Athanasian Creed: Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic (i.e., universal, Christian) faith. Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt be shall perish everlastingly ... This is the Catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly; he cannot be saved: and WHEREAS, The identity of the true church is based on the correct confession of the Gospel in Art. VII of the Augsburg Confession: Article VII: Of the church also they teach that one holy church is to continue forever. The church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered: and WHEREAS. The acceptance of the confessional basis of Art. IT is a condition of holding membership in The Lutheran Church-——Mis- souri Synod per Art. IV | of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; therefore be it Resolved, That as a basis of membership in the Synod, all LCMS congregations, when confessing a creed in a worship ser- vice, only confess one of the three ecumenical creeds; and be it fur- ther Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who wish to de- part from such uniform confession of the Gospel in the three ecu- menical creeds during a Communion service be disciplined in ac- cordance with Art. XI 2 and Art. XIII of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and section II D of the Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Bethlehem Fairborn, OH 3-126 To Develop 21st-Century Formula of Concord WHEREAS, The 16th-century Formula of Concord helped unite Lutherans after the death of Martin Luther at a time when Lutheranism was seriously divided; and