# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S285
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Intersynodical and Doctrinal Matters 285

‘of the leaders of the American Lutheran Church do not
this position which opposes the making of compromises with
and insists on unbending loyalty wherever the principles
{God's Word are concerned. If in one or the other minor point
3€ members of the American Lutheran Church do not as yet
ily. share our doctrinal position, this situation does not necessarily
e fellowship impossible; but we hold it to be indispensable
at, if we are to have fellowship with each other, there must be
our church-bodies not only in theory the same attitude toward
e.authority of God’s Word and the obedience which we owe it,
but the same determination to achieve acceptance of what the
riptures teach. In view of the reported silence of the American
itheran Church representatives at Minneapolis, the question
ises whether there is not a fundamental difference between the
American Lutheran Church and our Synod on the meaning of
confessional loyalty. If the conception of the American Lutheran
Church concerning confessional loyalty is not the same as ours,
must not that subject receive prime consideration? We place
is matter before this convention for thorough deliberation.

- 12. Your Committee suggests that Synod again express deep
gratitude to God for the remarkable progress made toward reaching
‘ doctrinal agreement and that it express its willingness to continue
negotiations as soon aS we may be assured that the American
Lutheran Church is putting forth efforts to bring about a realiza-
tion of the hope expressed at the Detroit Convention with respect
to the other synods of the American Lutheran Conference.

Another Meeting with Representatives of Sister Synods

13. Finally we have to report that on January 3 and 4, 1941,
we held a meeting with the representatives of all three of our
sister synods.in the Synodical Conference and with them discussed
quite thoroughly the results of the Detroit and Minneapolis con-
ventions. It was the opinion of the brethren of the Norwegian
and Wisconsin synods that for the present our negotiations with
the American Lutheran Church should be discontinued.

Free Conferences

14. In conclusion we ought to say a word about free joint
conferences between pastors of the American Lutheran Church and
the Synodical Conference. Quite a number of such conferences
have been held. Undoubtedly much good was accomplished by
them because a study of the Word of God and the Confessions of
the Lutheran Church was involved. However, a word of counsel
is in place. These conferences will not accomplish as much as
desired if they are very large and take on the character of a public