The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's Official Position on Church and Ministry

As Reaffirmed by Resolution of its 2001 Convention

RESOLUTION 7-17A

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) has experienced during its history confusion with regard to the doctrine of church and ministry; and

WHEREAS, Dr. C. F. W. Walther addressed this confusion in 1851 through his Theseson Church and Ministrywhich was subsequently presented as the position of the LCMS in 1851; and

WHEREAS, The book The Voice of Our Church on the Question of Church and Ministry,by Dr. C. F. W. Walther, was published in 1852. The LCMS in convention declared this book to be pure doctrine (reine Lehre) of church and ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod meeting in convention in the year of our Lord 2001 affirm the above referenced writings of C. F. W. Walther as the definitive statement under Holy Scripture and the Luthern Confessions of the Synod's understanding on the subject of church and ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention re-affirm the decision of the 1852 convention in recognizing C. F. W. Walther's book, The Voice of Our Church on the Question of Church and Ministry,as the official position of the LCMS; and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors, professors, teachers of the church, and congregations honor and uphold the resolutions of the Synod as regards the official position of our Synod on church and ministry and teach in accordance with them; and be it finally

Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution be used to help carry out "The Great commission" and shall not in any way detract or distract from the primary mission of God's kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!