# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S89
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THEOLOGICAL MATTERS 89

Wuereas, These charismatic gifts have been the al-
leged cause of controversies and even suspensions in
certain areas of our Synod; therefore be it

Resolved,

1) That the President of the Synod appoint a special
commission to make a Biblical study of charismatic gifts
and their relevance for the church today;

2) That this commission consist of a number of
pastors, professors, and laymen, according to the discre-
tion of the President;

3) That this commission include at least one person
who has “received” charismatic gifts: and

4) That this commission report its findings to the
Synod as soon as practicable.

Pucet Sounp PASTORAL CONFERENCE AND
INLAND EMPIRE PASTORAL CONFERENCE
Daryt C. WILDERMUTH, Secretary

(2-46)

The same overture was submitted by Beacon Lu-
theran Church, Seattle, Wash., David A. Preisinger,
Pastor.

(2-47)
To Study Implications of
Multiple Ministries Deriving from
One Office of the Ministry

Wuereas, In the years ahead further change and
breakdown in our present social structures are pre-
dicted, which changes will have great impact on the
church and its mission and will require flexibility in
the forms and functions of the ministry; and

Wuereas, The Church of the Augsburg Confession
has historically seen the necessity and legitimacy of a
mu tiplicity of functions within the one “office of the
ministry” (AC, V, XIV), recognizing various forms of
the ministerial office, such as the office of the teacher,
developing directly out of the one “office of the min-
istry” (AC, XXVIII); and

Wuereas, Further developments of the one “office
of the ministry” can be established by the church as
necessity requires (Acts6), and the ministerial office
can be performed by individuals in a variety of func-
tions, which can be assigned by orderly ritual (AC,
XIV); be it therefore

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod affirm that the one “office of the ministry” can
freely take a multiplicity of forms as the needs of the
church and the needs of the world require, and that
the office of the Christian teacher be recognized and
granted additional ecclesiastical stature by the rite of
ordination; and be it further

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations and the Commission on Mission and
Ministry in the Church establish an ad hoc committee
from these commissions to deal explicitly with a state-
ment which gives appropriate attention to the theologi-

cal and practical issues for a multiple ministry in our
age; and be it finally
Resolved, That this committee be held to present to
the next convention of the Synod a report which has
been previously reviewed and endorsed by both above-
mentioned commissions.
FACULTY
ConcorDIA TEACHERS COLLEGE
River Forest, Ill.

(2-48)

To Pursue Studies on Care of the Earth

Wuereas, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness
thereof” (Ps. 24:1), “I [God] know the thoughts I think
towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of good and not
of evil, that you might have a future and a hope” (Jer.
29:11); all Christians are enjoined to “seek peace and
pursue it (1 Peter 3:10-12); and because man is a crea-
ture of the earth, dependent upon its environment for
generations to come (Ps. 104; Ps. 147; Is. 41:17-20; Jer.
5: 20-31): therefore be it

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology study
and present position papers dealing specifically with
such vital concerns for human welfare as (1) the ecology
of air, water, earth, and vegetation and their pollution
and cleansing, (2) the Christian concern about chemical
and biological warfare, (3) nuclear weapon stockpiling,
storage, and proliferation, (4) the armaments race and
its general depletion of material and human resources
to the neglect of the general welfare and the plight of
the poor of our nation and in the world, (5) atomic and
other waste materials and their long-term dangers to
the future of life; and be it further

Resolved, That these studies and publications be
given top priority within the next biennium with a clear
sense of urgency and that a progress report be presented
to the 1971 convention.

St. Grecory OF Nyssa LUTHERAN CHURCH
Chicago, Il.
WAYNE SAFFEN, Pastor

(2-49)

To Stand on the “Brief Statement” as in 1932

Wuereas, The Cleveland, Detroit, and New York con-
ventions acted on a faulty deduction: that because “the
Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and
norm of all doctrine” and because the Lutheran Con-
fessions are a true and reliable exposition of the Scrip-
tures, therefore doctrinal statements later than the Con-
fessions should not be binding; and

Wuereas, New and virulent heresies have necessi-
tated doctrinal formulations based on the Holy Scrip-
tures in every age (i.e. the Nicene and Athanasian
Creeds further defining the doctrine of the Apostle’s
Creed, the Formula of Concord further defining its pre-
decessors among the Lutheran Confessions); and

WHEREAS, The action of the aforementioned conven-