In reply to Roger.

Roger,

The purpose of our conversation with other church bodies is always to recognize fellowship and the unity of the church. Concern for doctrine is an essential part of that conversation. It's not loving to pretend we have unity (shared confession and teaching from the Word of God) where that unity does not exist. By discussing doctrine (the teaching of God's Word), we will either a) discover unity or b) witness to other Christians and perhaps help them sharpen and improve their confession. I would encourage you to get a copy of last year's November issue of LW; it discussed the question of unity, fellowship, and the Lord's Supper in great detail. https://witness.junkerge.org/2020/lutheran-witness-november-2020/

RSA