# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S102 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 102 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS ment. But even worse than that, it will have begun to destroy that which Walther and his contemporaries fought so long and hard to protect, namely, the dignity of the pastoral office. This is not dignity of aman buta dignity that pertains because ‘the ministry. or pastoral office, is not a human ordinance, but an office established by God Himself” (Walther, Th. II), estab- lished to administer the Office of the Keys. the only means by which the forgiveness of sins is offered and conveyed. Resolution WHEREAS, The Synod has pledged itself to “the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule of faith and practice” (Const., Art. II. 1); and WHEREAS, The CTCR report, The Ministry (September 1981), if adopted, would drastically alter the Synod’s view of the church and the ministry: and WHEREAS, There is a growing trend in the Synod which leads away from the doctrine of the church and the ministry as taught in Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and, in the past, in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod: therefore be it Resolved. That the CTCR report. The Ministry. be rejected: and be it further Resolved, That the President of the Synod prepare material suitable for use in our congregations that will provide a comprehensive study of the doctrine of the church and the ministry. including a history outlining all the issues that have disturbed the Synod over the vears concerning this doctrine: and be it further Resolved, That the preparation of this material be com- pleted by September 1984; and be it further Resolved. That the District Presidents provide opportunity for the congregations in their Districts to study the material prepared by the President of the Synod prior to the 1986 con- vention: and be it finally Resolved, That the above Introduction and Preamble be considered a part of this overture. St. Thomas Lutheran Church Rocky River. Ohio Richard Dorow, President Kenneth Mayer. Secretary To Continue CTCR’s Study of the Ministry WHEREAS, The Ministry: Offices. Procedures, and Nomen- clature, a report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations(September 1981), has addressed issues of continuing interest within the history and life of the Synod: and WHEREAS, The CTCR document affirms that it intends to resolve issues brought to its attention but fails to indicate precisely what those issues are: and WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not cite all the Biblical data relevant to the understanding of the doctrine of the public ministry (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:27-31 is not cited in the document); and WHEREAS, The CTCR document speaks of public ministry in terms of “office” and “function” but does not define public ministry also in terms of servanthood, i.e., the dtakonia of the public ministry; and WHEREAS, The CTCR document distinguishes between “‘of- fice’ and**function” without clearly defining and relating each to the other and without rooting this distinction in clear Biblical and confessional teaching: and WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not reflect the multi- plicity of public ministry forms and functions evidenced in the New Testament: and WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not treat all the forms and functions of ministry currently in use in the Synod (e.g.. directors of Christian education, parish workers, lay assis- tants, etc., are not treated in the document): and WHEREAS, The CTCR document fails to establish clearly how the oneness and the variety of public ministry are integrated in the Bible, i.e., how the one public ministry God has given the church can be properly differentiated within itself according to Biblical and confessional principles; and WHEREAS, The CTCR document states that the “office of the public ministry” is identical with ‘the pastoral office” without providing evidence that these terms are in fact equated in the Scriptures and the Confessions; and WHEREAS, The CTCR document affirms that some aspects of the doctrine of the public ministry are based firmly on Scripture, some aspects have developed by common agreement and usage and are not “doctrine,” and some aspects are a matter of freedom (CTCR document, pp. 4—4), but fails to indicate clearly throughout the document which aspects of the public ministry fall under the rubrics of each category: there- fore be it Resolved, That the Synod thank and commend the CTCR for producing its document on the public ministry because the document has launched intensive discussions of the doctrine of the public ministry in the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod instruct the CTCR to continue its study of the doctrine of the public ministry by responding specifically to the issues noted above: and be it further Resolved, That the Synod ask the CTCR to augment its study of the doctrine of the public ministry by adding the major emphasis of servanthood in ministry to the emphases of “office” and “function” which are already delineated in the document; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod encourage the CTCR. in its continuing study of the doctrine of the public ministry, to enlist and engage the assistance of representative ministers through- out the Synod (e.g., pastors, associate and assistant pastors, elementary teachers, secondary teachers. directors of Christian education, campus pastors, college and seminary professors, District executives and staff officers, elected full-time District Presidents, synodical executives and staff officers, mission- aries, chaplains, lay assistants, parish workers, deaconesses, etc.) so that its study can be enriched by the perspectives of those who are currently ministering publicly in the church in varied capacities. Faculty Concordia Teachers College Seward, Nebr. M. J. Stelmachowicz, President William Billow, Secretary 3-17 To Request Another Study of Ministry Resolved, That the Synod refer the doctrine of ministry to the Board for Professional Education Services for study and reporting by its Advisory Council; and be it further Resolved, That this study be presented to the congregations of the Synod no less than one year before the Synod accepts any statement on the doctrine of ministry as the official position of the Synod. English District Paul E. Bacon. Secretary 3-18A To Study the Call Process WHEREAS, Congregations of the Synod which are vacant and seeking the services of a pastor are required to seek the assistance of the Circuit Counselor and District President in the call process; and WHEREAS. The call process in some Districts seems to impinge upon the authority and autonomy of the local congre- gation: and WHEREAS, There is increasing concern among some pastors