# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S46 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 46 MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION of the Lutheran World Federation to understand the failure of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod to join that organization. Nevertheless the stance of the Synod is respected. Constitutional Matters Chairman Nieting of the floor committee on Consti- tutional Matters reintroduced Resolution 5-27 (TB 159) which had been discussed but not acted upon in a pre- vious session. By common consent changes were made, deleting the second whereas at the top of page 160 of Today’s Business, and changing the phrases in lines 16 and 17 to read “any other voting delegate or alternate,” line 24, to “any remaining voting delegate or alternate,” and line 30 to “any other voting delegate or alternate.” A motion to include Overture 5-30 as an amendment was ruled out of order. The previous question was moved. After a delegate protested later because he had called for a division of the house on calling the question since he objected to the common consent procedure, the question was reopened and the proposed changes ap- proved by formal motion. Then the previous question was called once again, whereupon the resolution (5-27) as amended was adopted. By adopting Resolution 5-28 (TB 231) the delegates asked the Board of Directors of the Synod to establish a Task Force to study the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws and to determine the need for clarification of present articles and the addition of new articles. They asked that recommendations from the Task Force be brought to the 1975 convention. Higher Education Permission was granted to reopen consideration of Resolution 6-30 (TB 265), which had authorized earlier the creation of a Task Force to consider the restructur- ing of Synod’s system of Higher Education, for the pur- pose of amending it. A motion was then made and seconded that an additional consideration No. 8 be added at the end of the resolution. This concern would read “8. the concerns of Overture 6-59 of the Convention Workbook, page 282, particularly the memorandum of- fered by W. Griffin and A. Pero.” This was adopted. Theology and Church Relations A motion from the floor proposed that: Resolved, That this convention authorize the Commis- sion on Theology and Church Relations to conduct an intensive study of the doctrine of inerrancy and also of the traditional interpretation of Genesis 1—3 and the interpretation of the Book of Jonah. This proposal was not considered when there was a call for the orders of the day. Communications Chairman Wollenburg of the floor committee on Communications introduced Resolution 10-14A (TB 269) as a substitute for Resolution 10-14 (TB 199) ask- ing the Board of Directors of the Synod to design a Board for Communication in consultation with various units, departments, and organizations of the Synod, to create administrative structures suitable for correlating the internal and external communications of the Synod, and to provide for sharing by the LLL in the decision making process in the areas in which it is involved. It asked that Bylaws covering these matters be presented to the 1975 convention. This substitute resolution was adopted after a proposed amendment to change line 36 of Today’s Business, p. 269, to read “design a board, agency, or grouping” and to substitute the word “co- operation” for “consultation” in line 37 was declined. Resolution 10-14 was then adopted as amended by sub- stitution (10-14A). Theology and Church Relations After a motion to change the orders of the day had been adopted by a two-thirds majority in order to allow 10 minutes for discussion of a resolution presented from the floor earlier in the session calling for an intensive study of the doctrine of inerrancy and interpretation of certain Old Testament passages, the delegates consid- ered the resolution and adopted it as presented. Registration and Credentials Chairman Alwin Reimnitz and Pastor Edwin Coyner gave the final report of the oor committee on Registra- tions and Credentials. The report showed 1,065 voting delegates registered, 538 pastoral and 527 lay delegates. The number of advisory delegates registered was 481, 139 of whom were pastoral delegates, 256 official repre- sentatives, and 86 teachers. Total: 1,546, plus many visi- tors and guests. Including visitors and others: 6,218. [See final audited figures in the Tabular Survey.] Synodical Administration Discussion of Res. 4-26 (TB 185) calling for adoption of proposed Bylaws regarding General Staff Services was resumed. After some questions relating to the is- sue has been answered, the resolution was adopted as presented. Since it was obvious that not all of the proposed resolutions could be considered, the conven- tion adopted a resolution referring all unfinished busi- ness to the Board of Directors for referral to the proper Boards or Commissions of the Synod (Res. 4-47, TB 277), after it had also approved an amendment from the floor which, “Resolved, That the Task Force on women be established with the recommendation that the majority of members on this task force be women rep- resenting the variety of women who are members of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.” They did this after the Synod’s attorney had answered, in response to a question regarding withdrawn resolutions, that in his opinion a resolution that is withdrawn is as though it had never been placed. The concerns of the New England District relating to its financial difficulties were referred to the Board of Directors for in-depth study in order that they might advise, assist, and direct the District in its present diffi- culties and plans for the future (Res. 4-37, TB 202). The delegates asked for continued study of establish- ment of a new District in the Southwest (Res. 4-38, TB 203) after adding amendments to the resolution which read: i