LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 75

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SYNOD REPORTS
share a common loyalty to the Scriptures and the confessions
and to walking together as a synod.
Process
Res. 4-01A directs the following: “Resolved, That [the Council
of Presidents and Board of Directors] bring together a representative
group of respected leaders throughout this church for a summit.” With
the approval of the Council of Presidents and Board of Directors, task
force members proceeded to extend the number of “respected leaders” beyond themselves. The “summit” of Res. 4-01A would become
a process of listening to voices from across the Synod.
The task force sought to listen to what we perceive to be a representative group of LCMS leaders. Each of these leaders was invited
to make a presentation to the twelve-member task force, responding
to the question: “What do you suggest as a strategy toward greater
harmony in the LCMS?” Presenters were given 20 minutes for their
presentation, followed by 30–40 minutes of conversation with the
task force. Each of the 29 presenters appeared alone with the task
force members and was given assurance of the anonymity of their
presentation. We express our gratitude to them for their preparation,
time, and wisdom.
These presentations were made in St. Louis, September 2–3 and
October 28–29, 2009.
Each presentation was transcribed verbatim for members of the
task force, who in turn individually summarized in writing what we
had heard from the presenters. These summaries provided invaluable perspectives on the disharmony present in Synod. From these
presentations and summaries, the task force identified key aspects of
our Synod’s disharmony.
Aspects of the Present Disharmony in Synod
Below are the seven aspects of disharmony in the LCMS that the
task force heard in the process detailed above. The descriptors are
not presented in any rank order of importance.
1. Inability to Deal with Diversity. While most (not all) presenters
agreed that our church is blessed with amazing concord in matters of doctrine, all recognized that we see diversity among us in
practices. These practices relate to such issues as; admission to
Holy Communion, worship substance and style, the Office of the
Public Ministry and the role of laity, and the service of women in
the church. Some of these practices are closely tied to our doctrinal beliefs—hence a concern among some of our presenters about
unhealthy “doctrinal diversity” in the Synod. Others are simply
a matter of tradition and preference. Holding high the values of
preserving uniformity and tradition, we have not learned how to
address diversity among us—whether it is perceived to be “doctrinal” or “non-doctrinal.” The same difficulty with diversity is
apparent in the lack of inclusion in leadership positions experienced by women, ethnic minorities, and the young.
2. A Lack of Civility. Simple Christian virtues like kindness and gentleness are often lacking in our dialogue, especially among LCMS
clergy. Rumors, sarcasm, and satire characterize much of our conversation over our differences. At times there is an actual breach
of the commandments as lies and slander seem to become the
expected behavior among us. Reflecting the same incivility we
see in the political world today, our church has conformed to the
world’s standards of character and conduct when confronting our
differences. Paul’s descriptive words in 1 Corinthians 1:3 seem
especially appropriate here: “You are still worldly. For since there
is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are
you not acting like mere men?”

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3. A Politicized Culture. National and some district conventions
have become more politically charged than ever. Political lists
have become the norm. The LCMS is becoming a denomination
of parties, each seeking to elect its own candidates as leaders. In
recent decades, the parties in power are perceived to proceed with
a “scorched earth” policy, totally disenfranchising the losing party.
Rather than valuing all the voices in the LCMS, the “losing” voices
are silenced until they can amass enough votes to gain power and
do the same to the other party. Helpful here is Jesus’ description
of “the rulers of the Gentiles who lord it over them” (Matt. 20:25).
4. Primarily a Clergy Problem. Repeatedly, the task force heard that
the problem of disharmony in the LCMS is primarily a clergy
problem. Certainly lay people have participated in our Synod’s
disharmony as well, but pastors seem to be in the forefront of practices and attitudes unbefitting God’s people. While some clergy
may contend that “anything goes” when fighting for truth, such
an approach ignores both our unity and concord as Christians and
as confessional Lutherans. Is there something in the personality of some of our pastors that brings on an attitude of judgment,
criticism, and elitism toward other pastors? Is there something
lacking in pastoral formation at our seminaries that allows pastors to enter the ministry with little appreciation for collegiality
and mutual encouragement? The apostle Paul counsels the young
pastor Timothy: “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead,
he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those
who oppose him he must gently teach in the hope that God will
grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth”
(2 Tim. 2:25–26). Have many of our clergy lost their confidence
that gentle teaching from the Word is the way to truth?
5. Poor Communication across “Party Lines.” Though some progress has been made through theological convocations in recent
years, we still seem unable to communicate well across the lines
that divide us. We have lost the ability or the will to listen. We
also balk at true transparency, often failing to speak the truth in
love with one another (Eph. 4:15), a sign of spiritual immaturity.
The task force is eager to find ways by which healthy communication can happen among us. Whatever process may be developed,
it must be centered in the Word and the Sacraments, prayer, and
confession and absolution.
6. Lack of Accountability. Pastors causing disharmony by sinful attitudes and behaviors must be held accountable. Currently no code
of conduct exists for LCMS pastors, especially as it relates to collegiality and public behavior. With no standards for reference, it
becomes difficult to hold one another accountable. No matter the
person’s “party” within the Synod, there must be consequences
for sinful behavior. District presidents and circuit counselors, who
serve as ecclesiastical supervisors in our Synod, have this responsibility and must exercise it. They must admonish, teach, encourage
and model “churchmanship.” Where lay people are concerned,
local pastors and elders are responsible for this accountability.
7. Distrust. The product of the above is a deep distrust among clergy.
The years of many pastors spending a decade together in pastoral formation are gone. Pastors don’t get to know each other as
they did in the past. Even within circuits they have little contact
with one another’s families. This distancing of clergy and years of
politicization have led to a damaging distrust, which makes communication and a commitment to civility very difficult. The task
force is eager to recommend ways by which trust can be built or
enhanced among both clergy and lay people.
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