LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 176

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176

Theology and Church Relations

Resolved, That this study document be prepared by a committee
of two members of the Council of Presidents (COP) appointed by the
chairman of the COP; two members of the CTCR appointed by the
executive director of the CTCR; two faculty members from each of
the Synod’s seminaries appointed by the presidents of the respective
seminaries; and two members of the CCM appointed by the President
of the Synod; and be it finally
Resolved, That this study document be completed prior to the conventions of the districts in 2012 or 2013.
Board of Directors
South Dakota District
3-26

To Restudy Guidelines for Participation
in Civic Events
Whereas, In 2004 Res. 3-06A, the Synod commended for
study Guidelines for Participation in Civic Events, a report of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR), “to help
pastors, teachers, and church workers make decisions about participation in civic events”; and
Whereas, The CTCR’s report indicates that the commission itself
was divided over the matter of “serial” or “seriatim” prayer, even
though this matter was an important subject within the report; and
Whereas, Prayers are offered “seriatim” in virtually any setting—the exception being for multiple leaders to speak their prayers
simultaneously! and
Whereas, The Synod’s 2007 convention resolved to “assign to
the CTCR the task of providing further guidance for participation in
civic events that includes the offering of serial prayer” (Res. 3-05,
2007 Convention Proceedings, p. 121); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2009 Missouri District convention memorialize the Synod’s 2010 convention to (a) assign the CTCR to restudy
the issues raised by and to clarify the Guidelines for Participation in
Civic Events document on the basis of input to be solicited from the
membership of the Synod, attending especially to “serial” or “seriatim” prayer; and (b) require that the CTCR issue to the Synod its new
report no later than July 31, 2012.
Missouri District
3-27

To Unambiguously Renounce Syncretism
and Unionism
Whereas, In the First Commandment the triune God, out of love
for us, strictly forbids us from joining in worship with non-Christians; and
Whereas, Participating with others while they are praying
to false gods and reading their sacred writings gives a false testimony to the truth that only one God exists, is a violation of the First
Commandment, and fails to lead sinners to the Savior Jesus; and
Whereas, Article VI of the LCMS Constitution lists as a condition for membership “renunciation of unionism and syncretism of
every description”; and
Whereas, God through His holy apostle said, “Therefore, my
dear friends, flee from idolatry…sacrifices of pagans are offered to
demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with
demons” (1 Cor. 10:14, 20); and
Whereas, Pastors of our Synod willingly and without coercion
have pledged themselves to abide by our Synod’s Constitution,
including Article VI 2 b and c, which state that pastors are to avoid
“taking part in the services of heterodox congregations...and [heterodox] missionary activities”; and

Whereas, 2007 Res. 3-07A has been interpreted to allow LCMS
pastors to participate in events that many see as clearly syncretistic
or unionistic; and
Whereas, The 2004 LCMS convention passed Res. 3-06A, which
commended for study the CTCR document entitled “Guidelines for
Participation in Civic Events (GPCE)”; and
Whereas, We find this document to be ambiguous, as it states
on page 19,

The members of the Commission disagree about the issue of socalled “serial” or “seriatim” prayers involving representatives of different religious [Christian and/or non-Christian] groups or churches. Some
members of the Commission believe that under no circumstances is it
permissible for LCMS pastors to participate in any type of an event in
which various Christian and/or non-Christian leaders “take turns” offering prayers, holding that such an activity by its very nature constitutes
“joint prayer and worship.” The majority of the Commission believes
that in some instances it may be possible and permissible for LCMS
pastors to participate in such an event as long as certain conditions are
met (e.g., when the purpose of the event in question is clearly and predominantly civic in nature, and when it is conducted in such a way that
does not correspond to the LCMS understanding of a “service”; when
no restrictions are placed on the content of the Christian witness that
may be given by the LCMS pastor; when a sincere effort is made by
those involved to make it clear that those participating do not all share
the same religious views concerning such issues as the nature of God,
the way of salvation, and the nature of religious truth itself.);

and
Whereas, The notion of “civic events” sponsored by governments
has been used to justify participation of LCMS pastors in syncretistic and unionistic services; and
Whereas, 2004 Res. 3-06A was commended “for study to help
pastors, teachers, and church workers make decisions about participation in civic events”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2009 Southern Illinois District convention
memorialize the 2010 LCMS convention to recognize that the CTCR
document “Guidelines for Participation in Civic Events” (2004 Res.
3-06A) and the CTCR document, “The Lutheran Understanding of
Church Fellowship” (2001 Res. 3-07A) are ambiguous; and be it
further
Resolved, That the 2009 Southern Illinois District convention
memorialize the 2010 LCMS convention to have clear and unambiguous guidelines produced by the Council of Presidents in conjunction
with the faculties of the two seminaries regarding participation in
civic and other events that would be in keeping with the LCMS
Constitution Article VI condition for membership, “renunciation of
unionism and syncretism of every description.”
Southern Illinois District
3-28

To Review the Role of Women in the Church
Whereas, The Missouri District at its 2003 convention encouraged pastors to “catechize their congregations in the biblical doctrine
held by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on the different roles
of men and women” (Res. 1-10); and
Whereas, The Synod in adopting 2004 Res. 3-08A seems to have
affirmed only the first of the two criteria for determining whether
women can serve in various lay congregational offices, criteria which
have been previously held in past resolutions of the Synod (see 1969
Res. 2-17); and
Whereas, In 1995 Res. 3-06A, the Synod directed the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to continue studying the
issues in its 1994 report and dissenting opinion and to do so “in consultation with the faculties of the seminaries”; and
Whereas, The CTCR has not reported to a convention any record
of such communication with or from the seminaries on the topic

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 176

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