LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 325

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THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS

only to men teachers. Such designation, however, is made not because they
are teachers, but because they are competent men with some training in
theology. For example, in exceptional circumstances, men teachers may
temporarily be asked to preach under a pastor's supervision. This is a
function that belongs to the office of the pastor and is normally exercised by
the pastor. A congregation may, however, formally indicate that male
teachers are authorized to carry out such supervised functions in case of
emergency. Such functions cannot be assigned to woman teachers. Nor
does the performance of such functions make a teacher a pastor. Good order
in the church dictates that such assignment of pastoral functions be limited
In every case the public preaching of the Word, administering the sacraments,
and spiritual oversight of the congregation are the duties of the pastor and
not the teacher.

11. Is a pastor or teacher answerable only to the congregation or
agency that has called hin or her?

Generally, that is the field of labor. However, it must be kept in mind that
servants of the church are ordained or commissioned in the whole
confessional fellowship of congregations, voluntarily united by their common
confession and pledged mutual support of the constitution of the Synod
Therefore, congregations and agencies should encourage their pastors,
teachers, and those in other auxiliary offices to serve also the larger church
with their respective abilities. Good order in the church means that a servant
of the church will not unilaterally decide how to distribute time and energy
The various segments of the Synod demonstrate their oneness by sharing
the skills and dedication of their workers for the good of the whole church.
Moreover, those who hold offices in the church by virtue of their calls are
under the discipline not only of their own congregations but also of the whoie
church. For this reason orderly procedures have been established not only
for entry into the service of the church but also for guidance in that service
and for suspension or exclusion when such extreme measures become
necessary.

12. Are “status calls” valid?

By “status calls” some seem to mean that a person is called, usually
without pay and without duties, or is “assigned” to work elsewhere than
among the calling group. It is difficult to discuss this question in the abstract
Certainly military chaplains are called by the church even though they work
inthe armed forces and are paid by the government. This is different from the
situation of a person who is “hired” by a secular institution, really has no
connection with the work of the calling body, and yet is “called and assigned”
to the institution that has previously hired him. This question involves ethics
as well as doctrine. It is a violation of the divinity of the call if no provison is
made for proper accountability. If the “status call” is simply a device to “keep

38

SUMMARY

amanin the ministry of the church” when he really is not, then it appears to
be an evasion or subterfuge and condemns itself

13. Should men who have been ordained in a different church body be
“reordained” when they qualify for and accept a call into a different
confessional fellowship?

This depends to a large extent upon how one defines “ordination.” If to
reordain means that the previous ministry of the man in a Christian
congregation is not recognized as valid, then it would be an unacceptable
practice. We should and do recognize the ordination of others to work as
ministers in their own church body. However, heterodox ministers may not
function in our churches, not because they are not ministers, but because
they are heterodox and because they have no call

On the other hand, a decision to “ordain” a previously ordained minister
would be in order if by this action the church is publicly stating that the man is
now being accepted into the ministry of our church body and that he publicly
accepts and agrees to preach and teach according to the Scriptura! and
confessional standards of the Lutheran Church

Since these purposes are accomplished in the rite of installation, some
may prefer simply to use the term “installation” to refer to the entry of aman
who has been ordained in a different church body into the ministerium of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. In any event, the man is publicly
accepted by the church and by the calling congregation or agency of the
church as a pastor in the Synod. The oath that is required will be taken in
any case

39

SUMMARY

1. The office of the public ministry is unique and mandated by the
Scriptures as the God-appointed means of exercising the Office of the
Keys. It is a ministry of Word and sacrament and is entered into by the
call of God through the church

2. Other offices in the church have Scriptural exampie but are not
mandated. They are auxiliary to the office of the public ministry to assist
in various functions of that office

3. The call of the church is essential for holding offices in the church, not
only that of the office of the public ministry but also that of the auxiliary
offices.

4. Office and functions usually go together, but may be separated
Functions of the office of the public ministry that are performed by
others remain the responsibility of the office of public ministry and must
be supervised by it

5. Not only local segments of the church but the entire confessional
fellowship is involved in establishing offices (other than the pastoral
ministry) and in determing eligibility for calls into all such offices of the
church. Such authority is delegated by the congregations of the Synod.

6. The nomenclature employed for the various offices and procedures in
the church is an adiaphoron, but order and tranquility in the church
require agreement and consistent practice throughout the church.

7. The Lutheran Church, and specifically a synodical fellowship, must deal
with ministry according to its own theological position and not be
influenced by conflicting views held in other church bodies or in society
in general.

8. Emergency situations in the church may require procedures that are
outside of the usual practice. In such cases order in the church requires
that care be taken by those responsible for such arrangements, so that
unusual circumstances are not allowed to become the rule and that the
welfare of the whole church be considered in such arrangements.

9. Service in a local, geographic congregation is not the benchmark in
determining who is in the office of the public ministry or its auxiliary
offices. Congregations may delegate the authority to call to other
agencies of the church. The church may call its pastors or its leaders in
the auxiliary offices to specialized and limited functions of the office of
the public ministry without thereby calling them out of their offices in the
church.

10. Matters regarding the ministry that are not clearly defined by Scripture
may be treated as adiaphora but with due concern for uniformity, the
sensitivities of others in the church, and the progress of the work of the
church in all the world