# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S426
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

426

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

regarding public sin (LC I 284). Moreover, such contradiction is verified by Bylaw 1.10.1.2 of the 2007 Synod Handbook; therefore be it
Resolved, That in the case of violations of Article II and Article VI,
all requirements for a face-to-face meeting be repealed on the basis of
Scripture and Luther’s Large Catechism; and be it further
Resolved, That all complaints against Article II or Article VI
violations which have not been resolved by the present dispute resolution process within 180 days from the original complaint to the
respective district president be heard and resolved by an independent Commission on Doctrinal Fidelity appointed by the President
of the Synod, comprised of five members: one district president, two
ordained clergy, and two lay persons—each known for their fidelity to the teachings of Holy Scripture and the Confessions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church; and be it finally
Resolved, That the decision of the Commission on Doctrinal
Fidelity may be appealed to the Appeal Panel (2.14.8), whose findings are to be sent to the Final Hearing Panel (2.14.9).
Grace, Paris, TX; Holy Cross, Albany, OR
12-29

To Expand Training of Peacemakers
Whereas, Scripture (1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:3−6; John 17:22–23)
calls for us to walk together in faith, peace, and unity; and
Whereas, We are yet sinners and at times find ourselves in conflict with one another; and
Whereas, Such conflict is detrimental to our witness, our unity,
and our work together in the Kingdom; and
Whereas, Bylaw 1.10.10 established four district reconcilers per
district to implement the formal dispute resolution process, as well
as serving as peacemakers in the early, often crucial, informal stages
of the process; and
Whereas, The duties of circuit visitors outlined in Bylaw 5.2.3
include strengthening “the spirit of cooperation among pastors, commissioned ministers, and congregations” and, when, requested to do
so by the district president, serving “as a mediator to effect reconciliation of disputes within the circuit not under the dispute resolution”
process; and
Whereas, As a result of the above, circuit visitors often find themselves working alone in difficult situations calling for peacemaking
skills for which they have received little training; and
Whereas, Difficult situations calling for peacemaking skills are
often better addressed early on by a team approach of a circuit visitor working with a trained peacemaker; and
Whereas, Each district can be better served with the forming of
a team of trained peacemakers to assist the four district reconcilers
as well as the circuit visitors; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 Synod convention affirm the importance
and witness of Christian peacemaking and the blessed work of district reconcilers and circuit visitors in their peacemaking roles; and
be it further
Resolved, That the convention encourage circuit visitors to take
advantage of the opportunity provided in Bylaw 5.2.1(c) to seek out
and appoint volunteer circuit peacemakers to work alongside them
in this difficult work; and be it finally
Resolved, That the appropriate Synod agency be directed to
develop and administer through the district reconcilers a training
2016 Convention Workbook

program specifically directed toward circuit visitors and circuit peacemakers adequately to prepare them for this important work.
Board of Directors, Southeastern District; Florida-Georgia
District
12-30

To Provide Assistance to Lay Reconcilers Serving
on Dispute Resolution, Hearing,
and Final Hearing Panels
Rationale
2013 Res. 7-18 “To Study Doctrinal Training for Reconcilers”
responded to a request in Part 2 of the Synod President’s Report
“to consider doctrinal training for reconcilers” to assist them when
they are asked to serve on panels that are called upon to decide matters of doctrine or doctrinal application. The resolution’s single
resolve paragraph referred this request to the Council of Presidents,
the Commission on Constitutional Matters, and the Secretary of the
Synod “for appropriate study and recommendations giving particular attention to Bylaw 2.14.7, especially 2.14.7.8 (k).”
After discussions during the current triennium that included the
COP and CCM as well as the Commission on Handbook and the reconcilers themselves during late-2014 regional training meetings, it
was generally agreed that providing such comprehensive doctrinal
training for lay reconcilers as would be necessary to cover all potential doctrinal issues would not be a reasonable solution.
The bylaws governing dispute resolution and suspension/expulsion processes already contain resource assistance to the parties to a
dispute to help them understand and apply our Synod’s confessional
Lutheran doctrines and practices (Bylaws 1.10.18.1 [h]; 2.14.7.8 [l]).
The same resource opportunity is available to a Dispute Resolution,
Hearing, or Final Hearing Panel as a whole (Bylaws 1.10.18.1 [h];
2.14.7.8 [1]). In the interest of providing lay reconciler panel members
with a resource for personal assistance (i.e., to talk through a doctrinal
matter with a knowledgeable person), the addition of a subparagraph
(3) to Bylaw 1.10.18.1 [h] and a subparagraph (5) to paragraph (l) of
Bylaw 2.14.7.8, as follows, will provide such opportunity.
Proposed Action
Therefore be it
Resolved, That the following bylaw changes be adopted by the
2016 convention of the Synod to offer ready access to resources that
may assist lay panel members in understanding confessional Lutheran
doctrines and doctrinal applications.
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
1.10.18.1 … (h) If any part of the dispute involves a specific question of doctrine or doctrinal application, …
(3) An individual member of the panel may also request resource materials and personal assistance from the executive director of the
CTCR or from a theologian recommended by the executive director,
this to provide opportunity to read about, discuss with a knowledgeable person, and better comprehend doctrinal matters associated
with the dispute. The dispute resolution case itself shall not be discussed.
2.14.7.8 … (l) If any part of the dispute involves a specific question
of doctrine or doctrinal application, …
(5) The lay reconciler member of the panel may also request resource
materials and personal assistance from the executive director of
the CTCR or from a theologian recommended by the executive