LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 238

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238

THEOLOGICAL
DOCUMENTS­­—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH
RELATIONS
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1. When relationships between the Synod and another church body have reached the point
that church fellowship between them is contemplated, the president of the Synod, in
consultation with the CTCR, is responsible for formally initiating this process. Early on
in the process, the president and/or the CTCR will invite the partner churches of the
Synod to provide input to him and to the CTCR regarding possible altar and pulpit
fellowship with this church body.
2. The president of the Synod may designate an individual to serve as his assistant or
representative in his responsibility as chief ecumenical officer of the LCMS. In such
cases the assistant will serve as directed by the president, interacting with church bodies
requesting fellowship and working with the CTCR toward the fulfillment of its
responsibilities in church relations.
3. Working together with the head of the church body with which church fellowship is
contemplated, the president or his representative shall arrange for doctrinal discussions
between representatives of the two church bodies. Synod representatives to these
discussions shall be appointed by the president of the Synod, ordinarily including
representation from CTCR membership or staff. These representatives shall report
regularly to the president and to the CTCR on these discussions.
4. After thoroughly reviewing pertinent documents (e.g., historical information, constitution
and bylaws, doctrinal statements, formal descriptions of the church body’s theology and
practice, etc.), together with reports from those involved in doctrinal discussions (and
others as deemed necessary and appropriate), the CTCR, in consultation with the
president, shall either recommend that the Synod recognize altar and pulpit fellowship
with this church body or decline to do so.
5. If the CTCR recommends that the Synod recognize altar and pulpit fellowship with this
church body, it shall immediately report this to the president of the Synod. The president
or his representative shall inform this church (and the Synod’s partner churches) of this
recommendation. The Commission on Theology and Church Relations shall prepare an
overture to this effect for consideration by the next Synod convention. The president’s
office, in consultation with the head of the church body requesting fellowship, is to
coordinate the preparation of a protocol document in the language of each church body to
be signed by the heads of the respective churches at the next Synod convention upon
adoption of the resolution recognizing church fellowship.
6. If the CTCR declines to recommend recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with this
church body, it shall prepare a statement delineating the reasons for this decision, which
is to be shared with the president of the Synod. The president or his representative shall
inform this church body of the CTCR’s action. Continued discussion and consideration
may follow. If the concerns which caused the CTCR to decline to approve altar and pulpit
fellowship are not able to be resolved, the president will inform the members of the
Synod and the Synod’s partner churches of this action of the CTCR.
B. When the president receives a request for recognition of fellowship from a confessional
Lutheran church body that he identifies as “a small, formative, emerging confessional
Lutheran church” (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2(c)), the following procedures are in order:
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7. If the CTCR declines to approve the request for altar and pulpit fellowship, it shall
prepare a statement delineating the reasons for this decision, which is to be shared with
the president of the Synod and the Praesidium. Continued discussion and consideration
may follow. If the concerns which caused the CTCR to decline to approve altar and pulpit
fellowship are not able to be resolved, the president will inform the church body
requesting fellowship of this decision, as well as the Synod’s partner churches. The
members of the Synod shall also be informed of this action via the Synod’s official
publications.
8. If the Synod president does not act on a recommendation by the CTCR to declare
recognition of fellowship in time for consideration by the next Synod convention, the
request for fellowship is to be remanded to the CTCR for review and reconsideration in
the subsequent triennium.
C. When a mission of the Synod applies for formal recognition as a self-governing partner
church (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2(d)), the following procedures are in order:
1. When an LCMS mission applies for self-governing partner church recognition, the Office
of International Mission (OIM) shall inform the Office of the President and the executive
director of the CTCR of its recommendation that such status be recognized. Information
and/or documentation that identifies the mission’s doctrinal convictions (for example,
doctrinal statements, its constitution and bylaws, copies of doctrinal materials used in the
church, materials for training clergy and laity, and so forth) shall be shared with the
CTCR.
2. If upon review of this material the CTCR approves the recommendation of the OIM, it
shall prepare an overture to this effect for consideration by the Synod at the next Synod
convention. If the CTCR declines to approve the request for partner church status, it shall
prepare a statement delineating the reasons for this decision, which is to be shared with
the president of the Synod and the OIM. Continued discussion and consideration shall
follow.
3. After CTCR approval of the application, the president’s office, in consultation with the
head of the newly self-governing church body, is to coordinate the preparation of a
protocol document in the language of each church body to be signed by the heads of the
respective churches at the next Synod convention.
D. When a mission or other entity established by a church body in fellowship with the
Synod applies for formal recognition as a self-governing partner church (Bylaw
3.9.5.2.2(e)), the following procedures are in order:
1. When an entity (e.g., a district, mission, group of congregations, etc.) of a self-governing
partner church is established as an independent church body and requests recognition of
altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS as a self-governing partner church, the
president of the Synod, in consultation with the CTCR, shall correspond with the existing
partner church from which the entity has originated. The purpose of the correspondence
is to ensure that the partner church fully supports the independence of the entity as a
church body and is in fellowship with the new church body, recognizing it as a partner

