LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 204

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

204 UNPUBLISHED REPORTS AND OVERTURES

vention appears to have been the noble and notable
exception, but its gains seem to have been wiped
out at Cleveland.)

(5) If Missouri has not already passed the point of no
return and become a unionistic debating society,
without doctrinal unity and without serious, effec-
tive doctrinal controls, the Synod’s present direction
is unmistakably driving it toward that point at an
alarming speed.

It should be clearly understood that these conclusions
are purely objective, in the sense that they are logically
related not to anyone’s personal sincerity, motives, or
intentions, but only to the documented facts. Etc., etc.

IV. To thank the Parish Education Committee of the
Queensland District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Australia for the aforementioned report.

ArnoLp H. GEBHARDT
Hooper, Nebr.

ia4Un] Church Relations

To Urge the Synod to Apply for Membership
in Lutheran World Federation

Wuereas, The purpose of the Lutheran World Fed-
eration is to include all Lutheran bodies in its mem-
bership; and

Wuereas, Membership of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in the Lutheran World Federation
would materially strengthen the cause of conservative
Lutheranism in the world; and

Whereas, The 1963 Helsinki Assembly of the Lu-
theran World Federation adopted significant changes in
the wording of the Lutheran World Federation consti-
tution; and

Wuereas, The changes that were made in the Lu-
theran World Federation constitution were suggested
by the official observers of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod present at the Assembly; and

Wuereas, There are now no constitutional barriers
to participation in the Lutheran World Federation on
the part of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod is
already deeply involved in various phases of the pro-
gram of the Lutheran World Federation; and

Wuereas, The work of conserving people for the
church on the Canadian scene, especially among Lu-
theran Christians of foreign extraction (particularly
European), has been greatly hindered by lack of mem-
bership in the Lutheran World Federation; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Toronto Synodical Pastoral Con-
ference urge The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
to apply for full membership in the Lutheran World
Federation.

Toronto SyNODICAL PASTORAL CONFERENCE
Tue LuTHERAN CHuRCH — Missouri SYNoD
Joun LEMKUwL, Chairman

Donatp P, Grass, Secretary

[3-35 Un]
Communication from the Ev. Lutheran
Free Church of Germany

The undersigned Evangelical Lutheran Free Church,
in her responsibility for the entire Lutheran Church
and in sincere love toward the churches in fellowship
with her, feels constrained in conscience to submit to
you the cordial and urgent request to avoid any resolu-
tions importing an affiliation with the Lutheran World
Federation.

The duty of determining the relation of our church
to the LWF and of defining a possible cooperation with
it was an issue already at the first international pastoral
conference of our churches, assembled at Uelzen in
August 1952, soon after the second plenary session of
the LWF.

On the basis of an exhaustive discussion, during
which representatives of all our churches stressed, even
though they regretted, the impossibility of an affiliation
of our churches with the LWF, the conference adopted
the following resolution:

Having thoroughly evaluated the situation, we sub-
mit the following proposals to our churches:
a) that they do not join the LWF as long as its

executive and its member churches will not factually
accept the Lutheran Confessions as norma normata;

b) that we appoint a committee to investigate the
advisability and possibilities to enter into a relation
(e.g., cooperation) with the LWF without abandoning
our Lutheran principles.

These proposals have been adopted by all sister
churches and brought to the knowledge of the LWF
executive. The position of the conference has found an
especially clear expression in the study document
Report on Lutheran World Federation, January 1956,
issued by the official committee of the Missouri Synod
(Prof. Martin H. Franzmann, Prof. Martin J. Naumann,
Dr. Lawrence B. Meyer). This document led to the
resolution of the St. Paul, Minn., convention (1956)
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod not to join
the LWF.

Representatives of our churches have been invited
to the subsequent plenary sessions of the LWF and have
had ample opportunity to bear witness to the pure doc-
trine of the Word of God and to proper Lutheran prac-
tice. It appeared that on these grounds the question
of our relation to the LWF could find a clear and satis-
fying solution also for the future.

Since the plenary session of the LWF in 1963 resolved
to modify the constitution and this modification has
taken effect in August 1964, membership of our churches
has again become a prominent issue. Some hold that
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod for confes-
sional reasons should not deviate from the position taken
hitherto. Others consider full membership as a God-
given opportunity for intensified witness and justify
their recommendation of such membership by pointing
to the modifications of the LWF constitution.

Our Free Lutheran Churches in Germany have
therefore assigned their commissions on theology to