# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S238
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

238 HIGHER EDUCATION

Resolved, That, therefore, only those who have been properly
called into the Office of the Public Ministry may serve as teachers
of theology at colleges and seminaries of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod.

Faculty
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, IN

5-47

To Mandate College Theology Professors
Teaching Males Be Males

WuereAs, The Apostle Paul wrote by inspiration that a woman
should neither teach nor exercise authority over men in the church
(1 Tim. 2:11-15); and

Wtereas, A college teacher teaching theology to male students
both “teaches” and “has authority” over those males; and

WHEREAS, Whether this college teachership is held to be a func-
tion of the pastoral office, or an auxiliary office in the church, it
cannot be exercised by a woman without violating apostolic and
scriptural injunction; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 synodical convention declare that in
the colleges and universities of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod all teachers whose responsibility it is to teach theology to
male students will be males graduated from a synodical seminary
or colloquized into the Synod.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

5-48

To Affirm Lay and Non-Ordained Rostered Teachers
of Theology in LCMS Universities and Colleges

Wuereas, The privilege and command to teach the Word of
God is given to the church; and

WHEREAS, Lay and non-ordained rostered teachers of theology
in the history of the Christian church, the Lutheran church, and The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod have made significant contri-
butions in equipping God’s people for their ministries; and

WHEREAS, The call to teach theology in universities and col-
leges of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod does not involve
one in the Office of the Public Ministry and does not require ordi-
nation; and

WHEREAS, Lay teachers and non-ordained rostered teachers of
theology in the universities and colleges of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod continue to provide distinguished service; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the church recognize the gifts of lay and non-or-
dained rostered teachers of theology; and be it further

Resolved, That the church encourage aspiring teachers of the-
ology to complete doctoral work in their specialties; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That able lay and non-ordained rostered teachers of
theology be commended for their service to the church.

Faculty

Concordia University
Seward, NE

"5-49

To Affirm Women as Teachers of Theology

WuEREAS, The Church of Jesus Christ has only one Teacher,
the Lord, who came announcing the Kingdom of His Father and
promising the gift of the Holy Spirit “who will teach you all things”
(Matt. 23:8-10; Matt. 10:24—25; John 14:26); and

WHEREAS, The one Gospel of the church is the Good News,
which announces that through Jesus—His ministry, His death and

resurrection—people receive forgiveness of their sins, life, and sal-
vation; and .

Wuereas, This Gospel alone gives freedom from sins, freedom
from God’s condemning law, freedom from the curse of death,
freedom from humanly designed religious traditions and customs
(Gal. 5:1); and

WHEREAS, Contrary to the values of His own culture and reli-
gion, Jesus taught women, rejected legal taboos about women, for-
gave women, called women to be His disciples, received assistance
from women, made women full members of His community, and
gave His Spirit to women (John 20); and

Wuereas, For the sake of unity and for building up the body of
Christ, His church, the Lord has given some to be apostles, some
prophets, some teachers, also “pastors-teachers” (Eph. 4:11), some
evangelists, some workers of miracles, some healers, some helpers,
some administrators, some speakers of languages (1 Cor. 12:28f;
Rom. 12:6f; Eph. 4:11f); and

Whereas, According to Paul, Luke, and John, women are the
recipients of the charismata of the Spirit: Women pray and proph-
esy in the congregation (Acts 2; 1 Cor. 11), teach the Gospel to oth-
ers (John 4; Acts 18), proclaim the Gospel of the resurrection of
Jesus to others (John 20), labor for the Gospel in the missionary
setting of early Christianity (John 4; Rom, 16; Acts 18), serve as
house-leaders/patronesses of several congregations (Rom. 16:2;
Acts 16:15); and

Wuereas, In keeping with Lutheran confessional procedure of
demonstrating how catholic tradition supports a scriptural posi-
tion—throughout the history of the Catholic and Orthodox church
qualified women have taught the words of God to men and women

in schools and universities; and

WHEREAS, In the past, the LCMS has used 1 Tim. 2:11-14 and
1 Cor. 14:33b-36 to prohibit women from serving in positions of
“authority over men” in society, from voting in congregations,
from serving as parochial school teachers, from serving on Synod
boards and commissions, and from serving in any number of other
positions of leadership; and
Wuereas, Despite these previous interpretive decisions in the
LCMS, the LCMS has changed its understanding of these passages
in question so as to affirm now that women may vote in congrega-
tions, teach the Word in Sunday schools, in adult Bible classes
(e.g., as DCEs), in parochial schools, in evangelism outreach, in
catechesis classes, in university and other settings; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm that there is no
legitimate biblical or dogmatic rationale for why women ought not
serve as teachers of theology in the Synod (including the Concordia
University System).
Board of Directors
Northwest District

5-50

To Require Synodical College and University
Presidents to Be Male

WHEREAS, The Synod has traditionally insisted that a president
of one of its institutions of higher education is the “spiritual, aca-
demic, and administrative head” of the institution; and

WHEREAS, Scripture assigns headship in both home and church
(of which synodical colleges and universities are extensions) to the
male; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 synodical convention declare that those
who are elected to be presidents of the Synod’s colleges and uni-
versities be male.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC