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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 110

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

110 RESOLUTIONS — COMMITTEE 3

Three meetings were held by the members of our
former Doctrinal Unity Committee, the Executive Com-
mittee of the National Lutheran Council, and a selected
number of theologians from both groups. Six essays
were read. at these meetings (“Toward Cooperation
Among American Lutherans”; “Essays on the Lutheran
Confessions Basic to Lutheran Cooperation”) which
“showed a degree of basic agreement in Lutheran faith
and conviction” and also “that we do not have that full
agreement in doctrine and practice which we of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod consider essential
to the establishment of pulpit and altar fellowship.”
These facts “have dictated the nature and function of
the proposed new council. We have decided to recom-
mend to our several church bodies that we join forces
to overcome, as the Spirit gives us grace, the existing
differences and to cooperate in such activities and in
such a way that existing differences are not ignored or
glossed over.” (Concordia Theological Monthly, April
1964, p. 220)

With this in mind the constitution for the proposed
Lutheran Council in the United States of America was
drafted. This constitution makes participation in the
Division of Theological Studies mandatory, while allow-
ing each participating body to determine its measure
of participation in all other work. Thus the life of the
proposed council will center in a systematic and con-
tinuing doctrinal discussion among all Lutherans par-
ticipating in the council. ;

With this proposed Lutheran Council in the United
States of America, The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod faces another decisive step in its efforts to seek
a unity among Lutherans that is pleasing to the Lord
of the church. The resolution of Committee 3 follows:

Wuereas, The proposed constitution of the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America is in keeping
with the confessional commitment of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, The proposed constitution of the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America requires that
all participating bodies engage in intensive theological
discussion; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Council in the United States
of America will provide greater opportunity for the par-
ticipating bodies to work cooperatively in areas of
Christian service acceptable to them; and

Wuereas, The church is under divine compulsion to
use every resource and agency at her command to
perform her mission; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod approve the proposed constitution of the Lu-
theran Council in the United States of America; and
be it further

Resolved, That The: Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod become a participating bedy in the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America on the basis
of the proposed constitution. —

Action: This. resolution was adopted.

Pastor George H. Sommermeyer introduces the resolution to join the
Lutheran Council in the United States of America.

Re Representatives of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod to the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America
RESOLUTION 3-13

Wnereas, The convention in assembly on June 23,
1965, voted to become a participating body in the Lu-
theran Council in the United States of America by ap-
proving the proposed constitution; therefore be it

Resolved, That the procedure for selecting our voting
representatives (1 for every 200,000 baptized members)
to the Lutheran Council in the United States of America
shall be as follows: The President of the Synod shall
nominate representatives of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod to the Lutheran Council in the United
States of America upon recommendation of the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations; and be it
further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod shall
nominate representatives to the standing committees for
each division, department, and commission of the Lu-
theran Council in the United States of America in which
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod participates