LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 158

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158 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Resolved, That we remain watchful and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8),
searching the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11), and prayerfully guard-
ing our life and doctrine closely (1 Tim. 4:16); and be it finally

Resolved, That the 2006 convention of Northern Illinois Dis-
trict of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod send this resolu-
tion to the 2007 LCMS convention.

Northern Illinois District

3-32

To Thank God for and Recommit to Doctrinal Unity

WHEREAS, We, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, have
been blessed by the Lord of the Church with a vast body of Chris-
tian doctrine in which we are in agreement (such as, the Trinity;
the deity of Christ; the virgin birth of Christ; the physical resurrec-
tion of Christ; the inerrancy of the Bible; justification by grace
alone through faith in Christ alone based on Scripture alone; the
Sacraments as means of grace; the Real Presence; eschatology
[teaching on end times]; and dozens of other doctrines); and

WHEREAS, This unity is the work of the Holy Spirit alone; and

WHEREAS, Such a great agreement in doctrine is lacking in
many other denominations; therefore be it

Resolved, That we give thanks to the Lord of the Church for
preserving His pure and saving doctrine among us; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That we joyfully acknowledge and affirm this unity;
and we recommit ourselves to that unity; and be it further

Resolved, That we recommit ourselves to act and speak in keep-
ing with the command of Jesus not to set aside the commands of
God in order to observe our own traditions (Mark 10:9); and be it
further

Resolved, That we recommit ourselves to the teaching of our
Lutheran Confessions that “It is not necessary for the true unity of
the Christian church that uniform ceremonies, instituted by human
beings, be observed everywhere” (AC VII 3); and that “Diversity in
fasting does not dissolve unity in faith” (AC XXVII 44); and be it
further

Resolved, That we continue to enjoy and share our fellowship
together in the LCMS under the confessional standard of our
Synod’s Constitution (Art. II) without requiring or imposing any
other confession; and be it finally

Resolved, That we remain watchful and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8),
searching the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11), and prayerfully guard-
ing our life and doctrine closely (1 Tim. 4:16).

Trinity
Roselle, IL

3-33

To Promote New Approach to Unity

WHEREAS, The 2003 convention of the Pacific Southwest Dis-
trict of the LCMS adopted R-THEO-05, which reads as follows:

Rationale. It is characteristic of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod to cite its disagreements with other Christians rather
than its agreements. One example is the charge leveled against the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the 2001
Synodical Convention: “we cannot consider them to be an orthodox
Lutheran church body.” Another illustration of this tendency is the
Synod’s response to the agreement on “justification” reached be-
tween the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation. The Synod
issued a document, “Betrayal of the Gospel: A Statement Regard-
ing the Signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justifi-
cation on October 31, 1999, in Augsburg, Germany” (St. Louis,
Oct. 15, 1999).

But it is in the Synod’s critique of the Joint Declaration that
President A. L. Barry wrote: “We thank God for the grace He gives
to all believers in Jesus Christ throughout world Christendom. We
rejoice in what we have in common with the Roman Church. And

indeed, that is much.” This insightful comment points to a new ap-
proach to unity, that is, to “rejoice in what we have in common”
with other Christians.

Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District encourage the
Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations to iden-
tify and report on what The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
in common with the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, drawing upon the nine Lutheran-
Roman Catholic dialogue reports, from 1965 through 1995; and be
it further

Resolved, That the Pacific Southwest District convention en-
courage members of the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation
(LCMS and ELCA) to continue to “pursue discussions of issues
that divide the two church bodies,” as pledged at Missouri Synod
headquarters on November 12, 2002, affirming what we have in
common and striving toward a declaration of altar and pulpit fel-
lowship” [end quotation of 2003 PSW RTHEO-05]; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That the 2007 convention of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod direct that the CTCR prepare a study for the con-
gregations of the Synod with a focus moving from what divides
Christians to four newer and more productive questions (in accord
with Objectives of the Synod, Constitution Art. III 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 bodies, and provide a united defense schism, sectarian-
ism, [Rom. 16:17], and heresy”), as follows:

1. Are the Missouri Synod’s ecumenical policy and practice mak-
ing a greater contribution to the unity or to the disunity of Christ’s
Church?

2. What are the areas of agreement that Synod has in common with
other Christians?

3. Are the agreements and the underlying consensus in the Gospel
among Christians qualitatively more significant than the list of
disagreements?

4, With which Christians is our Lord Jesus Christ in altar and pulpit
fellowship, and what implication does that have for our policy
and practice?;

and be it finally

Resolved, That we continue to affirm that unifying faith in Jesus
Christ is deeper than our divisions and to “rejoice in what we have
in common.”

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

3-34

To Convene “General Council”
to Clarify Doctrinal Issues

, WHEREAS, Certain issues of doctrine and practice have proven
to be divisive and sources of profound contention within our
Synod; and

WuereAs, “Normal channels” for resolving these conflicts have
proven to be largely ineffective; therefore be it

Resolved, that a “General Council” shall be convened and
charged with the responsibility to clarify the position of the LCMS
on the following issues:

Close or Closed Communion: Whom are LCMS pastors to com-
mune?

Doctrine of the Ministry: What functions of the pastoral office may
laypersons perform and under what circumstances?

Role of Women in the Church: What functions in the church, if any,
are females prohibited from performing according to Scripture?

Ecclesiastical Supervision: Does the prior approval of one’s eccle-
siastical supervisor for an action render one immune to censure in the
LCMS?

Worship Materials: “Exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda,
hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” is required by the
LCMS Constitution. By what criteria is doctrinal purity established? By
whom is this determination made? Are there any aspects of “worship