LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 98

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98 RESOLUTIONS — COMMITTEE 2

on the basis of the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran
Confessions (cf. Proceedings, 1941, p.303); therefore
be it

Resolved, That no joint worship services be held
with those with whom we have not established pulpit
and altar fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That where a problem of casuistry exists
in the area of ‘pulpit and altar fellowship, no judgment
be voiced against a pastor or congregation without per-
sonal, fraternal confrontation and without ascertaining
all the facts involved.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

To Reaffirm “Quia” Subscription
to Lutheran Confessions, etc.
RESOLUTION 2-17

Overtures 2-21, 2-23 (CW, pp. 70—72)

Wuereas, Overture 2-21 calls for a reaffirmation by
the Synod of its requirement of the quia (“because” it
agrees with Scripture) subscription to the Book of Con-
cord of A. D. 1580 and that this subscription in all cases
be “sincerely and earnestly made”; and

Wuereas, Overture 2-23 requests “that all confes-
sional documents postdating the Book of Concord to
which Synod may subscribe be subjected to review
in each generation”; and

Wuereas, The confessional stand of the Synod was
reaffirmed at the Cleveland convention (Proceedings,
1962, p. 105); and

Wuereas, The Synod at Cleveland declared: “The
status and use of synodically adopted doctrinal state-
ments calls for further study and clarification” (Resolu-
tion 3-17, Proceedings, 1962, p.105); therefore be it

Resolved, That this convention again reaffirm the
Synod’s insistence on a quia (“because”) subscription
to the Confessions of the Lutheran Church; and be it
further

Resolved, That all other doctrinal statements re-
ceive continued study and be further clarified as the
Synod’s needs require.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

To Receive the Report “Theology
of Fellowship” for Study and Guidance, etc.
RESOLUTION 2-18

Report 3-45: Supplement to the Report and Recommen-
dations of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (separate printing, pp.3—30; reprinted, pp.
263—306)

Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations has addressed itself diligently to the task as-
signed to it by the Cleveland convention in the matter
of revising and rewriting the document The Theology
of Fellowship and has now submitted its completed work
to this convention under the title Theology of Fellow-
ship, to be received for reference and guidance; and

Wuereas, Part One of the new document (remaining
unchanged from the original document The Theology
of Fellowship, submitted to the Synod in 1960) covers
the Biblical basis of fellowship, including the passages
in the Old and the New Testaments; and

Wnrereas, Part Two traces historically the meaning
and practice of church fellowship in the church of the
early centuries, the church of the Reformation, as well
as. the fathers of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod; and

Wuereas, Part Three addresses itself to the study of
the Scripture passages which command separation and
seeks to give answers to questions concerning “fellow-
ship, prayer fellowship, and unionism” as well as sug-
gested guidelines for the church in the practice of fel-
lowship today; therefore be it

Resolved, That the document of the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations, Theology of Fellow-
ship, be received for study and guidance and be com-
mended for that purpose to the constituency of the
Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That Theology of Fellowship be ‘recom-
mended to the Synod for adoption at the next conven-
tion; and be it further

Resolved, That the commission be commended and
thanked for its careful and conscientious work.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

To Accept the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations Report on “What
Is a Doctrine?”
RESOLUTION 2-19

Overture 2-01, Appendix B (CW, pp. 40—42)

Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations in its report on “What Is a Doctrine?” re-
sponded to a resolution of the Cleveland convention
(Proceedings, 1962, p. 108); and

Wuereas, The commission could not give the time
and did not have the opportunity prior to issuing its
report more than a year ago to attempt a full-scale
study and reformulation of a definition of “doctrine”;
and

Wuereas, The study on fellowship, especially in the
historical section of Theology of Fellowship, has given
insights that bear on a definition of doctrine; and

Wuereas, It may be expected that the ongoing studies
on various Biblical topics, as well as the proposed study
on Biblical hermeneutics, may well shed further light
on the nature of a doctrine as well as the proper man-
ner of formulating doctrine; therefore be it

Resolved, That this convention gratefully approve
this report of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations as an adequate response to the memorial orig-
inally addressed to the Synod at Cleveland; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations be encouraged to continue its study