LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 121

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122 STATEMENT PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTION 3-01

tion, calling for a decision which will have far-reaching
consequences whether our resolution is adopted or
declined. The issue of fellowship with The American
Lutheran Church is packed with much emotion and
deep feelings, and will surely precipitate extensive
debate. In wrestling with this issue and struggling with
the formulation of our resolution your committee
recognized the seriousness of its responsibility, and we
prayed only that God’s will might be done.

In view of the seriousness of the matter before us, itis
fitting that we should ask for the wisdom and guidance
of our God. I ask you to pray with me:

O most gracious God and Father, whose we are and whom

we serve, give to all of us a rich measure of your Spirit as we

now discuss and decide on issues of great consequence to
our church body. Through Your Spirit imbue us with
understanding and wisdom that we may know and do Your
will, that we may base our decision, not merely on what is
expedient, nor on selfish interests, but on what is right and
is in accord with Your will and will serve the eternal welfare
of Your kingdom. Keep us faithful to Your Word of truth,
keep us humble in spirit, and imbue us with love, alove that
permeates all our action. We ask it in the name of Him who
is the Truth, who in His great love for us sinners has
reconciled us to You, and whom we now serve as members of

His body, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Mr. Chairman: I request that the secretary of our
committee, Dr. Wilbert Rusch, read our resolution, after
which one of the members of our committee, Arnold
Weber, whois a voting delegate, will move the question.
Thereupon I would request the privilege of adding a few
words of explanation before the general discussion
begins.

Mr. Chairman and Delegates: First of all I would like
to underscore again the fact that your committee regrets
the necessity for a resolution of this kind: It was a very
solemn group which voted to present this resolution, but
I want you to know that it was passed unanimously by
your committee. The atmosphere was somber. The
statement was made at the time that it was not ahappy
occasion. And let me assure you, we do not rejoice now.

6. Special Presentation of Task Force II
(Oral Presentation)

Esteemed Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

We differ in many ways. But in other respects we are
all alike and inseparably united. All of us believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ as the precious Savior who has
redeemed us from sin and hell. All of us love Him witha
deep and abiding love even though we often fail Him in
that love. And all of us are committed to carry out His
Great Commission to preach His saving Gospel to all
the world. In this we are all agreed.

But when we come to the question of how we should
structure ourselves as a church body to carry out that
Great Commission, here there may be differences of
opinion. In His wisdom our Lord has not prescribed the
form of government which His church on earth is to
take. Yes, in His wisdom. For He knew only too well that

Furthermore, let me make very clear what we are
doing with this resolution: Number one: We are nj
talking about those situations which require Pastor
care and decisions. We are not talking about grandy
and grandma from the ALC who come to visit the
children and wish to commune with them at one of
altars. 8

Number two: We are here not talking about t
fellowship of faith which binds all Christians togeth
in the Una Sancta, the holy Christian church. Nor ar
we talking about differences in the understandini
doctrine which may and do exist among members of tk
same church body. We are talking about agreement’$
doctrine and practice on the church body level, whi
we have always said must be the basis for altar
pulpit fellowship between church bodies.

Number three: We are by this proposed action: tid
excommunicating the ALC as has been claime
some. Obviously a Synod cannot excommunicate an’
one from the holy Christian church. Nor does
resolution propose to cut off contact and sever
relations with the ALC. In answer to the request of Dj
David Preus and the ALC Church Council, we prop
ongoing and most serious doctrinal discussions’
every level, yes, even to make such discussions m
imperative.

And finally, I would remind the delegates that f
years ago when we declared fellowship in protest wi
the ALC, we clearly said that this fellowship in protes
implied an ultimate severance of fellowship if there wi
no progress toward the resolution of our differen :
Two years ago the continuance of our fellowship ‘i¥
protest implied that this situation could not drag or
interminably if we were to maintain our confessi¢
integrity.

It is against this background that your commit
with deep sorrow presents this resolution.

O. H. Cloeter, Committee Chairman

His believers would be living in a changing world fro
one generation to the next and that changing
cumstances in the world would also call for changin
techniques to bring His unchanging Gospel to the si
lost world.

Our Synod has been responsive to the reality
change. For some years now it has had a series‘4
committees and task forces at work to restructure t
Synod for this day and age. Two years ago the co:
vention decided to continue that series by creating on
more Task Force, which was to complete its work with
the next biennium and bring its firm recommendation
to this present convention. -

Since September of 1979, some 20 months ago, yo
Task Force has met monthly for a total of 48 day