LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 386

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386

THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Many complex and sensitive problems regarding inter- Christian relation-
ships confront Christendom today. The multiplicity of denominations and
movements. the high degree of mobility in the modern world, and the
Proliferation of ideologies and beliefs complicate the efforts of Christians to
build relationships at both the individual and church-body levels which will be
fa:thful not only to the Biblical mandates to proclaim and preserve the pure
Gospel but also to the Scriptural exhortations to show love for all people and
especially for fellow members of the household of faith

Members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are not exempt
from the effects of these developments. Lay members of the Synod are
seeking guidance regarding participation in numerous kinds of joint activities
with members of other Christian churches in Bible study groups, mass
evangelism programs. interdenominational workshops and retreats, and a
vanety of religious associations. Pastors are increasingly confronted with
requests to take part in ecumenical weddings, funerals. and occasional
services and rallies of every description. Many congregations are discussing
their policy for admission to Holy Communion, and the question is frequently
asked: “How much agreement with another church body is necessary before
altar and pulpit fellowship can be declared?" Some today are even
questioning whether ecclesiastical declarations of altar and pulpit fellowship
are workable in this age of “ambiguous denominationalism.”* It is in the

“Ambiguous denominationalism is a phrase which is
sometimes used to refer to the fact that doctrinal divergence
today is often as great within a denomination as between
denominations

this is being done. On the other hand. the discussion of the implications of
fellowship 1s made more difficult by the frequent failure to distinguish
between the principles which should guide inter-Christian relationships and
their application at different levels

In the first part of this document the Commission presents an overview
of what God's Word teaches about the nature of fellowship, together with a
listing of the basic Scriptural principles which should guide Christians in their
relationships with one another. Section II discusses the implications of these
principles for church-body-level relationships. The CTCR concludes this
Teport with a suggestion that the Synod continue to study the topic of
fellowship by directing its attention specifically to the application of the
principles of fellowship presented in this report at the congregational,
pastoral. and individuals levels. ?

3Some have suggested that the starting point for a
comprehensive treatment of the concept of fellowship should be
Article VII of the Augsburg Confession. Such an approach would
certainly be legitimate, since this article has important implica-
tions for this subjec:. As the CTCR has stated (“A Review of the
Question ‘What Is a Doctrine,’” A Report of the CTCR, 1967. p.
7): “A pure understanding of the Gospel, and therefore correct
preaching of the Gospel, calls for a correct understanding of the
articles of faith treated in the Augsburg C onfessioh, defended in
its Apology, and explained in the remaining Lutheran Confes
sions, particularly the Formula of Concord. Allarticles of faith are
integrally related to the Gospel and articulate the Gospel from
different perspectives. Consequently the preaching of the Gospel
according to a pure understanding of it is not possible when any
article of faith is either falsified or denied.” At the same time, the
CTCR has stated that AC VII “is not in the first instance a
Programmatic statement for the establishment of denominational
fellowship.” Therefore the Commission has approached this
assignment from the doctrine of the means by which the church is
created, nurtured. and preserved (the marks of the church),
rather than from the doctrine of the church itself.

context of questions such as these that the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations has prepared this report in response toa 1977 request of
the Synod that it “prepare a comprehensive report on the nature and
implications of the concept of fellowship.”*

The CTCR has attempted to involve the entire Synod in the preparation
of this report. In 1978 it conducted 55 synodwide conferences involving over
4.000 pastors. teachers, and directors of Christian education on the topic
“Formula for Concord.” A Bible Study on Fellowship, which included a
response questionnaire for the use of congregations and individuals, was
distributed in January of 1980 to all congregations of the Synod and to
Pastors not serving congregations. The CTCR is grateful to all those who
took the time to participate in these discussions and to share with the
Commission the insights which they gained through these studies of the
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions on the subject of fellowship

The discussions which took place in the “Formula for Concord”
conferences and the responses to the Bible Study on Fellowship indicate that
both aspects of the Commission's assignment to prepare a report on the
nature and implications of the concept of fellowship are in need of
clarification. On the one hand, the discussion of the nature of fellowship is
complicated by the fact that the word “fellowship” itself is frequently used to
refer to a number of different relationships, often without an awareness that

?Resolution 3-02A, Convention Proceedings, 1977, p. 126.
In this resolution the Synod stated that years of discussions
between representatives of the ALC and LCMS had revealed
clear doctrinal differences between them on the doctrine of
Scripture, the ordination of women, the nature and basis of
fellowship, and membership in ecumenical organizations. At the
same time, however, the Synod noted that “there is some
evidence of agreement in doctrine and practice between mem-
bers of the ALC and LCMS on the local level,” that “not all
members of the ALC share the objectionable positions and
practices of the ALC,” that “many LCMS members are unaware
of the serious differences that exist at the church body level,” and
that “there is considerable evidence of doctrinal disagreement
and confusion in understanding the nature and implications of the
concept of fellowship.” Taking all of these factors into account,
the Synod proceeded to declare itself to be in a state of
“fellowship in protest with the ALC” on account of doctrinal
disagreements and to ask the CTCR “to prepare a comprehen:
sive study and report on the nature and implications of the
concept of fellowship.” This assignment to the CTCR was
renewed in 1979. Cf. Resolution 3-03, Convention Proceedings,
1979, pp. 117f.

I. THE NATURE OF FELLOWSHIP