1956 Committee No. 2 Report (WELS)

Here is the Committee No. 2 Report on Church Union for the WELS. In the actual proceedings, it is prefaced by the "Report of the Standing Committee...", the "Supplementary Report of the Standing Committee...", and "Supplementary Information by the Standing Committee..."

Committee No. 2 Report, 1956 Convention of the WELS, Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin, August 21-23

Remember, in 1955 the WELS said that the LC-MS was guilty of causing division and offenses but wanted to wait until Missouri's 1956 convention to see how they would respond. The WELS Standing Committee on Matters of Church union recommends to "hold the judgment of the Saginaw resolutions in abeyance" and the Floor Committee No. 2 agrees. They also contend to have their relationship with the WELS be "one of vigorously protesting fellowship". What is this exactly?

1938 St. Louis Resolutions LC-MS

Also mentioned from time to time in this blog are the 1938 LC-MS St. Louis Resolutions. Here they are in their entirety. St. Louis Resolutions, Friday, June 24, 1938, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

1938 Sandusky Resolutions (ALC)

The Sandusky Resolutions have been referred to in WELS Convention Proceedings on this website. Here are the resolutions regarding their agreement with the Missouri Synod in total. ALC Sandusky Resolutions, 1938

1955 Edmund Reim Resignation

Edmund Reim was not only a professor (1940-1957) at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Thiensville, WI, he was also its president (1953-1957). He is one that signed a protest of the WELS delaying the action of 'avoiding' the LC-MS at their 1955 Convention. Because of this delaying, he resigned as secretary of the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union and also as a professor and president of the seminary. The convention reiterated their confidence in him in all three of these positions but he resigned as the secretary of the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union in 1955, and would later resign as both professor and president of the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Here is his 1955 letter to the convention, and the convention's response:

Saginaw, Michigan, August 17, 1955.

The Ev. Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States

Dear Brethren:

The decision of the Synod to continue its fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pending a vote to follow the convention of that body in 1956 (even while recognizing that there is full reason for a separation now) compels me to declare that I can continue in fellowship with my Synod only under clear and public protest. I hope and pray that the eventual decision concerning our relations with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod will be such as to remove the occasion for this protest.

I realize that under these conditions I can no longer serve as Secretary of our Synod's Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union. I therefore hereby resign this office with all its functions.

I also realize that this declarations raises the question concerning the value of my further services at the Seminary, since I cannot change my stand and teaching in order to conform to the synodical policy that has been laid down for the coming year. Because this is a question which is not for me to answer, I herewith put my resignation as president of our Seminary and as professor at the same, at the disposal of the Synod and its Board, to act on as it sees fit.

Assuring you that this action is taken in the fear of God, and only after much thought and prayer, even prior to our convention, I remain

Respectfully yours,

E. REIM

By unanimous vote the Convention reiterated the confidence of the Synod in Professor E. Reim as Secretary of the Standing Committee in Church Union and asked him to continue to serve in that position. In the same vote the Convention asked the Board of Control of the Theological Seminary not to accept the resignation of Professor E. Reim as professor and as president of the Theological Seminary.

(WELS 1955 Proceedings, p. 87-88)

1955 Report of Floor Committee No. 2 (WELS)

Report of Floor Committee No. 2 (WELS 1955 Proceedings, p. 84-87) Things to note while reading this report: 1. Paragraph 3 of the Preamble uses some very strong language with regard to divisions and offenses perpetuated by the LC-MS. They are of "long standing". 2. Paragraph 4 of the Preamble says that Dr. John W. Behnken, President of the LC-MS, has "intensified these divisions and offenses by attempting to justify the position of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod..." 3. The whole Preamble was adopted by a unanimous vote of the Convention, but the decision to terminate fellowship with the LC-MS was taken by a majority vote. One would think that if the whole convention decided in the Preamble that the LC-MS was guilty of divisions and offenses as defined by Romans 16:17-18, the next step would be to AVOID, and not wait and see what the LC-MS would do in 1956. There were a number of protesters who thought the same.

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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:

1. This resolution has fare reaching spiritual consequences.
2. 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.

1953 - Substitute Proposal...

At the 1953 convention, the WELS Floor Committee on Church Union found serious issues with the LC-MS in matters of unionism (chaplaincy, scouting, co-operation with unaffiliated church bodies in service centers, prayer fellowship). The committee agreed that the LC-MS has "brought about the present break in relations that is now threatening the existence of the Synodical Conference" and thus approved a protest. Not that the WELS was disavowing fellowship, but that they were awaiting a decision by LC-MS (1953 Proceedings, page 104).

One man thought that the time for action was now. He submitted his own "Substitute Proposal." Here it is in its entirety:

SUBSTITUTE PROPOSAL IN MATTERS OF CHURCH UNION
We find that the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has left the scriptural position of the Synodical Conference in the matter of Scouting, of prayer-fellowship, of Chaplaincies, and the Common Confession.

We find that all efforts over the years to bring the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod back to the scripturally correct position in these matters have failed and that we have exhausted all avenues of admonition-opportunity.

We find that Scripture instructs us Romans 16,17 that we should avoid such who have caused division and offences contrary to the doctrine that we learned.

I therefore recommend

that the Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States, in obedience to God's command and in the hope that our action may still achieve what all other efforts have failed to accomplish, herewith declareds that it is now not in fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod;

that we make every effort to liquidate our joint work in a decent and orderly manner;

that we transmit this our finding and resolution to our Districts called in special session this fall.

