LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 10

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10

SYNOD REPORTS

ecumenical Lutheranism boldly and clearly confesses both the Law
and the Gospel to a world lost in sin. In this bold proclamation of the
call of Jesus to both repentance and the forgiveness delivered by the
Gospel, the Holy Spirit works by calling, gathering, and enlightening the whole Christian church on earth. As a result of the historic
and unwavering confession of the Missouri Synod, world Lutherans
and even Christians from other denominations desire to draw closer
to the Missouri Synod. Worldwide, the Missouri Synod has a reputation for being both faithful and loving, yet unwavering in her doctrinal
convictions. This fact has attracted many churches in Africa to desire
conversation with the Missouri Synod in the face of an alternative that
changes the Bible to fit societal norms. At the same time, we cannot
take for granted the great blessing that the Lord has bestowed upon
our church, but earnestly pray that we remain faithful and thankful
for the gift of the Gospel of Jesus.
Many of these Lutheran churches are seeking what have been
historic strengths of the Missouri Synod—a commitment to the
inerrant Holy Scriptures and a desire to be faithful to the Lutheran
Confessions. The number one request that comes to my office from
international churches is for assistance in theological education. These
churches recognize how the Lord has blessed the Missouri Synod
with excellent theological education in the training provided by our
two seminaries—Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne
and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. They are the best seminaries in the entire world at preparing men to be Lutheran pastors. The
training of future church leaders at LCMS institutions is among the
highest priorities of Lutheran churches in Africa and elsewhere, so
that their churches will be well equipped to train pastors and evangelists in context.
LCMS Fellowship Process
The LCMS at the time of this writing has 34 partner churches.
After the 2010 convention, Bylaws 3.9.5.2.2 (b–d) provide two ways
in which a church body can be recognized in altar and pulpit fellowship, and one way to be recognized as a self-governing partner
church. Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b) has been the standard way toward recognition of fellowship. This process served the church well but was
rather lengthy, taking a minimum of three years to complete and in
some cases a decade or more. The Synod, recognizing the need for
a more streamlined process, at the 2010 convention passed a resolution that created Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (c), which allows the President
of the Synod as the Chief Ecumenical Officer to declare fellowship
with a smaller or emerging church body after consultation with the
Praesidium and approval of the CTCR. Over the past three years, this
bylaw has been used twice to declare fellowship with the Siberian
Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) and with the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Liberia (ELCL). The 2013 convention, in accord
with this bylaw, will be asked to “endorse” the fellowship declared.
Per Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (d), which declares formal recognition of a mission start as a self-governing partner church, this convention will
also be asked to recognize the Lutheran Church of Togo as a partner church. Several other Lutheran churches in Africa have inquired
about fellowship and requested doctrinal discussions. Currently, the
Synod is involved in discussions with churches from every continent,
either for fellowship or partner church recognition. Should these discussions, our Lord willing, come to fruition; the Synod’s convention
in 2016 will be tasked with considering additional church bodies for
fellowship. We have been baptized for this moment—to be ecumenical Lutherans in the true sense!
Other Discussions Domestic and International
Over this past triennium, the Synod has engaged in discussions
with church bodies with whom it is unlikely that fellowship will be
2013 Convention Workbook

declared in the near term and perhaps not at all. Some may wonder
why bother? Herman Sasse wrote that the concern of an ecumenical church is for the truth. “Thus ‘the call to unity,’ that is, to the one
church of God, is the call to repentance, the call to Christ and his
Gospel. The more earnestly this call is heard, the more earnestly the
Christians of all confessions wrestle for the one truth of the Gospel,
so much more will the hidden unity of the church of Christ come into
view.” To talk to other Christians who are willing to discuss theology, doctrine, and practical matters of the church’s life in this world
is missional because it is keeping the Lord’s Great Commission in
Matthew 28, “… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you.” In the mutual conversation with Christians from other denominations, we have the opportunity to speak the truth in love and give
bold witness to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.
In these conversations with Roman Catholics, conservative
Anglicans, and other Lutheran bodies within the United States, we
have learned that those who hold to the scriptural view of natural law
and morality are important friends in the public square, as society and
the government is becoming increasingly hostile to historical, biblical Christianity. Although altar and pulpit fellowship is not a likely
outcome of these discussions, we can cooperate with these churches
particularly in the realm of defending the biblical view of marriage
and family and in defending the constitutional right of religious freedom. These discussions serve more than the creation of goodwill.
They also serve as a source of mutual encouragement in these dark
last days before our Lord and Savior returns in glory.
Following the ELCA’s 2009 statement on human sexuality,
the 2010 LCMS convention adopted Res. 3-03: “To Cooperate in
Externals with Theological Integrity.” That LCMS convention action
was in response to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly’s approval
of opening ELCA ministries to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed same-sex relationships. The
LCMS Praesidium, working with the CTCR, was given the task to
develop the guidelines on cooperation with theological integrity. The
Presidium in consultation with the CTCR concluded that it would be
possible for the Synod to continue to work with Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Services, Lutheran World Relief, and Lutheran Services
of America. However, they also determined that it would not be possible for the Synod to continue to work cooperatively with the ELCA
on a national (church-to-church) level in Lutheran Disaster Response,
military chaplaincy, and institutional chaplaincy. Although it is regrettable that direct cooperation between the church bodies is no longer
possible in these areas, it is necessary to maintain the integrity of
the Scriptures and the position of the LCMS in an age where it is
becoming more difficult to confess and speak publicly the historic
Christian message.
After more than 50 years, mostly of silence, The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran
Synod (WELS), and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) held
informal discussions in late 2012. Although differences exist between
the church bodies, the informal discussions demonstrated that there is
a basis to explore further conversations between the churches. When
WELS suspended fellowship with the Missouri Synod in 1961, the
president of WELS was charged with seeking opportunities to continue the conversation with the Missouri Synod. This convention will
be asked to consider an overture to seek opportunities for further discussion with WELS.
Now is the time for us to be ecumenical Lutherans—that is, to be
who we are and to confess and uphold the Scriptures and the Lutheran
Confessions to the world. The Lord has baptized us for this moment!
May He give us strength to answer this opportunity and help us to
overcome the challenges.