LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 118

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118 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

WHEREAS. ELIM has made clear to all that they also have a
different doctrinal stance than The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod by its members’ repeated and public claim that they
will not be bound by the doctrinal resolutions of the Synod
(specifically New Orleans Resolutions 2-12, 3-01, 3-09, and
3-12A) and, for example, by ELIM’s Lenten service-rally in
St. Louis, March 7, 1974, when those present without dissent
voted to “support the theology and goals expressed by the
faculty majority’? which now constitutes the Seminex project,
and whose theological position was declared to be “false doc-
trine”’ by the above-named 3-09, adopted by the New Orleans
1973 convention; and

WHEREAS, ELIM propagandizes for its false doctrines
through a well-organized opposition program of publications,
circuit meetings, home coffees, letter campaigns, tapes, a tele-
phone network, and a speaker's bureau: and

WHEREAS. These activities and public stands place the
ELIM organization in opposition to the purpose, goals, and
theology of our beloved Synod: and

WHEREAS, These activities and pronouncements place them
in the position of charging the Synod with officially teaching
false doctrine: and

WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has in
the past broken off fellowship with members who have in effect
accused the Synod of false doctrine in at least two instances:

1. In a controversy over the doctrine of the millennium from
1855 to 1857 the Synod adopted a statement condemning the
doctrine of millennialism and then added the judgment: “The
Synod has ascertained that Pastor Schieferdecker no longer
stands in the same confession of faith with it, and therefore
it is compelled to sever the synodical fellowship with him”
(Missouri Synod Proceedings. 1857. p. 47): and

2. In the Predestinarian Controversy in 1881 the Synod took
the position that those who voted no in answer to the question,
“Does the Synod acknowledge the position of the doctrine of
predestination as presented in the Thirteen Theses just read
as the doctrine of the Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Con-
fessions?”’ as having accused the Synod of false doctrine and
resolved: ‘‘As long as they do not honestly repent ... there can
be no talk of further cooperation or walking together” (Missouri
Synod Proceedings. 1881, pp. 42-43); and

WHEREAS, No solution to our doctrinal problems can ever be
expected as long as pastors, professors, teachers, missionaries,
and other servants of the Synod are permitted to belong to
such a theologically subversive organization and continue in
good standing as members of the Synod: therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod in
convention assembled ask ELIM to close its seminary, cease
Operating its opposition mission program, and dissolve itself:
and be it further

Resolved. That if this does not happen, the Synod declare
that it can no longer tolerate such an organization within its
midst if its doctrinal integrity is to be maintained: and be it
further

Resolved. That the Synod declare it can no longer walk to-
gether in fellowship with those who belong to or support ELIM
because of its continued opposition to our doctrinal position:
and be it further

Resolved. That all clergy and teacher members of the Synod
who belong to ELIM either cease their membership with ELIM
immediately or withdraw their membership with the Synod,
and that congregations who belong to or financially support
ELIM do likewise: and be it finally

Resolved. That clergy and teacher members of the Synod
along with their congregations be permitted to continue in the
Synod’s pension and welfare programs if they desire for doc-
trinal reasons to leave the Synod.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Rock Falls, Ill.

John Harden. Secretary

Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor

Identical or similar:
3-192B

Immanuel, Everett, Wash. R. H. Weiland

31934
To Deal with Problem of ELIM

WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod is a volun-
tary brotherhood of Christians who “agree” with one another
and are “united in the same mind and the same judgment” in
faith and doctrine (1 Cor. 1:10): and

WHEREAS. A certain group from within our Synod referred
to as Evangelical Lutherans in Mission (ELIM) has become a
serious source of doctrinal unrest and divisiveness in our midst
because of their honest doctrinal convictions that sharply differ
with those officially held by the Synod itself: and

WHEREAS, This group (ELIM) has, humanly speaking, every
right to its own convictions—but not within the voluntary
brotherhood of this Synod: therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
hereby urgently plead with all its members who now belong to
Evangelical Lutherans in Mission to leave ELIM and be joyfully
reunited in faith and doctrine with The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod: and be it further

Resolved. That, should any member of ELIM find such a
course of action contrary to his conscience and convictions, he
be then most earnestly and sincerely invited to withdraw from
membership in The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, in
order that strife and unrest may be minimized and basic honesty
in doctrinal convictions may be upheld in the hearts of all.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

Bremen, Ind.

William E. Helmlinger, Chairman pro tem
Dan L. Miller. Secretary

Raymond A. Mueller, Pastor

Identical or similar:

3-193B

Bethlehem, Mahnomen, Minn. Harold Senkbeil

3-194
To Repudiate ELIM

WHEREAS, ELIM has become a ‘‘church within a church”
and has been declared such by the Synod’s Board of Directors:
and

WHEREAS. ELIM is increasingly assuming and supporting
some of the basic tasks and functions of a church, independent
of and separate from synodical guidance, supervision, advice,
and control; and

WHEREAS, ELIM has not requested permission from nor was
granted authority by the Synod’s Board of Directors to assume
and carry out such church functions and responsibilities, either
within or without the Synod: and

WHEREAS, This includes ELIM’s support of Seminex in
opposition to the Synod’s own seminary in St. Louis, and
ELIM’s support of its own mission program in opposition to
the Synod’s worldwide mission program, thus damaging and
undermining the Synod’s tasks in these two areas; and

WHEREAS, ELIM, in pledging almost three-fourths million
dollars in support of Seminex and its faculty, is supporting those
whose doctrinal stance is not in full agreement with Scriptures,
the Lutheran Confessions, nor the Synod’s doctrinal stance, as
repeatedly stated in numerous resolutions passed at synodical
conventions; and

WHEREAS, In offering their financial and moral support,
ELIM’s members are violating God’s clear command, which
forbids all believers to become partakers of other men's sins
(1 Tim. 5:22); and

WHEREAS, ELIM in some of its publications has gone so far
as to urge its members to consider withholding financial support
from the Synod, giving such support to ELIM instead; and

WHEREAS, ELIM has refused to help towards bringing about