LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 171

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 171

pose of the event is consistent with the positions, policies, and ob-
Jectives of Synod; and (c) care has been taken to inform and listen
to the counsel of other pastors and/or congregations most closely
affected and those Circuit and District leaders having the responsi-
bility of spiritual oversight.

Good Shepherd
Edgewood, NM

3-53

To Reaffirm Practice of Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
and Renunciation of Unionism and Syncretism
as Conditions of Membership

WHEREAS, Reports of altar and pulpit fellowship with those who
are not in doctrinal agreement with The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod have been and continue to be divisive within the
church; and

WHEREAS, Some of the pastors of our Synod practice worship
fellowship by involving themselves and/or their congregations with
heterodox bodies in special worship services or events: and

WHEREAS, The Synod in its Constitution has stated the follow-
ing:

Article II Objectives

The Synod, under Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
shall—

1. Conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph.
4:3-6; 1 Cor. 1:10), work through its official structure toward
fellowship with other Christian church bodies, and provide a
united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom. 16:17), and
heresy;

and

WHEREAS, The Constitution further states in Article VI condi-
tions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod are the
following:

2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every de-
scription such as: ...
Taking part in the services and sacramental rites of hetero-
dox congregations or of congregations of mixed confession:
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention assembled reaffirm the Synod’s position on altar and pulpit
fellowship; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod reaffirm
its position that joint worship of any description with clergymen of
other denominations is contrary to scriptural mandates such as
Rom. 16:17 cited in Art. III | of the Synod’s Constitution; and be it
further

Resolved, That we understand this to include participation in
wedding, funeral, baccalaureate, and community worship services;
and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod affirm
its scriptural and confessional Position against unionism of any
kind, including, but not limited to, clergy participation in worship
services with heterodox church bodies, participation in the rites and
services of heterodox church bodies, and permitting clergy or other
persons of heterodox church bodies to participate in orthodox
Lutheran rites and services; and be it finally

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Presi-
dent shall consider correction of abuses of these doctrinal articles to
be a top priority in the next three years and shall, through the of-
fices of the District Presidents, admonish those who abuse them
that they are placing their synodical membership in jeopardy and
shall report all violations and proposed or completed corrective ac-
tion to the churches of the Synod semiannually.

Our Redeemer, Forsyth, IL; Messiah, Middletown, OH:
Trinity, Iuka, IL; Bethany, Fort Wayne, IN; Grace, Paris,
TX

3-54

To Reaffirm Renunciation of Unionism and Syncretism
as Conditions of Membership

WHEREAS, The Synod in its Constitution lists as a condition of
acquiring and holding membership in the Synod “renunciation of
unionism and syncretism of every description”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod is disturbed by reports of instances in
which this condition of membership is breached; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its Position that joint wor-
ship of any description with clergymen of other denominations is
contrary to scriptural mandates such as Rom. 16:17 cited in Art. IIT
! of the Synod’s Constitution; and be it further

Resolved, That we understand this to include participation in
wedding, funeral, and community worship services; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That pastors who Persist in not following these guide-
lines be removed by their District president from membership in
the LCMS.

Mount Hope
Casper, WY

3-55

To Promote Faithfulness to Scripture
in Establishing Fellowship

WHEREAS, The ELCA by its 1997 convention action indicates
its desire of fellowship with other churches without agreement in
understanding of the Scriptures; and

WHEREAS, This action leads to the unscriptural axiom: “Let us
agree to disagree” to establish fellowship and is not a scriptural
basis for Christian fellowship; and

WHEREAS, Any failure to take the biblical text seriously has con-
sequences; and

WHEREAS, Such action often leads to a refusal to proclaim the
full severity of the Law and the full tichness of the Gospel for the
Salvation of men, leading souls to perish eternally; and

WHEREAS, All of these actions confuse people regarding the
Lutheran understanding of biblical faith and fellowship as is wit-
nessed to in the Book of Concord; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention boldly proclaim its
commitment to the Scriptures as the divine and inspired Word of
God; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention confesses its full faith
in Holy Scripture as the only norm by which all doctrine and prac-
tice of mankind must be judged; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention confesses that the
Lutheran Symbols as contained in the Book of Concord are a faith-
ful exposition of holy Scripture; and be it further

Resolved, That the pastors and teachers of the LCMS confess,
teach, and preach the Law in its severity and the Gospel in its
Sweetness as given us in Holy Scripture for the salvation of all peo-
ple; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention and through its pastors
and laity encourage all churches including the ELCA to confess,
teach, and preach the Law in its severity and the Gospel in its
Sweetness as given us in Holy Scripture for the salvation of all peo-
ple; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention and through its pastors
and laity encourage all churches including the ELCA to seek a
Spirit-wrought agreement in areas of theological contention for the
basis of biblical fellowship; and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention out of brotherly love
strongly warn the ELCA that its present confessional stance has de-
parted from the doctrinal stance of Lutheranism as Outlined in the
Book of Concord.

Midstate Circuit
Southern Hlinois District