Report of Floor Committee №2–1956
Proceedings of the Thirty-third Convention of the
Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States
Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin
August 21–23, 1956
Pages 73–75
REPORT OF FLOOR COMMITTEE NO. 2
(Church Union)
“In thee, o Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me, deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me. For thou are my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” Amen.
When our Synod at its Saginaw Convention resolved to hold a recessed convention in 1956, it did so, in part, to give The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod an opportunity to express itself on our Synod’s resolutions in its 1956 convention. Our Synod at the same time instructed its Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union to “evaluate any further developments in the ensuing year” and to present this evaluation to the nine Districts at their 1956 biennial conventions.
The Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union carried out its assignment and present edits report to the Districts of Synod and to this convention, and is of the conviction that our Synod ought not to close the door to further discussions at this time, but, while prayerfully awaiting the outcome of added efforts at attaining unity, hold the judgment of our Saginaw resolutions in abeyance.
We, the members of your Floor Committee on Church Union, approach this matter with holy awe, yes, with fear and trepidation, lest we violate the Word of God and lose the sure foundation on which alone the Lord builds His Church. After prayerful consideration of the evaluation of our Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union and “A Report of a Minority of the Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union, as Placed before the Standing Committee, Aug. 20, 1956,”and all other reports, memorials, and communications, we offer the following proposals.
I.
Even though we deplore the fact that the question of unionism and the controversial issues listed in our Synod’s 1953 resolutions in themselves still remain unresolved, yet
WHEREAS, The resolution of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, declining membership in the Lutheran World Federation, is an excellent statement of Scriptural principle and policy, and lays a better basis for a discussion of the principles of church fellowship and their application; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod resolved “that hereafter the Common Confession (Parts I and II) be not regarded or employed as a functioning basic document toward the establishment of altar and pulpit fellowships with other church bodies”; and
WHEREAS, We understand this to mean that thereby The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s1950 resolutions concerning the Common Confession have been set aside (Wisconsin Synod Proceedings, 1951, page 117, Resolution №14, the first and third Resolved); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod recommended that committees preparing future doctrinal statements take note of the suggestion to make fuller use of antithetic statements; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod gratefully acknowledges “every fraternal expression of concern and guidance in matters of doctrine and practice” from brethren in the Synodical Conference; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That we concur in the suggestion of our Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union to “hold the judgment of our Saginaw resolutions in abeyance” until our next convention; and be it further
RESOLVED, That our Standing Committee on Matters of Church Union continue to evaluate any further developments in these matters.
II.
WHEREAS, We are not ready to stand committed to the contention “That the Common Confession, one document composed of Parts I and II, be recognized as a statement in harmony with the Sacred Scriptures and the Confessions,” inasmuch as the document failed to settle the doctrinal controversies which the Church was assured had been settled by it; and
WHEREAS, We deplore the specific resolutions which our sister synod passed on the issues of Scouting and military chaplaincy; its stand on prayer fellowship; and the fact that several other issues were not acted upon at all, e.g., the communion agreement with the National Lutheran Council; be it
RESOLVED, That our fellowship with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod be one of vigorously protesting fellowship to be practiced where necessary in the light of II Thessalonians 3:14and 15: “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
III.
BE IT RESOLVED, That our Synod take part in the suggested conclave of theologians and take immediate steps to help arrange such a gathering of theologians and to allow for a full discussion of all unresolved issues; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Praesidium and/or the Standing Committee on Church Union be authorized to make arrangements that the issues which disturb the unity of the Synodical Conference be thoroughly discussed and considered on the basis of God’s Word; and be it finally RESOLVED, That our representative work in close cooperation with our brethren of the Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church, which fully shares our doctrinal position.
CONRAD FREY, Chairman ADOLPH C. BUENGER, Secretary
Pastors: Prof. Conrad Frey, Adolph C. Buenger, Paul F. Nolting, E. H. Roth (abstained from voting), Prof. Armin Scheutze, George Frey (abstained from voting), Alfred Schewe, Walter A. Diehl
Laymen: O. L. Bakkorm, Omar R. Roblie, John Suess, Eugene A. Johnson, Lyle Marotz, Willis Danekas, Arnold Omness, Myron Nelson
Teachers: Werner Roekle, Arnold J. Lober, Harold W. Goede, Arthur Glende
Action by the Convention: The report was adopted by a roll call vote of 108 “yes” votes to 19“no” votes. Thirty-nine delegates either abstained from voting or were absent at the time of the rollcall. Six of these filed statements with the secretary in advance of the vote on the Floor Committee report stating that they endorsed the report of the committee. Four advisory delegates asked that their names be recorded in protest against the adoption of the report.
The following supplementary resolution was adopted by the convention:
WHEREAS, Communications have been received from our brethren in Australia, Germany, the Norwegian Synod, and from others, in which a concern was expressed in regard to the synodical issues, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of Synod acknowledge these communications and inform the brethren of the action taken by this convention.
