Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 139
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 139

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

CHURCH RELATIONS 139

Resolved, That this commission shall, upon completion
of its assignments to the satisfaction of the synodical
President in conjunction with the College of Presidents,
report to the synods in order that then and only then a
synodical convention may take appropriate action regard-
ing fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That we respectfully request the three par-
ticipating synods to exercise discipline as required in the
Word of God in order to deal with the aforementioned
difficulties; and be it finally

Resolved, That we plead with all of our members to
continue to pray for the work toward this fellowship.

and

Wuereas, To the best of our knowledge there has
been no official or unofficial report of the establishment
of the “special commission” referred to in the second
resolved above; and

Wuereas, If such a “special commission” has been
formed, there have been no reports of findings, conclu-
sions, and recommendations of said commission; and

Wuereas, The memorial of the 83d Michigan District
convention specifically stated that no action on the mat-
ter of pulpit and altar fellowship with The American
Lutheran Church should be taken until this commission
had reported to the synods involved; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in convention assembled in Denver, Colo., table
the matter of pulpit and altar fellowship with The
American Lutheran Church until such time as the reso-
lution of the 83d convention of the Michigan District be
complied with; and be it further

Resolved, That we respectfully request the President
of our Synod to make this a matter of the highest pri-
ority so that the matter of pulpit and altar fellowship
with The American Lutheran Church may be brought
to a conclusion by the 1971 synodical convention.

Reprorp LUTHERAN CHURCH
Detroit, Mich.

KENNETH Morris, Chairman
DEAN REUSCHLE, Secretary
Epwarp A. WEsTcotT JR., Pastor

(3-121)
To Refrain and to Reaffirm

Wuereas, There is a difference in practice between
The American Lutheran Church (ALC) and The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod (LCMS) in regard to
the lodge; and

WHEREAS, Practice does involve matters of doctrine
in relation to the lodge; and

Wuereas, The Lord has not asked that we be one
church visibly but rather invisibly; and

Whereas, In 2 Cor. 6:14 the Lord warns against being
unequally yoked with anti-Christians (lodge members)
and asks what fellowship righteousness has with un-
righteousness; and

Wuereas, Fellowship with The ALC would create
confusion and unavoidable selective fellowship at the
Communion altar with regard to members of The ALC;
and

Wuereas, The ALC Constitution does not require
confession of the Apology, Luther’s Large Catechism,
the Smalcald Articles, and the Formula of Concord
(Toward Fellowship, p. 25; Section 3) in comparison to
the LCMS, which requires adherence to all the Con-
fessions as recorded in the Book of Concord; and

Wuereas, ALC seminaries do not require their pro-
fessors to teach the inerrancy of Scripture; and

WuerEAS, 36 out of 40 recent graduates of an ALC
seminary deny the inerrancy of all of Scripture, as
testified to by a letter of one of those 40 graduates to
that effect and revealed at the Southern Nebraska and
Northern Nebraska District conventions of 1968: and

Whereas, The LCMS has no more of a responsibility
to members of The ALC than we do to Catholics, Jews,
or any other human beings; and

Wuereas, Declared fellowship at this time would
create division in the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS has many logs to clear out of
its own eye before removing specks from the eye of the
ALC; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod refrain from fellowship with The American Lu-
theran Church until such time as both confession and
practice in matters related to doctrine are the same in
both Lutheran bodies: and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS reaffirm its doctrinal posi-
tion and practice regarding the lodge and the inerrancy
of Scripture; and be it finally

Resolved, That discussion toward fellowship with
The ALC continue at every level of communication until
such time as true unity does exist between the two, or
until the LCMS believes future discussion with The
ALC cannot produce true unity and desires instead to
expend its energies in more productive Kingdom work.

Curist LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rawlins, Wyo.

DENAL F. MvuELLER, President
Wayne R. Ockuiscl, Secretary
Grace LUTHERAN CHURCH

Hanna, Wyo.

Harotp C. WEsT, President
MELVIN Braun, Secretary

PLATTE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Saratoga, Wyo.

RALPH Starr, President

JOHN W. RINK, Secretary

ARTHUR SIEGFRIED, Pastor

Tuomas H. Hoewiscu, Lay Minister

(3-122)
To Refrain at This Time
from Declaring Fellowship

WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church is a mem-
ber of the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran
World Federation and is working toward membership
in the National Council of Churches, all of which or-