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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 63

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

THEOLOGICAL MATTERS 63

The commission recommends:

15. a. That the members of the Synod on every level
be encouraged to continue their interest and participa-
tion in all ecumenical dialog that permits a clear and
unambiguous witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as
set forth in Holy Scripture and explicated by the Lu-
theran Confessions,

b. That the Synod encourage pastoral conferences to
study and discuss the materials already published as
well as any that may be produced in the process of
future interchurch conversations in which we are par-
ticipants.

The Mission Affirmations of the Detroit convention
spell out the responsibilities of our church body as a
confessional movement within Christendom. Such re-
sponsibilities are coupled with massive opportunities for
service. The demands of this situation make it increas-
ingly desirable for Christians to learn to work and serve
together in the task of bringing healing and salvation to
mankind. Recognizing this fact, the New York conven-
tion (Resolution 1-02, 1967 Proceedings, p. 81) encour-
aged the Board for Missions to pursue fully all oppor-
tunities for God-pleasing cooperative efforts with other
Christians. Such efforts are particularly desirable in
the case of church bodies that seem to be moving to-
ward a confessional basis in harmony with the Scrip-
tures and the Lutheran Confessions. At the present time,
however, no agency or officer of the Synod has been
assigned the specific responsibility of initiating and pro-
moting contacts with such church bodies with a view
to establishing the conditions of church fellowship. The
commission therefore recommends:

16. That this activity be made the responsibility of
the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
working under the direction of the President of the
Synod.

III. MISCELLANEOUS

When the commission was established in 1962, its
structure and functions were largely dictated by the
current needs of the church. The commission believes
the time has come to review several questions. Should
the commission’s role be limited to advising the Presi-
dent of the Synod in matters pertaining to theology and
church relations? Is the present method of selecting
members still necessary or desirable? Should the pres-
ent size and structure of the commission be continued?
Is the commission’s primary responsibility to answer
questions referred to it, or should it also take the ini-
tiative and deal with other subjects that require atten-
tion in church and world? Is there a way of utilizing
more effectively the talents and experience of our theo-
logians, especially those serving on our seminary fac-
ulties? Should the commission’s work continue to be
“document centered,” or should other ways of serving
the members of the Synod be explored? What can be
done to increase the commission’s efficiency? These and
similar questions need careful consideration. The com-
mission therefore recommends:

17. That a committee be appointed by the President

of the Synod to review the adequacy of the present
structure and functions of the commission. This com-
mittee, which should include representation from the
commission and the two seminary faculties, shall make
appropriate recommendations to the 1971 synodical con-
vention,

COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Tueo. F. NicKEL, Chairman

Raupuo A. BOHLMANN, Secretary

APPENDIX A
Report of Exchange Study Committee

The Exchange Study Committee, begun in 1954 and
incorporated into the structure of the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations in 1962, has continued
its work of arranging academic exchange programs be-
tween The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and
sister churches in various parts of the world. The pro-
gram involves exchange of students, pastors, and pro-
fessors for theological study and teaching and is in-
tended to foster better understanding between church
bodies and their schools of theology as well as con-
tribute to common theological growth. The selection of
candidates for the grants from the funds made available
by the Synod is based on service to the church and
general qualifications of character and scholarship.

The Exchange Study Committee is composed of the
president and a faculty member from each of the two
seminaries and an additional member from the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations. During the
past 2 years the committee met eight times. As a com-
mittee of the Commission on Theology and Church Re-
lations it maintains close liaison with the efforts of our
church to strengthen the bonds of church fellowship as
well as to seek and strengthen Lutheranism wherever
possible.

The committee operates with a set of criteria adopted
by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
which was received by the Synod at the New York
convention in 1967. All applicants are carefully screened
in order to assure the best use of synodical funds. One
of the goals of the committee is to involve students and
faculty from a variety of national backgrounds. During
the past 2 years we have had representation in the pro-
gram from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, and
India, as well as representatives from our own Synod
who taught at overseas seminaries. Under considera-
tion at the present time are applications from Australia,
Brazil, Finland, Germany, and New Guinea.

Everyone who has participated in the program has
been most grateful for the opportunity of exchange
study. As an example we quote from a statement writ-
ten by Prof. Juan Berndt, Argentina, who is currently
working on his S. T. M. degree:

After serving for 20 years in the parish ministry, the
mission field, and the educational work, it is always very
profitable to go back again to the classroom as a simple
student. I would heartily desire and encourage it to every
pastor and professor. Unfortunately it is mostly some-
thing impossible to do, especially for the men working
under the southern cross.