# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2013_S164
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

164

Theology and Church Relations

In 1996, representatives from Concordia Theological Seminary in
Fort Wayne began a relationship with a group of Lutherans in Siberia.
This partnership was one of cooperation, initiated by those in Siberia,
for the purpose of theological education and seminary development.
Since that time, a number of Missouri Synod pastors and professors
have traveled to Siberia, and a group of pastors and laypeople in the
Missouri Synod founded the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society to
assist this emerging church, the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
(SELC). The SELC was officially licensed by the Russian government in 2002, and Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin was consecrated that
same year. The name of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
was formally adopted in 2007. With about 2,000 individual members, 22 parishes and mission stations, and 17 clergy, the SELC is a
small church numerically. It covers a geographical area, however, that
extends five thousand miles from east to west.
In January 2010, representatives of the Siberian Evangelical
Lutheran Church (SELC) and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) met in St. Louis for discussions toward the goal of formal
altar and pulpit fellowship at the request of Bishop Lytkin. In October
2010, Drs. Albert Collver, Timothy Quill, and Joel Lehenbauer conducted an on-site visit to the SELC, hosted by Bishop Lytkin and other
SELC leaders at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk.
Bishop Lytkin expressed appreciation for his church body’s relationship with the Missouri Synod and reaffirmed the desire that this
relationship be formalized. Theological discussions at this meeting
revealed no barriers to the establishment of altar and pulpit fellowship between the LCMS and the SELC.
Whereas, The Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church traces its
origin to the Lutheran churches in the territories that would eventually be incorporated into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
(USSR); and
Whereas, These once-thriving churches and their pastors suffered
greatly from Communist persecution in the USSR; and
Whereas, The Evangelical Lutheran confession has now been
reestablished in these regions by God’s grace; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in obedience
to God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions, endeavors to seek out
other Lutheran churches that believe, teach, and confess the same
true faith; and
Whereas, The LCMS already enjoys church fellowship with
many other Lutheran churches throughout the world; and
Whereas, The LCMS has enjoyed a working relationship with
the Lutherans who are now part of the SELC since 1996, providing
teachers and lecturers in theology; and
Whereas, The SELC was established as an independent Lutheran
church in 2002 and subsequently requested formal church fellowship
discussions with the LCMS; and
Whereas, Representatives of the LCMS conducted a formal visit
to the SELC in October 2010 and concluded that there is complete
agreement between our two churches in doctrine and practice and
therefore no obstacle to altar and pulpit fellowship; and
Whereas, At its 2010 convention the Synod adopted Res. 3-04A
“To Amend Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 re Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with
Small, Formative, or Emerging Confessional Churches,” which recognizes that in certain cases a streamlined approach to altar and pulpit
fellowship with such emerging churches would be beneficial; and
Whereas, The 2010 Handbook (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2[c]) now provides that “When a small, formative, emerging confessional Lutheran
church body (identified as such by the President of the Synod as chief
ecumenical officer) requests recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship
2013 Convention Workbook

with the Synod, after consultation with the Praesidium and approval
by the commission, such recognition may be declared by the President
of the Synod subject to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod
convention”; and
Whereas, At its December 2010 meeting, on the basis of a report
from Drs. Collver and Lehenbauer, the CTCR formally recommended
church fellowship with the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church
(SELC) to the Synod President; and
Whereas, President Harrison declared fellowship that same
month after consultation with the Praesidium; and
Whereas, Necessary protocol documents guiding interactions
between the LCMS and SELC have been developed; therefore be it
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity of confession that has been given to our churches under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks that despite great persecution in
the past, God, by His grace, has equipped and prepared the members of the SELC to give a faithful, confessional Lutheran witness in
Siberia; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God that doctrinal discussions
between official representatives of the LCMS and the SELC have
revealed that complete agreement exists between our two churches
in doctrine and practice; and be it further
Resolved, That this convention endorse the Synod President’s
declaration of altar and pulpit fellowship between The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod and the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran
Church; and be it further
Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming years
on this agreement in the confession of the Gospel that we enjoy as
partner churches; and be it finally
Resolved, That in celebration and thanksgiving of this partnership
in the Gospel, the convention assembly signify its approval by rising
and singing the Doxology.
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
4-03

To Review AALC Relationship
Whereas, The primary objective of Synod is, “under Scripture
and Lutheran Confessions,” to “conserve and promote the unity of
the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10)” (Constitution, Art. III 1); and
Whereas, The true unity of the Church is found in the pure teaching of the Gospel and right administration of the sacraments (AC
7); and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
and The American Association of Lutheran Churches (The AALC)
declared themselves to be in full altar and pulpit fellowship in 2007,
jointly stating that the two church bodies are in full agreement in doctrine and practice; and
Whereas, “No resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon
the individual congregation is of binding force if it is not in accordance with the Word of God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far
as the condition of a congregation is concerned” (Art. VII 1); and
Whereas, Three congregations of the Montana District of the
LCMS minister in communities in which there are also AALC congregations; and
Whereas, There are significant questions on the part of our
pastors and congregations concerning the doctrine and practice
of The AALC congregations, including significant differences in