# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S311
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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406 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

District and Synod can enter the congregation without the consent
of the congregation”; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod ex.
press its endorsement of the above interpretation.

Tse Movnesora District
or THe LuTHERAN CHURCH — Missourtr Synop
ARNOLD E. WENGER, Secretary

‘In convention assembled in August, 1949, at St. Paul, Minn.

[510]
Admendments and Revisions in Synodical Rules

This overture concerns the matter of a church polity which
places Synod over its congregations.

In the report of the 1949 Minnesota District Convention (Min.
nesota Lutheran, October, 1949, p.6) the following statements are
made: “A congregation which joins Synod voluntarily places itself

under its rules and regulations, and promises to abide by

them” and

“Paragraph 3.65 of the Synodical Handbook does not mean
the officers of District and Synod can enter a congregation
without the consent of the congregation.”

These two statements contradict each other unless they can
be stated together as follows:

By placing “itself under Synod’s rules and regulations,”
which gives the Visitor the right “to arrange for a special
meeting of the congregation, even if he has not been invited,”
‘if he deems it necessary” (By-Law 3.65), the congregation
has given blanket consent to the synodical officials to enter
the congregation when they please. The consent is given by
this By-Law; likewise in By-Laws 3.61 and 3.43. No further
consent is necessary; it is given when the congregation joins
Synod and thereby places Synod’s rules over itself, which
means that Synod and its officials are over the congregation.
On account of such statements as these, we need amendments

and revisions in our synodical rules in order to adhere to our doc-
trine. (Matt. 18:17-20; 20:25-26; 23:8-10; 1 Cor. 7:23; Brief State-
ment, par.30; Popular Symbolics, p.116; Koehler, Summary of
Christian Doctrine, p. 222.) It is herewith requested that Synod
amend Article VII to include the stipulation of our original 1847
Constitution, which gives the local congregation the right of final
decision also in doctrinal matters. And for the same reason Synod
-is requested to revise its By-Laws so that synodical officials can
enter a congregation for official visits at any time only when it is
agreed to by the congregation and its pastor.
, : Georce ScHWEIKERT

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 407

[sit] Rights of Self-ruling Congregations

Can a self-ruling congregation have Bible fellowship in the
Missouri Synod without being subject to Synod, its officials, and its
rules and resolutions?

When in July of 1948 St. John’s Congregation of Okabena,
Minn., canceled its voting membership in Synod, its pastor assured
the congregation that it could have Bible fellowship in Synod and
at the same time retain self-rule, independent of synodical control.
Bible fellowship in this case should mean — ,

that the congregation co-operates in the support of synodical
missions and education, and the like, just as member congrega-
tions do;
that it practices mutual supervision with the others in Synod
according to Scripture alone, receiving and giving encourage-
ment and admonition, exercising doctrinal discipline without
breaking down any congregation’s self-rule or any pastor’s
ministry in his congregation; ;
that it receives synodical officials for routine and special meet-
ings only upon invitation or consent from the congregation
and its pastor;

that in case of dispute or doctrinal controversy it can require

a statement of position from synodical conventions or officials

or from other teachers, pastors, and congregations, and that it

is at all times ready to state its own position in such cases; but
that it has no vote at synodical conventions in Synod’s tem-
poral affairs, just as a man in a congregation has no vote if
he is not a legal voter.

Self-ruling or independent in this case should mean —

that the congregation is subject alone to Christ and His Word;

that Synod, its officials and its rules and resolutions are not

over the congregation;

and that doctrinal decisions of Synod (resolutions, new con-

fessions) are subject to the judgment of the congregation as

far as it is concerned.

See Matt. 18:17-20; 20: 25-26; 23:8-10; 1 Cor. 7:23.

By-Law 3.67 (Missouri Synod Handbook) speaks of “non-
member congregations” as being under the “jurisdiction” of synod-
ical officials. And By-Law 1.09a says that such congregations are
required to “honor its [Synod’s] rules and regulations.” This can
be understood to mean a synodical control which affects the self-
rule of “non-member” congregations.

Will the 1950 convention of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod now please answer the question at the head of this writing?

St. Jonn’s Lurneran Cuurcy, Oxasena, Minn.
Adopted April 2, 1950. WALTER AHRENS, Secretary