Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 192
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 192

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

192 SYNODICAL ADMINISTRATION

Whereas, These differences are openly acknowledged and
recognized by clergy and lay leaders alike in both “camps”;
and

Whereas, This controversy represents what appears to be
irreconcilable differences in theology and appears farther
from God-pleasing solution every day: and

Wuereas, These differences make the fulfillment of the
first object of Synod impossible, humanly speaking, without
one or the other side giving up what they believe to be clear
teachings of Scripture and the Confessions, and thus makes
the whole idea of a Synod as a “walking together” a mock-
ery; and

WHEREAS, The resulting controversy, including unchari-
table attacks upon many individuals, has caused serious
offense both within and without the church: and

Whereas, This controversy has therefore blunted our wit-
ness to a dying world and has kept us from fulfilling in
greater measure our glorious work of making disciples of
all nations; and

Wuereas, Many on either side who are disturbed hesitate
to sever their relations with our church for fear of being
schismatic; and

WHEREAS, A peaceful division of the Synod, which would
seem to be the logical solution of this tragic situation is
made almost impossible by the requirements of the Constitu-
tion of Synod itself and has been rejected by the Synod in
convention assembled at Denver in Resolution 5-06 as an
option for the Synod: therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
in convention assembled provide for the dissolution of the
Synod itself; and be it further

Resolved, That the New Orleans convention of the LCMS
establish a legal committee made up of the current Board
of Directors of the Synod and its legal counsel with the
power to oversee the property and assets of the Synod and
to make all legal decisions necessary for the division of said
property and assets, as well as the implementation of the
division of Synod itself: and be it further

Resolved, That this legal committee conduct a referendum
of the congregations of their confessional stands, so that they
might declare themselves publicly on the theology espoused
by the President of our Synod in A Statement of Scriptural
and Confessional Principles. whether it considers this as
truly Scriptural and Lutheran or un-Scriptural and un-
Lutheran; and be it further

Resolved, That the balloting be accomplished within 6
months of the final day of this convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the legal committee call two constituting
conventions for the purpose of establishing two new Synods
within one year of the final day of this convention and at-
tended respectively by one lay delegate and one pastoral
delegate from each eight congregations depending on their
vote in the referendum: and be it further

Resolved, That the Properties and assets of the Synod
be divided according to the results of this vote: and be it
further

Resolved, That all boards, faculties, and officers of the
institutions, Districts, and missions of Synod retain their
offices under the direction of the legal committee until the
constituting conventions of the new synods are completed;
and be it further

Resolved, That a legal structure be established which

would continue uninterrupted the Concordia Pension and

Resolved. That the name The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod be retained by that group representing the
majority of the church body: and be it finally

Resolved, That the President of Synod declare the Synod
dissolved with the establishment of the above named legal
committee and with the end of this convention.

Hoty Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH
Walnut, III.

Donald Steele, Chairman
Ronald Wolf, Secretary

4-16

To Determine Rights of Withdrawing
Congregations

WHEREAS, The serious differences in our church body
may cause divisions within our fellowship, and

Wuereas, The Lord wants our Christian dealings and
love in relation to our fellow believers to transcend any
political or theological divisions and differences; therefore
be it

Resolved, That a very fair evaluation be made as to the
rights of withdrawing Congregations from The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod, particularly in regard to reclaim-
ing Concordia Retirement and Concordia Welfare Plan pay-

Mt. Hore Lutueran CHURCH
Boulder, Colo.

Harold Reiss, Pastor
Michael A. Boomhower

To Recognize Mission Churches
Overseas as National Churches

Resolved, That the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
regard our mission churches abroad as_ national churches
with no lessening of synodical responsibility to provide
financial assistance.

REASONS:

1. Our overseas missions have shown that the Holy Spirit
has blessed them in their task of sharing the Gospel in their
respective nations,

2. They face problems and challenges indigenous to their
areas of mission and ministry,

3. The movement in the Synod urging that our overseas
missions become Districts of an international Synod would
be interpreted as a type of colonialism detested by peoples
of developing nations.

Boarp or Directors
ATLantic Disrricr
Arlin A, Maas, Secretary

4-18

To Encourage Non-U. S, A. Districts
to Form National Churches

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
in convention instruct its Districts outside the 50 states of
the United States of America to form their own church
bodies as quickly as possible,

REASONS:

1. Past experience indicates that the more quickly
churches indigenize, the more effective they become.

2. The longer churches outside the boundaries of the 50
states of the U.S.A. remain Districts of the LCMS, the more
dependent they will become and the less likely to pursue
their own independent path.

3. In some cases participation of Districts outside the 50
states of the U.S.A. in the life and work of the LCMS is
severely handicapped by language barriers (e.g., the Brazil
District and the Argentine District).

4. Problems faced by the LCMS in the 50 states of the
U.S.A. ought not to burden the Districts of the Synod out-
side the boundaries of the U.S.A.

5. A profound respect for the culture and history of Dis-
tricts of the LCMS outside the boundaries of the U.S.A,