Resource provides history of Lutheran World Federation

A new publication of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), The Lutheran World Federation Today: Missio Dei, Imago Dei and the Ongoing Reformation, traces the history of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) — of which the LCMS is not a member — from its roots to the current day. The booklet’s contents were first presented in abbreviated form by its author, LCMS Church Relations Director Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, during the 47th Annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, on Jan. 19 of this year.

The booklet, available as a free download, begins with the LWF’s roots in the Lutheran World Convention, founded in 1923 to facilitate cooperation in post-war relief work and promote Lutheran church body fellowship. The booklet continues by tracking the evolution of the LWF since its founding in 1947 as a “free association of Lutheran churches” cooperating in mercy, mission, theology and ecumenism. It documents a redefined LWF identity as a “communion of churches” in altar and pulpit fellowship with reconciled theological diversity dedicated to political, social, gender and environmental justice. It assesses the work of the LWF’s 2023 Assembly as having largely departed from the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ and the confession of God’s Word. It concludes by calling for “confessional Lutheran church bodies still inside the LWF” to heed the words of St. Paul: “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17–18).

In addition to Shaw’s analysis of the LWF, the booklet includes:

A preface by LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison;

Bibliographic information for the sources cited in the paper; and

An appendix containing a 2022 evaluation of the LWF by the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR). The CTCR document includes a list of recommended resources for further study.

Harrison begins his preface by summarizing the booklet’s contents: “The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw traces the emphases of LWF assemblies over the course of the decades and demonstrates the loss of the message of the very Gospel of Christ. In fact, as you will see, at the last assembly in Poland, the forgiveness of sins achieved by Christ’s atoning death and resurrection (Rom. 4:25) was entirely excluded.”

Harrison concludes: “There are many terrible problems in this world in family, state and church. We Lutherans do no favors to ourselves or to the world by creating substitute gospels. For it’s finally this true Gospel of Christ that is our greatest strength, motivation and encouragement to live for Christ through our neighbor precisely in family, state and church.”

In 1952, the LCMS president, along with several other Synod representatives, attended the LWF World Assembly for the first time. In 1956, the Synod in convention voted not to become a member of the LWF. More recently, as outlined in the CTCR’s 2022 evaluation of the LWF, “The Missouri Synod has expressed concern that some of its partner churches (in full pulpit and altar fellowship with the LCMS) retain their membership in the LWF.”

Another LCMS Church Relations booklet, Women’s Ordination through the Lens of the Apostles’ Creed, grew out of a recent dialogue with one of those partner churches: the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK). In a 2020 LCK church body convention, a discussion about elevating women’s service in the church was seen by some as a possible path to the ordination of women. In April 2022, LCK President Rev. Eun-Seob Kim brought his concerns about this movement — and its possible implications for LCMS–LCK fellowship — to the Synod’s attention. In January 2023, at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, fraternal discussions on the topic took place between representatives of the LCMS and the LCK, concluding with plans for more discussion in the future.

Read or download the publications above.

Posted May 14, 2024