# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S147
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

3. THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

3-01

To Formally Declare Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with The American Association of Lutheran Churches

The American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC) was
established on November 6, 1987. It was organized by pastors and
congregations, primarily from the American Lutheran Church, who
were concerned over certain doctrinal positions adopted by the
Commission for a New Lutheran Church (CNLC). The CNLC had
been given the responsibility to bring into being a merger of three
churches: the American Lutheran Church (ALC), the Association
of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC), and the Lutheran
Church in America (LCA). Of particular concern to the pastors and
congregations that organized the AALC was the position the CNLC
had taken on the doctrine of the authority of Scripture. (As a result
of the CNLC’s work, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica came into being on January |, 1988.) As of February 15, 2007,
the membership of the AALC is as follows: 79 congregations, 107
pastors (not including emeriti), 11,771 communicant members, and
14,137 baptized members.

Representatives from the AALC and the LCMS began meeting
together in 1988. Between 1988 and 1998, five meetings were held
for the purpose of sharing background information and exploring
areas of agreement in official documents. The assistance of the
LCMS was requested by the AALC in seminary training, military
chaplaincies, and the area of social ministry. It was during this time
that the AALC established a Builders for Christ organization,
which was modeled after the LCMS’s Laborers for Christ.

In March 2005, after a lapse of six years during which the
AALC further clarified its doctrinal position and practice, repre-
sentatives from both churches began meeting together once again.
Both church bodies expressed interest at this time in holding doc-
trinal discussions for the purpose of moving toward altar and pulpit
fellowship. In this and three subsequent meetings held in 2005 and
2006 the following topics were discussed in depth: the doctrine of
Holy Scripture, the meaning of Communion, inter-Christian rela-
tionships, the role of women in the church, and piety versus
pietism. Later, the issue of lodge membership was addressed. Dur-
ing the course of these discussions, the AALC, in June 2005, de-
cided, upon the invitation of the LCMS, to move its seminary onto
the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, In-
diana, a relationship that was effected in September 2006 as AALC
began preparing men for the ministry at the LCMS seminary.

Representing the LCMS in these discussions were President
Gerald Kieschnick; Dr. Charles Arand, Chairman of the Depart-
ment of Systematic Theology of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
and a member of the CTCR; Dr. William Diekelman, LCMS First
Vice-President; Dr. Raymond Hartwig, Secretary of the LCMS;
and Dr. Samuel Nafzger, Executive Director of the CTCR.

On the basis of these long-term discussions, the LCMS repre-
sentatives have concluded, and reported to the President of the
Synod, that doctrinal agreement exists between the AALC and the
LCMS and that there is nothing that would prohibit the churches
from entering into altar and pulpit fellowship with one another. In
accordance with the procedures established by the Synod and set
forth in its Bylaws (3.9.6.2.2 [b], 2004 Handbook, p. 176), the
CTCR adopted unanimously a resolution at its February 15-16,
2007, meeting recommending that the LCMS enter into altar and
pulpit fellowship with The American Association of Lutheran
Churches.

WuereaS, The American Association of Lutheran Churches
was founded upon and has maintained a strong commitment to the
Scriptures as the authoritative, inspired, and inerrant Word of God;
and

WHEREAS, The AALC has from its inception sought discussions
with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to explore ways in
which the two church bodies might work with one another; and

WHEREAS, Five exploratory meetings were held between the
AALC and LCMS between 1988 and 1998; and

WHEREAS, Article III of the Synod’s Constitution states that a
first objective of the Synod is to “work through its official struc-
ture toward fellowship with other Christian church bodies”; and

WHEREAS, The AALC and LCMS 2005 agreed to begin formal
doctrinal discussions aimed at the establishment of altar and pulpit
fellowship; and

WHEREAS, Formal theological discussions between representa-
tives of the AALC and the LCMS have revealed that agreement in
doctrine and practice exists between our churches; and

WHEREAS, Our partner churches in the International Lutheran
Council have had the opportunity to meet with the presiding pastor
of the AALC at the International Lutheran Council meeting in
Berlin, Germany, August 27—-September 2, 2005; and

WHEREAS, This proposal has been shared with the partner
churches. of the LCMS, their input has been requested, and respon-
dents have expressed their approval of the LCMS declaring church
fellowship with the AALC; and

WHEREAS, The AALC has expressed a desire to join together
with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in bearing witness to
the truth of the Gospel upon the basis of the inerrant Scriptures;
and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod has expressed support for
this resolution and has asked the CTCR to address the declaration
of altar and pulpit fellowship in keeping with Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 (b);
and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has received comprehensive reports on
these discussions and, in accordance with its bylaw responsibili-
ties, has recommended the establishment of altar and pulpit fel-
lowship between the LCMS and the AALC; therefore be it

Resolved, That we give thanks and praise to God for the faith-
fulness of our brothers and sisters in The American Association of
Lutheran Churches to the Holy Scriptures and to Lutheran confes-
sional theology and for their faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus

Christ; and be it further

147

Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude to God the unity
of confession that He has given to our churches under the Holy
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for-
mally declare altar and pulpit fellowship with The American As-
sociation of Lutheran Churches; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS recognize The American Association
of Lutheran Churches as a partner church and that the President of
the Synod be responsible for implementing this relationship; and
be it further

Resolved, That we implore the Lord of the Church to continue
to strengthen the bond of fellowship between our churches and that,
ablaze with His Spirit, we may together be renewed in our com-
mitment to the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to all the
world; and be it finally

Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution we rise to
sing the Common Doxology to the glory of God.

Commission on Theology and Church Relations

3-02

To Be a Sola Scriptura Church

Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is supposed
to be a Sola Scriptura church, with the Scriptures the only source
and norm for our doctrine and practice; and

WHEREAS, There is a great temptation to put our trust in our own
understanding as found in our doctrine and practice even though
error can creep into all writings and actions of man. Our Lord Him-
self made that clear in His dealing with the Pharisees (Matt.
15:1-9); and

WHEREAS, Discussions on matters of doctrine and practice are
often guided more by social norms than Scripture; and

WHEREAS, There is a Pharisaic tendency to refer primarily or
wholly to resolutions, CTCR documents, and other traditions, even