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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 98

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

98 CHURCH RELATIONS

America” gave impetus to the “conversations regarding
an inter-Lutheran church agency” (Resolution 3-12,
Proceedings, 1965 convention, p. 109); and

WueErEAS, Subsequent meetings of representative
groups and individuals “showed a degree of basic agree-
ment in Lutheran faith and conviction” but 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 altar
and pulpit fellowship”; and “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” (CTM, April 1964, p. 220, quoted in De-
troit Proceedings, p. 110); and

Wuereas, Our Synod joined the Lutheran Council
in the U.S.A. assured that “the proposed constitution
of the Lutheran Council in the United States of America
requires that all participating bodies engage in intensive
theological discussion” (p.110, Proceedings, 1965); and

Wuereas, The Division of Theological Studies of
LCUSA produced as the first production available in
print Who Can This Be? a study document on the doc-
trine of Christ, which received repudiation and a vote
of censure from the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations of our Synod because of both its con-
tent and the method of release; and

Wuereas, LCUSA has not initiated the kind of pro-
gram that will develop greater unity of doctrine and
practice among Lutherans; and

WuerEAS, Activities in the various Lutheran synods
comprising LCUSA have not encouraged removal of the
obstacles impeding establishment of altar and pulpit
fellowship; and

Wuereas, Fellowship negotiations between the ad-
ministrations of the three major Lutheran bodies clearly
indicate that they do not attach the same significance
to differences in both doctrine and practice; and

Wuereas, The expected impetus in mutual doctrinal
studies has not developed and such a thrust, as strongly
recommended by the sainted previous synodical Presi-
dent, Dr. J. W. Behnken, as an absolute condition for
entrance into the council, has not developed; and

Wuereas, The cost of the LCUSA budget to our
Synod is disproportionate to the Synod’s budget poten-
tial, and such policies have been developed without
complete involvement of the representatives of the
synods; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod convened in Denver, July 1969, seriously review
the apparent failure of the Lutheran ‘Council in the
U.S. A. to meet the hopes and assurances that marked
our entrance into the council and, if required, that the
Synod withdraw immediately from active membership
in order to accomplish those essential and needed func-
tions carried on in matters external (not violating our

confessional and fellowship concerns) as was formerly
done in the National Lutheran Council arrangement.

IMMANUEL Ev. LUTHERAN CHURCH
Downers Grove, III].

Donatp R. BAHNFLETH, Chairman
Donatp FE. EcKMANN, Secretary

(3-14)
To Sever Connection with LCUSA

Wuereas, There is not complete doctrinal agreement
between the participating bodies (the Lutheran Council
in the U.S.A. Constitution, Art. IV, b); and

Wuereas, It is definitely a unionistic organization,
because the participating bodies work together (LCUSA
Constitution, Art. IV, a and c) even though there is not
complete doctrinal agreement between them; and

Wuereas, Holy Scripture clearly forbids and looks
upon as sinful such working together of those who are
not completely agreed in doctrine and practice (Matt.
7:15; Rom. 16:17-18); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in its 1969 Denver convention immediately sever
its connection with the Lutheran Council in the U.S. A.
and once again return to the Scriptural position on
church fellowship, as it is spelled out so clearly in the

Brief Statement, para. 28. Rev. Rosert J. Lietz

Stover, Mo.
(3-15)

To Withdraw Immediately from LCUSA

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
has ever held a sound, Scriptural, confessional stand
to be the basis for unity; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
condemns and rejects membership in all unionistic and
ecumenical organizations, which do not teach and prac-
tice in accord with sound Scriptural doctrine; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. has
shown a strong tendency toward liberal and unionistic
practices; and

Wuenreas, At the present time our Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod is contributing heavily to support the
LCUSA program; and

WHEREAS, The manner in which many of our mission
moneys are being used is in poor stewardship, and they
could be used to a better advantage in our own
Synod; and

Wuereas, Who Can This Be? a guide to study and
discussion prepared by LCUSA, is an example of poor
stewardship and directly at variance with the Word of
God; and

Wuereas, The contents of Who Can This Be? create
doubt and anxiety and tend to weaken Christian faith
and deny Jesus Christ as God; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 48th regular convention of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod vote that our