# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1056
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

320
PARISH EDUCATION

8regation’s public ministry, namely, the religi

ing of the youth beyond confirmation age. Ous and mora} trey

con The teachers of the Lutheran high schools
con eiegations through Properly constituted and re
charged with the Performance of this aspect or branch

a. It does not ‘involv. :
Professional church work, 4 Separation to the Lord for full-time

PARISH EDUCATION 824

‘It does not involve so thorough a training in theology and

Jt does not involve a formal call or “solemn agreement.”
It does not involve synodical supervision and discipline.

Should the Lutheran teacher be ordained?

The rite of ordination in our Synod has been reserved for the
“installation of our pastors; it adds nothing to the call which
the individual has received, but is simply a public and solemn
‘“gnfixmation of the first call. To publicly confirm subsequent calls,
gn.installation ceremony is considered adequate.

“.. Thus far the public and solemn confirmation of the teacher’s
call has been termed “installation.” It is the equivalent of ordina-
tion except that it certifies that the individual has accepted certain
limited responsibilities in the ministry of the Word rather than

the full ministry of the Word and Sacrament.
'..~ Because of the fact that public authorities have had difficulty

understanding that our teachers are members of the clergy even
though they are not ordained, the suggestion has been made at
times that also the teachers be formally ordained. The Church
may, indeed, change its usage. There are, however, several cogent
reasons why such a change should not be made.

a. While it is possible for our teachers to qualify for the
pastorate or the full ministry by means of additional formal training |
and/or a colloquium, Synod has set a different standard of training
for the pastorate than it has for the office of teacher. If the term
“ordination” were to be applied to the first installation of both
pastors and teachers, this distinction would be obscured.

b. In the eyes of the State the fact of ordination confers certain
rights and privileges which might well be restricted to the pastorate.
While the change might not create confusion, there is the possibility
of some misunderstanding. .

c. As a matter of fact it has been possible to clarify the status
of our teachers before various departments of the Federal Gov-
ernment without any such change in terminology. ,

For these several reasons it would seem wise to retain the past
practice and restrict the term ordination to the pastorate.

8. Is the Lutheran teacher under the supervision of the pastor?

It has been repeatedly stated in the section dealing with the
historical background of the status of the teacher that the teacher
was an “assistant to the pastor,” that the teacher’s office was
a “branch office of the pastorate,” and that the teacher was “under
the supervision of the pastor.” As a matter of fact, the Diploma
of Vocation states very plainly that the teacher is “to work under
the supervision of the pastor and the board of education.”