Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1958, Page 41

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Lutheran Synodical Conference, :1958 41

it speaks and that through Scripture God speaks clearly to us
on all matters of faith and life;

2. that we declare our willingness without equivocation and
evasion to come to grips with all the issues that have arisen
between us;

3. that we declare our firm intention to expose and condemn all
matters contrary to the Word of God in doctrine and life with
the purpose of removing what is not in keeping with the Word
of God.

4. (adopted at a later meeting) that in this connection, and for ._
the foregoing reasons, we declare our conviction that a joint —
doctrinal statement needs to aim at nothing less than full
agreement in all matters of doctrine and in practice which is
based on such doctrine.

To approach this large and vital common task intelligently,
it was necessary to have a clear understanding of the precise
points. at issue in the various problems that have disturbed, and
are still disturbing, the unity of spirit within the Synodical Con-
ference. To this end the group committed itself to an exhaustive
study of the following six areas of theology:

. Scripture — Revelation, Principles of Interpretation

. Atonement and Justification ,

. Grace, Conversion, Election

. The Dynamic of the Christian Life — Scouting

. Church and Ministry — Fellowship, Unionism,
Separatism, Discipline, Military Chaplaincy

6. Eschatology — Antichrist

To facilitate discussion, these areas were combined into three,

as follows:

1. Atonement, Justification, and the dynamic, or motivating
power, for the Christian life, with practical application to the
question of Scouting.

2. Scripture (Revelation, Principles of Interpretation, Open Ques-
tions) and the practical application to the question of fulfill-
ment of Biblical prophecy in history, as, for example, in the
doctrine of Antichrist.

3. Grace, Conversion, Election, and Church and Ministry, with
practical application to questions of fellowship, unionism, sep-
aratism, church discipline, and the military chaplaincy.

Having established this program, the task of preparing special
studies on these topics was distributed among a number of sub-
committees composed of members from each synod. The procedure
in subsequent meetings was to present the views of each synod’s
representatives in a given area, to give exhaustive discussion to
the individual essays, to suggest changes and emendations, and
then to recommit the materials to the respective subcommittees
for the production of a single document on the question at issue
for the purpose of giving expression to a common consensus, or
agreement, of all constituent synods.

No less than five plenary meetings totalling fourteen days of
work have been conducted. Thus far areas-one .and two of the
above-listed three groups were thoroughly discussed. No. effort
was spared to come to an understanding of where we agree and

Tr WD