LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 435

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

Resolved, That the Synod endorse plans to hold an-
other International Lutheran Theological Conference
and encourage the Board of Directors to provide funds
for this purpose.

To Declare Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with the Independent Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Germany

RESOLUTION 2-31
Report 2-01, H, B (CW, p.34)

Wuereas, Three Lutheran Free churches in Germany
formed the new Selbstandige Evangelisch-Lutherische
Kirche (Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church) in
1972; and

Wuereas, The Synod has for many years enjoyed al-
tar and pulpit fellowship with these three Lutheran
Free churches; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in gratitude to God offi-
cially declare itself to be in altar and pulpit fellowship
with the Selbstandige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche,
thereby continuing the fellowship it has enjoyed for
many years with the member bodies of the new church.

To Retain Synod’s Position
on Selective Fellowship

RESOLUTION 2-32

Report 2-01 (CW, p. 36, “Selective Fellowship”); Report
of CMMC (CW, p. 184, B, 3); Overtures 2-151A through
2-152F, 2-170 (CW, pp. 90—91, 96)

Wuereas, Resolution 3-11 of the 1971 synodical con-
vention requested the President of the Synod. the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations, the Com-
mission on Mission and Ministry. and the Commission
on Constitutional Matters “to make a thorough study of
selective fellowship, that is, the possibilities of its mem~-
ber congregations practicing fellowship with such con-
gregations as they find aré in confessional agreement
with them, and to make recommendations to the 1973
convention regarding such fellowship: and

Wuereas, The President of the Synod asked the
CTCR to assume primary responsibility for the study of
selective fellowship in consultation with the other
commissions named in the resolution; and

Wuereas, The CTCR’s report on this study is in-
complete and is therefore not ready for submission to
the Synod at this time: therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod abide by the resolution
adopted at the Denver conyention, namely “that the
Synod urge all its members to honor their fraternal
agreement with all members of the Synod by refraining
from practicing altar and pulpit fellowship with con-
gregations of church bodies with whom the Synod has
not yet declared fellowship” (Denver Proceedings, Reso-
lution 3-18, page 101): and be it further

Resolved, That the CTCR be urged to complete its
study at an early date, taking into consideration the
CMMC study (cf. CW, p. 184) on this subject, and be
asked to make appropriate recommendations to the 1975
synodical convention.

To Coordinate Continuing Education
for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen

RESOLUTION 2-33
Report 2-01, Il, C, “Continuing Education” (CW, p. 37)

Wuereas, Continuing theological education is of vital
importance for the theological development of the pro-
fessional workers of the Synod; and

Wuereas, It is important that the laymen of the
Synod become more deeply involved in the study of
important theological questions: and

Wuereas, There is a need to coordinate the activities
of the various agencies of the Synod involved in this
area: and

Wuerreas, The Bylaws of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod assign the Cammission on Theology and
Church Relations the responsibility of “fostering and
providing for ongoing theological education through in-
stitutes, seminars, and other means’ (Bylaw 2.109 b 2
ee); therefore be it

Resolved, That the President of the Synod, in con-
sultation with the CTCR, provide for the coordination

REFERRED RESOLUTIONS

of the activities and programs of the various agencies
and institutions of the Synod in the area of continuing
theological education of pastors, teachers, and laymen.

To Study Issues of Human Sexuality
RESOLUTION 2-34
Overtures 2-69A, B (CW. p. 68)

Wuereas, Holy Scripture both commends to mankind
the blessings of sexual behavior and warns against its
abuse; and

Wuereas, There is need for study on the issues of
human sexuality; therefore be it

Resolved, That a study on human sexuality be made
by the Commission on Theology and Church Relations;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission share results of said
study with the membership of The Lutheran Church —-
Missouri Synod as a resource for study and discussion.

To Complete Study on the Mission
of the Church

RESOLUTION 2-35
Overtures 2-70 through 2-76 (CW. pp. 68—69)

Wuereas, The Mission Affirmations, adopted by the
Synod in 1965, have provided useful counsel to the
Synod toward fulfilment of her mission and ministry:
and

Wuereas, These same Affirmations have prompted
refleetion and inquiry also with respect to their clarity
and comprehensiveness as a statement for mission and
ministry; and

Wuereas, Recent developments in the theology of
missions pose new issues for consideration as the church
seeks to define and fulfill her mission to the contempo-
rary world: and

WuereaS, In response to the foregoing, the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations has begun
the preparation of a new and comprehensive statement
on the mission of the church (CW, p. 30): therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod urge the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations to continue and com-
plete its study, availing itself of the Mission Affirmations
as resources together with recent insights into the
theology of missions: and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations share its completed statement on the
mission of the church with members of the Synod.

