LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 102

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102 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

ment. But even worse than that, it will have begun to destroy
that which Walther and his contemporaries fought so long and
hard to protect, namely, the dignity of the pastoral office. This
is not dignity of aman buta dignity that pertains because ‘the
ministry. or pastoral office, is not a human ordinance, but an
office established by God Himself” (Walther, Th. II), estab-
lished to administer the Office of the Keys. the only means by
which the forgiveness of sins is offered and conveyed.

Resolution

WHEREAS, The Synod has pledged itself to “the Scriptures of
the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and
the only rule of faith and practice” (Const., Art. II. 1); and

WHEREAS, The CTCR report, The Ministry (September
1981), if adopted, would drastically alter the Synod’s view of
the church and the ministry: and

WHEREAS, There is a growing trend in the Synod which
leads away from the doctrine of the church and the ministry as
taught in Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and, in the
past, in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod: therefore be it

Resolved. That the CTCR report. The Ministry. be rejected:
and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod prepare material
suitable for use in our congregations that will provide a
comprehensive study of the doctrine of the church and the
ministry. including a history outlining all the issues that have
disturbed the Synod over the vears concerning this doctrine:
and be it further

Resolved, That the preparation of this material be com-
pleted by September 1984; and be it further

Resolved. That the District Presidents provide opportunity
for the congregations in their Districts to study the material
prepared by the President of the Synod prior to the 1986 con-
vention: and be it finally

Resolved, That the above Introduction and Preamble be
considered a part of this overture.

St. Thomas Lutheran Church
Rocky River. Ohio

Richard Dorow, President
Kenneth Mayer. Secretary

To Continue CTCR’s Study
of the Ministry

WHEREAS, The Ministry: Offices. Procedures, and Nomen-
clature, a report of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations(September 1981), has addressed issues of continuing
interest within the history and life of the Synod: and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document affirms that it intends to
resolve issues brought to its attention but fails to indicate
precisely what those issues are: and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not cite all the Biblical
data relevant to the understanding of the doctrine of the public
ministry (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:27-31 is not cited in the document); and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document speaks of public ministry in
terms of “office” and “function” but does not define public
ministry also in terms of servanthood, i.e., the dtakonia of the
public ministry; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document distinguishes between “‘of-
fice’ and**function” without clearly defining and relating each
to the other and without rooting this distinction in clear
Biblical and confessional teaching: and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not reflect the multi-
plicity of public ministry forms and functions evidenced in the
New Testament: and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document does not treat all the forms
and functions of ministry currently in use in the Synod (e.g..
directors of Christian education, parish workers, lay assis-
tants, etc., are not treated in the document): and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document fails to establish clearly

how the oneness and the variety of public ministry are
integrated in the Bible, i.e., how the one public ministry God
has given the church can be properly differentiated within
itself according to Biblical and confessional principles; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document states that the “office of the
public ministry” is identical with ‘the pastoral office” without
providing evidence that these terms are in fact equated in the
Scriptures and the Confessions; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR document affirms that some aspects
of the doctrine of the public ministry are based firmly on
Scripture, some aspects have developed by common agreement
and usage and are not “doctrine,” and some aspects are a
matter of freedom (CTCR document, pp. 4—4), but fails to
indicate clearly throughout the document which aspects of the
public ministry fall under the rubrics of each category: there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod thank and commend the CTCR
for producing its document on the public ministry because the
document has launched intensive discussions of the doctrine of
the public ministry in the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the CTCR to continue its
study of the doctrine of the public ministry by responding
specifically to the issues noted above: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod ask the CTCR to augment its
study of the doctrine of the public ministry by adding the major
emphasis of servanthood in ministry to the emphases of
“office” and “function” which are already delineated in the
document; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod encourage the CTCR. in its
continuing study of the doctrine of the public ministry, to enlist
and engage the assistance of representative ministers through-
out the Synod (e.g., pastors, associate and assistant pastors,
elementary teachers, secondary teachers. directors of Christian
education, campus pastors, college and seminary professors,
District executives and staff officers, elected full-time District
Presidents, synodical executives and staff officers, mission-
aries, chaplains, lay assistants, parish workers, deaconesses,
etc.) so that its study can be enriched by the perspectives of
those who are currently ministering publicly in the church in
varied capacities.

Faculty

Concordia Teachers College
Seward, Nebr.

M. J. Stelmachowicz, President
William Billow, Secretary

3-17
To Request Another Study of Ministry

Resolved, That the Synod refer the doctrine of ministry to
the Board for Professional Education Services for study and
reporting by its Advisory Council; and be it further

Resolved, That this study be presented to the congregations
of the Synod no less than one year before the Synod accepts
any statement on the doctrine of ministry as the official
position of the Synod.

English District
Paul E. Bacon. Secretary

3-18A
To Study the Call Process

WHEREAS, Congregations of the Synod which are vacant
and seeking the services of a pastor are required to seek the
assistance of the Circuit Counselor and District President in
the call process; and

WHEREAS. The call process in some Districts seems to
impinge upon the authority and autonomy of the local congre-
gation: and

WHEREAS, There is increasing concern among some pastors