Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 107
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 107

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

CHURCH RELATIONS 107

Church in America to create a basis for consensus of
doctrine with that body without compromise of doctrine.
EMMANUEL Ev. LUTHEXAN CHURCH
Green River, Wyo.
T. M. Puiuuips, President
Don L. Cox, Secretary

(3-40)
To Permit Selective Fellowship
and to Pursue Full Fellowship
with Other Lutheran Bodies of America

WuereEas, The Augsburg Confession, Art. VII, states:

For it is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian
church that the Gospel be preached in conformity with
a pure understanding of it and that the sacraments be
administered in accordance with the divine Word. It is
not necessary for the true unity of the Christian church
that ceremonies, instituted by men, should be observed
uniformly in all places.

and

Wuereas. The first stated object of the Synod is:
“The conservation and promotion of the unity of the
true faith (Eph. 4:3-6; 1Cor.1:10) and a united de-
fense against schism and sectarianism (Rom. 16:17)”:
and

WHEREAS, Some congregations and pastors believe
that there is not a sufficient consensus to declare fellow-
ship with other Lutheran bodies, while other congrega-
tions and pastors believe that there is sufficient con-
sensus to declare fellowship with other Lutheran bodies:
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod permit its congregations
and pastors to practice selective fellowship with con-
gregations of other Lutheran bodies: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod, its leaders. congregations,
and pastors, work earnestly and sincerely toward full
and complete fellowship with other Lutheran bodies of

America.
REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH

Grand Forks, N. Dak.
OrvaL STOKKE, Chairman
Lawrence HveEcuERrT, Secretary
(3-41)
To Allow Diversity of Practice
in Fellowship with ALC
Wuereas, Altar and pulpit fellowship between The
American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod is now possible and proper through
our shared discovery of a consensus in the Gospel of
Jesus Christ; and
Wuereas, Such fellowship is already practiced offi-
cially in Synod’s mission in Japan and in special campus,
institutional, and military ministries: and
Wuereas, Some of the pastors and laymen of Synod
are persuaded that altar and pulpit fellowship should
now be extended to the congregational level, while
others are still opposed or uncertain: and
Wuereas. The “Theology of Fellowship” guidelines
adopted at the New York Convention in 1967 accept a

diversity of opinion and practice regarding fellowship.
based on St. Paul’s injunction, “Let everyone be fully
convinced in his own mind” (Rom. 14:5; also 10, 12, and
23); and

Wuereas, Circumstances, convictions, needs, and op-

portunities vary throughout our church body; there-
fore be it

Resolved:

1. That pastors and congregations of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod who are convinced that an
adequate basis for altar and pulpit fellowship exists with
specific pastors and congregations of The American Lu-
theran Church be granted official permission to exercise
their congregational polity and declare themselves to
be in fellowship with such congregations:

2. That pastors and congregations not prepared to
engage in fellowship show Christian love and under-
standing toward their more ecumenically minded breth-
ren, and vice versa:

3. That the definition of altar and pulpit fellowship
be limited to inter-Communion, the exchange of preach-
ers, and transfer of members until the broader possi-
bilities originally anticipated can be more thoroughly
evaluated and recommended by the next synodical con-
vention in 1971;

4. That the local and regional dialog, theological
study programs, and cooperative efforts among all Lu-
theran synodical groups be continued in order to attain
a still greater measure of unity in Christ under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit:

5. That where intersynodical fellowship is estab-
lished, both ALC and LCMS participants will respect
one another's piety, customs, discipline. and practice:
and

6. That the unresolved issues that still prevent com-
plete fellowship be referred to Synod's Commission on
Theology and Church Relations and to the interchurch
commission proposed by President Oliver Harms in his
“Memo to My Brethren” of February 1969.

Rev. JoHN GeorGE HuBER
La Jolla, Calif.

(3-42)
To Rule on Selective Fellowship

Our congregation respectfully requests the Synod, in
convention at Denver, to advise us concerning a ques-
tion of conscience, namely, the practice of church fel-
lowship with Lutheran pastors and congregations in the
same area but of other synodical affiliations -- where
many years of patient effort have brought complete
agreement and understanding and close brotherly rela-
tionships.

Our situation is this: From three Lutheran congre-
gations 39 vears ago, representing different synods, quite
different in doctrine and practice. presenting a divided
front and wielding no influence in a large and growing
community, there are now 17 congregations working
together in harmony, presenting a common front and