LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 342

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342

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

revealed that complete agreement exists between our two churches
in doctrine and practice; and be it further
Resolved, That this convention endorse the Synod President’s declaration of altar and pulpit fellowship between the LCMS and the
LCN; and be it further
Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming years
on this agreement in the confession of the Gospel which we enjoy as
partner churches; and be it finally
Resolved, That in celebration and thanksgiving of this partnership
in the Gospel, the convention assembly signify its approval by rising
and singing the Doxology.
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
5-02

To Endorse Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with the Lutheran Church of Uruguay
Preamble
Christianity came to Latin (or South) America through the work
of Spanish missionaries, beginning in the late 15th century. The
evangelization of the region where Uruguay is now located followed the entry of the first Spaniards there in 1624. In 1830, Roman
Catholicism became the official religion of Uruguay. About a century later, Uruguay became one of the first Latin American countries
to formally separate church and state in 1917. Today, Uruguay is the
most secular country in all of Latin America. Less than 60 percent of
the population identifies itself as Christian (under 50 percent identify
as Roman Catholic and slightly more than 10 percent as Protestant—
with over 40 percent of the population religiously unaffiliated, atheist/
agnostic, or another religion).
A small Lutheran presence in Uruguay was established in 1936
through the efforts of Lutherans in Argentina. Since that time, the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELA) and the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB)—both LCMS partner churches and
members of the International Lutheran Council—provided pastors
to work with the small Lutheran community in Montevideo, establishing St. Paul [San Pablo] Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran
School. The LCMS provided financial support for these efforts as
early as 1945. The ministry of the school has consistently borne fruit,
with about 90 percent of the members of the Lutheran church in
Uruguay having attended. In 1998 the congregation became a member
of the IELB and in 2004 formed an independent synod, The Lutheran
Church of Uruguay (LCU). While there is only one congregation,
this small, emerging, confessional Lutheran church has called not
only a pastor for its single congregation, Rev. André Luiz Müller
(the principal pastor for the LCU), but also a pastor for evangelism
and mission, another for school chaplaincy, and a fourth for school
administration. The LCU’s educational ministry is widely respected
in Uruguay and the LCU’s vision is to continue that tradition of educational excellence and the evangelistic priorities of its school. Its
long-term intention is to establish the first-ever Lutheran university
in Spanish-speaking Latin America.
The LCU formally requested fellowship with the LCMS in
December 2015. It is in fellowship with the IELA and IELB—both
of which have expressed strong support of the LCU, urging the LCMS
to recognize that fellowship exists with these brothers and sisters in
Christ in Uruguay. LCMS leaders have visited the LCU and examined
its doctrine and practice, its doctrinal statements, and its constitution,
finding full agreement with our own teaching and practice and no
2016 Convention Workbook

obstacles to fellowship. Doctrinal discussions were conducted according to the provisions of Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (c). Following these visits and
discussions, on December 11, 2015, the CTCR recommended recognition of fellowship with the LCU to President Harrison. He formally
declared fellowship on January 6, 2016.
Whereas, There is great need for the pure proclamation of the
Gospel in Uruguay, as there is throughout the world; and
Whereas, By God’s grace, the LCU believes, teaches, and confesses the saving Gospel of justification by grace through faith in
Christ alone and is fully committed to the sole authority of Holy
Scripture in the church’s teaching and life; and
Whereas, By God’s grace, the LCU, though small, has established a strong, faithful ministry of outreach through its Lutheran
school and envisions a vigorous expansion of that educational outreach through the establishment of a Lutheran university in Uruguay;
and
Whereas, The LCMS, in obedience to God’s Word and the
Lutheran Confessions, enjoys church fellowship with many other
Lutheran churches throughout the world and endeavors to seek out
other Lutheran churches that believe, teach, and confess the same
true faith; and
Whereas, The LCU has for some time enjoyed altar and pulpit
fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina and
the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, partner churches of the
LCMS; and
Whereas, The LCU was established as an independent Lutheran
church in 2004 and requested formal church fellowship discussions
with the LCMS; and
Whereas, Representatives of the LCMS visited the LCU and witnessed its work and examined its teaching; and
Whereas, After this visit, correspondence, and further consideration, LCMS representatives concluded that there is complete
agreement between our two churches in doctrine and practice and
therefore no obstacle to altar and pulpit fellowship; and
Whereas, At its 2010 Convention the Synod adopted Res. 3-04A
“To Amend Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 re Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with
Small, Formative, or Emerging Confessional Churches,” which recognizes that in certain cases a streamlined approach to altar and pulpit
fellowship with such emerging churches would be beneficial; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (c) now provides that “when a small,
formative, emerging confessional Lutheran church body (identified
as such by the President of the Synod as chief ecumenical officer)
requests recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod,
after consultation with the Praesidium and approval by the commission, such recognition may be declared by the President of the Synod
subject to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod convention”; and
Whereas, At its December 2015 meeting the CTCR formally recommended church fellowship with the LCU to the Synod President;
and
Whereas, President Harrison declared fellowship on January 6,
2016, after consultation with the Praesidium; and
Whereas, Necessary protocol documents guiding interactions
between the LCMS and the LCU have been adopted; therefore be it
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity of confession that has been given to our churches under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks that God has equipped and prepared the LCU to give a faithful, confessional Lutheran witness in
Uruguay; and be it further