77-1     Resolution on Inter-Lutheran Fellowship

Background

In its convention in July, 1977, at Dallas, Texas, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LC-MS) officially declared itself to be in a state of “protesting fellowship” with the American Lutheran Church (ALC), with which it has been in fellowship since 1969.

The LC-MS has never declared itself to be in fellowship with the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), but the ALC, LCA and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) consider themselves in fellowship with all Lutheran bodies which subscribe to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. Lutheran Student Movement—USA (LSM-USA) has historically been an inter-Lutheran organization, extending across synodical lines and encouraging and reaffirming fellowship between members of all Lutheran synods, especially as shown at the 1976 LSM-USA national conference, at which the Position Paper on Lutheran Unity, number 76-10, was adopted.

Be It Resolved That,

1)         The 8^th annual conference of LSM-USA publicly and officially oppose the LC-MS declaration of a state of protesting fellowship with the ALC, and reaffirm its desire to fully support inter-Lutheran fellowship as it has been practiced and to enlarge fellowship wherever possible.

2)         The Legislative Assembly calls upon the National Council of LSM—USA to send a copy of this resolution accompanied by a cover letter to the President of each of the four synods and to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the LC-MS and the appropriate judicatory agencies of the other three synods.

Actions Taken

+          A general cover letter and a copy of all the resolutions and position papers were sent to the president of each of the four Lutheran church bodies, thereby fulfilling the requirements of this resolution.

+          A cover latter and a copy of the resolution was also sent to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the LC-MS. The response follows.

            … Your August 22 letter to Dr. Karl Barth and the enclosed resolution adopted by the Lutheran Student Movement last August were presented to the members of the Commission on Theology and Church relations at our recent meeting. Thank you for sharing a copy of this resolution with the Commission on Theology and Church Relations.

It is the prayer of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations that discussions which are scheduled to be held during the coming biennium with representatives from the American Lutheran Church will be productive and helpful in resolving doctrinal disagreements which exist between our church bodies…

                                                Samuel H. Nafzger

                                                Executive Secretary of the

                                                Commission on Theology and

                                                Church Relations

+          The following article appeared in the September 14, 1977 issue of THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY.

            Lutheran Students Dissent

            Delegates to the Lutheran Student Movement’s recent national conference “publicly and officially” opposed the decision of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to declare “fellowship in protest” with the American Lutheran Church. The resolution noted that since LSM’s founding in 1969, it has encouraged fellowship among all Lutherans. LSM is related to the Lutheran Council in the USA and draws members from the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

+          At local and regional events, students and staff from each of the church bodies and many other denominations continue to affirm together the fellowship that makes us one body in Christ.