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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 213

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

SYNODICAL ADMINISTRATION 213

faithful to His Holy Scriptures (Luke 13:3: 1 John
1:8-9; Rev. 2:16; Rom. 12:1f.; Eph. 5:10; Col. 1:10;
Acts 26:20); and

Whereas, It would be to the glory of God (1 Cor.
10:31) if every doctrinal resolution coming on the con-
vention floor were reviewed by a special committee be-
fore action by the convention and subjected to an exam-
ination so thorough as to insure that it could be certified
by the special committee as a resolution in agreement
with Scripture; and

Wuereas, The Synod’s Constitution in Art. TH. Art.
III, and Art. VI lays the foundation for synodical action
broad enough to include election by this convention of
a special committee to check all doctrinal resolutions
coming on the floor of the convention, in order to make
sure that. before action is taken by the convention, such
resolutions are certified by the special committee as
resolutions in agreement with Holy Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions, as witness the following excerpts
from the Constitution: —

Article IIT Confession

Synod, and every member of Synod, accepts without
reservation:

1. The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament
as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of
faith and of practice;

2. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and
exposition of the Word of God. ...

Article ITT Objects

The objects of Synod are:

1. The conservation and promotion of the unity of the
true faith (Eph. 4:3-6; 1Cor.1:10) and a united defense
against schism and sectarianism (Rom.16:17)....

Article VI Conditions of Membership

Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in
Synod are:

1. Acceptance of the confessional basis of Article II.
(Handbook, pp. 15, 17)

and

Wuereas, Very great harm could be done if an un-
scriptural resolution were advanced so far as to come
before the convention for discussion and adoption or
rejection; therefore be it

Resolved, That this convention elect a Committee on
Review of Convention Resolutions as early in the ses-
sions as practicable, the following stipulations to apply:

1. That this committee be authorized to examine
every doctrinal resolution to be acted on by this con-
vention and instructed to report to the convention in
regard to each resolution individually as to whether it
is or is not in agreement with Scripture and the Lu-
theran Confessions,

a. This to be done regarding all such floor committee
resolutions before they are presented on the floor of
the convention, with the exception that, in case the
committee’s evaluation is rejected by a floor committee,
the committee shall present the case to the convention
for further instructions;

b. This to be done regarding every such resolution
offered directly from the convention floor, subject to
one of the following provisos:

1) that. in case the committee has previously al-
ready reviewed the resolution, it may make its
report at once: or

2) that. in case it has not previously reviewed the
resolution, it ask for time to do so:

2. That the committee consist of seven men:

3. That all floor committees and all others who wish
to bring a doctrinal resolution on the convention floor
be asked kindly to give this committee their whole-
hearted cooperation: and

4. That the Committee on Norninations and the Com-
mittee on Elections be instructed to expedite the elec-
tion of this committee as much as practicable.

Rev. Arnoitp H. GEBHARDT
Council Bluffs, Iowa

(4-10)

To Elect Advisory Committee to
Assist President in Supervision of
Doctrine and Practice

Disregard of Scripture respecting the Scripture
principle is so serious in nature and so widespread in
our Synod that the synodical President's burdens of
office in the area of action aimed at Scriptural correc-
tion of the situation have been so greatly multiplied as
to make it almost impossible for him to cope with the
multitudinous aspects of the offenses and the large
number of persons involved.

In view of this difficulty faced by the President of
the Synod. the undersigned herewith respectfully sub-
mits the following resolution.

WsereAs, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,
in convention assembled at Denver, Colo., humbly ac-
knowledges before God that serious and widespread dis-
regard of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions has
for some years been allowed to fester in our synodical
body, in glaring contrast to and conflict with the Syn-
od's Constitution:

Article I] Confession

Synod, and every member of Synod, accepts without
reservation:

The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as
the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of
faith and of practice;

2. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lu-
theran Church as a true and unadulterated statement
and exposition of the Word of God, to wit: the three
Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian Creed). the Unaltered Augsburg
Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the
Smalcald Articles. the Large Catechism of Luther, the
Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord
(Handbook, p.15)

and

Whereas, It is God's will that doctrine and practice
in our Synod be brought into agreement with Holy
Scripture (Is. 8:20; Jer. 23:28: 1 Peter 4:11: Gal. 1:8-9: