To Call Upon the AALC to Honor the Bonds of Fellowship and Resolve Matters Threatening the Unity of Doctrine and Practice

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1. 3To Call Upon the AALC to Honor the Bonds of Fellowship
2. 4and Resolve Matters Threatening the Unity of Doctrine and Practice
3. 5RESOLUTION 5-15
4. 6Report R1.1 (CW, 5–15); Overture 5-09 (CW, 341)
5. 7WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) recognized church fellowship with The American
6. 8Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC) at its 2007 convention (Res. 3- 01, “To Declare Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
7. 9with the American Association of Lutheran Churches”), on the basis of full agreement in doctrine and practice, a
8. 10fellowship for which the Synod gives thanks to God and earnestly desires to continue in the unity of the Spirit and the
9. 11bond of peace (Eph. 4:3); and
10. 12WHEREAS, Since that time, the AALC has received into its membership certain pastors and congregations previously
11. 13removed from the LCMS for cause, or denied reinstatement, or otherwise separated from the LCMS while not in good
12. 14standing, without their first being reinstated into the LCMS; and
13. 15WHEREAS, The AALC’s actions have raised concerns within the LCMS about our continuing agreement in doctrine
14. 16and practice and about our ability to work productively together toward real reconciliation as sister churches; therefore
15. 17be it
16. 18Resolved, That the Synod in convention solemnly call upon the AALC to honor the fellowship it holds with the
17. 19LCMS, and to rectify the situation of the pastors and congregations it has received from the LCMS without prior
18. 20resolution of the matters at issue concerning them according to LCMS bylaws; and be it further
19. 21Resolved, That until these situations are resolved, the Secretary of the Synod shall compile a list for use by the
20. 22district presidents identifying all clergy and congregations removed for cause or otherwise separated from the LCMS
21. 23while not in good standing and yet received into membership in the AALC without prior resolution of the matters at
22. 24issue concerning them according to LCMS bylaws; and be it further
23. 25Resolved, That the President of the Synod, as the chief ecumenical officer, continue in formal dialogue with the
24. 26AALC regarding this matter and any other issue(s) in which the unity of doctrine and practice between the LCMS and
25. 27the AALC is in question; and be it finally
26. 28Resolved, That the President of the Synod report to the 2029 Synod convention whether there is unity in doctrine
27. 29and practice with the AALC or whether the differences between the LCMS and the AALC are such that the basis for
28. 30church fellowship no longer exists.