# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1930_S34
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

34 Proceedings of the thirty-second convention

American Lutheran Conference, to which as further members the Augustana Synod, the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, the United Danish Church and the Lutheran Free Church are to come. Of these, most have already approved the plan of federation.

Accordingly the spirit of union is in the air. It is a phenomenon that invites serious reflection. Without any reflection on the personal doctrinal and faith position of anyone concerned, it may well be permitted to ask whether the resolution of the Ohio Synod of the year 1918 (*Proceedings*, 121) has been consistently kept in mind: [Printed in English.] "Much as an organic Lutheran union is desired, we, in agreement with our worthy president, declare we can never enter into union with any Lutheran synod unless we agree in doctrine and practise, especially at this time, when the unionistic spirit is threatening to creep into our Lutheran Church." In all these cases is it really a matter of the expression of unity in the Spirit? Is it actually a union in the truth, as God's Word demands it? Or has one, for the sake of outward union, forgiven something of the inner unity? If all or even only some of these mergers have taken place on the basis of Scripture and Confession, so that the ambiguity of the "Opgjör" [the 1912 Norwegian settlement], of the relation between the Augustana Synod and Archbishop Söderblom, of the doctrine of inspiration in the *Realien* [matters of fact in the sciences and history], and the question of the possibility of an error in Scripture, of cooperation with the General Lutheran Conference [*Allgemeine Lutherische Konferenz*] and other points have really been removed, then we ought to assure ourselves of this; for then our course is shown in Scripture, namely the recognition of fellowship among brethren in the faith. If, on the other hand, not everything has yet been cleared out of the way that according to God's Word still hinders unity in faith, then we can, then we may not sooner make common cause with any Lutheran body until unity in doctrine has actually come about. We are always ready for further doctrinal discussions, but a union may take place only on the basis of true union.

How Scripture stands on this has already been set forth in the first part of this paper. We point here further to the following passages. Amos 3:3: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Jer. 23:28: "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD." Jer. 8:11: "For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Cf. chap. 6:14; Micah 3:5, 11; Ezek. 13:10, 16. Mark 8:38: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words, . . . of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed." Matt. 10:32, 33: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." From these and other passages it is clear that it does not suffice for true unity that one recognizes a common confessional basis — for otherwise Scripture would in the end suffice completely — but it must also come clearly to light that on all sides one has the same right understanding of Scripture and of the Confessions.

What Meusel says of the German union efforts holds ceteris paribus [other things being equal] also of others: "The Lutheran Church has always taken a rejecting attitude toward the Union, and indeed no less toward the conservative than toward the absorptive. Although it is also willing to