# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S301 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION 301 . Complaints ining to offensive conduct shall be sub- mi in writing to the chairman of the Council of Presiden individual with direct know] f the alleged offen- iv uct. ¢. A committee of three District Presidents shal] be selected ind draw alled meetin i Presidents to conduct an investigation to determine whether the allegations can be substantiated and to report its findings to the Council. . d. If the Council by a ? majority vote determines that the facts form a basis for expulsion under Article XIII of the Con- stitution, it shall prepare a written statement of the matter in dis- pute which sets forth the alleged facts and states that it is re- ing expulsion resi icl Constitution. wi il, thi resente vention of th nod for action hi n Commission on Structure 8-22 To Provide Means for Suspension or Deposition of a Synod President WHEREAS, As members of the one true church we desire there to be peace and order as we go about the business of service in procla- mation of the Gospel; and Wuereas, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), and thus all men are sinners in need of repentance and therefore are subject to temptation and error; and WHEREAS, The President of the Synod, being a fallible person as any other man, is not above the law nor should he be free of the admonition of another brother or brothers when they speak the truth in love; and WHEREAS, Recent events have caused the Commission on Con- stitutional Matters to issue some rulings that effectively place any person occupying the Office of the President of the LCMS above the Word of God as well as the Synod Constitution in between con- ventions (01-2240, 01-2241); and WHEREAS, These rulings revealed that members of the Synod are without a means for suspension or deposition of a sitting Pres- ident in between conventions (Constitution Art. XI A 2, Bylaw 3.103 c); and WHEREAS, The only recourse at this time is to call a special Synod convention (Art. VIII B 2), which is expensive, time-con- suming, and improbable at best; and ; . WHEREAS, The Constitution mentions “the deposition from of- fice” of the President (Art. XI C 2), but fails to provide a mecha- nism for this to take place in a decent and orderly way; therefore be it Resolved, That the Wyoming District request the LCMS Com- mission on Structure, working in a timely fashion (with considera- tion of the next convention being in summer 2004), that it provide to the next Synod convention a means or model for placing a Synod President on restricted status, suspension, or deposition from office for sufficient cause. Wyoming District 8-23 To Place President of Synod under Ecclesiastical Supervision of President of Missouri District WHEREAS, The Christian is at the same time saint and sinner (Romans 7:7—21); and WHEREAS, Such a reality calls for the proper supervision of all who hold authority; and WHEREAS, The office of Synod President is not under ecclesias- — tical supervision by any entity other than the Synod in convention; and Whereas, A lack of ecclesiastical supervision between con- ventions (other than a special convention) over the Synod Presi- dent does not show a proper appreciation for the dueling natures in the Christian; and WHEREAS, Checks and balances are effective tools for our civil government to curb evil, so also such is beneficial for good order in the church; and WHEREAS, It is not inconsistent that the Missouri District Presi- dent be given limited ecclesiastical supervision over the Synod President. In the secular sphere, the president selects judges, the congress ratifies or rejects those judges, and the judges may in tum overthrow the laws enacted by congress and the president as well as call those individuals to account before the law; therefore be it Resolved, That the Missouri District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod petitions the 2004 synodical convention to change the Bylaws of the Synod so that the President is placed under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Missouri District Presi- dent; and be it further Resolved, That this supervision be limited to complaints made to the Missouri District President under Bylaw 2.21—2.27 and By- laws Chapter VIII; and be it further Resolved, That the Missouri District President may only receive a complaint and may not himself initiate a complaint; and be it finally Resolved, That the President be afforded the same protections and rights of appeal that all other pastors are afforded under Bylaw 2.21—2.27 and Bylaws Chapter VIII. Missouri District 8-24 To Provide Ecclesiastical Authority Over the Office of the Synod President Wuereas, Recent rulings of the Commission on Constitutional Matters (01-2240, 01-2241) declared that the Synod’s President is only answerable to the Synod in convention; and WHEREAS, Synodical conventions only occur every three years, thus prohibiting the possibility of dealing with the President con- cerning any alleged impropriety for a relatively long period of time; and WHEREAS, Most, if not all, pastors can be rightly and constitu- tionally removed from their office for any of the following reasons: (1) persistent adherence to false doctrine; (2) leading of a scan- dalous life; (3) the willful and persistent dereliction of duty; or (4) a prolonged incapacity to do the work of his office; and WHEREAS, Synod Presidents have the same human frailties as parish pastors and could become guilty of false doctrine, begin leading a scandalous life, become willful and persistent in the dere- liction of his duties, or become incapacitated and unable to do the work of his office; and WHEREAS, With no ecclesiastical authority over the President his words and actions would be accountable to no one until a syn- odical convention; therefore be it Resolved, That the Minnesota North District memorialize the 2004 synodical convention to give the Board of Directors of Synod ecclesiastical authority to deal with the Synod’s President concern- ing any charges of impropriety during the interim between synodi- cal conventions; and be it further Resolved, That since the above may not be the best and only way of providing ecclesiastical supervision of the Synod’s Presi- dent that the Minnesota North memorialize the 2004 Synod con- vention to direct the Commission on Structure to propose at least two means or models for placing a Synod President on restricted status, suspension, or deposition from office for cause, as is the case already provided for (for example) with District Presidents (Bylaw 2.27 g); and be it finally Resolved, That the Commission on Structure provide these pro- posals to the Synod in convention in 2007. Minnesota North District