Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 67
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 67

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

THEOLOGICAL MATTERS 67

with the Confessions of the Lutheran church, as a pure
exposition of the Word of God.

This means that —

: eligibility for membership is restricted to such
churches as declare with their application for
membership their acceptance of this doctrinal
basis.

+ if a member church were to change its confes-
sional basis, its membership would be terminated;
for example, a union consummated between a
Lutheran and a Reformed church would auto-
matically exclude the resultant church body from
membership.

3. The LWF is neither a church nor a superchurch,
but as a free association of Lutheran churches is de-
signed to serve as their agent or instrument in such
matters as they assign to it.

This means that —

* the initiative for any activities of the federation
in support of churchly functions must come from
the churches themselves.

* churchworkers whom the federation might sup-
ply for service to a particular church remain re-
sponsible in that capacity either to their own
church or to the church that has requested their
service.
the role of the federation in regard to churchly
functions is properly understood in terms of liai-
son, encouragement, and assistance where these
services are needed or requested to help the
churches perform their own proper tasks and
fulfill their own responsibilities.

* although the LWF is not itself a church, it does
have an “ecclesial” character to the extent that
it helps the churches do their own churchly tasks;
in this sense it is analogous to our own LCUSA.

4. The LWF is not a substitute for world Lutheran
fellowship; on the contrary, it recognizes that to the
extent that such fellowship does not presently exist it
is a goal for which Lutheran churches both within and
outside its membership should earnestly strive.

This means that —

the federation is designed to be an instrument of
the churches for cultivating unity of faith and
confession and thus furthering a united witness
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

* cooperation in study among Lutherans is a func-
tion assigned to the federation as a major means
of overcoming such differences as exist and of
attaining the unity that is necessary for church
fellowship.

5. The LWF is not without its problems, largely be-
cause of some weaknesses and apparent inconsistencies
in some of the member churches. Among such weak-
nesses may be mentioned especially such facts as these:

* The manner in which member churches bring
their declared Lutheran confessional commitment

to bear upon the teaching and practice within
their own bodies varies perceptibly.

* In a few instances the limits of intercommunion
are extended beyond what is the general practice
of Lutheran churches.

6. Since the LWF is not a church but a federation,
or free association of churches, its role in the area of
churchly discipline must not be confused with the role
of a church as such.

This means that —

+ the LWF cannot interfere in the internal affairs
of a member church, including its discipline in
regard to teaching and practice.

* as a federation of churches that voluntarily de-
clare their acceptance of the Lutheran confes-
sional norms, the LWF provides both the occasion
and the opportunity for member churches to in-
struct, encourage, and admonish one another in
regard to the evangelical discipline that bona fide
subscription to the Confessions calls for.

7. It is a matter of record that since its establishment
in 1947 the LWF has greatly stimulated the doctrinal
and confessional awareness of world Lutheranism
through its vigorous program of theological studies,
consultations, and publications.

Evidence for this is to be seen in —

* articles published in the LWF’s theological jour-
nal, Lutheran World.

» study documents prepared for the Lutheran
World Assemblies.

* books written and published under the sponsor-
ship or encouragement of various LWF commis-
sions or departments.

8. As the agent of its member churches the LWF
provides a responsible service to Christian ecumenism
in several ways.

: In keeping with the ecumenical nature of genu-
ine Lutheranism (Augsburg Confession, Preface
4), the federation seeks “to foster Lutheran inter-
est in, concern for, and participation in ecumeni-
cal movements” and to this end reminds all mem-
ber churches of their mission to the whole Chris-
tian church.

: As a worldwide federation the LWF provides an
invaluable reminder to all ecumenical structures
that Lutheranism is a confessional movement
within the whole Christian church on earth and
as such should have its voice heard wherever the
goal of genuine ecumenism is being pursued.

9. The principal authority in the structure of the
LWF is the Assembly, which is normally convened
every 6 years. In the interim between Assemblies the
business of the federation is conducted by its executive
committee. Representation in the Assembly and mem-
bership on the executive committee are allocated with
due regard for such factors as —