# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S88 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Ee At ESE EO Cae Cae aN eT 88 RESOLUTIONS due consultation and coordination with other Christians in this area; and be it further Resolved, That in consultation with the Brazil Dis- trict and the LCMS Board for Missions, the Board of Directors be authorized to decide, on the basis of such in- depth study, whether or not The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod should enter one or both fields; and be it finally © Resolved, That, if such authorization is granted, the Board for Missions and the Brazil District, in mutual consultation, determine what form such mission activity might take (e.g., Bible translation, mass communica- tions, medical missions, educational missions, second- ment, support to already existing mission efforts, direct evangelism, or a combination of these in a team minis- try, etc.) Action: Adopted (7). (The committee replaced its tentative Res. 2-04 with Res. 2-04A.) To Enlarge North American Indian Ministry RESOLUTION 2-05 Overture 2-20 (CW, p. 35) Wuereas, We are commissioned to reach all people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and Wuereas, We recognize that we have failed to reach the North American Indian in any significant way; and Wuereas, Such failure is largely due to our neglect to recognize the different cultural forms and styles of ex- pression of the North American Indian; and WuHereas, Our witness is not to our form of life and worship, but only to the Word that is Jesus Christ; therefore be it Resolved, That we foster a more evangelical rather than a paternalistic approach toward the North Ameri- can Indian; and be it further Resolved, That we seek to equip our congregations for a more effective witness to North American Indians in their own communities; and be it further Resolved, That Concordia College, Seward, be com- mended for initiating specialized training for Indian ministry; and be it finally Resolved, That the Board for Missions be directed to seek out additional means by which people can be pre- pared for this ministry, and that progress be reported to the 1977 synodical convention. Action: Adopted (7). To Ratify CCM Campus Ministry Opinion RESOLUTION 2-06 Overtures 2-29A—2-30B (CW, p. 37) (CCM “Constitu- tional Opinion re Campus Ministries,” CW, p. 484) Wuereas, The Commission on Constitutional Mat- ters, after having studied the various actions taken by recent conventions of the Synod with regard to campus ministries, after having reviewed the instruments which some of the joint enterprises have developed in several Districts of the Synod to carry on campus ministry, and ‘after having sought the guidance of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations with reference to the “theological” and “church relations” aspects of these matters, ruled the following: During recent years several joint enterprises for carry- ing on campus ministry have been developed in several of the Districts of the Synod. Descriptions of these ventures have ranged from “purely administrative” to “joint ministry in Word and Sacrament.” From several different directions, specifically from those involved in the work and from the Board for Missions and its staff, the Commission on Consti- tutional Matters has been asked to render a constitutional opinion. The Commission has studied the various actions taken by recent conventions of the Synod. It has received volumi- nous documentation from various sources in support of varying points of view. It has reviewed the instruments by which some of these joint enterprises are governed. It has sought the guidance of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations with reference to the “theological” and “church relations” aspects of these matters. The Commission on Constitutional Matters has arrived at the following conclusions: 1. The Synod has indeed entrusted campus work to its Districts. 2. The Synod, however, retains at all times to itself jurisdiction with respect to everything which is adminis- tered by or for the entire Synod, including “conduct of negotiations and affiliations with other church bodies” (By- laws 1.21, 3.07). 3. The Commission on Constitutional Matters rules that joint campus worship communities and joint campus minis- tries of Word and Sacrament with church groups with which the Synod has not as yet established fellowship relations are improper in the light of Article HI, 1; Article VI, 2; Bylaws 1.21, 3.07. 4. The Commission also rules that it is improper for a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod congregation to hold membership also in another church body or to be under the ecclesiastical supervision of another church body. 5. Districts are free to deal with representatives of other church bodies in purely administrative matters (e.g., comity arrangements, sharing of facilities, publicity, etc.) which do not involve joint ministry of Word and Sacrament. 6. Whether special administrative units need to be called into being for such purely administrative purposes may be left to the discretion of the Districts. In many instances these may well prove to be superfluous. Therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod ratify these rulings of the CCM. Action: Adopted (12). (This resolution was discussed also in Session 7. The conven- tion declined to consider overture 2-30A as a substitute. Resolu- tion 2-06 was adopted by a standing vote of 556 to 439 after extended debate.) To Reaffirm the Synod’s Position On Campus Ministry RESOLUTION 2-074 (Replacing Res. 2-07) Overtures 2-21, 2-23A—B, 2-25A—2-28B (CW, pp. 35- 37) Wuereas, The Synod has expressly stated that college