LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 150

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5. THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
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 the Synod formally recognize the existence
of altar and pulpit fellowship between the CLCSA and the
Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That we encourage and walk with the CLCSA as
they proclaim the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost
world; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod renew its commitment to work
together and cooperate in the mission of the Gospel in
South Africa with the CLCSA, FELSISA, and LCSA; 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 that
the CLCSA and Synod 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 common doxology.
Action: Adopted (7)
It was moved and seconded to postpone the resolution until the
next convention; this was ruled out of order. It was subsequently
moved and seconded to refer the matter to the President’s Office
for further study of the relationship of the two other partner
churches in South Africa with CLCSA. After discussion by the
assembly—during which Commission on Theology and Church
Relations Chairman Lawrence Rast described the past decade’s
work regarding the relationship of these three South African
church bodies as a “long, arduous, and very fruitful process” and
clarified the nature of this resolution as recognizing fellowship
in doctrine and practice rather than creating it—the question
on referral was called [Yes: 793; No: 87] and the motion to refer
failed [Yes: 229; No: 679]. Thereupon it was moved and carried
to close debate on the resolution [Yes: 793; No: 108]. Res. 5-03
was adopted [Yes: 741; No: 161] and the common doxology was
sung. CLCSA Bishop Mandala Khumalo spoke words of
appreciation for this resolution, of his personal “coming home”
to the Missouri Synod” and strong words of assurance that he
and his church body would be a strong partner with the Synod’s
two other partner churches in South Africa, enhancing, working
with, listening to, and “strengthening [them] to make
confessional Lutheranism even stronger in the region,” to “win
more souls for the kingdom of God.” Responding to the bishop’s
speech, a delegate moved that the previous vote be affirmed with
the saying of “Yea, yea, it shall be so,” and it was so.

150 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

To Recognize Altar and Pulpit
Fellowship with the Evangelical
Lutheran Free Church in Denmark
RESOLUTION 5-04
Overture L5-42 (TB, 1:32–33)

Preamble
The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church in Denmark (Den
evangelisk-lutherske Frikirke i Danmark, ELFCD) was
founded on Nov. 4, 1855, by Niels Pedersen Grunnet in
opposition to the state church of Denmark, which was
being overtaken by rationalism and secularism. The ELFCD
was founded only a short time after the Danish government
formally allowed for religious freedom.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and some
other churches provided financial support for the young
ELFCD and a number of the ELFCD’s pastors have been
trained in LCMS seminaries. As a result of these close
historical ties, it has been assumed for more than a century
that the LCMS and the ELFCD were in fellowship. Though
the ELFCD affirmed fellowship with the LCMS at its last
convention in July 2018, the LCMS in convention has never
formally declared fellowship with the ELFCD.
WHEREAS, The ELFCD accepts all the canonical books of
the sacred Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testaments
as the infallible, revealed Word of God and the symbolic
books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, contained in the
Book of Concord of 1580, as a correct exposition of the sacred
Scriptures; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations has examined and approved the doctrine and
practice of the ELFCD as faithful to Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions and has proposed the formal
recognition of fellowship between the LCMS and the
ELFCD; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS formally recognize the existence
of altar and pulpit fellowship between the ELFCD and the
LCMS; and be it further
Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity
of confession that has been given to our two churches
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; and be it further
Resolved, That we give thanks to God for the Lutheran
confession of the Gospel the ELFCD provides; and be it
further
Resolved, That we continue to encourage and walk with
the ELFCD as it proclaims the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ
to a lost world; and be it further
Resolved, That we pray for God’s continued blessings in
the coming years on this agreement in the confession of the
Gospel that we enjoy as partner churches; and be it finally

Resolutions