LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 173

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 173

only the Gospel of Christ that creates true church fellowship. Fel-
lowship created solely on the basis of outward structures, without
unity in faith given by God, is a human invention. To ignore dif-
ferences in doctrine is to destroy the very unity of faith we seek.

We reject the teaching that differences in doctrine are trivial.
We reject the teaching that differences in doctrine do not or need
not destroy the outward unity of the church. Also rejected is the
teaching that in the freedom of the Gospel we may ignore such dif-
ferences.

3. We believe, teach, and confess that all church fellowship pro-
ceeds from the “one God in three persons and three persons in one
God,” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We must not be guilty of “con-
fusing the persons nor dividing the substance . . . so that in all
things . . . the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be wor-
shiped” (Athanasian Creed). To deny one person of the Trinity is to
deny the entire Godhead.

Those who offer prayers outside of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit are “praying to a god that cannot save” (Is. 45:20). There-
fore we condemn the teaching that those who are members of the
Jewish or Islamic religion pray to God the Father, while denying
the divinity of the Son. For Jesus says, “No one comes to the Fa-
ther, except through Me” (John 14:6) and “Whoever denies the Son
does not have the Father either” (1 John 2:23).

We join the church of all ages in condemning all those who
teach that prayers designated to “a god” or “any god” are valid or
that prayers directed to a god other than the triune God are valid,
even if such groups claim a portion or all of Holy Scripture as sa-
cred writings. Included here are the prayers of the Mormons, the
Jews, the Muslims, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Unitarians, and
many others.

4. We believe, teach, and confess that Christian fellowship
means that we are not to be “unequally yoked together with unbe-
lievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). We
join the church of all ages in condemning all those who teach that
joining in a prayer prayed to a false god is an acceptable practice of
fellowship. Rather, it is an exhibition of syncretism. For our Lord
says, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall
you serve” and “You shall have no other gods.”

5. We believe, teach, and confess that fellowship based on any-
thing other than complete agreement in the Gospel and all its arti-
cles as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions is
true fellowship with those who deny a part or all of God’s Word.

We reject the teaching that differences in doctrine are in some
way a blessing from God, rather than the curse of Satan. Also re-
jected is the teaching that such differences of belief are God pleas-
ing in any way. ©

6. We believe, teach, and confess that on certain occasions
Christians may pray with persons of a heterodox confession with-
out injury to their conscience and without compromising the purity
of the Gospel. Such prayers must be directed only to the one true
God and must not give the impression that differences in doctrine
that exist are insignificant. Furthermore, no limits may be placed
on one’s ability to speak the Word of God.

We condemn the teaching that one can similarly pray with
non-Christians, hoping that through such prayers they might re-
ceive the Gospel.

Placing confidence in prayer, in and of itself, to lead an unbe-
liever to faith is to view prayer as a means of grace. Prayer is the
response of the believer, and therefore presupposes faith. While it is
true that “the prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16),
that righteousness is not his own, but Christ’s. In prayer, believers
speak back to God His words of the Gospel. Therefore, the prayer
of the righteous will contain the means of grace, but such prayer is
not of itself a means of grace.

We condemn the teaching that one can offer prayer to the one
true God at services where prayers are also offered to false gods.
Such an event, by definition, is a service of worship to false gods.
To participate in such a service is always an act of syncretism. The
ecumenical council of Laodicea condemned this practice in the

fourth century, saying, “No one shall join in prayer with heretics
or schismatics” (CTCR, Theology of Fellowship, 1967, p. 16).

We reject the teaching that every prayer that uses the name
Jesus is automatically prayed to the triune God and thereby an ex-
pression of the Gospel. We reject the teaching that every opportu-
nity to pray is an opportunity to give public witness to Jesus Christ.

7. We believe, teach, and confess that civic events often present
an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel, and that Christians can pub-
licly offer prayers to the triune God at such events. “Interfaith
prayer services,” by definition, cannot be considered such civic
events, but must be considered unionistic and syncretistic services.

8. We believe, teach, and confess that “the use of the Word of
God and prayer as an entity in itself (as a corporate worship of
God) constitutes a ‘service.’ This is not to be confused with a sim-
ilar use of the Word and prayer as an integral part of a broader pro-
gram (e.g., the opening or closing devotion of a meeting)” (CTCR,
The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship: A Report on
Synodical Discussions, 12n1). Further, “any occasion on which a
public worship of God occurs—that is, in which the Word of God
and prayer are used by a regularly designated worship leader of the
church—is to be understood to be a ‘service.’ This would therefore
include not only those occasions regularly designated as worship
services but also occasions—such as weddings, funerals, dedica-
tions, baccalaureates, etc.—which may have an ad hoc assembly
different from the regular congregational worship assembly”
(CTCR, The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship,
10-11n1).

We believe, teach, and confess that it is possible to worship
false gods, as Satan tempts our Lord, “All these things I will give
You if You will fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:9). While such
worship can occur privately, it can also be a part of a public ser-
vice of worship. Such a service is no part of worship to the triune
God, as Jesus says, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and |
Him only shall you serve” (Matt. 4:10).

We reject the teaching that events of the type described here can
be considered civic events.

9. We are to make a clear confession of the Gospel at every op-
portunity presented to us. Further, one can pray in the presence of
those who are non-Christian if all the prayers are offered only to
the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and only by those
confessing faith in the triune God. In this regard we do not speak of
prayer services, as elsewhere described, but strictly of prayer itself.

We condemn the teaching that one may present the Gospel as
one option among many. We similarly condemn the teaching that
one may participate in events when Christianity will be presented
as equal to religions that pray to false gods. Condemned also is the
teaching that those who confess the name of Christ can join in
prayer with those who are a part of non-Christian faiths.

10. We believe, teach, and confess that our worthiness to ap-
proach God in prayer consists only in the propitiatory sacrifice of
Jesus Christ on the cross and there is nothing inherent i in us that
makes us worthy to approach God.

We condemn the teaching that prayers are made worthy because
of human actions. We reject as valid any prayer offered outside of
the Christian faith.

11. As Christians we welcome and accept the opportunity to
proclaim the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who have not
heard the message of salvation. We teach that at every opportunity
that presents itself, the Christian should be ready to give a defense
for the hope that is in him.

We condemn the teaching that it is acceptable to be “unequally
yoked” with unbelievers or that it is acceptable to give the impres-
sion that Christianity is at all related to the religions of the world or
indebted to the religions of the world. For Christianity is in every
way superior to every religion of the world in that it teaches an en-
tirely different message and presents an entirely different God,
which is the only true God.

12. We applaud the efforts of all who work to preach and teach
the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, especially in times of crisis, and