# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S108 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 108 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 3-148 To Commend CTCR Document on Ecumenism WHEREAS. The Commission on Theology and Church Rela- tions in November 1974 submitted to the church the document “A Lutheran Stance Toward Ecumenism": and WHEREAS. This document offers to the Synod some guiding principles for its participation in ecumenical endeavors: there- fore be it Resolved. That the CTCR document "A Lutheran Stance Toward Ecumenism” be commended: and be it further Resolred. That the principles be adopted: and be it further Resolved. That the Synod encourage the implementation of these principles at all levels: and be it finally Resolred. That any and all ecumenical endeavors at any level of the Synod be carried out according to the synodical stance. Emmanuel Lutheran Church Kingfisher, Okla. Dennis Post, Chairman V.H. Mickow. Pastor 3-149 To Issue Study Document on Eschatology WHEREAS. God has revealed to us that ‘all Scripture is in- spired by God and profitable for teaching. for reproof. for cor- rection, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). which means that no portion of Scripture ought to be overlooked: and WHEREAS. Today many people in the Christian church are taking a new interest in Biblical prophecy pertaining to the end times as evidenced by the popularity of books such as The Late Great Planet Earth. There's a New World Coming. The King Is Coming. ete.: and WHEREAS, Historically during times of crisis people have been prone to depart from clear teachings of Scripture and follow popular apocalyptic movements: and WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has had little to say in recent times about such ideas as the millennium. the rapture. the Antichrist. and other events that are to occur before the “day of the Lord"; and WHEREAS, Christians in our church body are asking about such matters and searching the Scriptures for answers: and WHEREAS, We wish neither to be led astray by popular error nor to ignore God's prophecies about the end times: therefore be it Resolved. That the Commission on Theology and Church Relations produce a study document dealing with the millen- nium. the rapture. the Antichrist. and other events said to precede the “day of the Lord.” Eastern Pastoral Conference English District Amandus J. Derr. Secretary 3-150 To Study Work of Holy Spirit WHEREAS. Some within the church are disturbed by the presence of speaking in tongues and other manifestations of the Spirit in the church, a concern which reflects the charge that they are ‘filled with new wine”: and WHEREAS. The Scripture, which is to be the authority, spe- cifically says that ‘he that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself (1 Cor. 14:4) . . . speaks to God” (1 Cor. 14:2) and tells the church: “Forbid not to speak with tongues” (1 Cor. 14:39): and WHEREAS, Our Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations gave its report on “The Charismatic Movement and Lutheran Theology,” in which it recommended: ‘Pastors and laymen should diligently and prayerfully study God's Word and its exposition in the Lutheran Confessions. Only by the means of the Word and Spirit will we be able to discern between what is true and what is false, what is God’s will and what is man’s”: therefore be it Resolved, That such serious study of the Scripture be com- mended to the church as well as obedience to the Scriptural imperatives, ‘“‘Despise not prophesyings, forbid not to speak in tongues, covet earnestly the best gifts,’ with Christian love, that no one condemn another because the Spirit has moved differ- ently or given different gifts: and be it further Resolved, That we do not oppose what we ourselves have not experienced, “lest haply ye be found to fight against God” (Acts 5:39). St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Westminster, Calif. Philip C. Gehlhar, Pastor Herman Rea, Secretary 3-151 To Adopt New Orleans Resolution 2-15 on Charismatics WHEREAS. The New Orleans convention literally went the second mile by allocating large segments of time to the explora- tion and discussion of the theological aberrations of the dissi- dents among us: and WHEREAS. These same dissidents jammed the calendar and ran out the time on necessary convention business by their un- reasonable demands of conscience, their obstreperously repeti- tious and offensive “point of order" filibusters and their floor demonstrations, completely at variance with the church’s policy that all things be done “decently and in order,” thereby burning up many more hours of valuable convention time: and WHEREAS. Many fine resolutions the convention should have heard and acted upon thereby had to be referred to the Board of Directors under Omnibus Res. 4-47; and WHEREAS. The Board of Directors found themselves so completely absorbed in the pressing demands of current church work they could not consider all of these resolutions properly for essential implementation; and WHEREAS, Resolution 2-15 to warn and provide guidance con- cerning the charismatic movement was one of these: therefore be it Resolved. That this Resolution (2-15) be presented to the church at the Anaheim convention for action and implementa- tion (cf. Convention Proceedings. 1973, p. 115). Messiah Lutheran Church Sterling, II]. Harold Nelson, Secretary Eldor Mueller. Pastor 3-152 To Warn Against Charismatic Movement WHEREAS. An increasing number of Lutherans are joining the charismatic (modern tongues) movement: and WHEREAS. The kind of irrational gibberish practiced by the modern tongues-speakers is not what the Bible means when it refers to speaking in tongues (see ‘‘Glossolalia and 1 Corinthians 14.” Christian News. December 10, 1973; A Christian Handbook. pp. 317 —335, 844-848): and WHEREAS. This movement fails to stress the importance of such Scriptural doctrines as the means of grace and justification by faith alone: and WHEREAS, Members of this movement worship with those who do not accept the Scriptural doctrine of justification by faith alone: therefore be it Resolved. That the LCMS warn its members about the anti-