LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 190

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190 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

... the churches which pledge themselves to one doctrine and
religion we have declared to one another with heart and mouth
that we will not make or receive a separate or new confession of
our faith (Concordia Triglotta, The Formula of Concord, Thor-
ough Declaration, comprehensive summary pages 849, 851);

and

WuEeEREAS, Fellowship in the LCMS is based on the Gospel as
defined by the three ecumenical creeds which we promise to keep
whole and undefiled or perish everlastingly as stated in the
Athanasian Creed:

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary
that he hold the catholic [i.e., universal, Christian] faith. Which
faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled. without
doubt he shall perish everlastingly ...

This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faith-
fully and firmly, he cannot be saved;

and

WHEREAS, the identity of the true church is based on the correct
confession of the Gospel in Article VII of the Augsburg Confes-
sion:

Article VII: Of the Church

Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever.
The Church is the congregation of saints in which the Gospel is
rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered;
therefore be it

Resolved, That as a basis of membership in the Synod, all
LCMS congregations, when confessing a creed in a Communion
service, only confess one of the three ecumenical creeds: and be it
further

Resolved, That the maintenance of fellowship in the LCMS and
the identification of the true church are based on the confession of
the three creeds; and be it finally

Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who wish to de-
part from such uniform confession of the Gospel in the three ecu-
menical creeds during a Communion service be removed from
membership in the LCMS in accordance with Article II and Article
IV 4 of the LCMS Constitution.

Redeemer
St. Clair Shores, MI

3-124

To Codify Use of Only the Three Universal Creeds

WHEREAS, Our synodical Constitution identifies and confesses
(as does the church catholic) only three creeds, they being the
Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian; and

WHEREAS, These three creeds have been normative in the
church since well before the Reformation; and

WHEREAS, Some churches confess creeds other than the three
universal creeds (creeds written or adopted by their clergy): and

WHEREAS, These new creeds have not been accepted by the
church-at-large and can be both confusing to the people and incor-
rect in doctrine; therefore be it

Resolved, That only the three ecumenical creeds will be used
by the members of the LCMS; and be it further

Resolved, That if other creeds are formulated on a local level
they should first be approved for use by the entire LCMS: and be it
finally .

Resolved, That all churches and pastors be encouraged in faith-
fulness to only the symbols stated in our synodical Constitution.

St. John, Waterbury, CT; St. Peter, Norwalk, CT; Trinity,
Denver, CO; St. Paul, Naugatuck, CT

3-125

To Maintain Confession
of Historic Creeds in LCMS Congregations

Wuereas, The Lutheran Confessions were written to lead our
churches to the Holy Scripture and the creeds:
~.., but that we wished indeed to lead our churches and the
schools, first of all to the fountains of Holy Scriptures and to the
Creeds, ... (Preface to the Book of Concord, Triglotta, p. 21);
and

WHEREAS, Most of the communicants in the LCMS were con-
firmed with the following vows:
Do you also as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church, intend to continue steadfast in the confession of this
Church, and suffer all even death, rather than fall away from it?
I do so intend, with the help of God. (“Rite of Confirmation,”
p. 24, The Lutheran Agenda [TLH]);

and

WHEREAS, The Book of Concord states we will not make or re-
ceive another confession of faith in reference to the three creeds as
follows:

~... the churches which pledge themselves to one doctrine
and religion, we have declared to one another with heart and
mouth that we will not make or receive a separate or new con-
fession of our faith, (Concordia Triglotta, the Formula of Con-
cord, Thorough Declaration, Comprehensive Summary, pp. 849,
851);
and

WuEerEAS, Fellowship in the LCMS is based on the Gospel as
defined by the three ecumenical creeds which we promise to keep
whole and undefiled or perish everlastingly as stated in the
Athanasian Creed:

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary
that he hold the Catholic (i.e., universal, Christian) faith. Which
faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without
doubt be shall perish everlastingly ... This is the Catholic faith;
which except a man believe faithfully and firmly; he cannot be
saved:

and

WHEREAS, The identity of the true church is based on the correct
confession of the Gospel in Art. VII of the Augsburg Confession:
Article VII: Of the church also they teach that one holy
church is to continue forever. The church is the congregation of
saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments
are rightly administered:
and

WHEREAS. The acceptance of the confessional basis of Art. IT is
a condition of holding membership in The Lutheran Church-——Mis-
souri Synod per Art. IV | of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That as a basis of membership in the Synod, all
LCMS congregations, when confessing a creed in a worship ser-
vice, only confess one of the three ecumenical creeds; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That all pastors and congregations who wish to de-
part from such uniform confession of the Gospel in the three ecu-
menical creeds during a Communion service be disciplined in ac-
cordance with Art. XI 2 and Art. XIII of the Constitution of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and section II D of the Bylaws
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Bethlehem
Fairborn, OH

3-126

To Develop 21st-Century Formula of Concord

WHEREAS, The 16th-century Formula of Concord helped unite
Lutherans after the death of Martin Luther at a time when
Lutheranism was seriously divided; and