# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S241
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

240 CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

Resolved, That Synod in all future resolutions dealing
with fellowship matters such as association with federations,
and all inter-synod and inter-church associations, require
a 23 majority vote of the delegates assembled in national
convention.

NAZARETH LUTHERAN CHURCH
Buffalo, N. Y.
Donald J. Sampson, Secretary

5-98

To Decline 1971 Overtures 5-41 and 5-42
Asking for 34 Majority Vote or Referendum
on Fellowship and Merger Proposals

Wuereas, Milwaukee convention Resolution 5-40 (1971
Proceedings, p.168) referred Overtures 5-41 and 5-42 to the
Council of Presidents with the directive that this body re-
port to the 1973 convention; and

Wuereas, A study of these overtures, which calls for a
34 majority vote in fellowship issues and a referendum
when a merger is proposed, finds that they would violate
both the principle of majority rule, which is basic to our
life and work together as a Synod, and the long established

polity of our church as expressed in the following state-
ments contained in an official opinion of the Synod’s Com-
mission on Constitutional Matters, unanimously adopted
on June 6, 1969:

It is the opinion of the Commission that the question (Of con-
stitutionality of the congregational referendum _on fellowship
questions) must be answered in the negative. To transfer re-
sponsibility for making a decision on fellowship or any other
question is inconsistent with the type of polity set forth in the
Constitution and under which the Synod has operated for gen~-
erations. This polity is one of representative government which
calls for full and free discussion of issues in a deliberative as-
sembly and then imposes responsibility on each delegate to
make a decision. The delegate may not even be bound by in-
structions given to him by his constituency.

Not only does the Constitution make no provision for a refer-
endum, but, on the contrary, many provisions of the Constitu-
tion and Bylaws give clear indication that the polity is one of
representative government. A majority vote at the convention
itself controls (Article VIII C). Articles VIII and IX give ad-
ditional evidence that the government of the Synod is a rep-
resentative government and not a government by _ refer-
endum...;

therefore be it

Resolved, That we decline Overtures 5-41 and 5-42 and
continue our constitutional form of church government.

CouncIL OF PRESIDENTS
Richard Schlecht, Secretary