Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 128

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128 Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

“In view of the grave implications of the particular problems
which had been assigned to this Interim Committee,

“We find ourselves constrained to make the following declara-
tion in behalf of our Wisconsin Synod:

“1 We hold that in matters of such importance our Synod
should have had the right to name its own representatives, and to
name them by any method which in its own judgment it may deem
advisable.

“2 In order to prevent further delay in this important matter
we accept the provisions made by the resolution of the convention
for the appointing of advisory members who are to appear before
this committee, provided it be clearly understood that these ad-
visory members shall be admitted to all, even to the executive
sessions of this Interim Committee.” (Proceedings of the 40th Con-
vention of the Ev. Lutheran Synodical Conference of North Amer-
ica, assembled at Concordia College, Milwaukee, Wis., August 3—6,
1948, page 144.) .

The Committee on Intersynodical Relations finds that there
is some justification for the declaration of the Standing Committee
on Church Union (Wisconsin Synod). However, in view of the fact
that even under the proposal of the Standing Committee on Church
Union (Wisconsin Synod) other complications would arise, the
representatives of the Wisconsin Synod declared themselves satis-
fied that the Interim Committee as constituted continue its work
and that the Interim Committee be asked to publish betimes the
date and place of its meetings, making it possible for interested
parties to attend and present their views.

2. Re UNIONISM

Acting upon a request that came to our committee to define
unionism, the following statements were adopted and are hereby
submitted to the Synodical Conference::

What Is Unionism?

We are convinced that Scripture’s answer to this question is
fully expressed in the pertinent paragraph of the Brief Statement
of the Missouri Synod. Since this expression concerning unionism
is not only familiar to all of us, but also has been regarded as cor-
rect and acceptable, we feel that it would be most serviceable as
a basis for our present study. To this end we quote: “We repudiate
unionism, that is, church fellowship with the adherents of false
doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions
in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9—10, and as involving the con-
stant danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21.”
Since this very assignment arose out of a feeling that we might
not have a common understanding of all the terms in this well-
known statement on unionism, we wish to proceed by pointing
out the Scriptural truths underlying its various parts.

Church Fellowship

In keeping with Scripture the term “church fellowship” is used
in this definition of unionism as a unit thought, without any distinc-
tions being drawn as to its various forms of expression in common