To Commend the Document
“Gospel and Scripture”

RESOLUTION 2-36

Report 2-01, 1, A, “Gospel and Scripture”; Appendix
III, Z-01; Overture 2-107 (CW. pp. 429-—434, 78)

Wuereas, The Gospel is the center of Scripture and
the object of saving faith, and the Scriptures are the
source and norm of all theology: and

Wuereas, The question on the relationship between
Gospel and Scripture is a subject that has come under
extensive discussion and debate within Lutheranism:
and

Wuereas, The document “Gospel and Scripture,”
prepared by the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations, enunciates the proper relationship, purpose,
and use of Gospel and Scripture as confessed in the Lu-
theran Symbols; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod commend the position

paper entitled “Gospel and Scripture” to its members
for reference and guidance.

To Reaffirm the Synod's Position
Regarding Tri-Lutheran Campus Ministry

RESOLUTION 2.37
Overtures 2-98A through 2-101 (CW. pp. 75—77)

Wuereas. The 1969 synodical convention (Cf. Res.
2-26, 1969 Proceedings. p. 90) expressed the Synod’s
position that “joint sponsorship or participation in mat-
ters not directly affecting the Synod’s doctrinal position
(cooperation in externals) is not only possible but de-
sirable when this can be done without compromising
the faith or confession of the church (cf. “Theology of
Fellowship.” Part Three. C. 4): and

435

Wuereas, Members and agencies of the Synod are
presently participating with other Lutherans in many
such activities and programs at various levels of the
church's life: and

Wuereas. The members of the Synod have volun-
tarily united in a fraternal agreement to determine fel-
lowship relations.with other church bodies or congrega-
tions. not individually. but through convention action
(cf. Bylaw 1.21); and

Wuereas, The Synod has urged all its members to
refrain from exercising local option either on a District
or on a congregational level in regard to fellowship
(Res. 2-18, 1967 Proceedings. p. 92). and

Wuereas, Past conventions of the Synod have pro-
vided for consultative and coordinative planning with
other Lutherans on matters pertaining to campus min-
istries (cf. Res, 3-20, 1967 Proceedings. pp. 101—102; Res.
1-20, 1969 Proceedings, p. 82), but has not authorized
any activities that would violate the Synod’s fellowship
principles or its policies with regard to unionistic prac-
tices (cf. Constitution, Article VI): and

Wuereas. Our Synod has directed its Districts to ex-
ercise considerable leadership in the planning and de-
velopment of campus ministry programs, but has not
authorized its Districts to disregard any synodical fel-
lowship principles or policies: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod reiterate its desire for con-
sultative and coordinative planning with other Lu-
therans in the development of campus ministry pro-
grams: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its position that
the achievement of doctrinal agreement and the subse-
quent synodical establishment of fellowship must pre-
cede joint involvement with other Christians in matters
directly pertaining to the ministry of Word and Sacra-
ment or directly affecting the doctrinal position of the
Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod ask its Board for Missions
and its various District boards and officials responsible
for campus ministry programs to discharge their re-
sponsibilities with due regard for the distinction be-
tween such joint activities, funding, and administration
which can be carried out without the prior establish-
ment of fellowship (cooperation in externals) and those
which should properly follow the synodical establish-
ment of fellowship (cooperation in internals); and be it
further

Resolved, That the Synod’s Board for Missions ex-
amine the current campus ministry practices of all
synodical Districts in terms of the above distinction and
make recommendations to the 1975 synodical conven-
tion for any action which may be necessary to insure
that the Synod's fellowship principles and policies are
being observed: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod urge all those involved in
these matters to attempt to work out any differences of
interpretation or opinion about specific activities with
true Christian charity and fraternity, and with sincere
regard for the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and
be it finally

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations be urged to give the highest priority
to its present study of the Synod’s church relations poli-
cies and principles, and that this study include practical
guidelines for the implementation of the Synod’s church
relations policies in those areas of its work which may
be carried out jointly with other Christians.

To Repudiate the Historical Critical Method
of Interpreting Scripture

RESOLUTION 2-38
(Joint Resolution of Committees 2 and 3)

Report 2-01, I, “Historical Critical Method”; Appendix
HI, Z-01; Overtures 3-51 through 3-71 (CW, pp. 29—30,
130—138, 435—448) -

Wuereas. The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations has for many years given intensive study and
discussion to the problems raised by any use of the
Historical Critical Method in interpreting Scripture; and

Wuereas, Such study and discussion have clearly re-
vealed that inherent in the use of the Historical Critical
Method are presuppositions and procedures which (a)
deprecate the authority and truthfulness of the canoni-
cal text of Scripture, (b) distort the concept of Biblical