# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S47 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 46 SYNODICAL REPORTS D. Expressions of Dissent The Commission’s policy for handling expressions of dissent submitted to it under the provisions of Bylaw 2.39 c is as follows. When in accordance with Bylaw 2.39 c dissent to the doctrinal po- sition of the Synod is brought to the attention of the CTCR, it shall be shared with all members of the Commission. The Executive Committee. at its next meeting, shall assign this dissent to one of the Commission’s standing committees for the preparation of a rec- ommendation to the plenary Commission. This recommendation to the plenary is to include a determination regarding whether or not there ts sufficient basis in the dissent for supporting the dissenter(s) claim(s) that the doctrinal position of the Synod is in need of revi- sion. Upon the Commission’s action relative to the standing com- mittee’s recommendation. its response to the submission of dissent shall be shared with the dissenter(s) and reported to the Synod in its convention report. 1. Expression of Dissent to 1969 Resolution 2-17 “To Grant Woman Suffrage and Board Membership” In August 1996 the Commission received a 20-page document from an LCMS pastor in which he expressed dissent to the Synod’s position on woman suffrage. Thirty pastors of the Synod subse- quently submitted their names in expression of agreement with this document of dissent. The Commission reported to the 1998 con- vention that consideration of this expression of dissent will be in- corporated into the comprehensive study of the relationship of man and woman assigned to the CTCR in 1995. Following its Novem- ber 2000 meeting, the Commission communicated with the original dissenters to ask them whether they had any thoughts on or modi- fications of their earlier dissent. Four responses were received, with one of the original dissenters withdrawing his subscription to the letter of dissent. The standing committee to which the expression of dissent has been assigned—which is now conducting the compre- hensive study of women in the church—will be considering the dis- sent when it addresses the exegesis of the relevant passages in | Timothy and | Corinthians. 2. Expression of Dissent to Position on Ordination in A Brief Statement In a May 13, 1999, letter to the CTCR. an LCMS pastor indi- cated that he was formally expressing dissent to the official position of the Synod as stated in A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Posi- tion of the Missouri Synod, namely, that ordination “is not a divine, but a commendable ecclesiastical ordinance.” (Assigned to the ap- propriate standing committee. ) 3. Expression of Dissent to the LCMS Position on the Ordination of Women In a letter dated December 22, 1999, an LCMS pastor submitted a study titled “Theses on Women in the Church” “as a dissent to the official position of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod concerning women’s ordination as expressed in the September 1985 document [CTCR’s report Women in the Church].” (Assigned to the appropriate standing committee.) This expression of dissent will be taken into consideration in connection with the Commis- sion’s report on the theology and practice of the divine call. 4. Expression of Dissent Regarding Interim Ministry With a letter dated January 18, 2001, an LCMS pastor for- warded to the Commission a paper that he requested be considered as a formal expression of dissent to 1998 Res. 3-17B “To Prepare Policy and Guidelines for Intentional Ministries.” (Assigned to the appropriate standing committee.) 5. Expression of Dissent to 1995 Res. 3-08 “‘To Reaffirm the Practice of Close(d) Communion” In November 1995 a pastor from the North Wisconsin District submitted an expression of dissent to 1995 Res. 3-08. Having re- 2001 Convention Workbook viewed this item at its September 2000 meeting, the Commission concluded that the concerns in this dissent were answered in its re- port on Admission to the Lord’s Supper. E. Other Agenda Items 1. Response to Proposal on Certified Diaconate The 1998 LCMS convention requested that a task force be con- vened to provide pastoral assistance where a full-time ministry can- not be maintained (Res. 5-09). The Synod required that implemen- tation of a church-worker position proposed by this task force must first have “the concurrence of the entities represented on the task force” (President, synodical Board of Directors, Council of Presi- dents, Board for Higher Education, and CTCR). In February 2000 the Task Force for Diaconal Ministry submitted to the CTCR a pro- posal “To Establish a Deacon Ministry Where Full-Time Ordained Pastoral Ministry Cannot Be Maintained.” At its September 2000 meeting, the CTCR prepared its response to this proposal and sub- mitted it to the Task Force. In February 2001 the Commission re- viewed a revised version of the proposal. While a majority of the Commission expressed sympathy for the proposal, the majority also indicated that they could not support it without serious revision. 2. Preliminary Report of Task Force on National/District Synod Relations At its September 2000 meeting, the CTCR completed its review of the Task Force’s report. In view of the Task Force’s proposal to change the manner in which the members of the CTCR are se- lected, the Commission adopted for submission to the Task Force the following response: CTCR Response to the “Preliminary Report of Task Force on National/District Relations” as That Report Proposes to Change the Manner in Which Members of the CTCR Are Selected WHEREAS, The presen! method of selecting the members of the CTCR—five chosen by the Synod in convention, four by the seminary faculties, four by the Council of Presidents, and three by the President of the Synod—has served the Synod well over the years in helping to ensure that the membership of the Commission is representative of the Synod which it serves; and WHEREAS, The synodieal Task Force on National/District Relations has recommended, in its “Preliminary Report,” a change in the manner in which members of the CTCR are selected, namely: that the COP se- lect only one representative to the CTCR (a sitting Districi President) and that the Synod in convention elect eight (8) individuals to serve on the CTCR; and WHEREAS, The present means of selection fosters a close relation- ship between the CTCR—which has been entrusted with the responsi- bility of providing guidance in matters of theology and church rela- tions—and those who have been given responsibilities in the area of supervision of doctrine; and WHEREAS, No good reason can be ascertained for a change in this method of selecting members at this time; therefore be it RESOLVED, That the CTCR officially express its opposition to the proposed change in the manner in which its members are selected; and finally be it RESOLVED, That this opposition to the proposed change be for- warded to the synodical Task Force on National/District Relations. Adopted September 23, 2000 I. Church Relations A. Inter-Lutheran 1. International Lutheran Council At its February 2000 meeting, the CTCR once again granted permission for its Executive Director, Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, to serve as Executive Secretary of the ILC. For information on the ILC see its Web site at www.ilc-online.org. The International Lutheran Council met for its 18th conference in Cambridge, England, on Aug. 7-14, 1999, under the theme