To Admonish and Converse with Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Official Workbook overture source text

5-05 
To Admonish and Converse with  
Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church 
WHEREAS, The Holy Scriptures enjoin us to maintain the unity 
of the faith in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3, 13); and 
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions state , “The church is the 
assembly of saints in which the gospel is taught purely and the 
sacraments are administered rightly.  And it is enough for the true 
unity of the church to agree concerning the teaching of the gospel 
and the administration of the sacraments.  It is not necessary that 
human traditions, rites, or ceremonies instituted by human beings 
be alike everywhere” (AC VII 1–3, Kolb/Wengert); and 
WHEREAS, The bishop of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran 
Church (SELC), a church in altar and pulpit fellowship with The 
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod since 2013, has taught that so-
called “apostolic succession” is necessary for a church to have a 
valid ministry; and 
WHEREAS, By promoting this teaching and interjecting itself in 
the life of another sister church body, the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church of Brazil  (IELB), by asserting the claim of a postolic 
succession, by ordaining deacons, and by establishing 
congregations outside of Siberia, the SELC  has created scandal, 
confusion, and disharmony in the confession of the one true and 
saving Gospel; and 
W
HEREAS, The b ishop of the SELC is also identified as the 
“guiding bishop” of the Independent Anglican Congregation in 
Thailand (IACT), a church that according to its website 
(inachurchthailand.com/weddings-blessings) allows for the 
blessing of LGBTQ unions; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the President of the Synod admonish the b ishop 
of our Siberian sister church to immediately cease and desist in 
these unwanted intrusions into the life of the IELB; and be it further 
Resolved, That the President of the Synod in consultation with 
the Commission on Theology and Church Relations  (CTCR) 
engage in conversation with the leadership of the SELC to assist 
them in embracing a genuinely biblical, Lutheran confession of the 
one Office our Christ Jesus has instituted for the pure preaching of 
the Gospel and the right administration of the Sacraments; and be it 
further 
Resolved, That the President of the Synod in consultation with 
the C TCR admonish the b ishop of the SELC  to withdraw 
immediately from the unionistic relationship with the IACT; and be 
it finally 
Resolved, That the President of the Synod report the outcome of 
these efforts to the 2029 Synod convention with a recommendation 
as to whether the conditions for altar and pulpit fellowship with the 
SELC still obtain. 
Elm Grove, Elm Grove, WI ; Immanuel, Eagle, NE 
Ov.