LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 13

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PRESIDENT’S TRIENNIAL REPORT 13

problems have been explored or resolved. We must
concede that the tensions which exist are also in part
a manifestation of the struggle between the old man and
the new man. We are beset by temptations from within
and from without. I pray fervently that we will not be
deceived by Satan but that we will surrender to the
Holy Spirit and live in trust and charity. This is the
way in which God has always blessed His people and
made them both a power and a blessing to others.

The President’s office also represents the Synod in
its relationship to other segments of our Synod. Of most
immediate concern are the overseas mission fields, espe-
cially where young, independent churches are now
emerging. We have worked closely with American and
national leaders. Doctor Wiederaenders has been in In-
dia and Australia, where sister churches are exploring
new relationships with other churches. Doctor Theo-
dore F. Nickel went to New Guinea earlier this year on
a somewhat similar mission. In somewhat similar cir-
cumstances, Dr. Walter F. Wolbrecht has been in Nigeria
and also to the Philippines. Dr. George W. Wittmer ac-
companied me on visits to our brethren in Europe at
the time of the assembly of the Lutheran World Federa-
tion in 1962. Dr. Arthur C. Nitz has represented my
office in a visit to Latin American Missions. Doctors
Franzmann and Bouman visited the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church of Australia on my behalf and yours.
And the ongoing pastoral concern of the President’s
office was demonstrated especially when Dr. Paul Streu-
fert and Dr. Meinert Grumm strengthened the members
of the missionary force in Nigeria at a time when phys-
ical and mental stresses were aggravated by administra-
tive problems related to the disruption of the Lutheran
Synodical Conference.

There have been numerous developments among Lu-
therans since 1962. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran
Synod severed its relation with the Lutheran Synodical
Conference. Attempts have been made to reopen con-
versations with them and with the Evangelical Lutheran
Synod, which severed its relations earlier. No favor-
able reply has been received at this date. The two re-
maining members of the Synodical Conference, The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod and the Synod of
Evangelical Lutheran Churches, have assumed responsi-
bility for the joint work that was carried on previously.
The National Evangelical Lutheran Church, a group of
approximately 12,000 predominantly Finnish Lutherans
in this country, has joined our Synod. As you may have
noted, you are being asked at this convention to invite
the 20,000-member Synod of Evangelical Lutheran
Churches to take similar action.

In compliance with resolutions of the Synod in 1962,
I appointed observers to attend the Fourth Assembly of
the Lutheran World Federation in Helsinki, Finland, in
1963. Our Synod has now been represented at every
assembly of that body. Representatives of my office
have also attended conventions of the Wisconsin Evan-
gelical Lutheran Synod, The American Lutheran
Church, the Lutheran Church in America, and the an-
nual meetings of the National Lutheran Council. Thus

greetings have been brought from my office on your be-
half in an effort to maintain cordial relations among
fellow Lutherans. Finally, we have now had two meet-
ings with representatives of The American Lutheran
Church, thus resuming doctrinal discussions that had
been discontinued while mergers were taking place in
that body. The aim is to establish a basis from which we
might discuss establishing pulpit and altar fellowship
with that body.

In discharging its proper responsibility, the Commis-
sion on Theology and Church Relations has extended
theological discussions to other church bodies. Doc-
trinal and confessional explorations are continuing with
Presbyterian and Reformed church bodies. These dis-
cussions do not envision establishing fellowship relation-
ships. Rather the goal is to discover where the major
Protestant Reformed bodies now stand doctrinally about
four and one-half centuries after their origin.

On behalf of the Synod I have accepted an invitation
for us to participate, with the National Lutheran Coun-
cil, in a series of doctrinal discussions with the Roman
Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Theological Studies.
We have also accepted an invitation to open similar talks
with the Orthodox, in response to an invitation extended
by the National Lutheran Council, as the United States
of America’s arm of the Lutheran World Federation.
Dr. Oswald Hoffmann has attended sessions of the
Vatican Council in Rome as a specially invited guest of
the Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

At the convention in Cleveland the Synod accepted
the invitation of the National Lutheran Council to enter
into consultations to prepare a constitution and bylaws
which might serve as the proper basis for a new inter-
Lutheran agency. Since that time the Synod of Evan-
gelical Lutheran Churches has also joined this consul-
tation. The aim has been to create an agency in which
Lutheran bodies of America might jointly study the-
ology and cooperate in such areas of church work as
seem advantageous and do not violate the confessional
position of the individual church body. All of the nec-
essary documents, data, and recommendations are being
presented to you during these sessions.

Much of what I have said is not new to you. This
does not mean that it is not important to you. I do not
intend to list details of other presidential duties: the
heavy volume of correspondence, the constant conversa-
tions by telephone and otherwise, and the extensive
studying, reading, writing, and speaking. Yet I must
say that the work has been done in the happy aware-
ness that this service was being rendered to a Savior
and to a church body which deserve the best a man has
to give.

This report would not be complete without saying
that representatives of my office have worked faithfully
and long with many dedicated churchmen from Detroit
in preparation for this convention. Their efforts will be
eminently worthwhile, I am confident. For that reason
I implore you to continue in fervent prayer to the
Throne of Grace. We ask the heavenly Father so to
direct us that when this historic convention has closed