Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2026 · 69th Convention, Phoenix › Page 7

LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 7

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Wayne (CTSFW) Confessions Symposium, Dr. Shaw delivered the
essay “The Lutheran World Federation Today: Missio Dei, Imago
Dei and the Ongoing Reformation.” The essay was subsequently
expanded and published by the LCMS, with a preface by President
Harrison and an appendix by the CTCR. The volume is currently
being used as a study tool to assist the nine LCMS sister churches
who have not yet left the LWF.3

Ecclesiology, Fellowship, and the Nordic-Baltic-Russian
Churches
In 2023, 2024, and 2025, CR led a number of theological dialogues among the Baltic-Nordic-Russian churches and conducted
many personal visits that examined the doctrines of fellowship and
ecclesiology. Two views of fellowship emerged: (1) that church fellowship is officially recognized based on agreement in the doctrine
of the Gospel in all its articles, i.e., in all doctrine, pointing to and
flowing from the Gospel (the LCMS and Book of Concord view),
and (2) that church fellowship may be assumed and practiced where
the Gospel is preached, Sacraments are administered according to
Christ’s institution, historic liturgy is in use, and no impediments of
scandalous doctrine or practice are known (the view of the Church
of Sweden and, in some cases, of certain Baltic, Nordic, and Russian churches).
These two views of fellowship interlock with two views of ecclesiology: (1) that all pastors equally possess the same divine office,
call, and ordination from above (from God by His Word in Christ)
and from below (administered according to the will and call of the
people), and (2) that the Book of Concord preference is for episcopal (bishop) structure and that apostolic succession of both hand and
doctrine is to be preferred, where possible. In extreme cases of the
second view, bishops can understand their apostolic succession so
as to justify (a) fellowship with non-Lutherans, and (b) ordination
of non-Lutherans or of different orders of clergy in the backyard of
LCMS sister churches without local ecclesiastical consent.
In the last triennium and to their credit, many LCMS sister and
associate churches have been involved in these discussions: Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (LELB), Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Lithuania (LELB), Lutheran Church in Norway and Iceland (LKNI), Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway (DELSiN),
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (ELCIR), Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC), Mission Province in Sweden (MPS),
and the LCMS. These are serious discussions. CR is planning a
related International Church Relations Forum (ICRF) for all our
European sister and associate church body bishops and presidents
in the fall of 2026.

Italy
In May of 2025, Dr. Shaw participated in a Lutheran symposium
in Rome. Following the conference, two LCMS-trained Italian students were ordained by Bishop Juhana Pohjola (ELMDF) for the
work of growing a confessional Lutheran church in Italy.

The German Independent Evangelical Lutheran
Church/Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche
(SELK)
Women’s ordination (WO) continues to present a challenge to
the SELK. The June 2025 General Pastors’ Conference voted not to
implement WO in SELK now, but instead to honor the position of
those who advocate for it. Thirty-two pastors signed an open letter
in favor of WO. At the September 2025 national church conven-

tion, a synodical commission was appointed to deal with legal and
organizational issues and the consequences of possible separation
paths. Most SELK congregations cherish ecclesiastical unity over
condemning WO as false doctrine and practice.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (LELB)
On Aug. 28, 2025, LELB Archbishop Jānis Vanags retired as the
longest-serving bishop in Europe. Thanks be to God for his decades
of confessional Lutheran service and leadership, from the days of
Communism through the turmoil of WO to this day. Dr. Shaw represented President Harrison at the retirement and as Bishop Rinalds
Grants was installed as archbishop the following day. Numerous
LCMS clergy were present for both events. In October of 2025, Dr.
Shaw and Rev. Krikava conducted theological meetings on ecclesiology and fellowship with Archbishop Grants, LELB CR Director
Andris Kraulins, and Bishop Hanss Jensons.

Confessional Lutheranism in Poland
Confessional Lutherans in Poland and Europe gathered for
a conference, “Lutheran Confessionalism and Unionism,” Oct.
13–15, 2025, in Kraków, to commemorate the 500th anniversary
of Lutheranism in Poland. Sponsored by OIM Europe, Regional
Director Dr. David Preus chose the location based on the Lutheran
Church of Poland’s adoption of WO and an LGBTQ agenda. Polish
confessional Lutherans have rejected these changes and are seeking
LCMS help to start a new church. At the conference with many
scholars, Dr. K. Detlev Schulz spoke on Hermann Sasse’s experience with unionism, and Dr. Shaw spoke on the meaning of church
fellowship. Rev. Krikava, who had previously contacted the Book
of Concord Polish Lutherans during his service as OIM Europe regional director, participated in a roundtable discussion of charting
the course from unionism to Luther’s understanding of the faith.

Mission Province in Sweden (MPS)
From Oct. 17–19, 2025, Dr. Preus and Rev. Krikava traveled to
Gothenburg, Sweden, for the ordination of OIM-sponsored STM
student Sahar Sadlovsky, soon to become a missionary in Tel Aviv,
Israel. During the weekend-long event, Dr. Preus and Rev. Krikava
met with MPS Bishop Bengt Ådahl and his representatives. The
dialogue focused on five theological points that had been raised in
CR fellowship dialogues in 2023 and 2024: (1) the MPS’s understanding of the authority and role of Holy Scripture in matters of
doctrine, faith, and church life; (2) their understanding of episcopal
polity and apostolic succession; (3) their relation to the Church of
Sweden; (4) their doctrine and practice of church fellowship; and
(5) their doctrine and practice of closed Communion. The discussion will continue at a broader CR fellowship dialogue during the
2026 Symposia Week at CTSFW. The MPS shares altar and pulpit
fellowship with the ELMDF in Finland (an LCMS sister church)
and DELSiN in Norway (an LCMS associate church).

Old Latin School, Wittenberg, Germany—Tour and
Support
From Aug. 23 to Sept. 5, 2024, President Harrison and CR staff
led their second Lutherland–Beautiful Germany–Wittenberg–Old
Latin School (OLS) tour. Dr. Wilhelm Weber, director of the OLS
Latin School, joined President Harrison and Dr. Shaw in providing historical, theological, and cultural insights. The tour ventured
from the Alps to Heidelberg, from Worms and the Rhine to Eisenach and Wartburg, to Wittenberg. The tour raised $45,000 to support the OLS! Another tour is scheduled for June 1–16, 2027: email
georgia.endicott@lcms.org for the details!
2026 Convention Workbook