LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 182

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182 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

3-76
To Advocate Withdrawal from LWF

WHEREAS, The Lutheran World Federation has issued a state-
ment that it is in basic agreement with the Roman Catholic Church
on the doctrine of justification; and

WHEREAS, Many of the Lutheran members of the LWF, the
Roman Catholics, and the pope insist that Jews. Muslims, and other
non-Christians can be saved without faith in Christ and do not be-
lieve that Christianity is the only saving faith; and

WHEREAS, The pope stil] insists that Rome affirm all the decrees
of the Council of Trent; and

WHEREAS, Some churches in fellowship with the LCMS are
members of the LWF; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2001 convention of the LCMS request that
all churches in fellowship with the LCMS withdraw from the LWF.

Christ, Juniata, NE; Trinity, New Haven, MO; Faith,
Coming, NY; Redeemer, John Day, OR

3-77

To Consider LWF Associate Membership

WHEREAS, The Lutheran World Federation has a provision in
its structure for associate membership; and

WHEREAS, Associate membership does not automatically imply
pulpit and altar fellowship with other church bodies of the LWF;
and

WHEREAS, Associate membership does allow speaking rights
even while it does not allow voting rights or the right to hold office;
and

WHEREAS, Associate membership in the LWF would create
more opportunities for unified efforts of outreach, care, and service
so desperately needed in many parts of our world; and

WHEREAS, Associate membership in the LWF would create the
opportunity for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to express
its concerns and convictions in the context of the larger Lutheran
community; therefore be it

Resolved, That in light of the benefits to our church body, The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod prayerfully and carefully study
the possibility of associate membership in the LWF; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That if there is not any doctrinal impediment to asso-
ciate membership, the Board of Directors of the Synod be autho-
rized to apply for such associate membership in the LWF as soon
as possible.

St. Paul, Weston, FL; St. Paul, Artois, CA

3-78

To Explore Associate Membership in LWF

WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of the world’s 60 million
Lutherans belong to church bodies which are members of the
Lutheran World Federation; and

WHEREAS, Membership in the LWF not only provides a useful
forum for the discussion of important issues, but enables its more
than 130 member churches to engage in important ecumenical wit-
ness and service activities; and

WHEREAS, Full membership in the LWF entails the mutual
recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship between all tull member
churches, a practice that is different from the fellowship principles
of the LCMS. while “associate membership” does not entail this
association: and

WHEREAS, Our partner churches who have been full or associate
members of the LWF for several years report many positive bene-
fits from this association; and

WHEREAS, The nonmembership of the LCMS in the LWF has
not only deprived us of benefits and opportunities to learn from
other Lutherans as we carry out the mission of the church. but has

2001 Convention Workbook

also greatly weakened our efforts to make a strong confessional
witness to other Lutheran church bodies as well as to non-Lutheran
Christians; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod and the CTCR gather
information from the office of the LWF on the nature, cost, obliga-
tions, and opportunities of associate membership in the LWF, and
share this information with the entire Synod within one year of this
convention.

Concordia
Kirkwood, MO

3-79

To Join Lutheran World Federation

WHEREAS, Some churches overseas that were initiated by the
mission outreach of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are
members of the Lutheran World Federation, such as Lutheran
Church in Nigeria, India Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gutnius
Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea, and Lutheran Church in
the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, The mission challenge of the Missouri Synod and the
need for Lutheran cooperation are just as urgent in the United
States as they are abroad; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod join the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

3-80

To Commend and Assist CTCR

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) has provided the Synod with excellent guidance on im-
portant matters of doctrine and practice; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR is able to meet only at infrequent inter-
vals, limiting the amount of consideration it can give to matters re-
quiring serious theological study; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS is blessed with many new partner
churches around the world, requiring an increasing amount of time
devoted to church relations; and

WHEREAS, Over the history of the Synod, the seminary facul-
ties have provided needed opinions regarding matters of doctrine
and practice; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod commend the CTCR for its faithful
work in promoting positive relationships with church bodies around
the world and in providing scriptural and confessional perspective
on matters pertaining to public doctrine and practice; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, Atter review of the workload of the Commission in
the coming triennium, that the 2004 convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod consider a new plan for the development
of theological documents by the faculties of the Synod’s two sem-
inaries; and be it finally

Resolved, That the CTCR, the President of the Synod, and the
presidents of the Synod’s two seminaries present a plan to the
Synod at its convention in 2004 to share the work of the Commis-
sion with the seminary faculties.

South Wisconsin District

3-81

To Reject “Temporary Calls”

WHEREAS, Article XIV of the Augsburg Confession states, “It is
taught among us that nobody should publicly teach or preach or ad-
minister the sacraments in the church without a regular call” (Tap-
pert edition); and

WHEREAS, The 1998 convention of the LCMS adopted Resolu-
tion 3-17B, which affirms that “In the case of some pastoral va-
cancies, congregations may well benefit from a significant time for