LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 99

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 99

campuses their primary recruiting grounds, a word of com-
mendation is in order for the synodical campus ministers and
contact pastors, many of whom have demonstrated a special
awareness of the many aberrant religious groups on their
campuses and a competence to counsel students approached by
them.

: Public concern over the new religions, on the other hand,
has diminished during the biennium, in part due to the fact
that they are no longer ‘‘news”’ and in part due tothe misplaced
emphasis of many writers who focussed on the social impli-
cations of the new religions rather than their spiritual conse-
quences.

Not all of the new religious expressions are unchristian or
antichristian. There are some Christian groups that, while
confessing the basic truths of the atonement, have become
divisive in families and congregations to the point of sepa-
rating children from parents, dividing spouses, and requinng
arbitrary, radical changes in family planning. Some of these
are found within the Positive Confession (‘‘faith-formula’),
Shepherding-Submission (Covenant), and Total Commitment
movements. The Commission on Organizations is attempting
to put together guidelines regarding these, but it is a particu-
larly difficult task since there are perhaps thousands of
independent groups loosely linked only by cooperation with
others of similar persuasion.

Religious sociologists have declared that new and aberrant
forms of religion are often the result of spiritual confusion that
is found when and where Christian churches have become
tolerant of a broad spectrum of beliefs and nonspecific con-
fessions within their own constituency. Such discoveries have
led several nondenominational Christian research agencies to
take a fresh look at those fraternal lodges that are involved in
religion. “Involvement” they define as making specific pro-
nouncements in spiritual matters and/or engaging in specific
spiritual practices. Their studies have led some of these
agencies to the conclusion that confessional Christianity and
the broad, universalist religious pronouncements of some of
the lodges are incompatible and mutually exclusive. These
have cited The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as pro-
viding the clearest and most evangelical materials pertaining
to the incompatibility.

The Commission on Organizations, however, has not ceased
to restudy continually the relationships between confessional
Christianity and lodge membership. Representing a cross
section of the church, members of the commission during the
biennium reviewed critically the Synod’s position on lodges as
defined in the Bylaws of the Synod. [Individually and col-
lectively they concluded that no modification of these Bylaws
can be made without diminishing the church's witness to the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and the distinctive nature of the
Christian faith. They point out that members of an organi-
zation publicly make an identity between themselves and the
avowed tenets and declarations of the organization. The
Commission on Organizations reiterates the position adopted
by previous commissions, namely, that any modification of the
Synod’s Bylaws must be preceded by those lodges involved in
religion officially granting the same freedom of conscience
that is granted by the civic clubs and some veterans’ organi-
zations. Such freedom of conscience may be achieved by
deletion of specific religious pronouncements and the removal
of obligatory prayers and rites that are cast in a religious
setting. The Commission on Organizations recommends for
study the various materials prepared by the commission on
many different organizations. Because of the volume of de-
mands on the commission office, they ask the requests be made
regarding specific organizations or movements.

Rudolph H. Harm, Chairman
Philip Lochhaas. Executive Secretary

3-04
Report on Lutheran Council in the U.S.A.

(This item will be treated in the Report of the President. See
also the report from the Council in Appendix I;

THEOLOGICAL CONCERNS

To Base Resolutions on Scripture

Resolved. That the Synod direct all floor committees to base
their resolutions regarding the mission and ministry of the
church on the clear teaching of Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions rather than CTCR documents and svnodical
statements or other sources of human opinion.

Western Pastors Conference
English District
Brian R. Dell. Secretary

3-12

To Study Public Policy Statements
of the Synod Regarding
the Confessional Character
of the Lord’s Supper

WHEREAS, There is a significant difference between the
divine nature of church fellowship and the human nature of
church relations; and

WHEREAS. The Holy Supper was instituted by our Lord for
all who have been brought into fellowship with Him and with
each other by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit; and

WHEREAS. In this means of grace He strengthens us in our
fellowship with Him and all Christians, and strengthens our
confessional response of loyalty to Him and to one another;
and

WHEREAS, No human barriers arising from human organi-
zational alignments should be raised against such expressions
of common trust and such confessions of common loyalties;
and

WHEREAS, The Galesburg Rule. which states:

“Lutheran pulpits are for Lutheran ministers only.

Lutheran altars are for Lutheran communicants only.”
(General Council. 1875. at Galesburg)

has often been cited as grounds for restricting intercommunion
between Christ's disciples; and

WHEREAS, The Galesburg Rule can be viewed as a public
policy statement of a human institution which was made to
clarify organizational policy, but in practice has been applied
in ways to set up barriers between Christians, requiring a
confessionalism not required in the Scriptures; and

WHEREAS, The confessionalism expressed in Holy Com-
munion is the confession which sets Christians apart from
unbelievers. rather than a confession which sets Christians
apart from each other: and

WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ invites to His table those
who penitently believe in Him as their only Savior and who
rightly discern His “real presence” in the Sacrament: therefore
be it

Resolved, That each congregation of the Synod be encour-
aged to restudy the Synod’s public policy regarding the
confessional character of the Lord's Supper in the light of
Scripture and with reference to our Lutheran Confessions; and
be it further

Resolved. That congregations be encouraged to report their
findings to the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations.

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Appleton, Wis.

Larry Peterson. President

Marian Baker, Secretary

Stanley G. Bahn, Pastor

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