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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 164

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

164 CHURCH RELATIONS

I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel
of God” (Acts 20: 26-27). And to Timothy it was written:
“Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have
heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ
Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by
the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.” (2 Tim. 1:13-14)

These words of God from Holy Scriptures in the last
chapter of Romans are a plea to us also, so that the end
may be true of us too: “I would have you wise as to
what is good and guileless as to what is evil; then the
God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Rom.

16: 19b-20) Rev. JAMES R. SHEPPARD

Coon Rapids, Minn.
(3-188)

To Declare that Certain Teachings in ALC
Prevent Fellowship

Wuereas, The 47th regular convention of the Mis-
souri Synod at its New York convention in 1967 passed
a resolution that mutual studies and meetings be held
with The American Lutheran Church during the next
2 years in preparation for establishing altar and pulpit
fellowship between the two bodies: and

Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church, although
confessing doctrinal unity with us, acts contrary to their
doctrinal stand, through various publications and state-
ments being made by various responsible representa-
tives of said church body. In The Bible, Book of Faith
(given the official stamp of approval at the second gen-
eral convention of The American Lutheran Church,
1964) the following teachings are espoused:

“The infallibility of the Scriptures is the infallibility
of Jesus Christ and not the infallibility of the written
text.” (P. 148)

The Pauline authorship of 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus,
and the Petrine authorship of 2 Peter is impugned.
(Pp. 126—127)

Isaiah did not write Is. 40—66. (Pp. 43, 62, 76)

Daniel did not write the Book of Daniel. (Pp. 46,
77, 78)

The Mosaic authorship of the first five books of the
Bible is denied. (Pp. 67—79)

The historical factualness of Genesis 1—11 is made
doubtful (pp. 54, 153); and

Wuereas, These current and official teachings in The
ALC contradict plain Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter
1:21; John 10:35; 1 Cor. 2:13; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13;
John 12:37-41; Matt. 24:15; Luke 24:27-44; John 5:47;
John 7:19; Luke 11:51; John 21:24; Gal. 1:20; 2 Peter
1:15-18; therefore be it

Resolved, That certain current and official teachings
held in The ALC prevent a God-pleasing declaration of
pulpit and altar fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That there be no establishment of pulpit
and altar fellowship with The ALC as long as the above

mentioned errors continue in The American Lutheran

Church. Rev. Davip P. WALLSCHLAEGER

Milwaukee, Wis.
(3-189)

To Acknowledge that Fellowship
with The ALC Is Impossible

Wuereas, The current ecumenical movement is based
on expediency rather than on Biblical principle; and

Wuereas, Many of the religious (church) leaders
are magnifying ecclesiastical union above the impor-
tance of sound doctrine; and

Wuereas, Much of the current leadership of the
merger efforts is composed of men who do not accept
many of the historical Christian beliefs or the Holy
Scriptures as the Word of God in all its parts and words
the infallible truth, containing no errors or contradic-
tions, also in those parts which treat of historical, geo-
graphical, and other secular matters; and

WuereEas, True Christian unity must be based on
Biblical doctrine, and the desire of Christ “that they all
might be one” is fulfilled in the spiritual unity of all
true believers in Christ and not in visible, outward
union; therefore be it

Resolved, That we, the members of St. Paul’s Lu-
theran Church, Varna, IIl., petition and memorialize our
beloved Synod and District, together with its officers
and leaders, to turn the tide that is sweeping us down
the stream to unchristian unionism (Rom. 16:17, etc.)
with church bodies and synods that do not hold to and
practice the historic Christian faith and doctrines of
Scripture as expounded in our Confessions; and be it
further

Resolved, That we petition and memorialize our be-
loved Synod and District, together with its officers and
leaders, to recognize and acknowledge the fact that The
American Lutheran Church no longer holds to or prac-
tices the historic Christian faith, for example: (1) The
American Lutheran Church permits its theologians to
teach that the Bible contains errors and myths; (2) the
President of The American Lutheran Church claims
the Bible is not inerrant in all matters; (3) The Amer-
ican Lutheran Church is a member of the World Coun-
cil of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation; (4)
The American Lutheran Church allows its members to
remain members of the Freemasons, ete.; (5) The
American Lutheran Church permits synergism, the
doctrine that man is in some way responsible for his
conversion. This makes it impossible for us to have or
in any way practice altar and pulpit fellowship with
The American Lutheran Church, as many of our lead-
ers are urging us; to remain true to Scripture and our
Confessions; and to acknowledge that fellowship with
the visible church can be had only when there is true
unity in all the doctrines and practices (Rom. 16:17);
and be it finally

Resolved, That we urge our leaders to be diligent
and faithful in expending their efforts and the resources
-—— time, talent, and treasure —- of our Synod (our