LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 397

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS 397

The American Lutheran Church
and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod:
A Statement of Doctrinal Differences

October 1980
INTRODUCTION

The 1979 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, responding to the repeated
request fora responsible listing of the doctrinal differences between The American Lutheran Church
and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. directed its representatives on the ALC/LCMS
Commission on Fellowship’ to prepare and “distribute to the Synod in the coming biennium a clear
and documented statement on the existing areas of doctrinal disagreement between the two church
bodies": This document is offered to the Synod in compliance with this assignment.

A presentation of the doctrinal differences between The American Lutheran Church and The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod should be prefaced by the gratefui acknowledgment that there
are many things which these two church bodies have in common. The constitutions of both the ALC
and the LCMS bind their respective churches to the Holy Scriptures as understood in the Book of

* Acknowledging the existence of differences between the ALC and the LCMS at the ume of the declaration ot puipit
and altar fellowship, 1969 Resolution 3-15 “To Declare Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with The American Lutheran Church”
called for the creation of an “intersynodical commission.” The purpose of thts commission was “to assist the church bodies
in the proper understanding and practice of fellowship and to deal with issues and problems which exist or may arise which
may imparr or inhibit fellowship.” “ALC LEMS Commission on Fellowship Statement of Purpose," Convention Workbook,
1971. p. 145. The Commission on Fellowship 1s composed of 1x representatives appointed by each of the church body
Presidents, and it meets at least two times each vear. LCMS members of the Commission on Fellowship at the present time
are Karl Barth, Lloyd Behnken. Ralph Bohimann, Kurt Marquart. Samuel Natzger. and |. A. O. Preus. Serving as ALC
representatives on the Commission are fohn Halvorson. Rolf Hanson. Roy Harriswille, David Preus. William Weiblen and
Walter Wietzke

!Resolution 3-03. Convention Proceedings. 1979. pp. 117-19 Although the levels of agreement and disagreement
reported between members of the ALC and LCMS (also the amount of interaction) vary from place to place throughout the
country. 11 should be noted that 1979 Resolution 3-03 requests the preparation of "a clear and documented statement on the
existing areas of doctrinal disagreement between the two church bodies.” (Emphasts added.! Such an assignment quite
properly recognizes the fact that both the ALC and the LCMS regard pulpit and altar fellowship as an official church body
level relationship In accordance with this assignment. therefore. this document will limit itself to a presentation of the
doctrinal disagreements between the ALC and the LCMS as they appear in convention resolutions. formal statements. and
materials prepared by official representatives of the two churches.

Concord.’ Both churches are thereby formally committed to the central doctrine of the Lutheran
Reformation—justification by God's grace in Christ through faith alone. Behind their similar
confessional paragraphs lie both church bodies’ common roots in Lutheran confessionalism. This
joint heritage, genuinely appreciated in both churches, is still very much in evidence today.

The LCMS commissioners want to emphasize that this statement of doctrinal differences does
not claim that The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has nothing to learn from The American
Lutheran Church or that our own doctrinal formulations are beyond improvement on the basis of
God's Word, Moreover, it must be acknowledged that human sinfulness always exists on all sides to
complicate and disturb human relations. There are no grounds in the church for pride and self-
satisfaction, only for penitent gratitude (1 Cor. 1:31).

Doctrinal differences between The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod, however, have become increasingly pronounced during the 11 years that these two
bodies have been in pulpit and altar fellowship with one another.‘ Discussed in the early meetings of
the Commission on Fellowship were such matters as varying practices regarding anti-Christian
organizations, membership in ecumenical organizations such as the World Council of Churches, and
the doctrine of Holy Scripture. !n 1970 The American Lutheran Church decided to allow women to be

‘Chapter 3 (Confession of Faith: of the constitution (1971 edition! of The American Lutheran Church reads

3.10. The American Lutheran Church accepts all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as a
whole and inall thei parts as the divinely inspired, revealed, and inerrant Word of Gad. and submits to this
as the only infailible authority in all matters of faith and life

3.20. As briet and true statements of the doctrines of the Word of God. this Church accepts and confesses
the following Symbols, subscription to which shall be required of all its members, both congregations and
individuals

a The ancient ecumenical Creeds: the Apostolic. the Nicene and the Athanasian:

b The unaltered Augsburg Confession and The Luther's Small Catechrsm

3.30. As further elaboration of and in accord with these Lutheran Symbols, this Church also receives the
other documents in the Book of Concord of 1580: the Apology, Luther's Large Catechism. the Smaicaid
Arucles, and the Formula of Concord: and recognizes them as normative for its theology

3.40. The American Lutheran Church accepts without reservation the symbolical books of the evangelical
Lutheran church, not insofar as but because they are the presentation and explanation of the pure
doctrine of the Word of God and a summary of the faith of the evangelical Lutheran church

Aricle Ik (Confession! of the constitution (1979 edition) of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod states
The Synod, and every member of the Synod. accepts without reservation

1, The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and
norm of faith and of practice:

