LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 190

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190

Theology and Church Relations

the content of the Christian witness that may be given by the LCMS pastor; when a sincere effort is made by those involved to make it clear that
those participating do not all share the same religious views concerning
such issues as the nature of God, the way of salvation, and the nature of
religious truth itself). [p.19]
It should be noted in this connection that all members of the Commission agree that, understood from a Christian perspective, prayer
is always in some sense “an expression of worship.” The question is
whether it is possible under any circumstances for an LCMS pastor to
offer a prayer in a public setting involving a variety of religious leaders
without engaging in “joint prayer and worship.” Some believe that this
is not possible. The majority believes that it may be possible depending
on such factors as how the event is arranged and understood and how the
situation is handled by the pastor in question, in order to make it clear
that “joint prayer and worship” is not being conducted or condoned.
[p. 19]

and
Whereas, In its December 11–13, 2008, meeting, the CTCR
adopted the following response to 2007 Res. 3-05 regarding “Serial
Prayer”:
The Synod at its 2007 convention adopted Res. 3-05, “To Provide
Further Discussion and Guidance on the Matter of Serial Prayer.” This
resolution reads as follows:		
Whereas, In 2004 Res. 3-06A, The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod commended for study “Guidelines for Participation in Civic
Events,” a report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) “to help pastors, teachers, and church workers make decisions
about participation in civic events” (2004 Proceedings, p. 131); and
Whereas, Congregations of the Synod have requested further clarification regarding serial prayer; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention assign to the CTCR the task
of providing further guidance for participation in civic events that includes the offering of a serial prayer.

At its Dec. 11–13, 2008, meeting, the CTCR adopted the following response to this request by the Synod:
The Commission has carefully re-examined the discussion of “serial” or “seriatim” prayers on pages 19–20 of its report “Guidelines
for Participation in Civic Events” (April 2004). Although some further
clarification (cf. 2007 Res. 3-05) may be possible in terms of applying
the “conditions” discussed in this section of the report to various events
and situations that have arisen in the past, it is impossible to provide
specific guidance for any and all events that may arise in the future. We
simply cannot anticipate the precise nature, purpose, or context of every
occasion that may arise in the future or set forth specific parameters
surround participation in these types of events beyond what is already
stated in the 2004 report. Ultimately, this is a matter that requires the
exercise of pastoral judgment at a particular time and place. When presented with such a situation, a pastor is, of course, urged to consult with
other pastors and advisors for counsel with regard to how to respond to
such requests within his particular context. [Unanimously adopted by
the CTCR, December 13, 2008]

and
Whereas, Former LCMS President J. A. O. Preus, in his 1981
report to the Synod convention, acknowledged this difficult issue
when he stated:
We also have a whole series of overtures dealing in one way or another with the subject of interchurch relations and unionism and separatism. I have been in the ministry for over 35 years and have been involved
in discussions of unionism and related matters for all of these years. I
have hoped that during my years in office some greater clarity could be
developed among us as to what really is unionism and what must be
dealt with in a disciplinary way, as over against things that might appear to some to be a compromise of the Word of God but to others are
not such at all and no intent at compromise is intended. I hope that the

2013 Convention Workbook

Synod will try to develop rubrics and guidelines for a church of three
million members in the 1980s and 1990s, rather than always relying on
definitions which are a century old, which deal basically with a European situation and are not particularly helpful for our modern time. I believe our fathers were eminently sincere and totally correct in what they
did, but I think we have to rethink our own position on these matters so
as to make their position our own or so as to make their position something that is workable and feasible and acceptable in our own midst. We
can all agree that we want to avoid a total separatism on the one hand
and a wild irresponsible ecumenism on the other. The difficulty is to find
a middle path which will avoid both of these extremes and which can
work in all situations in our church.

and
Whereas, There is an urgent need to complete the study required
by 2010 Res. 8-30B; and
Whereas, The Council of Presidents is best suited to immediately
act on this matter across each district of the Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS relieve the President of responsibilities
under 2010 Res. 8-30B; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS direct the Council of Presidents to
immediately carry out the study called for by 2010 Res. 8-30B in
each district of the Synod, including the study based on the research
and paper of Professor Bode.
Trinity, Roselle, IL; Circuit 38, Texas District;
4-56

To Encourage the Teaching and Practice of Closed
Communion
Whereas, Members of the LCMS are bound by the Lutheran
Confessions to regard Holy Scripture as teaching of the Holy Supper
of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1) that His body and blood are truly and
substantially present, distributed, and received in, with, and under the
elements of bread and wine (AC X); and (2) that these are received
by both believing and unbelieving participants, i.e., by those who eat
in repentance and faith, to “forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation,”
and by those who eat in unrepentance or unbelief, to judgment (AP
XXIV, FC VII, EP, and SD); and (3) that “to obtain such faith” the
preaching office is instituted by our Lord to administer the Gospel
and Sacraments (AC V), with those filling the office having responsibility before God for the souls in their care (SA IX); and
Whereas, The true unity of the church is found in the pure teaching of the Gospel and right administration of the sacraments (AC
VII); and
Whereas, There exists significant disunity of practice across the
congregations of Synod in who is or is not admitted to the Lord’s
Supper, causing confusion and strife; and
Whereas, St. Paul himself admonishes the Corinthians against
assembling to eat the Supper of our Lord with divisions among them,
thus coming together not for the better but for the worse (1 Cor.
11:17–18); and
Whereas, True doctrine necessarily regulates practice, as the
confessors write: “The custom has been retained among us of not
administering the Sacrament to those who have not previously been
examined and absolved” (AC XXV) and “in our churches mass is
celebrated every Sunday and other festivals, when the Sacrament
is offered to those who wish for it after they have been examined
and absolved” (AP XXIV); and, as our Lord says, “my mother and
my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke
8:21); and