# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S53
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
education programs, seminary education, and
post-seminary continuing education, and by
providing advocacy for pastoral education and
health within the Synod” (Bylaw 3.4.3.8, 2016
LCMS Handbook, p. 117).
God promises, “I will give you shepherds after my own
heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding”
(Jer. 3:15). St. Luke writes, “Pay careful attention to yourselves
and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God, which He obtained with
His own blood” (Acts 20:28). These words clearly attest to the
divinely commanded office of pastor for the life and growth of
His Church (2016 Resolution 5–13, fourth Resolved).
Martin Luther writes, “I foresee, if God does not give us
faithful ministers, the devil will tear our church apart through
sectarians and he will never cease until he has accomplished
it” (AE 51:378). In his Church and Ministry, C. F. W. Walther
writes, “The preaching office is not an optional office but one
whose establishment has been commanded to the Church and
to which the Church is properly bound till the end of time.”
The Church will always sail in hostile waters in this sinful earth. She will also continue to wrestle with differences and
difficulties from within. Therefore, outside and internal forces
continue to challenge pastoral formation, the Office of the Holy
Ministry, and pastoral practice. At its very core, God calls pastors to proclaim His Word, administer His blessed Sacraments,
and provide biblical pastoral care to His people. Through the
called and ordained pastor, the Holy Spirit creates, nourishes,
and sustains saving faith to His people. Therefore, it is incumbent “To Uphold the Scriptural and Confessional Qualifications for the Office of the Holy Ministry” (2016 Convention
Resolution 6–02).
The PED serves the Synod by addressing the following:
1.

The third Objective in Article III of the Constitution,
“The Synod, under the Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions, shall …” under the third objective in Article III of the LCMS Constitution, “… Recruit and
train pastors, teachers, and other professional church
workers and provide opportunity for their continuing
growth.”

2.

Serve the seminaries and universities—particularly
the universities’ pre-seminary programs—as an
agency of Synod (Bylaw 1.2.1.a).

3.

Fulfill especially the second and fifth mission priorities for the Synod’s 2016–19 Triennium, “Support
and expand theological education,” and “Promote
and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and
physical well-being of pastors and professional
church workers.”

4.

53

Ensure fulfillment of 2016 Convention resolutions
specific to pastoral education/formation

2016–19 Accomplishments and Continuing
Activity
Pre-Seminary Education
••

Completed a comprehensive pre-seminary curriculum
comparison within the Concordia University System
(2016 Convention Resolution 7-05A). At a September 2018 “Pastoral Formation Summit” (see description below), the seminary presidents commended the
Concordia University System for its robust preseminary formation. Upon review of the Concordia
pre-seminary curriculum, it was noted that students
entering the seminaries are strongly proficient in
Hebrew, Greek, an immersion in the LCMS culture
and ethos, and general liberal arts. There was discussion around the benefits of increased classical studies,
including philosophy, Latin, history, ethics, grammar,
art, music, speech, rhetoric, debate, and logic.

••

Visited one Concordia University per quarter with
CUS president and Director of Institutional Research and Integrity. Special interest for pastoral
education is meeting with the pre-seminary director,
theology department, pre-seminary students, and the
university president (2016 Convention Resolution
7–01A).

••

Convened two Zoom meetings per year with the
Concordia University pre-seminary directors. These
meetings give opportunity for dialogue between the
pre-seminary directors in discussing curriculum,
enrollment, challenges, opportunities, collaboration,
and future planning.

Seminary Education
••

Completed a comprehensive seminary curriculum
comparison of the two seminaries. CTSFW made
minor modifications to its MDiv curriculum during
2016–19. CSL, however, rolled out its new MDiv
curriculum during this past triennium. The following
chart shows the current MDiv curriculum from both
seminaries:

2019 Convention Workbook