# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S300 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 300 ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION * Bylaw 6.49 includes faculty members of the Synod’s schools who are members of the Synod under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Synod. These Bylaws help to define the concept of ecclesiastical su- pervision. Ecclesiastical supervision includes discipline and ad- monishment (Bylaws 2.23; 2.25; 2.27; 3.19 d;), is comprehensive to include all members of the Synod (Bylaws 2.41; 3.101 A 1; 5.19; 6.49), includes supervision of doctrine taught and practiced (By- laws 3.101 A 1-3; 4.73) as well as supervision of administration (Bylaw 4.73) and life (Bylaw 4.73), is proactive (Bylaw 3.101 A 2 and 3; 3.101 C 1 and 2; 4.71 d; 4.73; 4.75), includes consultation (Bylaws 3.101 A 3; 3.101 C 3-5, 11) and offering of advice (Bylaw 4.73) and encouragement (Bylaw 4.71 2), and is to be done in an evangelical manner (Bylaw 4.71 d 3-4). The Constitution of the Synod, while not referring to ecclesias- tical supervision by name, offers additional insights. Under Article III, evangelical supervision is given as one of the objectives of the Synod: “8. Provide evangelical supervision, counsel, and care for pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers of the Synod in the performance of their official duties.” Under Article XI B, the President of the Synod is given the responsibility for su- pervision regarding the doctrine and administration of officers, em- ployees, and Districts of the Synod (paragraph 1), “to see to it that all the aforementioned act in accordance with the Synod’s Consti- tution, to admonish all who in any way depart from it, and, if such admonition is not heeded, to report such cases to the Synod” (para- graph 2). Under the same Article XI B, he also “has and always shall have the power to advise, admonish, and reprove” and “shall conscientiously use all means at his command to promote and maintain unity of doctrine and practice in all the Districts of the Synod” (paragraph 3), also seeing to it that the resolutions of the Synod are carried out (paragraph 4). The Constitution (Article XII) also describes the ecclesiastical supervisory responsibilities of District Presidents, who are to “es- pecially exercise supervision over the doctrine, life, and adminis- tration of office of the ordained and commissioned ministers of their District and acquaint themselves with the religious conditions of the congregations of their District.” In doing so, “they shall visit and, according as they deem it necessary, hold investigations in the congregations,” assisted by the Circuit Counselors (paragraph 7). They are “empowered to suspend from membership ordained and commissioned ministers for persistently adhering to false doctrine or for having given offense by an ungodly life” (paragraph 8). They are also to “see to it that all resolutions of the Synod which con- cern Districts are made known to the Districts and carried out by them” (paragraph 9 a) and perform in person or by proxy all ordi- nations and installations. In recent times it has become evident that the Synod will be aided in its life together by the provision of a summary definition for ecclesiastical supervision in its Handbook. The Commission on Structure proposes the following changes to Bylaw 3.51 to provide a definition for ecclesiastical supervision. PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING Resolved, That Bylaw 3.51 k be amended as follows: k. Supervision: For the purpose of these Bylaws, other than those pertaining to ecclesiastical supervision, to have authority over, to direct actions, to control activities. Fre-definitien-oFee- and be it further Resolved, That a new paragraph “e” be added to Bylaw 3.51 as follows, with all subsequent paragraphs re-lettered accordingly: e. Ecclesiastical Supervision: The duty of those designated by the Constitution and Bylaw: he Synod t nsel on be- half of the Synod those members placed under their ecclesiasti- cal supervision regarding the Synod’s doctrinal positions, the personal life of the member, and the member’ ministration of office. Such supervision includes evangelical consultation, advice, encouragement, admonishment, and, when necessary, appropriate disciplinary measures to assure that the Constitu- tion, Bylaws, and doctrinal resolutions and doctrinal statements of th nod ar ied out. Ecclesiastical supervision not include the responsibility to observe, monitor, control, or direct the day-to-day activities of individual members of the whether in the conduct of their work or in their private lives (cf. Bylaw 2.21). Commission on Structure 8-21 To Provide Ecclesiastical Supervision for President Rationale The Commission on Constitutional Matters has issued a number of opinions in response to questions regarding how complaints against the President of the Synod are to be handled. A number of parties in the Synod have asked the Commission on Structure to address the matter of ecclesiastical supervision of the President of the Synod by proper Bylaw change proposals. Bylaw 3.51 k provides: “The definition of ecclesiastical super- vision shall be determined exclusively by those Bylaws pertaining to ecclesiastical supervision.” In the current Constitution and By- laws of the Synod, no provision is made for the ecclesiastical su- pervision of the President of the Synod. One important aspect of ecclesiastical supervision for the Pres- ident is that of offering counsel and advice. Current Bylaw 3.125 states that the Vice-Presidents of the Synod “‘shall be elected advi- sors of the President.” The Vice-Presidents would therefore be log- ical providers of this important aspect of ecclesiastical supervision for the President. At the same time, ecclesiastical supervision also includes a sec- ond important aspect, namely, oversight and admonishment in this case of the President. Current Bylaw 3.930 b provides that the Council of Presidents exists “to enable the District President to give counsel to the President.” As such, the Council of Presidents is in the best position to serve in an oversight and admonishment role and to handle complaints brought against the President in the exer- cise of his duties. The following amendments to pertinent bylaws are therefore proposed: PRESENFT/PROPOSED WORDING Resolved, That Bylaw 3.125 be amended to read as follows: 3.125 Relation to the President The Vice-Presidents shall be elected advisers of the Presi- dent and shall provide counsel on trinal and ecclesiasti matters. They may upon his request or as provided by the Synod assist him in discharging his responsibilities or represent him. and be it further Resolved, That Bylaw 3.930 be amended by the addition of a new paragraph “c” and re-lettering the remaining paragraphs of the Bylaw accordingly: c. to provi esi rvision for the President of the Synod (Bylaw 3.107). and be it finally Resolved, That a new Bylaw 3.107 be added to the Bylaws gov- erning the Office of the President under Section C of Chapter III, “Officers of the Synod”: 3.107 Ecclesiastical Supervision of the President The Council of Presidents shall serve as the ecclesiastical su- pervisor of the President of the Synod when complaints are brought against the President of the Synod that could lead to his expulsion from the Synod under Article XII of the Constitution. a. Complaints pertaining to doctrinal error (teaching or prac- tice) shall be submitted in writing to the chairman of the Coun- cil of Presidents by a Circuit Forum upon the majority vote of all eligible members of the forum, by an official church worker conference of a District, or by a convention of a District.