LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 115

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Resolved, That the Board of Directors give all possible
priority to providing resources to support personal con-
tacts, scholarships, student exchanges, other personnel ex-
changes, and such other activities that will continue to
strengthen our relationships with partner churches.

Action: Adopted (9).

(The resolution was adopted unanimously.)

To Encourage CTCR to Complete
Preparation of Guidelines for Inter-
Christian Relationships

RESOLUTION 3-07

Report R3-01 (CW, pp. 55-60); Overtures 3-26-28, 3-
43, 3-45 (CW, pp. 177, 181-82)

Wuereas, The 1981 and succeeding conventions of the
Synod have requested the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations (CTCR) to prepare practical guidelines
to assist the officials, pastors, teachers, congregations, and
individuals in the Synod in determining which practices
and activities are appropriate for inter-Lutheran and in-
ter-Christian relationships in which the Synod and its
members are involved (1981 Proceedings, Res. 3-03A; 1983
Proceedings, Res. 3-01; 1986 Proceedings, Res. 3-13A); and

Wuereas, The CTCR is presently preparing an instru-
ment for study of inter-Christian relationships for distri-
bution to and reaction from pastoral conferences; therefore
be it

Resolved, That we encourage the CTCR to continue to
give priority attention to completing and sharing with the
church these guidelines for inter-Christian relationships
before the 1992 convention of the Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage the widest possible par-
ticipation in this study process.

Action: Adopted (15).

To Address The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod Relationship with
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

RESOLUTION 3-08

Report R3-01 II A—B (CW, pp. 60-64); Overtures 3-33—
38 (CW, pp. 178-80)

Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church, the Lu-
theran Church in America, and the Association of Evan-
gelical Lutheran Churches have formed the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America; and

Wuereas, We gratefully acknowledge our common
confessional heritage as stated and summarized in the Lu-
theran Confessions (Book of Concord, 1580); and

Wuereas, The Committee on Lutheran Cooperation has
been formed to provide an opportunity for the churches to
give attention to their relationship and other matters of
mutual concern; and

Wuereas, In the past we have cooperated in external
matters with the church bodies that formed the Evangel-
ical Lutheran Church in America and continue to do such

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 115

cooperative work through the Committee on Lutheran Co-
operation (e.g., Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Immi-
gration and Refugee Services, Lutheran Education
Conference of North America, and Lutheran Resources
Commission); and

WueEreas, Substantive differences regrettably exist be-
tween the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in such areas of
doctrine and practice as

1. the inerrancy of Scripture;

2. the ordination of women into the office of the public
ministry;

3. official eucharistic sharing with church bodies not in
agreement with confessional Lutheran doctrine, therefore
be it

Resolved, That we commend The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod representatives on the Committee on Lu-
theran Cooperation for their resolve to initiate theological
discussions with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America; and be it further

Resolved, That despite the differences between us, we
encourage continued cooperation in those external matters
that do not compromise our doctrine and practice; and be
it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
continue to maintain a confessional Lutheran voice in ev-
ery appropriate forum with the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America; and be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage continued prayer that a
confessional unity may be reached that is based on the
truth of God’s Word.

Action: Adopted (14).

(An amendment calling for the addition of (4) confessional sub-
scription” to the fifth whereas was declined.)

To Address Recent Developments and
Continued Concerns on Pro-life Issues

RESOLUTION 3-09A
Overtures 3-109-10 (CW, p. 200) (TB, p. 55)

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
urgently called upon Christians to “hold firmly to the clear
Biblical truths that (a) the living but unborn are persons
in the sight of God from the time of conception (Job 10:9-
11; Ps. 51:5; 139:18-17; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41-44); (b) as
persons the unborn stand under the full protection of God’s
own prohibition against murder (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 20:13; Num.
35:33; Acts 7:19, 1 John 3:15); and (c) since abortion takes
a human life, abortion is not a moral option, except as a
tragically unavoidable byproduct of medical procedures
necessary to prevent the death of another human being,
viz., the mother (1979 Proceedings, Res. 3-02A); and

Wuereas, The Supreme Court of the United States has
signaled the end of abortion on demand by its ruling in
the case of Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, Inc.,
in allowing governmental authorities greater latitude in
protecting human life from the time of conception; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has