Report of Floor Committe №2
(Report of the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union)
Precious Savior, Lord of the Church, grand us Thy Holy Spirit, the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom and peace. Keep our hearts firmly fixed on Thy Holy Word, that it may be a living fire in our hearts. Fill us with zeal so that our doctrine and practice will ever glorify Thee, the only true God and Head of the Church. Amen.
Preamble
For years our Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States has patiently admonished the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in the fear an love of God, seeking to win her from the path that leads to liberalism in doctrine and practice.
We of the Wisconsin Synod in our convention of 1953 with heavy hearts had to declare that the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod by reaffirming its acceptance of the Common confession and by its persistent adherence to its unionistic practices “has brought about the present break in relations that is now threatening the existence of the Synodical Conference and the continuance of our affiliation with the sister Synod.”
Without entering upon the question of whether the present charges of our Synod against the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod do not already constitute the accusation of false doctrine, we believe that it should be reiterated in no uncertain terms that a specific charge of false doctrine is not a Biblical prerequisite for separation from a church body. A church body which creates divisions and offenses by its official resolutions, policies, and practices not in accord with Scripture also becomes subject to the indictment of romans 16:17–18. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has by its official resolutions, policies, and practices created divisions and offenses both in her own body and in the entire Synodical Conference. Such divisions and offenses are of long standing. (Cf. Proceedings 1939 — p. 159; 1941 –p. 43f; 74ff; 1947 — p. 104ff; 114f; 1949 — p. 114ff; 1951 — p. 110ff; 1953 — p. 95ff.)
Moreover, Dr. John W. Behnken, President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, in two recent articles in “The Lutheran Witness” (July 19 and August 2, 1955) has intensified these divisions and offenses by attempting to justify the position of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod through bare declarations that its position is correct and the charges of our synod are false, without, at least up to this time, bringing the facts of the controversy into true focus. We do not wish to imply that this has been intentional, since that would involve a judgment on our part, but we do maintain that it has made more difficult the possibility of reaching Scriptural agreement on the issues that are dividing the two Synods.
In view of these facts your Floor Committee, together with the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union, affirms “our position that the Missouri Synod by ‘its acceptance of the Common Confession as a settlement of past differences, which are in fact not settled,’ and ‘by its persistent adherence to its unionistic practices (the Common Confession, joint prayer, Scouting, chaplaincy, communion agreement with the National Lutheran Council, cooperation with unorthodox church bodies in matters clearly not in the field of externals; negotiating with lodges and Boy Scouts of America with the plea that this gives opportunity to bear witness, and under the same plea taking part in unionistic religious programs and in the activities of unionistic church federations; negotiating for purposes of union with a church body whose official position it is that it is neither possible nor necessary to agree in all matters of doctrine and which contends for an allowable and wholesome latitude of theological opinion on the basis of the teaching of the Word of God)’ has brought about a break in relations, and that our Synod, bound by the Word of God, should now declare itself on the matter.” (Cf. Supplementary Report of the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union.)
RESOLUTIONS
Out of love for the truth of Scripture we feel constrained to present the following resolution to this convention for final action in a recessed session in 1956:
RESOLVED, that whereas the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has created divisions and offenses by its official resolutions, policies, and practices not in accord with Scripture, we, in obedience to the command of our Lord in Romans 16:17–18, terminate our fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
We recommend this course of action for the following reasons:
- This resolution has fare reaching spiritual consequences.
- This continues to heed the Scriptural exhortations to patience and forbearance in love by giving the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod opportunity to express itself in its 1956 convention.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Praesidium make the arrangements necessary for this recessed session.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that our Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union evaluate any further development in the ensuing year;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we ask the nine Districts of our Synod to postpone their 1956 biennial conventions so that this evaluation may be presented to these Districts, which are to meet according to a staggered schedule as arranged by the Conference of Presidents. It is to be understood that these Districts will meet prior to the recessed session of the Synod;
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod be informed of this action through the President of our Synod.
A CONFESSION OF FAITH
WHEREAS our correct Scriptural doctrine and practice has been laid down, defined, and defended in a multitude of articles, tracts, and resolutions;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we draw up for our mutual, spiritual growth an understanding, and as a testimony before the world, a single, concise confession of our doctrine and practice in theses and antitheses pertinent to present day controversies;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such a Confession of Faith be drawn up by a sub-committee appointed by the Conference of Presidents and working under the direction of our Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union.
ADOLPH C. BUENGER, Secretary
CONRAD FREY, Chairman
Pastors: Prof. Conrad Frey, Adolph C. Buenger, Paul F. Nolting, Harold E. Wicke, R. H. Roth, Prof. Armin Scheutze, George Frey, Alfred Schewe, Walter A. Diehl
Teachers: Werner Roekle, Arnold J. Lober, Harold W. Goede, Arthur Glende
Laymen: O. L. Bakkom, Omar R. Dobile, John Suess, Arthur Brandt, Eugene A. Johnson, Lyle Marotz, Willis Danekas, Roy E. Gibson, Arnold Omness
We, the undersigned members of the Floor Committee, although we are in full agreement with the Preamble and the resolution to terminate fellowship, are of the conviction that the reasons stated for delay do not warrant postponement of action upon the resolution.
We herewith register our dissenting vote.
Armin Scheutze, Werner Roekle, George Frey, Willis Danekas, Harold Goede, Paul Nolting
Action by the Convention: The Preamble of the Report of Floor Committee №2 was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Convention. The Resolution calling for a recessed session of the Convention in 1956 to take final action on the resolution to terminate fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod was adopted by a standing vote of 94 to 47. The matter of drawing up a Confession of Faith was referred to the General Synodical Committee for study and action. The entire report of Floor Committee №2 was adopted.
A resolution was adopted asking the President of our Synod to write a letter to the President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, to the President of the Norwegian Synod of the American Ev. Lutheran Church, to the President of the Slovak Ev. Lutheran Church, and to the President of the Synodical Conference detailing the position of our Synod and stating the matters in controversy.
The following delegates asked to have their names recorded in protest against the adoption of that portion of the resolution which calls for a final vote on the termination of fellowship in a recessed session of the Convention in 1956:
Voting Delegates: Pastors R. F. Bittorf, R. N. Baur, Egbert Albrecht, G. P. Eckert, Edwin Schmelzer, Theophil Hoffmann, Ivan H. Zarling, John H. Martin, Harry Weidmann, Roman Biesmann, J. B. Erhart, Gerhard Pieper, William Wiedenmeyer, Robert Dommer, Professor A. P. Sitz; Teachers Eldon C. Hirsch, E. Kirschke, Vernon Meyer, Lay deleates John Greenfield, Kurt Storm, WayneKellog, Robert J. Lewis, Roland Gurgel, Wm. Lindloff.
Advisory Delegates: Pastors Paul Albrecht, M. J. Witt, John Brenner, E. Schaller, J. C. Dahlke, T. R. Adaschek, H. Eckert, H. A. Birner, W. F. Sprengeler, Otto J. Eckert, H. Fritze, O. J. Siegler, Karl A. Gurgel, Chr. Albrecht; Professors E. Reim, P. Voss; Lay Delegates O. F. Neujahr, Herman Fennern, Dr. A. Westendorf.
