LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 93

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 93

Sarela’s letter and offered guidance as to how to respond to this
recent decision of the CLCF. Having reviewed all of the
correspondence carried on between the LCMS and the CLCF
since 1970, the commission advised President Bohlmann that
it found itself in agreement with observations made by Presi-
dent Preus in 1979 that since our Synod has never officially
broken fellowship with the CLCF, it should not be necessary
for the Synod to take any official action at its next convention
other than to acknowledge with thanksgiving the decision of
the CLCF. In keeping with this counsel, the CTCR recommends
the following resolution to the Synod for adoption:

WHEREAS, The Confessional Lutheran Church of Finland
has declared that it once again extends the hand of church
fellowship to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. a re-
lationship which our churches enjoyed for nearly 50 years prior
to the CLCF'’s 1970 decision to suspend church fellowship with
the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
never officially broken fellowship with the CLCF: therefore be
it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod express its profound gratitude and praise to God for the
long history of fraternal association it has enjoyed with the
Confessional Lutheran Church of Finland and, especially now,
for the recent decision of this church to extend once again the
hand of church fellowship to our Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That in response to this overture of our brethren
in the CLCF the Synod reaffirm with thanksgiving church
fellowship with the CLCF; and be it finally

Resolved, That we petition our heavenly Father to continue
to enrich and strengthen in the days tocome the fellowship He
has given to the Synod and this our sister church.

c. Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France
and Belgium

At its April 30—May 2, 1982, convention the Evangelical
Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium (EEL—SFB)
adopted a number of resolutions relating to its relationship to
the LCMS. Of special interest to the Synod is Resolution
9, 82,‘Pulpit and Altar Fellowship with the Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod,” in which the EEL—SFB expressed its desire
to “fervently and as quickly as possible .. . restore normal
relations” with the LCMS. Since 1969 the EEL—SFB has
remained in “a state of protesting and vigilant fellowship
(status confessionis)” with the Synod. However, in its 1982
Resolution 9/82 the EEL—SFB reported that, having evalu-
ated those factors which led to the 1969 decision of the Synod to
establish altar and pulpit fellowship with the ALC, it has
reached the conclusion that ‘‘very important steps have been
made, especially during the last vears, on the way to orthodoxy
and confessionalism.”

In this same resolution the EEL—SFB made known its
continued concern regarding LCMS’ membership in LCUSA,
inviting the Synod to provide the rationale for such member-
ship. Responding to this concern, the President of the Synod
referred the EEL—SFB to the CTCR’s 1977 evaluation of the
Synod’s membership in LCUSA and informed them of his
proposal] for a new inter-Lutheran agency in the USA.

The commission expresses its appreciation for the loving
and fraternal spirit which pervades the recent resolutions of
the EEL—SFB and for its kind words of encouragement and
prayer. It is the prayer of the commission that the Lord will
hasten the day when the EEL—SFB will see fit to once again
restore “normal pulpit and altar fellowship relations” with the

LCMS.

2. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has been in altar
and pulpit fellowship with the ELCC since 1969 (1969 Res.
3-16). The ELCC, formerly a district of The American Lutheran
Church, has been an autonomous church body since 1967.

Noting that the ELCC had decided in 1976 “‘to permit the
ordination of women to the pastoral ministry,” the 1977 LCMS
convention called upon the President of the Synod to appointa
committee “‘to initiate discussions with official representatives
of the ELCC on the doctrine of Scripture, the ordination of

women, and other possible differences” (1977 Res. 3-14). The
ELCC responded positively to the request from the LCMS to
make provision for a discussion of these issues, but the first
meeting of representatives of these two church bodies did not
take place until Jan. 6—8, 1983. The report of the LCMS
representatives to these discussions is attached to this report.
Initial discussions focused on the history of relationships
between these two churches. developments in Canadian
Lutheranism, and the CTCR’s report on “The Nature and
Implications of the Concept of Fellowship.” A second meeting
has been scheduled for June 8—9, 1983. to discuss the authonty
of Scripture and the ordination of women.

LCMS representatives to discussions with the ELCC are
Rev. Elroy Treit, president, Lutheran Church—Canada; Rev.
Ed Lehman. president, ABC District; Rev. Karl Koslowsky, Dr.
Samuel Nafzger. and Rev. Allen Schade.

The CTCR recommends:

That the Synod urge that continued discussions with the
ELCC take place during the coming biennium, with the prayer
that the disagreements between our two churches may be
resolved.

3. Other Lutheran Relationships
a. Lutheran Council in the U.S.A.

The members of the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. are The
American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical
Lutheran Churches, the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran
Church, the Lutheran Church in America, and The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod. The Commission on Theology and
Church Relations receives regular reports about the activities
of LCUSA from the President of Synod.

The commission's primary contact with LCUSA is through
the Division of Theological Studies (DTS). Representing the
LCMS on this committee are Dr. John Johnson, Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis; Dr. Samuel Nafzger, CTCR executive
secretary, and Dr. Michael Stelmachowicz, chairman of the
CTCR.

During the past biennium representatives from the LCMS
have participated in study conferences convened by LCUSA’s
Division of Theological Studies on in vitro fertilization and the
historic episcopate, in consultations with the Jews, and in a
free conference to discuss the World Council of Churches’
“Statement on Baptism, Eucharist and the Ministry’(BEM).

In the fall of 1982 President Bohlmann, following the
decision of three Lutheran church bodies in the Lutheran
Council (ALC, LCA, and AELC) to form a new church body,
prepared a proposal for a new inter-Lutheran agency. In
response to the President's request that the CTCR review this
proposal, the commission endorsed it and expressed the hope
that a new inter-Lutheran agency would be so structured that
al] Lutherans in this country would be able to participate in it
without compromising their principles of fellowship.

The CTCR recommends:

That the Svnod endorse the President of the Synod's
proposal for a new inter-Lutheran agency.

b. The American Lutheran Church

In 1981 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod declared
that it was no longer “in altar and pulpit fellowship with the
American Lutheran Church.” thereby bringing to an end a
relationship which had existed between them since 1969 (1981
Res. 3-01). Already in 1977 the Synod had entered a state of
“fellowship in protest” with the ALC because of doctrinal
differences in the areas of the inspiration and inerrancy of
Scripture, the ordination of women into the pastoral office, and
the nature and basis of fellowship (1977 Res. 3-02A). When four
years of intensive doctrinal discussions had produced no
progress toward resolving these disagreements, the Synod
concluded that it was necessary “with deep sorrow’ to bring to
an end an oOfficia] relationship which it has traditionally
understood to be based on agreement in doctrine and practice.

The CTCR is pleased to note that steps have been taken by
President Bohlmann to implement the commitment made by
the Synod in 1981 Res. 3401 ‘‘to pursue doctrinal discussions
with the ALC” and that the American Lutheran Church has