# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S254
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

254 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

declared pulpit and altar fellowship are also participating; and be it
further

Resolved, That all synodical officers, pastors, professors, teach-
ers of the church, and other rostered church workers, and congre-
gations honor and uphold the resolutions of the Synod as regards
the official doctrinal position of our Synod on church fellowship
and teach in accordance with them; and be it finally

Resolved, That engaging in any such prohibited worship setting
shall serve as just cause for removal from the membership of the
Synod in accord with proper due processes as outlined in the Con-
stitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Minnesota North District; Crookston Circuit Forum,
Minnesota North District; Sangre de Cristo Circuit Forum 6
and Eastern High Plains Circuit Forum 11, Rocky Mountain
District; St. Peter, Snyder, NE; Immanuel, Dodge, NE;
Storm Lake Circuit Forum, Iowa District West

7-09

To Reaffirm Art. VI re Syncretism

WHEREAS, The Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouni
Synod specifically states in Art. VI, as a condition of holding mem-
bership, the “renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every de-
scription”; and

WHEREAS, The First Commandment expects nothing less than
such renunciation; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS, gathered in convention, reaffirm its
commitment to Art. VI 2.

First
Plattsmouth, NE

7-10
To Restudy and Amend Art. VI

Rationale

It is apparent that there are varying interpretations about sec-
tion 2 of Art. VI (Conditions of Membership) of the LCMS Con-
stitution, which reads as follows:

Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod
are the following:

2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every de-
scription, such as:

a. Serving congregations of mixed confession, as such, by
ministers of the church;

b. Taking part in the services and sacramental rites of het-
erodox congregations or of congregations of mixed confession;

c. Participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities.

The varying interpretations of the Bylaw and the differing def-
initions of what constitutes “unionism” and “syncretism” have
caused destructive conflict for our Synod and harmed the Gospel
ministry of many of its congregations, pastors, teachers, professors,
District Presidents, and service organizations. Whatever its good
intent may have been in the past, this section of the Constitution
has now become a tool for creating distrust, difficulties, and dys-
function for congregations, professional church workers, Districts,
and the Synod itself. Congregations, professional church workers,
Districts, and the Synod itself can be trusted to use prudent judg-
ment under Art. II (Confession—Scripture and Confessions) and
Art. III (Objectives, especially Section 1, which reads: “Conserve
and promote the unity of the true faith [Eph. 4:3-6; ] Cor. 1:10],
work through its official structure toward fellowship with other
Christian church bodies, and provide a united defense against
schism, sectarianism [Rom. 16:17], and heresy”) of the Synod’s
Constitution and to act in responsible manner to give good witness
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Resolved, That concerns about “unionism”—a term based on
the Prussian Union of 1817 that brought together Lutherans and
Calvinists at the Lord’s Table without sufficient doctrinal agree-

ment—be restudied in light of agreements on Christ’s sacramental
presence that have been reached through recent interconfessional
dialogues between Lutherans and other Christians; and be it fur-
ther .

Resolved, That concerns about “syncretism” be restudied with
reference to the synodical guidelines, “Cases of Discretion,” in the
report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, R3-
01, Convention Workbook, 2001, pp. 50-51; and be it finally

Resolved, That section 2 (dealing with unionism and syn-
cretism) of Art. VI be amended by deletion according to provisions
for amending the Synod’s Constitution therein prescribed.

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

7-11

To Preserve Healthy Tension in Relationship
of Congregations to Synod
and to Overturn CCM Opinion 99-2157

WHEREAS, There has been an acceptable and healthy tension in
the relationship between its member congregations and The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from its founding in 1847 re-
garding the self-governance of the individual congregation over
against its obligations to incorporate into its life every particular of
the official statements issued by the Synod in convention assem-
bled and in determining just how those particulars apply in the spe-
cific local situation; and

Whereas, Art. VII of our Synod Constitution clearly and wisely
embraces this tension when it states: “In its relation to its members
the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government exercising legisla-
tive or coercive powers, and with respect to the individual congre-
gation’s right of self-government it is but an advisory body”; and

WHEREAS, That same Art. VII draws out the logical dual conse-
quence of that statement when it continues: “Accordingly, no reso-
lution of the Synod imposing anything upon the individual congre-
gation is of binding force if it is not in accordance with the Word of
God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far as the condition of a
congregation is concerned”; and

WHEREAS, Opinion 99-2157 of the Commission on Constitu-
tional Matters (namely, “In answer to the question to the Commis-
sion, the phrase ‘inexpedient as far as the condition of a congrega-
tion is concerned,” does not refer to the Constitution and Bylaws
of the Synod and is restricted to resolutions adopted by a conven-
tion of the Synod which are non-doctrinal in nature”), exceeds the
intent of the Constitution as it limits the second of the dual conse-
quences mentioned above to what is not doctrinal when, in reality,
every decision and practice of a congregation is, in some way,
based upon the doctrinal foundation that underlies all it does; and

WHuEREAS, Opinion 99-2157 of the Commission on Constitu-
tional Matters binds all congregations until and unless it is over-
ruled by a convention of the Synod (Bylaw 3.905 d); therefore be it

Resolved, That we thank God for the trust we have in one an-
other as we apply the guidance of the Synod’s statements and de-
cisions to each local situation in which the Lord has placed us to
carry out His Great Commission; and be it further

Resolved, That we affirm and honor the healthy tension the
Constitution in Art. VII sets forth as a fact of our walking together
as we share fraternally in our God-given tasks while resolving
agreeably the complex issues which inevitably arise from our
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod tradition and constitutionally
stated position, embracing both congregational self-governance and
our very real responsibilities to one another in matters involving
Synod policy; and be it finally

Resolved, That the 2003 convention of the Northern Illinois
District of the LCMS petition the 2004 convention of the LCMS
to declare as null and void Opinion 99-2157 of the Commission on
Constitutional Matters.

Northern Illinois District; Trinity, Roselle, IL; Circuit 6,
Northern Illinois District