LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 88

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88 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

—the congregations of the Synod and the schools and
other agencies owned and operated by them;

—the corporate entities of the Synod, including its
Districts, institutions, agencies, boards, commissions,
and committees;

—the Synod itself, including its memberships in coun-
cils and federations of churches as well as its witness
to other church bodies, religious groups, and society
in general.

8. Our guidelines need to address the implications
for church relations of the variations of doctrinal
position and understanding that frequently exist within
church bodies and their congregations as well as
between them. This will entail adequate provision for
responsible pastoral care to individuals who belong to
congregations of other denominations, for positive
relationships with congregations and pastors who share
our doctrinal position but are members of church bodies
notin fellowship with us, and for dealing effectively and
evangelically with our own pastors and congregations
who consciously deviate from our established position
and policies.

9. Individual Christians, congregations, and church
bodies interact with and relate to other Christian,
religious, and secular groups in a variety of ways
(concentric circles illustration). Not all such relation-
ships require full agreement in confessional doctrine as
either a prior condition or a goal. We need to provide
concrete guidance to our church body on the principles
that should govern our relationships and actions at
every level of involvement.

10. Since there will continue to be many gray areas,
particularly where one circle of involvement begins to
mesh with another, we also need to develop deeper levels
of trust within our membership so that responsible
decisions by brethren are accepted rather than con-
demned. A deeper trust level will be assisted by the
following steps:

—total involvement of our people, especially our pastors,
in the study, discussions, and decisions in this area;

—total commitment of all synodical leaders to the
effective carrying out of the principles, policies, and
decisions of our Synod in all aspects of its corporate
and congregational life;

—total communication at all levels of church life with
the goal of informing, educating, and motivating our
proper interrelationships with other Christians;

—the development of serious, nonthreatening, and posi-
tive means for receiving, evaluating, and dealing
evangelically and fraternally with responsible expres-
sions of dissent from the policies and positions of the
Synod, and for the responsible review and reconsider-
ation of synodical policies when circumstances
warrant it.

For Immediate Attention and/or Action

1. The CTCR will develop a plan and a schedule for
developing the study and guidelines described above,
and share it with other synodical leaders for review,

refinement, and early implementation.

2. The CTCR has been asked to review with r
proposal to form a new inter-Lutheran associatio1
replace the LCUSA as soon as possible. Your conser
invited.

3. The action of the ALC, LCA, and AELC
establishing Interim Eucharistic Sharing with
Episcopalian Church may well have a more profo
effect on inter-Lutheran relations in this country ‘tl
their decision to form a new church body. I am ask
the CTCR to review the implications of this action
the LCMS, including comity arrangements, in
confessional dialogs, and other forms of pan-Luthe
activity. Your counsel is invited. oN

4, Press reports state that two Lutheran c
body presidents have expressed a willingness tc
the LCMS represented on the committee to form a1
Lutheran church body, provided we request it. B:
told the press that we would be happy to consi
possibility, provided we were invited by the’ of
Lutheran bodies to do so, but that we would®
somewhat strange asking to attend someoné
party without an invitation. Protocol aside, we’
consider this possibility. Your counsel to me and
CTCR is invited.

5. The three consolidating church bodies ha
assured, both orally and in writing, of our “con
desire to seek agreement in Biblical and confess
doctrine and practice, whether those church
continue to exist as individual denominations
new organizational structure” (1981 Res. 3-06, Prod
ings, p. 157). Are the present theological discus
within the Division of Theological Studies of Ul
and the pilot discussions between the LCM
ALC adequate for this purpose at this time, or she
provide other forums for discussion? Should we
further doctrinal discussion in abeyance until th
church is formed? Your counsel to me and the €
invited.

6. The CTCR, in consultation with the Bo
Mission Services, needs to develop a plan for ¢
and strengthening our ties and our witness to
sional Lutheranism throughout the world. Yo
is invited.

Today’s circumstances clearly call for us tob
friendly, positive, and cooperative in our rela
to fellow Lutherans, especially at the congr
level. It is important that we avoid defensive
that we give a clear and unified witness to ow
Your leadership is vital. Ralph A. Boh. f

Sept. 20, 1982,

The Missouri Synod
and Joint Worship

Background

At the February meeting of the Council of P
the synodical President presented a brief.