Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1975 · 51st Convention › Page 133
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 133

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

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 133

Resolved, That, if these fraternal warnings are not heeded, that
we explain to them firmly, but in love, that The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod cannot continue to remain in fellowship with them
and support them if they continue to hold membership in the LWF:
and be it finally

Resolved. That the Synod require all missions and missionaries
still supported by The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod to break
their ties with the LWF wherever they exist unless the cooperation
is clearly in areas that do not constitute unionism, but only in external
matters, so that the practice on the mission fields of the Synod is
brought into conformity with the position of the Synod.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Rock Falls, Ill.

Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor

John Harden, Secretary

Identical or similar:

3-246B to 3-246D

Calvary, Seattle, Wash.
Messiah, Sterling, II.
Trinity, New Haven, Mo.

John Falk
Eldor Mueller
Orville Meyer

3-247

To Decline Affiliation with Lutheran
World Federation

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has
refused in the past to affiliate with the Lutheran World Federa-
tion for doctrinal reasons, e. g., the lodge issue, ordination of
women, ecumenism, a different theological commitment; and

WHEREAS, Nothing has changed in the last biennium to alter
our decision; therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod again
decline affiliation with the Lutheran World Federation.

St. John’s Lutheran Church
Horicon, Wis.

Bernard Krueger, Secretary
Donald E. Heck, Pastor

3-248A

To Reject Petitions for Membership
in World Council of Churches

WHEREAS, The petition for The Lutheran Church-— Missouri
Synod to join the WCC has repeatedly been heard and memo-
rials have been read at conventions fostering such a union; and

WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church is already an
active member in the WCC and this obviously involves The
Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, as we have accepted its
offer of fellowship; and

WHEREAS, The WCC has been following a line of political and
social concern, rather than identification with the purpose for
which God has established the church (Matt. 28:19-20); and

WHEREAS, The ecumenical involvement of the WCC has its
goal set only on an organic union on a massive scale, involving
all churches. This would be in violation of the Scriptural injunc-
tion against unionism, compromising the Word of God (1 Tim.
6:3-5; Matt. 7:15); and

WHEREAS, Strong movements in many Protestant denomina-
tions are even now calling for their respective denominations to
withdraw from the WCC for the above-mentioned reasons, and
our entry into the WCC would only help the cause of liberalism
and further distress those who are seeking the truth of God’s
Word; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod in
convention assembled at Anaheim reject any and all overtures
to identify with the World Council of Churches.

Calvary Lutheran Church
Seattle, Wash.

Carroll E. Cooper, President
Karl J. Jaech, Secretary
John F. Falk, Pastor

Identical or similar:

3-248B and 3-248C

Messiah, Sterling, Ill.
St. Paul’s, Harvard, IIl.

Eldor Mueller
David Behling

3-249A

To Deny Petitions for Membership
in National Council of Churches

WHEREAS, There are those in our Synod who have for years
been advocating Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod member-
ship in the NCC both orally and in written form at conferences
and conventions of the church; and

WHEREAS, The American Lutheran Church has merely
deferred action on proposals to join the NCC out of deference
to concerns still being voiced by some of her people but ap-
parently expects to sidestep or overrule these concerns in short
order and could therefore involve the LCMS in further un-
Lutheran and anti-Scriptural commitments since it has in error
accepted the invitation to join The ALC in pulpit and alter
fellowship; and

WHEREAS. The NCC embraces in its fellowship many church
bodies poles apart from us in loyal commitment to the inerrant
Word of God; and

WHEREAS, We now have and shall continue to have within
our own communion full-time responsibility in contending for
the truth within our Synod and in the resolution of the divisions
created by the liberal church within our church as well as by
the liberal Synod within our Synod: and

WHEREAS, Christian people, totally committed to the Word of
God and the rule of Christ in the hearts and lives of men, would
be cheered mightily by a decision of the LCMS unequivocally
and decisively to reject any and all involvements with the anti-
Christian and modernistic NCC; therefore be it

Resolved. That the LCMS, in convention assembled in
Anaheim, declare itself completely out of harmony with an in
Biblical opposition to the NCC: and be it further

Resolved. That we register the seriousness of our protest by
withdrawing any, all, and sundry commitments we may have in
official and/or unofficial association with the NCC as now
constituted.

Messiah Ev. Lutheran Church
Sterling, Ill.

Harold Nelson, Secretary
Eldor Mueller, Pastor

Identical or similar:

3-249B

Calvary, Seattle, Wash. John Falk

3-250

To Initiate Action to Resume
Fellowship with Wisconsin Ev.
Lutheran Synod and Evangelical
Lutheran Synod

WHEREAS, The Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod and the Ev.
Lutheran Synod discontinued fellowship with The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod for reasons they found compelling; and

WHEREAS. The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod has had
no continuing dialog about outstanding doctrinal differences
with these, our former brethren in fellowship, since the time the
break occurred: and

WHEREAS, It is neither in accordance with God's will nor in
the interest of our Synod that those with whom we have had
fraternal relations for 100 years should now become strangers
to us; therefore be it