All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and
exposition of the Word of God, to wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds ithe Apostles’ Creed. the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian Creed). the Unattered Augsburg Confession. the Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, the Smalcald Articles. the Large Catechism of Luther. the Smal! Catechism of Luther. and
the Formula of Concord

n

“The American Lutheran Church dectared altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS at tts Fourth General Convention
on 1968, with subsequent ratification by its Congregations in 1969. Reports and Actions, 1968, p. 637. The LCMS declared itself
10 be in altar and pulpit fellowship with the ALC by a vote of 522-438 in 1969 Resolution 3-15. Convention Proceedings. 1969.
pp. 9-99

ordained to the office of the pastoral ministry.’ The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, having just
reaffirmed in 1969 its traditional position that “those statements of Scripture which direct women to
keep silent in the church and which prohibit them to teach and to exercise authority over men, we
understand to mean that women ought not to hold the pastoral office or serve in any other capacity
involving the distinctive functions of this office,”"* responded in 1971 by expressing its “strong regret”
over this decision, by requesting that The American Lutheran Church ‘give serious reconsideration to
this action,” and by advising “its pastors, congregations, boards, and commissions, because of
doctrinal concerns still remaining between the two church bodies, to defer new implementation of
fellowship with The American Lutheran Church until The American Lutheran Church has had
Opportunity to respond to our Synod’s concerns.” As a result of this request, The American Lutheran
Church reviewed its decision to ordain women to the pastoral office, but in 1972 it reaffirmed its
conviction that “the Scriptures do not teach that women are forbidden to serve as ministers of Word
and Sacrament. "8 Disagreement between the two church bodies also became more evident in
other areas such as the inerrancy of Scripture and the use of historical criticism.? The doctrinal
implications of ‘‘A Statement on Communion Practices’’ which was adopted by The American
Lutheran Churchin 1978," as well as the statements of each church body on abortion, have also been

SThe recommendation that “women be eligible for call and ordination in The American Lutheran Church” was
adopted by a vote of 560-414 and Tabstention. Reports and Actions. 1970. p 328. George Muedeking, at that ime the editor
of the ALC’s official organ, The Lutheran Standard. wrote of this decision: “The ALC convention simply bypassed the
question whether the Bible approved of the ordination of women when it discussed the matter at San Antonio.” The
Lutheran Standard, Jan. 19, 1971, p. 15

*Resolution 2-17, Convention Proceedings, 1969. p. 68

“Resolution 3-21, Convention Proceedings, 1971. pp. 136—37. This resolution also notes that a number of overtures
submitted to the convention had indicated that the two church bodies hold “differing interpretations. on what fellowship
involves” and that “serious differences in the doctrine of the authority of Scripture still ext” between them,

* Reports and Actions, 1972, p. 928. This action of the ALC, which was opposed by only one convention delegate, was
based on the unanimous conclusions of its three seminaries that there 1s nothing in the Scriptures that forbids the ordination
of Service of women in the ministry of Word and sacrament

+ Acknowledging that “the theological use of the word inerrant 1s difficult,” President Schiotz of the ALC told the
delegates to the 1969 Missour Synod convention in Denver that “if it means what Professor Robert Preus has explained in an
arncle in the Concordia Quarterly {Concordia Theological Monthly| for June 1967, it 1s virtually a paraphrase of what The
American Lutheran Church states in its Laited Testimony “ Convention Work book. 1969. p 74 Burin 1972 The Amencan
Lutheran Church historian E. Clifford Neon wrote

A discernible change appeared about 1947 when some professors began to approach the Scriptures
theologically and historically rather than with the a prion of inerrancy and verbal insperation. What was a
small vorce in 1947 became a large sound within a decade. By 1956. when the proposed constitution of the
new American Lutheran Church was voted on by the Evangelical Lutheran Church, several if not most of its.
professors of theology were teaching a ew of Scripture at variance with the statement on the Bible in the
new constitution That is, while church administrators sought to uphold “old Lutheranism,” many college
and seminary professors were teaching “neo-Lutheranism.” £. Clifford Nelson, Lutheranism in North
America 1914-1970 (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House. 1972). p. 164

Another ALC protessor. K. E. Christopherson. discusses the conflicting inter pretations within the ALC regarding what
its confessional article has to say about the inerrancy of Scripture in a recent article in Dialog. Cf k. £. Christopherson.
“Fundamentalism: What Led Up to It, How It Got Among Us, and What We in Academe Do About It.”” Dialog 19 (Summer
1980), pp 209-14

184 Statement on Communion Practices” legitimizes an open Communion pracuce and refers to “participation as a
visitor in non-Lutheran congregations” as “proper because of the universal nature of the church.” Reports and Actions,
1978, pp. 906—12 The Lutheran Church—Missouni Synod holds that “except in situations of emergency and in special cases
of pastoral care.” pastors and congregations shail commune indtviduaks of only those Lutheran synods with which it is in
pulpit and altar fellowship. Resolution 2-19. Convention Proceedings. 1967. p. 93