LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 461

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A LUTHERAN STANCE TOWARD ECUMENISM

regulations, Wherever programs of any kind are carried on jointly with
other church bodies under the auspices of a district. the district is held to
conduct such joint efforts strictly within the limits which the Synod his
set for itself. In sponsoring campus ministries. for instance. or partict
pating in programs operated by councils of churches within the bound-
aries of a synodical district. the district is responsible for regulating all
Participation in such endeavors in conformity with synodical policies

Circuits are administrative units into which w district divides itself,
As such. circuits and distriets are subject to the sume regulations

C. On the Congregational Level

When congregations become members of the Synod thes voluntarily
accept certain limitations of their autonomy, For the sake of good order
and the benefit of all. congregations consent to regulate the exercine of
their righty according to a compact freely entered into and mutually
accepted. Congregations. for instance. agree to be served only by such
pastors us have been certified for placement by the Synod’s seminary
faculties and who ure members of the Synod. Similarly. congregations
agree that they will practice fellowship only with those congregations
which belong to a church body with which the Synod is in fellow ship
Once such an agreement has been made. confusion and disorder result
when congregations act independently by practicing selective fellow ship
The Synod has. therefore. on several occasions stated its posinen on
selective fellowship. Key sentences from a resolution adopted in 196Y
give the Synod’s position

WHEREAS. The members of Phe Lutheran € hurch— Missourt
Synod have voluntarily united in a fraternal agreement to determine
fellowship relations with other church bodies or congregations, net
individually but through consenuion avtlon tHundhook | 2d)

Resolved That the Synod urge all ity members to homer their
fraternal agreement with all members of the Synod by refraining from
prastioing altar and pulpit fellowship with congregations of church
bodies with whom the Synod has not yet declared fellow ship.®

D. On the Individual Levet

1. In the exercise of their office pastors will follow synodical policy
Except in emergency situations and in such cases where their action
cannot rightfully be construed as disregard for pure doctrine. for the
responsibilities of their office. or for the concerns of their brethren in the
ministry. pastors will ordinarily commune only those individuals whe are
members of the Synod or of a Lutheran church body with which the
Synod is in fellowship. Pastors will not participate in joint worship
services with pastors of denominations with which the Synod hay not
established fellow ship relations. When pastors affiliate with ministerial
alliances or associations, they will participate in such activities and

1s

APPENDIX
Resolutions on Fellowship

1968 Resolution 2-16

WHEAFAS. The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod has a well-established
policy on joint worship services on the basis of the Holy Semptures and the
Lutheran Confessions (cf. Proceedines. 1941. p. 303), therefore be it

Resolved. That no joint worship services be held with those with whom we
have not established pulpit und altar fellowship, and be it further

Resolved. That where a problem of cusuistry exists in the urea of pulpit and
altar fellowship. no judgment be voiced against a pastor or congregation without
personal. Traternal confrontation and without ascertaining all the facts involved
Proceedings of the Forty-Sixth Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod. Detroit. 1968, pp. 97-98)

1967 Resolution 2-19

WHEREAS. Clarification regarding the administration and reception uf Hols
Communion has been requested, with particular reference tu Lutherans of other
synods not now in fellowship with us: and

WHEREAS, The principle of “close Communion” requires that only those
who are in altar fellowship celebrate and partake of the Lord's Supper with each
other, and

WHEREAS. The celebration and reception of Holy Communion not only
implies but is a confession of the unity of faith, therefore be it

Resolved. That pasturs and congregations of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod, except in situations of emergency and in special cases of pastoral
care. commune individuals of only those Lutheran synods which ure now in
fellowship with us. (Proceedinus of the Forty-Seventh Regular Convention of
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. New York. 1967, p.93)

1967 Resolution 2-18

A. WHEREAS. On the one hand. the congregations and members of the
Synod join in renouncing unionism and syncretism of every description. such as
a. Serving congregations of mixed confession. as such. by ministers

of the church:
b. Taking part in the services and sacramental ntes of heterodox
congregations or of congregations of mixed confession. (Constitution of
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. Article V1.2. a. bh: therefore be 1

Resolved, That we refrain from selective pulpit fellow ship with “heterodox
congregations or congregations of mixed confession”. and

B. WuHereAS. On the other hand. all congregations and members of the
Synod have voluntarily united for “the conservation and promotion of the unity
of the true faith (Eph. 4:3-6: 1 Cor. 1:10) and a united defense against schism
and sectaniansim tRom. 16:17)" top. cit. Article HID. th and

WHEREAS, Efforts are accordingly now being made within Lutheranism to
enter into fellowship on the basis of Scripture and the Confessions. and this
fellowship ought not be endangered by anticipating it. and

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service opportunities as do not imply ecclesiastical fellowship where it
does not yet exist.

