# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S240 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 240 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION Resolved, That, for the sake of promoting like treatment and ac- ceptance of doctrinal resolutions as is the case with doctrinal state- ments, present Bylaw 1.09 b governing the adoption of doctrinal resolutions be amended as follows: PRESENT/PROPOSED & (a) Doctrinal resolutions may be adopted for the information, counsel, and guidance of the membership. They shall conform to the confessional position of the Synod as set forth in Art. II of its Constitution and shall ordinarily cite the pertinent passages of the Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and any previously adopted official doctrinal statements and resolutions of the Synod. (1) Such resolutions come into being in the same manner as any other reso- lutions of a synodical convention. (2) Upon adoption by a conven- tion, the Secretary of the Synod shall prepare and provide a ballot to every congregation of the Synod for the purpose of ratifying that the action of the convention conforms to the confessional position of the Synod. (3) Upon ratification by a two-thirds majority of the congregations that return their ballots, such doctrinal resolutions shall be regarded as adopted for the information, counsel, and guid- ance of the membership of the Synod and are to be honored and upheld until such time as the Synod amends or repeals them. and be it finally Resolved, That proposed Bylaw 1.3.2 (a) therefore read as fol- lows: (a) Doctrinal resolutions may be adopted for the information, counsel, and guidance of the membership. They shall conform to the confessional position of the Synod as set forth in Art. Il of its Constitution and shall ordinarily cite the pertinent passages of the Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and any previously adopted official doctrinal statements and resolutions of the Synod. (1) Such resolutions come into being in the same manner as any other resolutions of a synodical convention. (2) Upon adoption by a convention, the Secretary of the Synod shall prepare and provide a ballot to every congregation of the Synod for the purpose of ratifying that the action of the convention conforms to the confessional position of the Synod. (3) Upon ratification by a two-thirds majority of the congrega- tions that return their ballots, such doctrinal resolutions shall be re- garded as adopted for the information, counsel, and guidance of the membership of the Synod and are to be honored and upheld until such time as the Synod amends or repeals them. Commission on Structure 7-11 To Change Membership of Commission on Doctrinal Review Rationale The President of the Synod is responsible for the appointment of doctrinal reviewers for various entities of the Synod according to their needs (Bylaws 3.101 A 1; !1.05 a) and for appointing re- placements in the event of the termination of a reviewer (Bylaw 11.05 b). He is also responsible for the appointment of the five- member Commission on Doctrinal Review from the total number of doctrinal reviewers (Bylaw 3.907). If an author or sponsoring group disagrees with a decision or the recommendations of a doctrinal reviewer, an appeal process may be initiated with the chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal Review. The chairman informs all parties involved and appoints a three-member review panel from the members of the Commission. The result of this process may be the perception that this is not an objective appeals process, since the President appoints the re- viewers, the five-member Commission, and the three-member re- view panel from that same Commission. The following resolution is presented by the Commission on Structure to provide an objec- tive process for the hearing of doctrinal review appeals that still preserves the President’s overall responsibility for doctrinal super- vision. 2001 Convention Workbook Resolved, That present Bylaw 3.101 A | be amended as fol- lows: PRESENF/PROPOSED SO Perse tite Detres 3.3.1.2 As the chief ecclesiastical officer of the Synod, the Fhe President shall + supervise the doctrine taught and practiced in the Synod, in- cluding all synodwide corporate entities. and be it further Resolved, That proposed Bylaw 3.3.1.2 therefore read: 3.3.1.2 As the chief ecclesiastical officer of the Synod, the Pres- ident shall supervise the doctrine taught and practiced in the Synod, including all synodwide corporate entities. and be it further Resolved, That paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) under proposed Bylaw 3.3.1.2 {former Bylaws 11.01 c and 11.05 a and b] remain the same as proposed by the Commission on Structure in its report to the convention; and be it further Resolved, That a new paragraph (d) be added to read as follows: (d) For the purpose of handling challenges to doctrinal review decisions or recommendations, the President of the Synod, in con- sultation with the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, shall appoint an ad hoc Appeals Panel consisting of the Chairman of the Doctrinal Review Commission, one member of the staff of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, a representa- tive from each of the seminary faculties serving on the Commis- sion on Theology and Church Relations, and one at-large person with expertise in the subject area at issue. , and be it further Resolved, That present Bylaw 11.13 c be amended as follows: e (a) After receipt of an appeal, the chairman of the Commis- sion on Doctrinal Review shall inform all concerned, and-shetbap- tnd shall designate-one-esiee-cheinmen The President of the Synod shall appoint an Appeals Panel according to Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (d). * Panel members shal] disqualify hitasel# themselves on the basis of any kind of personal involvement in the issue. and be it further Resolved, That proposed Bylaw 1.6.3 (a) therefore read: (a) After receipt of an appeal, the chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal Review shall inform all concerned. The President of the Synod shall appoint an Appeals Panel according to Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (d). Panel members shall disqualify themselves on the basis of any kind of personal involvement in the issue. and be it further Resolved, That present Bylaw 11.15 d be amended as follows: PRESENF/PROPOSED é (b) After receipt of the challenge, the chairman of the Com- mission on Doctrinal Review shall inform the President of the Synod, the Sponsoring group, and Concordia Publishing Houserend wiew-panel-and-shall-designate-one-as-ite-chairman. The President t the Synod shall appoint an Appeals Panel according to Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (d). Panel members shall disqualify themselves on the basis of any kind of personal involvement in the issue. and be it further Resolved, That proposed Bylaw 1.6.4 (b) therefore read: (b) After receipt of the challenge, the chairman of the Commis- sion on Doctrinal Review shall inform the President of the Synod, the sponsoring group, and Concordia Publishing House. The Pres- ident of the Synod shall appoint an Appeals Panel according to Bylaw 3.3.1.2 (d). Panel members shal] disqualify themselves on the basis of any kind of personal involvement in the issue.