LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 324

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432 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS

before each of the eight bodies participating in the Nationa] Lu-
theran Council the following two questions:

“A. Whether it would be willing at this time to approve in
principle complete and immediate organic union with other par.
ticipating bodies of the National Lutheran Council : which Bive
similar approval; and

“B. Whether it would join in creating a joint ways and means
committee to formulate a plan and to draw up a constitution for
such a union.

“II, Pending the consummation of such organic union, we
recommend that the Committee of Thirty-Four adopt the following
proposals for the establishment of a National Lutheran Federation
and take action to place the same before the participating bodies
of the National Lutheran Council for their approval:

“A. That there be established a National Lutheran Federation,
meeting annually, its member churches to be the general bodies
now or hereafter participating, in accordance with the provisions
of the Council’s constitution, in the work of the National Lutheran
Council.” Then follow stipulations B to I, delineating the function
of this “National Lutheran Federation.”

On May 6, 1949, the College of Presidents of our Synod passed
the following resolutions, brought here in full:

“Recognizing that this critical period in the history of the world
demands a realistic approach to the cultivation of unity in Amer-
ican Lutheranism, the College of Presidents of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod

“1. expresses profound distress over Lutheran disunity and
declares its desire and willingness to co-operate in efforts to achieve
Lutheran unity in doctrine and its application to the life and work
of the Church; .

“2. proposes that all Lutheran bodies in America join in free
conferences of pastors and laymen, under the guidance of God’s
Holy Spirit, to establish existing agreement and to remove existing
differences for the purpose of bringing about unity of Christian
faith and fellowship; —

“3, hopes that a practical result of the discussions will be agree-
ment in doctrine and the.eventual formation of a federation of
Lutheran bodies designed for co-operative Lutheran action on the
basis of the Word of God;

-  “4.-resolves collectively and individually, in the various Dis-
tricts of the Missouri Synod, to promote Lutheran unity through
brotherly discussion, with the hope that such discussion will lead
to mutual recognition and co-operation;

“5 requests the President of the Missouri Synod, in co-opera-

INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERS 433

tion with the leaders of all other Lutheran bodies, to form a na-
tional inter-Lutheran committee for the purpose of arranging
the proposed free conferences of Lutheran pastors and laymen.”

Official delegations representing the American Lutheran
Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the United Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church met in Chicago on September 16, 1949,
set up a subcommittee of six, and instructed this committee “to
submit to a later meeting of these delegations steps toward organic
union” of the three bodies. The delegations, in turn, are to submit
a joint report to the 1950 conventions of the three churches. This
proposed merger was “heartily endorsed” by the College of
Presidents of the American Lutheran Church at a meeting held in
Chicago on October 4.

The “Committee of 34” held a meeting in Chicago on January 5,
1950, in which it voted unanimously to submit three questions to
the eight National Lutheran Council church bodies for consideration
this year. Each church body will be asked: 1) if it is willing at
this time to approve in principle complete organic union with other
participating bodies in the National Lutheran Council; 2) if it will
join in creating a joint ways and means committee to formulate
a plan and to draw up a constitution for such a union; 3) if it
approves in principle the transformation of the National Lutheran
Council from a common agency to a federation. A committee of
our Synod was invited and attended as observers.

Meanwhile Synod’s Committee on Doctrinal Unity endeavored
to carry out the assignment given it at the Centennial Convention,
ef. Proceedings, 1947, page 510. After its appointment by the
Praesidium of Synod, the Committee met in Chicago on January 9,
1948, to organize and to initiate steps in harmony with Synod’s
directives. On January 30 of the same year, at our invitation,
a meeting was held with the Union Committees of the sister synods
of the Synodical Conference, the purpose of which was to endeavor
to formulate a mutually agreeable policy of procedure in future
negotiations. No policy was adopted. All four Synods of the
Synodical Conference were represented at this meeting.

On May 17, 1948, a joint meeting was held between our Com-
mittee on Doctrinal Unity and the Fellowship Commission of the
American Lutheran Church, comprising: eight representatives of
the A.L.C. and eight of the Missouri Synod. Since the A:L. Cc.
convention was to be held in October, it was the aim of the Fellow-
ship Commission to evaluate the spirit and quality of our 'Cen-
tennial resolutions, cf. Proceedings, 1947, pages 510—511. At the

same time we discussed the policy and principles guiding the |

A.L.C. in its Lutheran Union activity.

pan Sees BAHL a Lt

Sona xe Oa

fy,