Prof. Winfred Schaller
(1953 Proceedings, page 105-106)

Synod Action:
The Synod adopted the Floor Committee recommendations; a motion was made and seconded to adopt the Substitute Proposal; a motion prevails to refer this matter to a convention to be held in the early fall of 1953; a motion prevails to ask the District Presidents to call special sessions of the Districts to discuss the union matters; a motion prevails to provide copies of both the Standing and Floor Committee Reports on Church Union, and the Substitute Proposal to the Districts for their sessions; a motion prevails to recess convention until October 8, 1953. (1953 Proceedings, page 106)

1938-1954

An interesting starting point in this whole discussion would be the summer 1955 because that is when things really get interesting. The WELS has been admonishing the LC-MS for many years by this point and things were coming to a head. However, at that convention, the Standing Committee in Matters of Church Union (Committee No. 2) had some historical notes outlining the years from 1938-1954. In order to gain some understanding of what the delegates were facing that summer, we need some historical perspective. The following is taken directly from the Proceedings of Thirty-third Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States Held at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Michigan, August 10-17, 1955 (pg. 82-84)

Historical Notes Prepared by Committee No. 2 in Conjunction with its Report to the Convention

1938 - Missouri's St. Louis Resolutions join its Brief Statement with the A.L.C.'s Doctrinal Declaration as a joint settlement of past differences. A.L.C.'s Sandusky Resolutions view the Brief Statement "in the light of" their own Doctrinal Declaration.

1939 - In 1939 the Wisconsin Synod adopted the following: "Not two statements should be issued as a basis for agreement; a single joint statement, covering the contested doctrines thetically and antithetically and accepted by both parties of the controversy, is imperative; and, furthermore, such doctrinal statement must be made in clear and unequivocal terms which do not require laborious additional explanations." Proceedings 1939, page 60. Also: "Under existing conditions further negotiations for establishing church fellowship would involve a denial of the truth and would cause confusion and disturbance in the Church and ought therefore be suspended for the time being." Proceedings 1939, page 61. 1941 - Missouri's Ft. Wayne convention instructs its Committee on Doctrinal Unity to prepare a single document of agreement with the A.L.C. Missouri begins joint work with the A.L.C. in relief of missions and establishment of service centers. Wisconsin Synod unanimously adopted the following resolution concerning the military chaplaincy: "The commissioning of Army and Navy chaplains by our Synod would conflict with Scriptural principles and established Lutheran practice," Proceedings 1941, page 77. 1943 - Wisconsin memorialized the Missouri Synod to halt its negotiations with A.L.C. because of hte false basis underlying those negotiations. 1944 - Missouri and A.L.C. publish a single document, the Doctrinal Affirmation. Missouri abandons its former position on Scouting. 1947 - A.L.C.'s commissioners issue a "Friendly Invitation" to renew negotiations, contending for an allowable and wholesome latitude of theological opinion on the basis of the teachings of the Word of God." Wisconsin adopts its theses on Scouting. 1947 Proceedings, page 106ff. 1949 - The Wisconsin Synod addressed six questions to the Missouri Synod (Lutheran Men of America, Cooperation with Welfare Agencies, Cooperation with the National Lutheran Council, first Bad Boll, the booklet "Scouting in the Lutheran Church," applicability of Romans 16:17 to all errorists, whether Lutheran or not). It also stated: "With deep concern we note that the ties which have united us particularly with the Synod of Missouri are being loosened." (1949 proceedings, page 117.) 1950 - Missouri and the A.L.C. adopt the Common Confession. 1951 - Concerning Missouri's reply to our letter of 1949 our synod stated: "The reply of the Praesidium of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is in part conditional, in part incomplete, and sometimes evasive." (1951 Proceedings, page 145.) Wisconsin rejects the Common Confession as "inadequate" and creating "a basically untruthful situation" and requested the Missouri Synod to repudiate its stand that the Common Confession is a settlement of the doctrines treated by the two committees. It furthermore stated: "That we further inform the President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod through our President that, if the appropriate action in the matter treated in this report is not forthcoming, at least through the Praesidium of that body, we shall feel constrained to carry the issue to the Synodical Conference at its next regular convention." (1951 Proceedings, page 148.) 1952 - At the Synodical Conference session at St. Paul, Minnesota the delegates of our Wisconsin Synod declared themselves in a state of confession because they felt that the issues had not been met at all. 1953 - No favorable action was taken by the Missouri Synod at tits meetings in Houston, Texas on the request of our Synod.

At the sessions of our Wisconsin Synod the following was adopted:

"1. That we declare that the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod a. by affirming its acceptance of the Common Confession as a "settlement of past differences which are in fact not settled" (Proceedings 1951, page 146), and b. by its persistent adherence to its unionistic practices (the Common Confession, joint prayer, scouting, chaplaincy, commnunion 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 the opportunity to bear witness, under the same plea taking part in unionistic religious programs and in the activities of unionistic federations; negotiating for purposes of union with a church body whose official position 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 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. "2. That we herewith approve the Protest agreed upon by our representatives immediately following the St. Paul convention of the Synodical Conference, 1952. "3. That we prevail upon the President of the Synodical Conference to arrange a program for the convention in 1954 that would devote all its sessions to a thorough consideration of our declaration in Point 1 and of the doctrinal issues involved." (1953 Proceedings, pages 104-105.) 1954 - Printed testimony distributed by both Wisconsin and Missouri synods. Doctrinal discussions held at Synodical Conference meetings at Detroit and Chicago.