LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 117

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
discharging his constitutional responsibilities for maintaining
doctrinal integrity as he relates to other church bodies .
(a) It shall address itself to and evaluate existing fellowship
relations for the purpose of mutual admonition and encouragement .
(b) When a church body applies for formal recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, such recognition shall
be proposed at a convention of the Synod only after the approval
of the commission .
(c) When a small, formative, or emerging confessional Lutheran church body (identified as such by the President of the
Synod as chief ecumenical officer) requests recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, and after consultation
with the Praesidium and approval by the commission, such recognition may be declared by the President of the Synod subject
to the endorsement of the subsequent Synod convention .
(d) When a mission of the Synod applies for formal recognition as a self-governing partner church, such recognition shall
be proposed at convention of the Synod by the Board for Mission Services with the approval of the commission .

Action: Adopted (13)
(Original Res . 3-04, introduced by the committee during Session 9, was referred back to the floor committee after a number of
friendly and a failed amendment attempt [Yes: 592; No: 551] . Res .
3-04A, was introduced by the committee during Session 13 after
noting changes made to the resolution in response to earlier discussion by the convention . After additional discussion, Res . 3-04A
was adopted as presented [Yes: 861; No: 119] .)

To Request a Thorough Response to the ELCA
Social Statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust
RESOLUTION 3-05
Overtures 03-11–12 (CW, p. 168)
Whereas, The August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly
adopted the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust;
and
Whereas, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust suggests
a concept, namely the “bound conscience,” as a “distinctly
Lutheran” principle of theology; and
Whereas, The concept of “bound conscience” was central to the rationale of the 2009 ELCA Assembly actions
recognizing “publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous,
same-gender relationships” as morally acceptable and authorizing the ordination into pastoral ministry of individuals who
are living in such relationships; and
Whereas, Concerns have been expressed that the ELCA’s
concept of “bound conscience” encourages erosion of Christian
moral teaching and guidance; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations, in consultation with the faculties of our seminaries,
develop a thorough, biblical, and confessional analysis of and
response to Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust with particular
attention to the concept of “bound conscience .”
Action: Adopted (13)

117

(Res . 3-05 was adopted as presented, after brief discussion
[Yes: 934; No: 18] .)

To Commend The Creator’s Tapestry
RESOLUTION 3-06
Report 3-01 (CW, p.55); Appendix II (CW, pp. 304–324);
Overture 3-28 (CW, pp. 176–177)
Whereas, The Synod in convention has spoken frequently
to issues related to the service of men and women in the church
and has adopted various resolutions and commended for reference and guidance various reports on this subject; and
Whereas, Congregations continue to wrestle with questions about the service and relationship of men and women in
the church and society; and
Whereas, The Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (CTCR) has recently released The Creator’s Tapestry:
Scriptural Perspectives on Man–Woman Relationships in
Marriage and the Church; and
Whereas, The CTCR has expressed its intention in this
report to address further questions on this topic, such as “the
influence of culture on the Christian understanding of man and
woman; violence and oppressive behavior toward women in
society, home, and church; the relationship of men and women
outside the context of marriage; and continuity and discontinuity between such theological questions as ordination of women
and ordination of practicing homosexuals”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod commend for study The Creator’s
Tapestry, and be it further
Resolved, That the CTCR continue to publish the results of
the study to the church at large and to address additional questions and issues such as these in the coming triennium .
Action: Adopted (13)
(During discussion, an amendment to replace “commend” with
“receive” in the first resolve failed [Yes: 252; No: 634] . An amendment to add “to publish the results of the study to the church at
large and” after “continue” in the second resolve was accepted by
the committee as a friendly amendment . A motion to amend by
replacing “commend for” with “encourage everyone to read and”
in the first resolve failed [Yes: 145; No: 747] . When debate was
ended, the resolution was adopted as changed [Yes: 788; No: 123] .)

To Prepare New Studies on Biblical Interpretation
RESOLUTION 3-07
Overtures 3-18–19 (CW, pp. 170–171)
Whereas, The Synod’s position on the inerrancy of
Scripture and on higher critical methods for interpreting
Scripture is unambiguous and has been reaffirmed numerous
times and in various ways; and
Whereas, There are new hermeneutical challenges facing
the Church in this postmodern era; therefore be it
Resolved, That the CTCR in consultation with the seminaries prepare Bible studies for the church addressing the
question, “How to Read the Bible;” and be it further
2010 Convention Proceedings