# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S7 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SYNOD REPORTS 7 are the caring arms of Christ that extend to our churches, to our communities, and to our world. Church Relations The Bylaws of the Synod state, “The President shall be the chief ecumenical officer of the Synod” and “He or his representative shall represent the Synod in official contacts with other church bod- ies” (Bylaw 3.3.1.1.2). Much time and energy are spent by the President of the Synod in relating to other church bodies and, under Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, working “through its offi- cial structure toward fellowship with other Christian church bod- ies” (Constitution, Art. III). At the present time, the LCMS enjoys the official relationship of altar and pulpit fellowship with 29 other Christian church bodies, all bearing the name “Lutheran,” none of them located in the United States of America, but in the following countries: . Argentina—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina . Brazil—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil . Canada—Lutheran Church—Canada . Chile—Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile . Denmark—Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark . England—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England 7. France and Belgium—Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium 8. Germany—Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church 9. Ghana—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana 10. Guatemala—Lutheran Church of Guatemala (1. Haiti—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti 12. Hong Kong—The Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod 13. India—India Evangelical Lutheran Church 14, Japan—Japan Lutheran Church 15. Kenya—Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya 16. Korea—Lutheran Church in Korea 17. Latvia—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia 18. Lithuania—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania 19. Mexico—Lutheran Synod of Mexico 20. Nigeria—The Lutheran Church of Nigeria 21. Papua New Guinea—Gutnius Lutheran Church 22. Paraguay—The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay 23. Philippines—The Lutheran Church in the Philippines 24. Russia—Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (formerly part of Finland, now St. Petersburg) 25. South Africa—Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 26. South Africa—Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa 27. Sri Lanka—Lanka Lutheran Church 28. Taiwan—China Evangelical Lutheran Church 29. Venezuela—Lutheran Church of Venezuela We are also engaged in dialogue or have had preliminary con- tacts with the following church bodies: 1. The American Association of Lutheran Churches 2. The Christian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia 3. Malagasy Lutheran Church (Madagascar) 4. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia 5. Protestant Christian Batak Church in Indonesia 6. Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church 7, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan 8. It should also be noted that we continue to have many opportunities for contacts with the Lutheran Church of Australia, especially in the International Lutheran Council. Furthermore, the Commission on Theology and Church Rela- tions is recommending that this summer’s synodical convention de- hWN Da clare the Synod to be in altar and pulpit fellowship with The Amer- ican Association of Lutheran Churches. The report of the Com- mission on Theology and Church Relations that recommends approval of this fellowship relationship is included in this Conven- tion Workbook. We pray that God will bless all of these relationships as we seek to strengthen them and to deepen our biblical and confessional unity in doctrine and practice with other Christian church bodies around the world, in accordance with our Lord’s will as expressed in His high priestly prayer in John 17:20—23: I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, 2!that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and 1 am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. *I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: ”] in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. 2004 Convention Resolutions Assigned to the President of the Synod Following is a succinct summary of the 2004 Convention reso- lutions directly assigned to the President of the Synod, together with a report of my actions in response: Action on Resolutions Assigned to the LCMS President’s Office 2004 Synodical Convention 3-07 To Continue Discussions with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , Resolved: “Encourage the President of the Synod and our representatives on the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation (CLC) to pursue sub- stantive conversations between representatives of the ELCA and the LCMS, in a continuing effort to bear witness to the truth of the Scriptures and the Confessions in the hope that agreement can be reached in those areas where we disagree” and “report to the next synodical convention any recommendations concerning changes in joint activity with the ELCA.” Action Taken: Continuing conversations on numerous substantive issues between the ELCA and LCMS have been held semiannually. Participating with the President in these discussions were our representatives on the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation (CLC), namely First Vice- President William Diekelman, COP Chairman William Hoesman, Secretary Raymond Hartwig, Chief Administrative Officer Ronald Schultz, and CTCR Executive Director Samuel Nafzger. Also partic- ipating in the specifically theological discussions were Rev. Ralph Blomenberg, and Professor Walter A. Maier III. At one such sub- stantive theological discussion, LCMS President Emeritus Ralph Bohlmann also was an invited participant. Some discussions have utilized the 1978 document prepared and distributed by the Division of Theological Studies, Lutheran Council in the USA, titled, “The Function of Doctrine and Theol- ogy in Light of the Unity of the Church (FODT).” This report, pre- pared in the 1970s by official representatives of the LCMS and predecessor bodies of the ELCA, continues to represent a respon- sible description of the principal theological differences between the LCMS and the ELCA. These differences include the authority and interpretation of Scripture, the nature of confessional subscrip- tion, and the nature and basis of church fellowship. The FODT doc- ument therefore provides a helpful basis for ongoing theological discussions (also involving representatives of the seminaries of 2007 Convention Workbook