Evening star., 1950-06-30
Lutheran Convention
Adopts Compromise
In DoctrinaI Dispute
By Cospor Names
StoS Staff CORRESPONDENT

vention to a close today following
a productive session yesterday
that saw numerous important
questions voted on.
The 873 delegates, representing
1.750,000 members of the Missouri.
Synod. yesterday quickly disposed
of an issue involving interpreta-
ton of Romans xvi. that had helt
up the body's deliberations for al.
most week.
The vote on a new report
brought in by a committee on the
sentence, Now I beseech you
brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offenses contrary to
the doctrine which ye have
learned, and avoid them" repre-
sented q compromise between
those seeking a rigid interpreta-
ton Of the text and those favorine
a more liberal application.
Warning Is Retained.
Under the resolution submitted
yesterday, the Scriptural warning
against unionism and the toler-
ance Of error" that resulted in
denying Church fellowship to all
who persist in false doctrine" was
retained.
But resolution, tied in with
this one. stated the Synod recog-
nizes that there may be legitimate
difference Of opinion in purely
exegetical interpretive matters" !"
1t added a warning that this
liberty does not extend farther
and that no Interpretation may be
held which is contrary to the an
alogy Of faith"
A discussion that threatened to
get out of hand. on the meaning
OF the word farther" was nipped
in the bud when Alfred Klomp of
Detroit told the gathering the
debate was bordering on theo-
logical gymnastics"
Adopts Marriage Resolution.
The convention also passed q
resolution warning its young peo-
pie against marital alliances
which are un-Scriptural and un-
Christian and which menace
wholesome family life"
1t declared the denominations S
young people should avoid mar
riage with members of such
church bodies as seek to bind con-
sciences and even predetermine
the spiritual destiny of children
yet unborn through one-sided
commitments in prenuptial con-
tracts"
Although the Roman Catholic
Church was not mentioned in the
resolution, the implication was
made specific during the floor de-
bate. One delegate. the Rev. A. o.
Gebauer of Granite City, ILL.,,
wanted the resolution recommit-
ted because "it was bit weak"
But the view of the Rev. Wal
ter F. Wolbrecht of Seward, Nebr.,
was sustained. He said "to 20
beyond the word warn would 90
into the field of legalism. 1t is
the province of the congregation
to deal with individual cases and
1t would infringe on Christian lib
erty to go further than warn q
person on marriage"
During the past year several
Protestant church bodies, includ-
ing the Episcopal Church and the
Presbyterian Church in the U. S.
A., have voted similar resolu-
tions.
ReaffirmS Education Stand.
Among the other issues the
synod voted upon yesterday were:
/. Reaftirmed previous positions
on State aid to education by de-
claring "the social service program
of the State should in equity be
available to all children of school
age, irrespective of their school
association" But it added that
the granting of tax money by
the State to subSidize church
schools is de facto support of
the teaching program of the
church schools, hence also sup
port of religious instruction, and
should be opposed.
2. Charged that there has been
during the past three years "a
new flood of trivial and pernicious
books which threaten to displace
sound and substantial Christian
literature in the home"
1t called on the denomination's
Young Peoples Christian Litera-
ture Board to meet this danger
and keep out temptations for
evil" by intensifying it's own book
campaign.
Question Up to Seminaries.
). Passed on to the faculties OF
its theological seminaries at St
Louis and at Springfield, ILL.,, the
question of deciding whether an
engagement is tantamount tc
marriage"
The st. Louis faculty had stated
an engagement is "of human orr
gin" and may be broken when
such serious situations should
arise as would at once preclude q
happy married estate between the
betrothed." But the Springfield
faculty said that 'betrothaP and
marriage as spoken in the WORD
of God. are identical in essence
and differ only as does the pos
sessions of privileges and their
use"
4. Passed measures making
more liberal pension provisions
for those connected with the
church as pastors, teachers and
employees.
S. Set in motion a "weIl-
rounded youth program" and pre-
marital counselling by pastors
program as part of a family life
committee plan for people of the
church. This would also include
a plan to reach the men, women