LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 166

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166 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

appoint qualified women to offices, boards, commissions, and
committees for which they are eligible.

Southern District

Richard E. Kuehnert Jr., Secretary

3-22
To Permit Women to Hold All Offices

WHEREAS, The opportunities for service of women in the
church have increased significantly within our Synod and its
member congregations in recent years; and

WHEREAS, The official synodical position nevertheless con-
tinues to limit the services women may provide, thereby
forfeiting the gifts of leadership and service; and

WHEREAS, Many congregations are experiencing the joys
and blessings of unrestricted service women provide in the
congregation; and

WHEREAS, Asis stated in Rom. 12:4-6a NEB, “Forjustasina
single body there are many limbs and organs, all with different
functions, so all of us united with Christ, form one body,
serving individually as limbs and organs to one another. The
gifts we possess differ as they are allotted to us by God’s grace,
and must be exercised accordingly”; therefore be it

Resolved, That women’s eligibility for all offices of the
congregation be recognized by the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to revise their

constitutions to provide this opportunity for additional service.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Minnetonka, Minn.

Rebecca Enger, Secretary

A.H. Malotky, Pastor

3-23

To Permit Women to Serve on Boards
of Lay Ministry (Elders)

WHEREAS, Women in the church have always made valuable
contributions to the life and work of the church; and

WHEREAS, Women may and do serve on many committees
and departments of congregations, helping congregations to
grow together in love and service; and

WHEREAS, The church has always been blessed by the equal
and nondiscriminatory participation of women in congrega-
tions; and

WHEREAS, We have always recognized the valid ministry of
women; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Lay Ministry as defined in con-
gregational constitutions is not to be considered a form of
ordained ministry; therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations be permitted to allow all
communicant members in good standing to serve on their
Boards of Lay Ministry, so that congregations may make full
use of the talents of all their members.

Grace Lutheran Church

Edmonton, Al.

Wayne A. Corbin, Executive Director
Elke I. Bahrs, Secretary

3-24

To Study Restrictions on Lay Service
in the Church

_WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ has given precious
spiritual gifts and offices to the men and women of His Church;
and

WHEREAS, The supportive spiritual gifts of women have not
been adequately recognized and used in congregational life;
and

WHEREAS, There has been a great neglect on the part of men
to assume the spiritual headship of their homes and churches;
and

WHEREAS, His Holy Spirit has indicated that order be
preserved in the Church—specifically that the public admin-
istration of the office of the keys is to be exercised by men; and

WHEREAS, In defining the role which women may have in
the lay ministry of the church, the opinion adopted as policy by
the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters /Con-
vention Workbook, 1971) specifically excluded women from
certain offices—namely president, vice-president, and elder—
assuming that in all congregations these particular offices
infringe upon the public administration of the office of the
keys; and

WHEREAS, When the Commission on Constitutional Matters
adopted this opinion, it specifically stated that it could be
subject to further consideration (Convention Workbook, 1971);
therefore be it

Resolved, That we affirm the Scriptural and synodical
policy that the public administration of the office of keys be
exercised by men; and be it further

Resolved, That the Holy Spirit’s gifts to women be recog-
nized and utilized to the fullest extent in great freedom; and be
it finally

Resolved, That the California-Nevada-Hawaii District
petition the Synod in convention to restudy the present opinion
of the Synod’s CCM which restricts certain lay ministries solely
on the basis of gender.

California-Nevada-Hawaii District
Sergei S. Koberg, Secretary

3-25A

To Return to Our Former Position
on Woman Suffrage

WHEREAS, St. Paul reminded the early Christians of a God-
pleasing ‘‘woman's liberation,” that is, liberating her from
responsibilities God gave to man (1 Tim. 2:11-12 Beck): “A
woman should learn in silence, completely submitting herself.
I don’t let a woman teach and have authority over a man; she
should keep silent.’”’ Also, St. Paul speaks of the God-given
authority, as revealed in the order of creation, to maintain
peace and order in a Christian congregation regarding the
man-woman relationship (1 Cor. 14:33-35): “You see, God is not
a God of disorder but of peace. Asin all the churches of the holy
people, the women should be silent in church because they are
not allowed to speak. They should submit, as the Law says. If
there is something they want to know, they should ask their
husbands at home. It is a disgrace for a woman to speak in
church”; and

WHEREAS, Our forefathers, Walther, Stoeckhardt, Fritz,
Pieper, and others referred to the above references as speaking
clearly regarding woman suffrage, and they disagree with the
present interpretation as reported in the report of the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations as presented before
the 1969 convention in Denver; and

WHEREAS, The opinion of the theological faculty of Capital
University, Columbus, Ohio, of some years ago, as reported by
Dr. R. C. H. Lenski in his Interpretation of St. Paul’s Firstand
Second Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 617, states: ‘“‘How the
granting of voice and vote to women in all congregational
meetings can do anything but place women completely on a
level with men in all such meetings and thus gravely interfere
with their divinely ordered subjection and obedience, we are
unable to see. In all cases where women now have such voice
and vote they certainly are on an equality with men in these
meetings.—But the matter of voice and vote is one entirely
apart from the natural rights of women in the church. Thus in
questions of doctrine and conscience sex cannot count in any
way, and any woman concerned must be heard. Again, in
undertaking important work ordinary wisdom will be enough
to go and consult those women whose support should be
enlisted. Even in minor matters such as providing a desired
service or arranging details concerning which women may
well have proper wishes of their own, good sense will meet
these wishes on their part. All these things have been done for
many a year in the churches without going to the length of
placing women on a par with men in giving them voice and