LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 176

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176 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

who of their own volition have indicated disavowal of LCMS
doctrinal beliefs and practices; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions (Anaheim Workbook, p. 43) asserted that no agreement
exists between these two church bodies in the following areas:

1. Theinspiration, inerrancy. and authonity of the Scripture

2. The ordination of women to the pastoral office

3. The nature and basis of fellowship

4. Membership and participation in ecumenical organiza-
tions (Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches,
et al);

5. Lodge practices

*6. Abortion

*7. Homosexuality: and

* Are not included in Anaheim Workbook, p. 43. but are taken from LCMS and
ALC convention proceedings.

WHEREAS, There has been no progress with the ALC to
resolve in actual practice the differences which wein the LCMS
consider needing solution for amicable and real fellowship:
and

WHEREAS, The concord and doctrinal unity that Scripture
requires of us will no longer be maintained if we remain in
fellowship or fellowship in protest with the ALC with its
convinced and consistent latitudinarianism and indifference
to doctrine: and

WHEREAS, It is neither God-pleasing nor honest to remain in
fellowship or fellowship in protest with a church body with
which there is so much lack of agreement, nor is it in
compliance with the Constitution of our Synod (Art. III, 1; Art.
VI. 2); therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS recognize that full and honest
agreement on what the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative
Scripture teaches in various areas does not exist between the
ALC and the LCMS;: and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS recognize what it owes to the
world in faithful adherence to the Word for the sake of Gospel
outreach is a greater concern than what it owes the ALC; and
be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS immediately cease fellowship in
protest with the ALC, thereby rescinding Dallas Res. 3-02A,
“To Declare a State of ‘Fellowship in Protest’ with the ALC”:
and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS, with due regret, declare altar and
pulpit fellowship with the ALC immediately rescinded; thereby,
immediately rescinding Denver Res. 3-15, ‘To Declare Altar
and Pulpit Fellowship with The American Lutheran Church”;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS express its willingness to continue
to discuss with the ALC and with all Lutherans those articles
of doctrine on which there is disagreement in the hope of
eventually bringing about true unity of doctrine and a God-
pleasing church fellowship.

St. John Lutheran Church
Mt. Prospect, Ill.
Robert E. Kass, Pastor
Ed Pfingsten, Chairman
Identical or similar:

3-54B to 3-54H

St. Thomas, Rocky River, Ohio
St. Paul’s, Truman, Minn.

Phillip Giessler
Daniel Preus

Faith, Sioux Falls, S. Dak. O.D. Brack
St. Paul, Bay City, Mich. Roger Kilponen
Messiah, Middletown, Ohio Walt Miller

Our Redeemer, Overland, Mo.
St. Paul’s, Columbia, IIl.

Oreon Wesche
Maurice Schneider

3-55A

To Discontinue Altar
and Pulpit Fellowship
with The American Lutheran Church

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is com-

mitted to the principle of So/a Scriptura as expressed in the
Lutheran Confessions; and

WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church has through the
teaching of its seminaries adopted the historical-critical
method of Biblical interpretaton; and

WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church continues to
ordain women into its clergy counter to the Biblical injuctions:
1 Cor. 14:26; 1 Tim. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:2-7; Titus 1:5-9; Heb. 13:17:
and

WHEREAS, The ALC in recent conventions has adopted
statements supporting the right of women to terminate
pregnancy by abortion; and

WHEREAS, Various leaders and seminary professors of the
ALC have encouraged and supported Christ Seminary (Semi-
nex); and

WHEREAS, Recent issues of Missouri in Perspective have
announced the inevitable, if not imminent, joining of the ALC
with the AELC and the LCA in a new organizaton; and

WHEREAS, The phrase “fellowship in protest” is a contra-
diction in terms; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
regretfully and in all humilty cease all fellowship with The
American Lutheran Church; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
encourage the clergy and laity of all Lutheran bodies who are
in complete confessional agreement with the LCMS to join
with us in true unity and fellowship under the Gospel.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Bremen, Ind.

Bud Koehlinger, Executive Director
Gloria Smith, Secretary

Identical or similar:

3-55B and 3-55C

Peace, Garland, Tex.
Trinity, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Curtis Peterson
Fred Mieno

3-56

To Sever Fellowship
with ALC at This Time

WHEREAS, In 1969 at the Denver convention (Res. 3-15) altar
and pulpit fellowship was declared to exist between The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and The American
Lutheran Church and so may be termed “‘church fellowship”;
and

WHEREAS, Such “‘church fellowship” was entered into by the
LCMS believing in “good faith” that agreement on the basis of
doctrine and practice had been achieved between the two
church bodies; and

WHEREAS, Since 1969 said agreement in doctrine and prac-
tice has been shown to be void of meaning in the areas of—

a) inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture;
b) the ordination of women into the pastoral office;
c) the very nature and basis of fellowship;

d) membership and participation in ecumenical organiza-
tions (unionism) (cf. St. Louis Res. 3-08, 1979); and

WHEREAS, The issue of doctrine and practice is the very core
and center of our LCMS understanding of the concept “church
fellowship” (C.F. W. Walther, The True Visible Church of God,
Thesis XXIV [CPH, 1961], p. 134); and

WHEREAS, Outward “church fellowship” without unity of
faith, doctrine, and confession we in the LCMS believe to be
contrary to God’s Word (2 Cor. 6:14-18; 2 John 10:11; Rom.
16:17; Titus 3:10; Eph. 4:3-5); and

WHEREAS, Basis for fellowship within the ALC seems to
assume that “diversity” of doctrine and practice is not harmful
or tantamount to the severance of fellowship (cf. FODT report),
but we in the LCMS believe that it is; and

WHEREAS, The “good faith” and agreement which once was
thought to exist between our two church bodies (ALC and