# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S286
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

286 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

exercise dissent or one’s own individual position and/or agenda;
and be it finally

Resolved, That if there are issues that need to be readdressed,
or issues that are considered by the members of the Synod to not
have been addressed, any and all action taken is to be governed by
the procedures set forth in the Bylaws—particularly 1.09 and
2.39—for the sake of the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3-6; 1 Cor.
1:10).

St. Luke, Dix Hills, NY; Christ Our Savior, Coppell, TX

7-107
To Affirm and Respect Process of Dissent

Preamble
Bylaw 2.39 of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod states:

2.39 Relation of the Synod to Its Members

a. The Constitution, Bylaws, and all other rules and regula-
tions of the Synod apply to all congregational and individual
members of the Synod. The Synod expects congregations that
have not been received into membership, but are served by the
Synod, and whose ministers of religion, ordained and commis-
sioned, hold membership in the Synod, to honor its rules and
regulations.

b. The Synod expects every member congregation to respect
its resolutions and to consider them of binding force if they are
in accordance with the Word of God and if they appear applic-
able as far as the condition of the congregation is concerned
[emphasis added]. The Synod, being an advisory body [empha-
sis added], recognizes the right of the congregation to be the
judge of the applicability of the resolution to its local condition.
However, in exercising such judgment, a congregation must not
act arbitrarily, but in accordance with the principles of Christian
love and charity.

c. While retaining the right of brotherly dissent [emphasis
added], members of the Synod are expected as part of the life
together within the synodical fellowship to honor and to uphold
the resolutions of the Synod. If such resolutions are of a doctri-
nal nature, dissent is to be expressed first within the fellowship
of peers, then brought to the attention of the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations before finding expression as an
overture to the convention calling for revision or recision. While
the conscience of the dissenter shall be respected, the con-
sciences of others, as well as the collective will of the Synod,
shall also be respected.

Brotherly dissent is considered a right of the members of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, but one that is to be exercised
carefully and honestly within the fellowship of the Synod. Simi-
larly, because members of Synod have a right to dissent within the
proper process outlined above, no entity, agency, Board, or com-
mission has a right to prohibit or hinder the dissent process.

WHEREAS, The process for the expression of dissent is described
by Bylaw 2.39; and

WHEREAS, The right of dissent is affirmed in Bylaw 2.39 as long
as the process (as outlined in Bylaw 2.39) is observed by the dis-
senter; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in con-
vention, affirm the right of brotherly dissent; and be it further

Resolved, That all members be encouraged to observe and fol-
low Bylaw 2.39 and its principle for brotherly dissent by a member
of the Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That while a dissenter is engaged in the process of
exercising brotherly dissent in accordance with Bylaw 2.39, no
punitive measures are to be taken against the dissenter until the
process has been exhausted, so long as the dissenter honors the in-
tent of Bylaw 2.39.

Christ Our Savior
Coppell, TX

7-108

- To Consider Duties to Auxiliaries
Subservient to Loyalties to Synod

WHEREAS, The International Lutheran Laymen’s League is an
auxiliary organization of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod;
and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Hour operates under the auspices of
the ILLL; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace Schulz was one of the speakers for The
Lutheran Hour; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Schulz was also an elected Vice-President of the
LCMS; and

Wuereas, Dr. Schulz, by virtue of his elected position in the
LCMS, was delegated to render judgment in the case regarding the
Yankee Stadium service; and

WHEREAS, Because of the discharge of his official duties as a
Synod officer he was removed from his duties as Lutheran Hour
speaker; therefore be it

Resolved, That duties, responsibilities, and functions of any
ILLL personnel or staff to the Synod take precedence over that per-
son’s involvement in the auxiliary; and be it further

Resolved, That both auxiliary organizations of the LCMS (ILLL
and ILWML) be reminded that their interests and operations are
subservient to those of the Synod at large.

First
Plattsmouth, NE

7-109

To Retain Bylaw Chapter VII

WHEREAS, God’s Word assures the church that the ascended
Christ “gave some as apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
some pastors and teachers” (Eph. 4:11), but that not all who work
in the church have such offices, since “there are diversities of min-
istries, but the same Lord” (1 Cor. 12:5), yet all the members of the
body of Christ contribute to the edification of the church through
their diverse functions; and

Wrereas, The Handbook has long included a section, “Certi-
fied Church Workers, Lay,” to include such workers as (1) lay min-
isters, (2) parish workers, (3) lay teachers (teachers opting not to
join the Synod), (4) directors of parish music, and (5) Lutheran so-
cial workers; all of which are positions which provide service in
the church body and required training and certification by the
Synod, but do not require a divine call; and

WHEREAS, The Handbook was amended in 2001 to replace the
section “Certified Church Workers, Lay” with a new Chapter VII,
introducing the terminology “consecrated lay workers,” with the
provision that this category of “consecrated lay workers” be re-
moved from the Handbook in 2004; and

WHuEeREAS, If this change were to be made, the only way in
which individuals in this category could be retained on the roster of
Synod and certified by the Synod would be to be listed as “minis-
ters of religion—commissioned”; and

WHEREAS, The IRS states in its Publication 517, Social Secu-

' rity and Other Information for Members of the Clergy and Reli-

gious Workers: “If a church or denomination ordains some minis-
ters and licenses or commissions others, anyone licensed or
commissioned must be able to perform substantially all the reli-
gious functions of an ordained minister to be treated as a minister
for social security purposes”; and

WHEREAS, The men and women listed as “certified church
workers, lay” in The Lutheran Annual are not “able to perform sub-
stantially all the religious functions” that the men listed as “minis-
ters of religion—ordained” may perform, since they are not “given
the authority to conduct religious worship, perform sacerdotal func-
tions, and administer . . . sacraments according to the prescribed
tenets and practices of [our] church or denomination” (IRS Publi-