Synod pledges support for confessional Lutherans in Australia

(LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

On June 7, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Office of the President pledged its support for confessional Lutherans in Australia who, on April 18, signed a “Letter of Confession” holding to Holy Scripture as authoritative for all doctrine and life and rejecting women’s ordination.

The letter follows a recent decision of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) to provide a “one doctrine, two practices” approach, whereby some districts would ordain men and women to the pastoral ministry, while other districts would ordain only men, as early as 2024. The Rev. Dr. Jonathan E. Shaw, director of LCMS Church Relations, was present for the decision and noted that the resolution “was based on a process of sensitivity and inclusion that dismissed Scripture as not authoritative for deciding the issue.”

The LCMS is not in church fellowship with the LCA. The pledge of support from the LCMS “lauds the faithful witness of the Australian Lutheran signatories … [and] pledges them our prayers, assistance and support to advance confessional Lutheranism in Australia.”

Read the LCMS pledge of support.

Posted June 14, 2023