LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 72

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72 SYNOD REPORTS

congregations, primarily from the American Lutheran Church, who
were concerned over certain doctrinal positions adopted by the
Commission for a New Lutheran Church (CNLC). The CNLC had
been given the responsibility to bring into being a merger of three
churches: the American Lutheran Church (ALC), the Association
of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC), and the Lutheran
Church in America (LCA). Of particular concern to the pastors and
congregations that organized the AALC was the position the CNLC
had taken on the doctrine of the authority of Scripture. (As a result
of the CNLC’s work, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica came into being on January 1, 1988.) As of February 15, 2007,
the membership of the AALC is as follows: 79 congregations, 107
pastors (not including emeriti), 11,771 communicant members, and
14,137 baptized members.

Representatives from the AALC and the LCMS began meeting
together in 1988. Between 1988 and 1998 five meetings were held
for the purpose of sharing background information and exploring
areas of agreement in official documents. The assistance of the
LCMS was requested by the AALC in seminary training, military
chaplaincies, and the area of social ministry. It was during this time
that the AALC established a Builders for Christ organization,
which was modeled after the LCMS’ Laborers For Christ.

In March 2005S, after a lapse of six years during which the
AALC further clarified its doctrinal position and practice, repre-
sentatives from both churches began meeting together once again.
Both church bodies expressed interest at this time in holding doc-
trinal discussions for the purpose of moving toward altar and pulpit
fellowship. In this and three subsequent meetings held in 2005 and
2006 the following topics were discussed in depth: the doctrine of
Holy Scripture, the meaning of communion, inter-Christian rela-
tionships, the role of women in the church, and piety versus
pietism. Later the issue of lodge membership was addressed. Dur-
ing the course of these discussions the AALC in June 2005 de-
cided, upon the invitation of the LCMS, to move its seminary on to
the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, In-
diana, a relationship that was effected in September 2006 as AALC
began preparing men for the ministry at the LCMS seminary.

Representing the LCMS in these discussions were: President
Gerald Kieschnick; Dr. Charles Arand, Chairman of the Depart-
ment of Systematic Theology of Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis
and a member of the CTCR; Dr. William Diekelman, LCMS First
Vice President; Dr. Raymond Hartwig, Secretary of the LCMS; and
Dr. Samuel Nafzger, Executive Director of the CTCR.

On the basis of these long-term discussions, the LCMS repre-
sentatives have concluded, and reported to the President of the
Synod, that doctrinal agreement exists between the AALC and the
LCMS and that there is nothing that would prohibit the churches
from entering into altar and pulpit fellowship with one another. In
accordance with the procedures established by the Synod and set
forth in its bylaws (3.9.6.2.2 [b]), the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations adopted unanimously a resolution at its February
15-16, 2007, meeting recommending that the LCMS enter into
altar and pulpit fellowship with The American Association of
Lutheran Churches.

WHEREAS, The American Association of Lutheran Churches
was founded upon and has maintained a strong commitment to the
Scriptures as the authoritative, inspired, and inerrant Word of God;
and

WHEREAS, The AALC has from its inception sought discussions
with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to explore ways in
which the two church bodies might work with one another; and

WHEREAS, Five exploratory meetings were held between the
AALC and LCMS between 1988 and 1998; and

Wuereas, Article III of the Synod’s constitution states that a
first objective of the Synod is to “work through its official struc-
ture toward fellowship with other Christian church bodies”; and

2007 Convention Workbook

WHEREAS, The AALC and LCMS in 2005 agreed to begin for-
mal doctrinal discussions aimed at the establishment of altar and
pulpit fellowship; and

WHEREAS, Formal theological discussions between representa-
tives of the AALC and the LCMS have revealed that agreement in
doctrine and practice exists between our churches; and

WHEREAS, Our partner churches in the International Lutheran
Council have had the opportunity to meet with the presiding pastor
of the AALC at the International Lutheran Council meeting in
Berlin, Germany, August 27-September 2, 2005; and

WHEREAS, This proposal has been shared with the partner
churches of the LCMS and their input has been requested, and re-
spondents have expressed their approval of the LCMS declaring
church fellowship with the AALC; and

WHEREAS, The AALC has expressed a desire to join together
with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in bearing witness to
the truth of the Gospel upon the basis of the inerrant Scriptures;
and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod has expressed support for
this resolution and has asked the CTCR to address the declaration
of altar and pulpit fellowship in keeping with Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 (b);
and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
has received comprehensive reports on these discussions and, in
accordance with its bylaw responsibilities, has recommended the
establishment of altar and pulpit fellowship between the LCMS and
the AALC; therefore be it

Resolved, That we give thanks and praise to God for the faith-
fulness of our brothers and sisters in the American Association of
Lutheran Churches to the Holy Scriptures and to Lutheran confes-
sional theology and for their faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude to God the unity
of confession that He has given to our churches under the Holy
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for-
mally declare altar and pulpit fellowship with The American As-
sociation of Lutheran Churches; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS recognize The American Association
of Lutheran Churches as a partner church and that the President of
the Synod be responsible for implementing this relationship; and
be it further ‘

Resolved, That we implore the Lord of the church to continue to
strengthen the bond of fellowship between our churches and that,
ablaze with His Spirit, we may together be renewed in our com-
mitment to the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to all the
world; and be it finally

Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution we rise to
sing the Common Doxology to the glory of God.

Approved by Commission on Theology and Church Relations
February 16, 2007

6. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Twice each year representatives of the ELCA and LCMS meet
as the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation (CLC) to share and dis-
cuss matters of mutual interest and concern and to monitor areas
where common work is taking place. Following one of these yearly
meetings, a day for theological dialogue is set aside.

On Oct. 4, 2006, theological discussion centered on a 1978 re-
port prepared through the Division of Theological Studies of the
Lutheran Council of the USA (LCUSA) called the “FODT Report”
(the result of a series of consultations in the 1970s on “The Func-
tion of Doctrine and Theology in Light of the Unity of the
Church”). Prepared by official representatives of the LCMS, and
the Lutheran Church in America, and the American Lutheran
Church—predecessor bodies of the ELCA—the FODT report sum-