Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 178
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 178

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

178 CHURCH RELATIONS

as recommended in Resolution 3-23 and explained in
Toward Fellowship, for the aforesaid reasons.

CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Houston, Tex.

Bert WE pon, President
JOHN MEAD, Secretary
RaymMonp F. KAuLeE, Pastor

(3-224)

To Oppose Fellowship

Wuereas, Public statements in print by leaders in
The American Lutheran Church have conflicted with
the Synod’s official position on the authority and iner-
rancy of the Scriptures; and

Wuereas, The lodge problem in The American Lu-
theran Church will complicate this problem in the local
parish when receiving church members; and

Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church has joined
in fellowship with the Lutheran Church in America at
its Omaha convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That Calvary Lutheran Church by unani-
mous decision of its voting body records its opposition
to entering into fellowship with The American Lutheran

Church.
CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Topeka, Kans.
HERMAN R. Mayer, Pastor

(3-225)

To Oppose Plan for Fellowship

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
has historically been loyal to the doctrine of the in-
spired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God as the sole
source of doctrine and life; and

WHEREAS, The move away from this solid Scriptural
foundation is imminent in an altar-pulpit fellowship
agreement with The American Lutheran Church (which
permits erroneous views of the Bible truths concerning
the infallibility, the inspiration, and the factual truth-
fulness of the Scriptures, as evidenced in Theological
Perspectives and The Bible: Book of Faith); and

Wuereas, The ecumenical outreach of The ALC
(fellowship with the Lutheran Church in America, 1968;
proposed joining of the National Council of Churches,
1970) would indicate to us a further minimizing of the
importance of above said doctrine, as well as a further
compromise of truth; and

WHEREAS, It is our firm conviction that altar and pul-
pit fellowship with The ALC would indicate to the
world that we are in full agreement with the position
taken by The ALC in their disregard for a firm stand
on the truth; therefore be it

Resolved, That Concordia Lutheran Congregation of
Chula Vista, Calif., go on record to oppose the plan of
declaring altar and pulpit fellowship at the Denver con-
vention in 1969; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution be directed to the
attention of the President of the Southern California

District, Rev. Victor L. Behnken, with the request that
our resolve be reported to the next meeting of the 35
District Presidents; and be it finally

Resolved, That this resolution be directed to the at-
tention of the President of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod, Dr. Oliver Harms, and of the conven-

tion.
CoNncorRDIA LUTHERAN CHURCH

Chula Vista, Calif.

GEORGE CULLINAN, Chairman

RALPH PETERSON, Secretary

WILi1aM R. GieEck, Pastor
(3-226)

To Oppose Fellowship with The ALC

Wuereas, The belief of our Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod is adherence to the inspired, inerrant, and

infallible Word of God; and

Wuereas, The 47th regular convention of the LCMS
declared: “The Scriptural and confessional basis for
altar and pulpit fellowship between The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod and The American Lutheran
Church exists”; and

Wuereas, The erroneous view expressed by many
ALC professors and leaders and publications concern-
ing the infallibility, the inspiration, and the inerrancy
of the Word of God, are in conflict with the view of the
LCMS; and

Wuereas, These views are evident in The Bible: Book
of Faith, p.148, 1964: “The infallibility of the Scrip-
tures is the infallibility of Jesus Christ and not the in-
fallibility of the written text”; and

Wuereas, An address by Dr. Fredrik A. Schiotz,
President of The ALC, entitled “The Church’s Confes-
sional Stand Relative to the Scriptures,” June 9, 1966,
affirms the following: “The American Lutheran Church
holds that the inerrancy referred to here does not apply
to the text, but to the truths revealed for our faith,
doctrine, and life,’ and this quote refers to the inter-
pretation of The ALC Constitution; and

Wuereas, The ALC holds membership in the follow-
ing unionistic and heterodox organizations: the Lu-
theran World Federation and the World Council of
Churches; and

Wuereas, It is our firm conviction that altar and
pulpit fellowship with The ALC would serve to weaken
our testimony to the truth before the world; and

Wuereas, The ALC in its recent convention, voted to
establish altar and pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran
Church in America, an even more liberal church body;
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in convention assembled at Denver in July 1969
be encouraged to go on record as being opposed to altar
and pulpit fellowship with The American Lutheran
Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the delegates to said convention be
encouraged to vote that there be no establishment of