LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 186

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186 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved
Me” [John 17:20-23 NIV]); and

Whereas, In the history of our denomination, our well-inten-
tioned efforts to remain faithful to God’s Word have at times
caused us to separate from others; and

WHEREAS, We live in a society that is increasingly unChristian
and anti-Christian, and the fellowship of other Christians can help
us in our walk of faith and witness to God’s love; and

WHEREAS, Total separation from other Christians compromises
our witness of God’s call to love and is misunderstood in our cul-
ture; therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations of the Northwest District of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod continue to live out our belief
in the Holy Christian Church by seeking to find ways to work with
other Christians while remaining faithful to God’s Word; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Northwest District convention petition the
2007 LCMS convention to commit to working and ministering
with Christians of other denominations toward the fulfillment of
the Great Commission while remaining faithful to God’s Word.

Northwest District

3-96

To Encourage Faithful Fellowship
Practices among Our Partner Churches

WuereaS, The Synod eagerly recognizes genuine fellowship
where it exists; and

WHEREAS, Anticipating fellowship by prematurely acting as if
such fellowship was already recognized endangers that fellowship
(see 1967 Res. 2-18); and

WuEREAS, The Synod rejects selective fellowship (1969 Res. 3-
18), even selective fellowship based on agreement in doctrine (see
the 1981 CTCR report The Nature and Implications of the Concept
of Fellowship, p. 31); and

WHEREAS, “Selective fellowship not only provides an opportu-
nity for offense by appearing to be indifferent to doctrine, but it is
also inherently conducive to chaos, confusion, individualism, and
even rebellion” (ibid.); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod encourage the 29 church bodies with
whom we have altar and pulpit fellowship to remain faithful in their
fellowship practices; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod lead by example, exhorting its mem-
bers also to remain faithful to our agreed upon fellowship practices,
particularly as it applies to members of those church bodies with
whom we are not yet in publicly recognized fellowship.

; Bethany
Fort Wayne, IN

3-97

To Communicate with Partner Churches
re Membership in Lutheran World Federation

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.9.6.2.2 (a) of the Constitution of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (hereafter, LCMS) indicates
that the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (hereafter,
CTCR) “shall address itself to and evaluate existing fellowship re-
lations for the purpose of mutual admonition and encouragement”;
and

WHEREAS, At the 2004 LCMS convention, in which altar and
pulpit fellowship was declared with the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Kenya (hereafter, ELCK), a report of discussions was
given in which Bishop Obare of the ELCK pointed out “that his
church does not view membership in the LWF [Lutheran World
Federation] as placing it into fellowship with other LWF churches
simply by virtue of its membership” (Preamble to Res. 3-01, lines
47-48); and

WHEREAS, In the same Preamble to 2004 Res. 3-01, it was also
noted that “9 other partner churches of the Synod belong to the
LWP?” (line 50); and

WHEREAS, The LWF’s Bylaws state that a church applying for
membership in the LWF shall submit to the LWF General Secre-
tary “minutes of the church’s appropriate decision-making body
evidencing that the church accepts the LWF Constitution and
wishes to apply for membership” (Bylaw 2.1 b); and

WuerEAS, The LWF constitution defines the LWF as “a com-
munion of churches which confess the triune God, agree in the
proclamation of the Word of God and are united in pulpit and altar
fellowship” (constitution of the Lutheran World Federation, Art.
IID; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS is not a member of the LWF and has not
reached the doctrinal consensus that it believes is necessary to de-
clare altar and pulpit fellowship with many of the members of the
LWF; and

WHEREAS, The possible implications for the LCMS in having
altar and pulpit fellowship with partner churches that are members
of the LWF (and thus, according to the LWF constitution, in altar
and pulpit fellowship with the entire LWF) are an occasion for con-
cern in the LCMS; therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the LCMS be directed, on be-
half of the LCMS meeting in its 2007 convention, to communicate
the concerns expressed in this resolution to partner churches that
maintain membership in the LWF; and be further

Resolved, That the CTCR be directed to address itself to an
evaluation of existing fellowship relations with partner churches
that maintain membership in the LWF and to an evaluation of the
implications of these relations; and be it finally

Resolved, That resolutions for further action on this issue be so-
licited in the usual manner and addressed at the LCMS convention
in 2010.

Bemidji Circuit
Minnesota North District

3-98

To Encourage Lutheran Church
of Australia re Service of Women

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod confesses
that the ordination and service of women in the pastoral office is
contrary to the clear teaching of Holy Scripture (Res. 3-08A and
others); and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church of Australia met in convention
last year and deliberated whether or not to ordain women into the
pastoral office; and

WHEREAS, This false teaching was rejected by the Lutheran
Church of Australia, failing to receive the necessary two-thirds ma-
jority vote at their convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That LCMS encourage our brothers and sisters in the
Lutheran Church of Australia by confessing again that the ordina-
tion and service of women in the pastoral office is contrary to the
clear Word of God (1 Cor. 14:33~35; 1 Tim. 2:11-15); and be it
further

Resolved, That the LCMS meeting in convention direct the
President of the Synod and the executive director of the CTCR to
offer thanks and encouragement to the Lutheran Church of Aus-
tralia through the appropriate means; and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS give thanks to God for the rejection
of the ordination of women by the Lutheran Church of Australia
by the singing of the Common Doxology.

St. Paul
Brookfield, IL