Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 160
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 160

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

160 CHURCH RELATIONS

theran Church in America, with which we have great
doctrinal differences; and

Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church holds
membership in the World Council of Churches and the
Lutheran World Federation and is seriously considering
membership with the National Council of Churches in
1970, all of which are organizations with which we of
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod are unable to
affiliate for reasons of doctrine and conscience; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That in reference to Resolution 3-23 of the
47th regular convention of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod (1967), our Synod in the spirit of Chris-
tian love and out of concern that a sound, God-pleasing
doctrinal basis remain within our Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod declare herself unable to accept the
proposed altar and pulpit fellowship with The Amer-

ican Lutheran Church, Grace LUTHERAN CHURCH

Bishop, Calif.

GLENN ScHOLTA, President
JOSEPH Doyon, Secretary
Harry W. Marks, Pastor

(3-185)

To Declare that Conditions for God-Pleasing
Fellowship Do Not Exist

Wuereas, In response to Resolution 3-23 of the New
York synodical convention Holy Trinity Congregation
has made a careful study of the basis for altar and
pulpit fellowship between The American Lutheran
Church and The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod;
and

WHEREAS, Such study and examination has repeat-
edly revealed that The American Lutheran Church, in
its public teaching, is not in true agreement with The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod on the doctrine of
Holy Scripture; and

Wuereas, Information gathered from member con-
gregations of The American Lutheran Church in our
geographical area has demonstrated that The American
Lutheran Church allows membership in Christ-denying
secret societies and in practice does not follow any real
program of evangelical admonition or encouragement to
its members to separate themselves from such secret
societies; and

Wuereas, Meetings with pastors of The American
Lutheran Church in this area have drawn clear state-
ments from these parish leaders that they do not agree
with the confessional position of our Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod on either the doctrine of Holy Scrip-
ture or on the doctrine of conversion; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod, in convention assembled, declare that conditions
for God-pleasing pulpit and altar fellowship between

The American Lutheran Church and The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod do not presently exist.

Hoiy TrmInity LUTHERAN CHURCH
Okauchee, Wis.
Roy Roccentin, Secretary
R. J. McMIter, Pastor
(3-186)

To Declare that Conditions for God-Pleasing
Fellowship Do Not Exist at Present

WueEREAS, The question of altar and pulpit fellowship
between The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and
The American Lutheran Church is one of the most mo-
mentous issues ever to come before The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
maintains a single doctrinal position as expressly and
clearly stated in the Brief Statement, in contrast to The
American Lutheran Church, which permits more than
one theory or point of view in doctrine and hermeneutics
(ALC General Convention 1964); and

Whereas, The American Lutheran Church is in fel-
lowship with the Lutheran Church in America and is
also affiliated with the World Council of Churches and
the Lutheran World Federation, which organizations are
liberal and unionistic, and with which The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod is not in doctrinal agreement;
and

Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church in its pub-
lic teachings permits unscriptural opinions to be held
and taught. such as:

1. “The infallibility of the Scriptures is the infalli-
bility of Jesus Christ and not the infallibility of the
written text.” (The Bible — Book of Faith, 1964, p. 148)

2. The historic factualness of Genesis 1—11 is called
into question. (The Bible — Book of Faith, pp. 54 and
153)

3. The Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the
Bible is called into question. (The Bible — Book of
Faith, pp. 67—79)

4. The miraculous phenomena surrounding the bap-
tism of Jesus are regarded not as objective events but
only as the theological interpretation by the apostle
John (Theological Perspectives, Luther College, De-
corah, Iowa, pp. 43 and 44): and

Whereas, It is evident that the widespread practice
of accepting into communicant membership members
of Christ-denying organizations (lodges) continues to
exist in The American Lutheran Church and that fel-
lowship with The American Lutheran Church at this
time would cause a great confusion in our own midst
with respect to the lodge question; and

Wuereas, Entering into fellowship with The Ameri-
can Lutheran Church at this time would cause a major
division and disruption in The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod; and

Wuereas, Declaring fellowship with The American