wfn.org | [LCMSNews] Kieschnick invites WELS, ELS to talks

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	Oct. 1, 2003 .................... LCMSNews -- No. 115

	Kieschnick seeks meetings with WELS, ELS leaders

	Missouri Synod President Gerald Kieschnick has asked his
counterparts in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and the
Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) for church-body talks on areas of
disagreement and on ways to support each other.

	In separate letters to WELS President Karl Gurgel and to ELS
President John A. Moldstad Jr., Kieschnick asked for a meeting with each
of them and "a couple of representatives" from each respective church
body.

	Kieschnick wrote that the purpose of each meeting "would be to
discuss together possible ways for us to address those areas of
disagreement which stand in the way of church fellowship between our
churches, and also to discuss ways that we can support and assist each
other as we face contemporary attacks against the Gospel of Jesus
Christ."

	He wrote that doctrinal disagreements between the Missouri Synod
and each of the other two church bodies "cannot and will not be resolved
apart from patient and fraternal discussions together."

	Until some 40 years ago, the three church bodies were in altar
and pulpit fellowship with one another. The WELS and ELS, which broke
off fellowship with the Missouri Synod, remain in fellowship with each
other.

	Among differences, Kieschnick in his letters cited the church
bodies' respective views of prayer fellowship, the doctrine of the
ministry and woman suffrage.

	Kieschnick added that he has heard from one of the two
church-body presidents, but said he didn't want to comment further until
he had heard from both of them.

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