LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 165

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 165

flicted with mistrust, anger and abuse, what kind of pastor would insist
that the wife must consent to all her husband’s sexual advances “until
all avenues for working towards resolving matters have been ex-
hausted”?

Communion is more intimate than sexual relations; it unites our
souls. The Commission’s admonition fails to appreciate the deep sense
of betrayal and violation felt by many in our Synod—among all parties
to our disagreements. Repentance and reconciliation are necessary as-
pects of forgiveness and the full enjoyment of our fellowship in one
body.

Furthermore, synodical membership does not work like Visa or
MasterCard: it guarantees no one automatic admission to a particular
altar. Our synodical President has frequently noted that the Synod’s
consistent practice of “close” communion has always made provision
for “responsible pastoral discretion.” The binding and loosing keys be-
long to the Church and are administered by the parish pastor, not the
synodical Handbook. Unlike the ELCA or the WELS, we recognize no
scriptural or confessional basis for the congregation and its pastor to
surrender those keys to the Synod.

Finally, to heal the divisions and mistrust in our midst, direct dia-
logue is essential. At some points the Commission relied heavily upon
speculative suppositions: “It is our understanding that...”, “This would
seem to imply...”, “...it appears on the one hand that the declaration of
in statu confessionis is intended to serve as...On the other hand, it may
be that they do not intend to...” (7). Guesswork—charitable or other-
‘wise—cannot substitute for speaking personally with one another to un-
derstand and accurately to represent the other’s actions, goals, motives
and perspectives.

The Commission exhorts protestors to remain within the system:
“The intention of the synodical procedures of dissent is to preserve and
uphold the truth of the Gospel and all its articles on which our fellow-
ship.in the Synod is based.” The same can presumably be said of those
declaring in statu confessionis, yet that same intention forces them to
work outside of what they see as a theologically indifferent or corrupted
system. Those District Presidents and other officials who are convinced
that these protestors are wrong can only plead with them to see their
own error, explain the scriptural and confessional basis for the objec-
tionable matter, and call upon the protestors themselves to repent.

If no agreement can be reached, then the District President can only
give his assent to the break in Communion fellowship. But he will do so
from a firm conviction that the protestors are the truly stubbom errorists.
Guilty of schism or sectarianism, their protest has made them subject to
the Communion discipline of others. He will call upon the other congre-
gations in his District to exercise that Communion discipline against those
protestors, and from the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, he will
clearly explain the reasons why this is necessary. This occurred when
some were expelled from the Synod during the turmoil of the 1970s. A
few years before that time, a long-time observer and devoted friend of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod wrote from Germany:

A truly faithful orthodox church is in a permanent status con-
fessionis over against all others and so is each individual Christian.
In instances where sound doctrine or practice are publicly deviated
from in any way, faithful believers must publicly avoid such errors.
This is what status confessionis requires! It is the only form of se-
lective fellowship which follows the true doctrine of the Church.
Not to observe it is a violation of that doctrine, a failure or refusal to
put it into practice. It is the only form of selective fellowship which
is permissible and sanctioned by the Lutheran Confessions.°

The Church has no sword other than the Word of God. She may
compel! nothing by force of bureaucracy, bylaw or bullying. Her only
treasure is the Gospel; her only discipline is to withhold the gifts Christ
has given from those who are unrepentant, pleading with them and
praying for them to bring them to repentance, so that once again, she
may share His gifts. For to her He has given the keys to heaven, and

there is a key which binds as well as one that looses sin. Repentance ©

and reconciliation—unity with one another through our unity in
Christ—is the goal we all seek. Thankfully, the outcome does not de-
pend upon us!
The Church shall never perish! Her dear Lord, to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end.
Tho’ there be those that hate her, false sons within her pale,
Against both foe and traitor she ever shall prevail.
Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
Paul F. Nus
September 9, 2005

Notes

1. In Statu Confessionis: A Response to Questions from the Praesidium of
the Synod, adopted April 15, 2005, Question 4 (b). Placed online May
2005.

2. See Church Discipline in the Christian Congregation, A Report of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations, 1985, 16, For further
reading see also Thomas C. Oden’s Corrective Love: the Power of Com-
munion Discipline (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1995), and
C. F. W. Walther’s Pastoral Theology (New Haven, MO: Lutheran
News, Inc., 1995), chapters 39-43.

3. Ibid., 25.

4. Theology of Fellowship, A Report of the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations, 1965, 25.

5. See Admission to the Lord’s Supper: Basics of Biblical and Confessional
Teuching, A Report of the Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions, 1999,

6. W. M Oesch, “Status Confessionis and Selective Fellowship,” Sola
Scriptura Intercommunication (January—February, 1971).

Southern [linois District; Faith, Inglewood, CA

3-36

To Develop Guidelines to Assist
in Developing Respect and Trust

WHEREAS, In these turbulent times, Synod officials, pastors,
congregations, and individual Christians are often called upon to
make difficult decisions in complex and critical situations; and

WHEREAS, The Word of God does not always directly address or
provide final answers in many such situations; therefore be it

Resolved, That we encourage each other to approach such situ-
ations with prayer, the study of God’s Word, the counsel of our
brothers and sisters in Christ, and the desire to act boldly and faith-
fully on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That we recognize that because such situations vary
from place to place, local pastors, congregations, and officials are
ordinarily in a better position to make responsible decisions than
those who are farther away; and be it further

Resolved, That we trust each other’s decisions and avoid nega-
tive judgments and charges against each other in such circum-
stances; and be it further

Resolved, That when we disagree with the decisions of a pas-
tor, congregation, or official in such situations, we encourage one
another to address those differences personally and privately be-
fore making our disagreements public or bringing formal charges
against each other; and be it finally

Resolved, That the 2007 Synod convention authorize the Coun-
cil of Presidents and the CTCR to act together to develop guide-
lines and official procedures that will assist the members of the
Synod in developing greater mutual respect and trust for each other,
especially in recognizing and dealing responsibly and charitably
with cases of discretion.

Trinity, Roselle, IL; Lord of Life, Leawood, KS

3-37

To Pledge Trust among Servants in God’s Kingdom

WHEREAS, God has directed human beings to carry out His mis-
sion of seeking and saving the lost (Matt. 28:18-20); and

WHEREAS, These human servants, lay and professional alike, are
called by God to work together with one another to accomplish this
mission as one body, the Church (1 Cor. 1:10;-12:27-31); and

WuereEAS, God desires all His servants to act in a spirit of har-
mony with one another and with trust in each other so that His mis-
sion may more effectively be carried out (Eph. 4:3—6); therefore be
it