Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 128
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 128

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

125 CHURCH RELATIONS

(3-90)

To Postpone Entering into Fellowship

Wuereas, The matter of pulpit and altar fellowship
between The American Lutheran Church and The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod will come before the
synodical convention of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod in Denver, Colo., in July 1969; and

Wuereas, The writings of prominent people in The
American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod indicate and imply great divergencies
of practice in the teachings of some of the fundamental
doctrines of the church, such as in regard to the iner-
rancy of Scripture and the lodge question; and

WuerREAS, The American Lutheran Church has en-
tered into pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran Church
of America, whose teachings are much more liberal
than those of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod:
and

Wuereas, The laity and pastors do not have a good
understanding of the differences and similarities be-
tween the two church bodies even though conferences
have been held on the local level; and

Wuereas, There really is no necessity for haste in
this matter, as both church bodies will still retain their
same identity; therefore be it

Resolved, That we postpone entering into pulpit and
altar fellowship with The American Lutheran Church
at this time; and be it further

Resolved, That the pastors and laity cf both church
bodies continue to meet and to study the differences
that exist between the two bodies: and be it further

Resolved, That both bodies endeavor to correct the
divergencies of practice that exist within their own
synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That the matter of pulpit and altar fellow-
ship be raised at a future synodical convention of The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.

BENEDICTION LUTHERAN CHURCH

Milwaukee, Wis.

CHARLES HETZER, Secretary
(3-91)

To Postpone Fellowship Until True Unity
Is Clearly Determined
WuHereas, Unity among Lutherans must inevitably be

based upon the Word of God (John 8:31, 32: John 17);
and

Wuereas, Altar and pulpit fellowship, to be God-
pleasing, should be established only upon full doctrinal
agreement as well as upon consistent practice in keep-
ing with such doctrinal agreement: and

WHEREAS, God’s Word speaks to this point in 1 Cor.
1:10, which says: Now I beseech you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the
same thing and that there be no divisions among you,

but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same
mind and in the same judgment; and

WHEREAS, Such unity does not exist now, as is evident
from obvious disagreement between The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod and The American Lutheran
Church on the most basic doctrine, the complete and
total inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Scriptures:
and

Wuereas, The publication Interchange (LCUSA), II,
8 (November 1968), has stated:

In addition the LCMS and SELC must vote acceptance or
rejection of the proffered fellowship at their biennial con-
ventions next year;

and

Wuereas, It is evident that The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod is not ready at this time to vote either
“acceptance or rejection of the proffered fellowship”
since the necessary groundwork for God-pleasing fel-
lowship has not been laid: therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod postpone altar and pulpit fellowship until it is
clearly determined that both church bodies agree es-
pecially on the complete and total inerrancy and infalli-
bility of the Holy Scriptures: and be it further

Resolved, That in lieu of a final decisive vote at Den-
ver all congregations of Synod be given opportunity to
vote by way of a referendum on this most important
matter: and be it finally

Resolved, That we the members of St. Mark Lu-
theran Church, Waco, Tex., look forward to such a time
as true unity in doctrine and practice can be achieved
for God-pleasing altar and pulpit fellowship between
Lutherans, but that we furthermore herewith make
known our public stand that we shall not be bound to
practice altar and pulpit fellowship until such true unity
on the basis of God’s Word has been reached. (Article
VII of the Constitution, “Relation of Synod to Its Mem-

bers”) Sr. Marx LuTHERAN CHURCH

Waco, Tex.

JOHN E. Remus, President
Bitty J. VITEK, Secretary
THEODORE R. GRIESSE, Pastor

(3-92)

To Postpone Declaration of Fellowship

Wuer_eas, One of our church's officially declared po-
sitions on the doctrine of Holy Scriptures is ‘that they
contain no errors or contradictions, but that they are in
all their parts and words the infallible truth”; and

Wuereas, This is the area in which consensus must
still be reached in our negotiations with The American
Lutheran Church: and

WHEREAS, Scripture clearly states: “I appeal to you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all
of you agree that there be no dissensions among you, but
that you be united in the same mind and the same judg-
ment”: and