LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 65

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SYNOD REPORTS
acknowledged standard,” namely, the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments and the Lutheran Confessions. The CTCR’s
2000 document The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship: Study Materials indicates that the term heterodox is
used simply to refer to false teaching.7 Specific definitions for
these terms were also suggested in the CTCR’s 1991 study
document Inter-Christian Relationships: An Instrument for
Study.8 However, as the titles of the latter two documents indicate, both were intended for study and cannot be cited as “official statements” of the CTCR or of the Synod.
Moreover, the definition of these terms does not seem to be
the decisive factor in the questions posed to the CTCR. For
example, no one would deny that a service of Holy Communion would fall under the usage of “service” in Article VI of
the Constitution. Additionally, our Synod is clearly on record
that we do not consider the ELCA to be an orthodox Lutheran
church body, and is therefore heterodox (2001 Res. 3-21A).
Lastly, in the scenario as depicted, the congregation is of one
confession and is not mixed. Therefore, none of these issues
appear to be in dispute in the scenario in question.
3. What remains to be considered is the interpretation of the phrase
from Article VI, “taking part in the services and sacramental rites”
of a congregation (emphasis added). This, clearly, is the critical
question being posed in this request: what exactly does “taking
part” mean “as that phrase is used in Article VI, Section 2 b of the
Constitution?” It is precisely this question that the CTCR does
not believe it can interpret theologically with any certainty. For
example, the Synod has understood this expression as referring
to being a co-officiant or worship leader in some capacity such as
performing a Baptism, preaching, reading the lessons, offering the
prayers, or conducting either the liturgy of the Word or of Holy
Communion (see, e.g., 1973 Opinion of the CTCR, Statement on
Lutheran/Non-Lutheran Marriage Ceremonies). Alternatively,
however, the expression itself could possibly refer to attending
a service of worship and singing psalms and hymns and joining
silently in public prayer. Obviously, one might also understand
this expression to mean receiving Holy Communion in the service.
Each of these examples is conceivable as a legitimate grammatical and theological way of understanding the phrase “taking part”
in the services of a congregation. What is not clear is how “that
phrase is used” or is intended to be understood or interpreted in
Article VI of the Constitution.
The CTCR’s 1991 study document Inter-Christian Relationships offers this definition: “Taking part in such services
and rites refers both to the conducting of worship services or
portions thereof by pastors and to the official sponsorship or
involvement of congregations as such in worship services, as
distinguished from the occasional attendance by individuals
at the services of heterodox denominations (such as weddings
or funerals)” (p. 19). However, as noted above, this is a study
document and has no official status in the Synod. Moreover,
the definition offered in this study document does not provide
an exact answer to the question before the Commission. It
suggests that “taking part in” refers to conducting worship by
pastors or congregational sponsorship of worship services. It
then contrasts this with “occasional attendance,” but seems to
refer more to such services as weddings and funerals than to
the divine service of Word and Sacrament and does not address
the issue of communing in such a service at all.
As to Article VI terms, one additional underlying question may
be identified. Are the “members” in question in Article VI 2

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congregational or individual members? In the wider context of
Article VI, some references can only involve individual members (6). Sections 3, 4, and 5 refer primarily to congregations,
while others obviously refer to both congregations and individual members of Synod (1, 7). Section 2 a clearly refers to
ministers and 2 c likely refers to both congregational and individual members. 2 b, however, is not completely clear in terms
of its specific point of reference. This ambiguity increases the
difficulty for the commission to answer with any certainty the
question of what Article VI 2 b means by “taking part.”
Given this uncertainty, the CTCR cannot answer Questions 1
or 2 directly on the basis of the stated theological positions of
the Synod or past CTCR reports or opinions. As noted in the
CCM’s 2002 Opinion, the commission is currently continuing
its work on a longstanding assignment to give guidance concerning “inter-Christian relationships” (see 1981 Res. 3-03A).
This assignment, however, does not include a specific request
to provide a precise definition of the phrase “taking part” in
Art. VI 2 b of the Synod’s Constitution.
It is the opinion of the CTCR that the meaning of the phrase
“taking part in,” within the context of Article VI 2 b, is a matter of interpretation based upon the original intent of our Synod’s fathers when they drafted the Constitution. Its potential
theological meanings are varied, as noted above. Its particular
usage in the context of the Constitution of the LCMS is a question, therefore, that can be rightly decided only by those who
are charged with the responsibility for such interpretation, the
CCM.9
Conclusion

The commission therefore cannot answer the first question posed
to it regarding the meaning of the specific constitutional terminology,
“taking part in.” The second question is asked provisionally, that is,
the question applies only if the answer to the first question were Yes.
Therefore it too cannot be answered by the CTCR.
Adopted
February 12, 2010
F. Expressions of Dissent

There were no expressions of dissent filed with the CTCR during the past triennium.
II. Church Relations
A. Inter-Lutheran Relationships
1. International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council (ILC) was established in 1993.
It is a worldwide association of 34 established confessional Lutheran
church bodies that proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of
an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the inspired
and infallible Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions contained in
the Book of Concord as the true and faithful exposition of the Word of
God. The ILC is not a church body and it does not carry out churchly
functions. Church fellowship with all member bodies is not necessary
for membership. The council does not intend to prescribe any course
of action for its members. Rather, it seeks to strengthen its member
churches in their confessional witness and mission.
The ILC exists for the purpose of encouraging, strengthening,
and promoting confessional Lutheran theology and practice centering in Jesus Christ. To this end, the ILC provides opportunities for
the study of contemporary theological issues; gives mutual support
and encouragement for the heads of member churches in planning
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