Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 136

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

136 Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

WuerEas, Our Committee further recommends (Reports and Me-
morials, p. 440) that “a Committee on Doctrinal Unity be again appointed
in the manner prescribed by the regulations of Synod, to serve as steering
committee and clearinghouse”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the recommendations of the Committee be accepted;
and be it further ;

Resolved, That every effort be made to hold the suggested meetings
for the purpose mentioned; and be it further

Resolved, That a Committee on Doctrinal Unity be again appointed,
in a manner prescribed by the regulations of Synod, to serve as our
steering committee and clearinghouse for all questions with regard to
the “Common. Confession” or any other aspect of the matters of fellow-
ship between the two church bodies.

Resolution 16

Wuereas, The Constitution of the Synodical Conference provides that
fellowship with another church body cannot be established by any one
of its constituent synods without the consent of every synod in the Synod-
ical Conference; and

‘Wuereas, The American Lutheran Church already in 1938 declared
itself ready to place the agreement reached with the Missouri Synod
before its sister synods for approval and acceptance; therefore be it

Resolved, That we request our President to place this matter before
the Synodical Conference in order to secure the consent of the constituent
synods to the course of action outlined in these resolutions; and be it
further

Resolved, That our President inform the President of the American
Lutheran Church of our action and request him, if the convention of the
American Lutheran Church takes favorable action on the “Common
Confession,” to place the agreement reached with us before its sister
synods for approval and acceptance.

Resolution 17

Wuereas, Several steps remain to be taken before church fellowship
can be established between us and the American Lutheran Church, as
outlined in the foregoing resolutions; therefore be it |

Resolved, That when by the grace of God everything necessary for
fellowship has been accomplished, this fact is to be announced officially
by the President of Synod. Until then no action is to be taken by any
member of Synod which would overlook the fact that we are not yet
united.

(Cf. Proceedings of the Forty-First Regular Convention, pp. 585—587.)

These resolutions are brought to the attention of the Synodical
Conference in accordance with Article V of its Constitution: “With-
out the consent of all the synods of the Synodical Conference of
North America none of its constituent synods shall be permitted to
enter into an actual church fellowship with any other body.”

We recommend that the convention refer the Common Confes-
sion, with the resolutions of the Missouri Synod pertaining to it, to
the constituent synods of the Synodical Conference for considera-
tion and action.

Action by the convention: The convention adopted the com-
mittee’s recommendation.

As regards the differences that have arisen and that are threat-
ening the unity of spirit in our Synodical Conference, we recom-