Out of the Cold

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, traditionally one of the most aloof of U.S. denominations, is edging into the ecumenical century. At its biennial convention last week in New York City, the synod took some significant steps toward closer relations with other Christian churches.

The Missouri Synod (membership: 2,800,000) takes seriously Luther's warning that Christians should not compromise doctrine. For that reason, the church has never joined the National or World Council of Churches. Until last year, when it helped form a nation wide service agency called the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A., the synod had remained relatively isolated from even its sister denominations, the American Lutheran Church (2,600,000) and the Lutheran Church in America (3,300,000). At last week's convention, delegates heard a report on recent theological discussions between the synod and the A.L.C.; the study concluded that enough doctrinal consensus existed to justify "a declaration of pulpit and altar fellowship" allowing an eventual exchange of pastors and communion privileges. The convention approved a statement noting that "separatism sins against love and divides the church," and urging synod churches to cooperate with other Christian groups in situations in which principles of the faith will not be compromised.

As an example of the kind of cooperation now possible, the synod for the first time urged its churches to work with other Christians in sponsoring open housing for Negroes. A resolution urged members to help establish fair-housing programs in their cities, authorized the creation of a church loan fund to help Negroes buy or build homes. And in still another precedent-breaking action, convention delegates authorized a new "study and evaluation" of the World Council of Churches.

Some Missouri Synod leaders now concede that the denomination might some day join the council -- if it could be established that it was simply an organization for Christian cooperation rather than an ecclesiastical institution having the nature of a church.

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