# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S176 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 176 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS humanly established offices in the church as long as the functions of these offices do not make them eligible to carry out ‘official functions [that] would involve public accountability for the func- tion of the pastoral office’’’ (2004 LCMS convention Res. 3-08A); and be it further Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District ask the CTCR to clarify and critically review all the recommendations in its 1994 report and their basis in its 1985 Women in the Church document; and be it finally Resolved, That we in the Northern Illinois District continue to engage in biblical study and discussion of this issue. Northern Illinois District 3-63 To Affirm Action of 2004 Convention re Role of Women WHEREAS, The Synod at its 1969 convention declared, “those statements of Scripture which direct women to keep silent in the church and which prohibit them to teach and to exercise authority over men, we understand to mean that women ought not to hold the pastoral office or serve in any other capacity involving the dis- tinctive functions of this office” (1969 Res. 2-17); and WHEREAS, The CCM in 1970 issued an opinion (“by human right rather than divine right”), which has been reaffirmed by the Synod at subsequent conventions, that a woman “shall not serve ... as chairman or vice-chairman of the congregation”; and WHEREAS, The CCM, in this opinion, indicated that the Synod “may further define its position in the future”; and WHEREAS, The 2004 LCMS convention, in Res. 3-08A, ac- cepted, “To Affirm the Conclusions of the 1994 CTCR Report: The Service of Women in Congregational and Synodical Offices’ as the official stance of the LCMS; and WuereEaS, The CTCR has stated in a recent (April 2004) opin- ion requested by the Minnesota South District that “the Scriptures clearly teach that God has given the pastoral office and the exer- cise of pastoral authority to men and not to women” and that “Scripture does not prohibit women who possess the requisite gifts from holding these humanly established offices, assuming that the occupants of these offices do not ‘perform those functions that are distinctive to the public exercise of the ministry of Word and Sacra- ments,’ or carry out ‘official functions [that] would involve public 999, accountability for the function of the pastoral office’ ”; and WHEREAS, The commission in this same opinion counseled that congregations, in filling these offices, keep in mind the family structure and encourage “men not to neglect their leadership re- sponsibilities in their congregations. Since the church encourages husbands to exercise their God-given headship in a God-pleasing way at home”; therefore be it Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention gives thanks to God for the appropriate service of women in the LCMS on a congrega- tional, district, and Synod level, and commends the work of the CTCR in this area over the past 35 years and the decision of the Synod in the 2004 convention to affirm it; and be it further Resolved, That we affirm that women on the basis of the clear teaching of Scripture may not serve in the office of pastor nor ex- ercise any of its distinctive functions, and that women may serve in humanly established offices in the church as long as the functions of these offices do not make them eligible to carry out “official functions [that] would involve public accountability for the func- tion of the pastoral office”; and be it further Resolved, That we commend the CTCR and the Synod in conven- tion for heeding the clear warning of Holy Scripture not to add to God’s revealed will (Rev. 22:18—19) and restrict the service of women in the church beyond what Holy Scripture reveals; and be it finally Resolved, That the 2007 LCMS convention reaffirms 3-08A of the 2004 LCMS convention. Trinity Roselle, IL 3-64 To Affirm 2004 Res. 3-08A as Norm for Practice WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 2004 resolved “that women may serve in humanly established offices in the church as long as the functions of these offices do not make them eligible to carry out ‘official functions’ [that] would involve public account- ability for the function of the pastoral office”; and WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 2004 resolved to “urge the members of the Synod, in making decisions regarding which offices women may hold, to bear in mind the CTCR’s counsel that congregations organize ‘themselves in ways that complement and reinforce the family, for the church is the “household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15)’ ”; and WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 2004 affirmed the con- clusions of the 1994 CTCR report The Service of Women in Con- gregational and Synodical Offices in 2004 Res. 3-08A; and WHEREAS, The 1994 CTCR report The Service of Women in Congregational and Synodical Offices was available for study and input to the CTCR for 10 years before its adoption in 2004 and none of the limited response was of such nature to cause the CTCR to change any of its conclusions; and WHEREAS, The church has been served this past triennium under the conclusions and guidelines of the CTCR document The Service of Women in Congregational and Synodical Offices; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm 2004 Res. 3- O8A; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm the guidance of the 1994 CTCR document The Service of Women in Congrega- tional and Synodical Offices to be the norm for practice considered acceptable in congregations and the Synod. Lord of Life Leawood, KS 3-65 To Publish Single- Volume Study of Scriptural Relationship of Man and Woman WHEREAS, The 1995 Synod convention approved Res. 3-10 call- ing for the CTCR to “coordinate a comprehensive study of the Scriptural relationship of man and woman, together with the fac- ulties of both seminaries, making use of other persons who are competent in the area of theology, including women”; and WHEREAS, The CTCR has addressed aspects of the scriptural re- lationship of man and woman in certain reports and opinions that it has issued since the 1990s including the 1998 report on Biblical Revelation and Inclusive Language, and the 1994 report on The Service of Women in Congregational Offices whose conclusions the 2004 Synod convention affirmed—but has not yet issued the comprehensive report called for in Res. 3-10; and WHEREAS, Questions continue to be raised within the Synod re- garding the scriptural relationship of man and woman, especially as this relationship bears upon women’s service in various congre- gational roles; and WHEREAS, The CTCR held consultations in December 2006 and April 2007 on the scriptural relationship of man and woman, at which both men and women with theological expertise were in- vited to present their views to the CTCR; therefore be it Resolved, That the CTCR be commended for making use of both men and women competent in the area of theology as it ex- amines the scriptural relationship of man and woman; and be it fur- ther Resolved, That the CTCR be strongly urged to produce a sin- gle-volume, comprehensive study of the scriptural relationship of man and woman that includes a discussion of the implications of this relationship for women’s roles in the life and worship of the church; and be it finally