2023 Convention Workbook

1. When fellowship with such a church body is initially requested, the church shall be asked
to share with the Synod president and the CTCR any information and/or documentation
that identifies its doctrinal convictions (for example, doctrinal statements, its constitution
and bylaws, copies of doctrinal materials used in the church, materials for training clergy
and laity, and so forth). On the basis of such information and discussions with church
leaders, the CTCR, in consultation with the president, shall determine whether the
requesting church is committed to the full authority of the Scriptures as the infallible
Word of God and subscribes without reservation to the Book of Concord (to the extent
that it is available in the primary language of the church).
2. When relationships between the Synod and the church body have reached the point that
church fellowship between them is contemplated, the president of the Synod, in
consultation with the CTCR, is responsible for formally initiating this process. He will
inform the Praesidium that the process has begun and, early on in the process, he will also
inform the partner churches of the LCMS, inviting their input.
3. Working together with the head of the church body with which church fellowship is
contemplated, the president of the Synod shall arrange for visitation of the church and
doctrinal discussions between representatives of the two church bodies. Synod
representatives to these discussions shall be appointed by the president of the Synod,
ordinarily including representation from the CTCR or its staff. The head of the church
body or his representative shall also be welcome (and assisted, as necessary) to visit
Synod offices, congregations and institutions.
4. After such visitation(s) and doctrinal discussions, the Synod representatives shall provide
a written report, including relevant doctrinal materials (cf. #1 above), to the president of
the Synod and to the CTCR. After consideration of this report, the CTCR shall formally
forward to the president its recommendation regarding church fellowship with this church
body.
5. If the CTCR recommends recognition of fellowship with this church, the president, after
consultation with the Praesidium, shall either declare such recognition or decline to do so.
If the president declines to declare recognition of fellowship, continued discussion and
consideration may follow. If the concerns which caused the president to decline to
approve altar and pulpit fellowship are not able to be resolved, the president will inform
the church body requesting fellowship of this decision, as well as the Synod’s partner
churches. If the president declares recognition of fellowship, he shall inform the church
requesting fellowship (and also the Synod’s partner churches) of this action.
6. Subsequent to the recognition of fellowship and prior to the next Synod convention, the
CTCR shall prepare an overture to the Synod convention requesting endorsement by the
Synod of the president’s declaration of fellowship. The president’s office, in consultation
with the head of the church body requesting fellowship, is to coordinate the preparation
of a protocol document in the language of each church body to be signed by the heads of
the respective churches at the next Synod convention.
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church fully committed to the authority of Scripture and subscribing to the Lutheran
Confessions without reservation.
2. If, as a result of this correspondence, recognition of church fellowship with the requesting
entity is contemplated, the president of the Synod, in consultation with the CTCR, is
responsible for formally initiating this process. He will inform the Praesidium that this
process has begun and, early on in the process, he will also inform the partner churches of
the LCMS, inviting their input.
3. The process shall then proceed in the same manner as indicated in Section III.B.3–8
above with reference to “a small, formative, emerging confessional Lutheran church.”
E. The procedure for contemplating and/or recommending the termination of recognition of
altar and pulpit fellowship with another church body is as follows:
1. As noted above (Page 1), the Bylaws stipulate that the president “shall represent the
Synod, in consultation with the appropriate Board or Commission, in official contacts
with all partner churches by aiding, counseling, and advising them and strengthening the
relations with and among them” and that “he or his representative shall represent the
Synod in official contacts with other church bodies” (Bylaw 3.3.1.1.2 a, b).
2. The Bylaws further state that the CTCR “shall assist the President at his request in
discharging his constitutional responsibilities for maintaining doctrinal integrity as he
relates to other church bodies” (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2) and, in that capacity, “shall address
itself to and evaluate existing fellowship relations for the purpose of mutual admonition
and encouragement” (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 a).
3. In light of the above, when relationships between the Synod and another church body
have reached the point that, regrettably, the termination of recognition of altar and pulpit
fellowship is contemplated because it appears that agreement “in doctrine and in all its
articles” (FC SD X 31) no longer exists (cf. “Basic Considerations,” Pages 3–4 above),
the president of the Synod, in consultation with the CTCR, is responsible for formally
initiating this process.
4. Working together directly with the head of this church body, the president shall arrange
for doctrinal discussions between representatives of the two church bodies to identify the
cause(s) of concern which have led to the initiation of this process. Synod representatives
to these discussions shall be appointed by the president of the Synod, ordinarily including
representation from CTCR membership or staff. These representatives shall report
regularly to the president and to the CTCR on these discussions.
5. The president of the Synod may designate an individual to serve as his assistant or
representative in his responsibility as chief ecumenical officer of the LCMS. In such
cases the assistant will serve as directed by the president in interacting with this church
body.
6. If as a result of these discussions the concerns leading to initiation of this process are able
to be resolved — praise and thanks be to God! The heads of both church bodies may wish