2. Lay people will ordinarily worship only with congregations of
The Lutheran Church—Missoun Synod or with congregations which
belong to church bodies who are in fellowship with the LCMS. Where
opportunities for dialogue or for cooperation in externals present them-
selves, lay people will join in such activities according to the policies and
principles adopted by the Synod.

NOTES

\. For a discussion of the way the Christian church has dealt with the question of fellow-
ship throughout its history. see the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
report "Theology of Fellowship.” Available from Concordia Publishing House. this
report was included in the 1967 Convention Workbook. pp. 365-392.

Gleorge] Stoeckhardt, Commentary on St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, trans. Marun

S. Sommer (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 1982), p. 179

3. "The unity of the church funitus ecclesiae/ 1s carefully differentiated from the organiza-
tional integrity of the church ‘commums integritas ecclesiae) and harmony in the church
(concordia. carttas. tranquillitas in ecclesia) The use of Einigkeit in the German Book
of Concord for both unitas and concordia has obscured this differentiation. although
even here the genitive der Kirche is used where Einigkeit means unisas and the preposi-
tional phrase in der Kirche is used where Einigkeit means concordia or its synonyms.”
A.C. Piepkorn, “What the Symbols Have to Say About the Church,” Concordia
Theological Monthly, XXV1 (October 1955), 750.

4. E. George Pearce, “Factors in Lutheran Unity.” Concordia Theological Monthly

XXV (October 1954), 736

S$ Handbook of The Lutheran Church—Missoun Synod, Bylaw 3.07.

6 Proceedings of the Forty-Eighth Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Svnod. Denver. 1969, Resolution 3-18. p. 101. See Appendix for additional
resolutions of the Synod relative to selective fellowship

rm

WHEREAS. The practice of selective pulpit fellow ship «ould create problems
and disharmony in the Synod: therefore be it

Resoived That we respectfully urge members of the Synod to refrain from
selective pulpit fellowship with Lutherans notin fellowship with us (Proceedinys
of the Forty Seventh Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church = Missouri
Synod New York. 1967 p 92h

1969 Resotution 318

WHEREAS. The members of The lutheran Church — Missouri Synod have
voluntarily united in a fraternal agreement to determine fellowship relations
with other church bodies or congregations. not individually but through con.
vention action (Hundbook |.21h and

WHEREAS, The Synod has urged all its members (o refrain from exercising
local congregational option in regard to fellow ship tof 1967 Convention Proc eed:
ings, Res. 2-1K. p. 920, und

WHEREAS. The Commission on Theology and Church Relations 1s presently
Preparing a report of its study of ail aspects of interchurch relauons: therefore
be it

Resolved That the Synod urge ull its members to honor their fraternal
agreement with all members of the Synod by refraining from practicing altar and
pulpit fellow ship with congregations of church bodies with whom the Synod has
not yet declared fellowship. (Proceedinys of the Forty-Etvhth Revular Con
vention of The Lutheran Church = Missourt Synod Denver. 1969. p. 101)

1971 Resolution 311

WHEREAS. There 1s a continued concern in the matter of selective fellow:
ship: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Synod request. through its President. the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations. the Commission on Mission and Ministry
and the Commission on Constitutional Matters to make a thorough study of
selective fellowship. that ts. the possibilities of its member congregations prac-
ticing fellowship with such congregations as they find are in confessional agree-
ment with them. and to make recommendations to the 1973 convention regarding
such fellowship. and be it also

*Resulved. Thatin the interim we reaffirm Resolution 3-18 of the Denver con-
vention regarding selective fellowship (1969 Proceedinus. p. 101). (Proc ceedings
of the Forts-Ninth Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod. Milwaukee. 1971. pp. 132-133)

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