LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 181

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 181

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 is just as urgent in the United States
as it is abroad; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS apply for full membership in the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) immediately.

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

3-56

To Strengthen Relations with Other Lutherans

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod President
Gerald Kieschnick and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson have agreed to conduct a series of
meetings between leaders of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the 2003 convention of the Missouri District ask
the President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to invite
leaders of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Evangelical
Lutheran Synod, Lutheran Churches of the Reformation, and
Church of the Lutheran Confession to meet to discuss the possibil-
ity of strengthening our relationships with those church bodies.

Missouri District

3-57

To Request Meeting to Discuss
Formation of New Synodical Conference

WHEREAS, LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick and ELCA
Bishop Mark Hanson have agreed to conduct a series of meetings
between leaders of the LCMS and ELCA; and

Whereas, There are pastors in the ELCA who are greatly con-
cerned about ELCA’s support of abortion, homosexuality, theo-
logical liberalism, evolution, and toleration of denials of basic doc-
trines of the Christian faith (See “Is ELCA Christian” by Michael
C. D. McDaniel, Ph.D., a former Bishop of the ELCA, Christian
News, Jan. 29, 2001); therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 LCMS convention ask the Praesidium
of the LCMS to invite leaders of conservative groups within ELCA
to meet with them as the first step toward any future action; and be
it further

Resolved, That the 2004 LCMS convention ask the Praesidium
of the LCMS to invite leaders of the WELS, LCMS, and Church
of the Lutheran Confessions to meet with our Synod to discuss the
possibility of forming a new synodical conference.

Trinity
New Haven, MO

3-58

To Commend Ecumenical Dialogue

Wuereas, Jesus prayed for the unity of believers: “I pray not
only for them, but also for those who believe in Me because of their
message. I pray that they may all be one. May they be in Us, just as
You are in Me and I am in You. May they be one, so that the world
will believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20—21); and

Wuereas, St. Paul urged the church at Ephesus: “Make every
effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one
hope when you were called, one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”
(Eph. 4:3-6); and

WHEREAS, The Augsburg Confession (1530), Art. VII (“The
Church”) states:

It is also taught among us that one holy Christian church will
be and remain forever. This is the assembly of all believers
among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy
sacraments are administered according to the Gospel. For it is
sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church that the
Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of
it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with
the divine Word. It is not necessary for the true unity of the
Christian church that ceremonies, instituted by men, should be
observed uniformly in all places. It is as Paul says in Eph. 4:4, 5,
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the
one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one bap-
tism” (Tappert, Book of Concord, p. 32); and

Wuereas, Art. III (“Objectives”) of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod Constitution states:

“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 Committee on Lutheran Cooperation, comprised
of six members each from The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
(LCMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
and including LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick and ELCA Pre-
siding Bishop Mark Hanson, in November 2002 agreed to pursue
discussions of issues that divide the two church bodies (“Synod,
ELCA to increase theology talks, meetings,” LCMS News, no. 74,
Dec. 6, 2002); and

Wuereas, ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson agreed to dis-
cuss with ELCA officials and the ELCA’s ecumenical partners
bringing the Missouri Synod back into Lutheran dialogues with the
Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches (ibid.); and

WHEREAS, LCMS and ELCA officials held formal theological
talks in November 2003, a joint statement after the meeting declar-
ing: “The conversation was characterized by frank discussion of
doctrinal issues that divide the two church bodies as well as the
recognition that areas of consensus exist between them” (Lutheran
Witness, January 2004, p. 14); therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 national convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod commend the Missouri Synod’s reen-
gagement in continuing ecumenical dialogue among Lutheran and
other Christian church bodies in an effort to bring about evangelical
unity consistent with Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

St. John
Hattiesburg, MS

3-59

To Declare Pulpit and Altar Fellowship with ELCA

WHEREAS, The Lord of the Church calls His people to live at
peace and to be one; and

Whereas, Lutheran Christians throughout the world share a
common confession (e.g., ecumenical creeds, Augsburg Confes-
sion, and other documents in the Book of Concord, the Holy Scrip-
tures, etc.) and commitment to mission and ministry according to
our Lord’s Great Commission (Matthew 28); and

Wuereas, The Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) clearly states doctrinal standards and norms
which are “Lutheran” in every sense of the word and are basically
the same as those held by the LCMS (as stated in Art. II of the
LCMS Constitution); therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS, gathered in convention, declare full
pulpit and altar fellowship with the ELCA.

Resurrection

Coronado, CA