# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S133 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 133 Resolved, That, if these fraternal warnings are not heeded, that we explain to them firmly, but in love, that The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod cannot continue to remain in fellowship with them and support them if they continue to hold membership in the LWF: and be it finally Resolved. That the Synod require all missions and missionaries still supported by The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod to break their ties with the LWF wherever they exist unless the cooperation is clearly in areas that do not constitute unionism, but only in external matters, so that the practice on the mission fields of the Synod is brought into conformity with the position of the Synod. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Rock Falls, Ill. Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor John Harden, Secretary Identical or similar: 3-246B to 3-246D Calvary, Seattle, Wash. Messiah, Sterling, II. Trinity, New Haven, Mo. John Falk Eldor Mueller Orville Meyer 3-247 To Decline Affiliation with Lutheran World Federation WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has refused in the past to affiliate with the Lutheran World Federa- tion for doctrinal reasons, e. g., the lodge issue, ordination of women, ecumenism, a different theological commitment; and WHEREAS, Nothing has changed in the last biennium to alter our decision; therefore be it Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod again decline affiliation with the Lutheran World Federation. St. John’s Lutheran Church Horicon, Wis. Bernard Krueger, Secretary Donald E. Heck, Pastor 3-248A To Reject Petitions for Membership in World Council of Churches WHEREAS, The petition for The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod to join the WCC has repeatedly been heard and memo- rials have been read at conventions fostering such a union; and WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church is already an active member in the WCC and this obviously involves The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, as we have accepted its offer of fellowship; and WHEREAS, The WCC has been following a line of political and social concern, rather than identification with the purpose for which God has established the church (Matt. 28:19-20); and WHEREAS, The ecumenical involvement of the WCC has its goal set only on an organic union on a massive scale, involving all churches. This would be in violation of the Scriptural injunc- tion against unionism, compromising the Word of God (1 Tim. 6:3-5; Matt. 7:15); and WHEREAS, Strong movements in many Protestant denomina- tions are even now calling for their respective denominations to withdraw from the WCC for the above-mentioned reasons, and our entry into the WCC would only help the cause of liberalism and further distress those who are seeking the truth of God’s Word; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod in convention assembled at Anaheim reject any and all overtures to identify with the World Council of Churches. Calvary Lutheran Church Seattle, Wash. Carroll E. Cooper, President Karl J. Jaech, Secretary John F. Falk, Pastor Identical or similar: 3-248B and 3-248C Messiah, Sterling, Ill. St. Paul’s, Harvard, IIl. Eldor Mueller David Behling 3-249A To Deny Petitions for Membership in National Council of Churches WHEREAS, There are those in our Synod who have for years been advocating Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod member- ship in the NCC both orally and in written form at conferences and conventions of the church; and WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church has merely deferred action on proposals to join the NCC out of deference to concerns still being voiced by some of her people but ap- parently expects to sidestep or overrule these concerns in short order and could therefore involve the LCMS in further un- Lutheran and anti-Scriptural commitments since it has in error accepted the invitation to join The ALC in pulpit and alter fellowship; and WHEREAS. The NCC embraces in its fellowship many church bodies poles apart from us in loyal commitment to the inerrant Word of God; and WHEREAS, We now have and shall continue to have within our own communion full-time responsibility in contending for the truth within our Synod and in the resolution of the divisions created by the liberal church within our church as well as by the liberal Synod within our Synod: and WHEREAS, Christian people, totally committed to the Word of God and the rule of Christ in the hearts and lives of men, would be cheered mightily by a decision of the LCMS unequivocally and decisively to reject any and all involvements with the anti- Christian and modernistic NCC; therefore be it Resolved. That the LCMS, in convention assembled in Anaheim, declare itself completely out of harmony with an in Biblical opposition to the NCC: and be it further Resolved. That we register the seriousness of our protest by withdrawing any, all, and sundry commitments we may have in official and/or unofficial association with the NCC as now constituted. Messiah Ev. Lutheran Church Sterling, Ill. Harold Nelson, Secretary Eldor Mueller, Pastor Identical or similar: 3-249B Calvary, Seattle, Wash. John Falk 3-250 To Initiate Action to Resume Fellowship with Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Synod WHEREAS, The Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod and the Ev. Lutheran Synod discontinued fellowship with The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod for reasons they found compelling; and WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has had no continuing dialog about outstanding doctrinal differences with these, our former brethren in fellowship, since the time the break occurred: and WHEREAS, It is neither in accordance with God's will nor in the interest of our Synod that those with whom we have had fraternal relations for 100 years should now become strangers to us; therefore be it