LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1971, Page 123

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RESOLUTIONS 123

Resolved, That the Synod decline overtures 2-239,
2-240, and 2-241 (CW, pp. 116—117); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Handbook be revised in the
following manner:

2.109 Commission on Theology and Church
Relations

a. Membership. Membership of the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations shall consist of
twenty-three voting and two advisory members, to
be selected as follows:

1. The synodical convention shall elect six voting
members in the same manner as other elected
boards, commissions, and committees: three parish
pastors, one teacher, and two laymen.

2. The Council of Presidents shall elect by ballot
five voting members: two pastors, two laymen, and
one teacher.

3. The St. Louis and Springfield theological fac-
ulties shall each appoint or elect three members
of its faculty as voting members.

4. The President of the Synod, in consultation
with the Vice-Presidents, shall appoint six voting
members: two pastors, two laymen, one professor
from the theological seminaries, and one professor
from an educational institution of the Synod other
than the theological seminaries.

5. The President and the First Vice-President
of the Synod shall be advisory members.

b. Functions and Duties

1. The primary function of the commission shall
be to provide guidance to the Synod in matters of
theology and church relations, specifically:

a. in bringing matters of theology and church
relations through special studies and documents to
the membership of the Synod and to conferences;

b. in addressing itself to and evaluating the
existing fellowship relations for the purpose of mu-
tual admonition and encouragement;

c. in referring theological issues and questions
to the proper individuals or groups of individuals
for additional study;

d. in suggesting and outlining studies of con-
temporary issues as they affect the church;

e. in fostering and providing for ongoing theo-
logical education through institutes, seminars, and
other means;

f. in providing a repository for theological trea-
tises, conference papers, and similar documents and
studies.

2. The commission shall assist the President at
his request in discharging his constitutional respon-
sibilities, specifically:

a. in fostering and preserving the unity of the
faith within the Synod;

b. in dealing with other church bodies;

¢. in initiating and pursuing fellowship discus-
sions with other church bodies;

d. in appointing representatives to the Lutheran
Council in the United States of America.

c. Executive Secretary. With the approval of the
President, the commission may engage an executive
secretary for a period not exceeding 2 years. The
appointment may be renewed. The duties of the
executive secretary shall be established by the
commission in consultation with the President.

Action: Adopted (17).

(An amendment to include the editors of the Concordia
Theological Monthly and of the Springfielder as advisory
members was declined, as well as an amendment to strike
the first resolved.)

(No resolutions numbered 2~30, 2-31, and 2-32 were
presented.)

To Clarify Mission Affirmations
RESOLUTION 2-33
Overtures 2-204—2-208 (CW, pp. 105—107)

Wuereas, In the above overtures issues have been
raised in regard to the Mission Affirmations; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod approach the Mission
Affirmations with the presupposition that:

a) — “God was in Christ reconciling the world to
Himself, not counting their trespasses against them and
entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor.
5:19 RSV);

b) — the purpose of the earthly ministry of the in-
carnate Son of God was to offer Himself as a sacrifice
(Heb. 7: 27; 9:26), propitiation (Rom. 3:25), and ransom
(Matt. 20:28) for the sins of the world, not only to be
a sign or symbol of God’s love for the world;

c) —the primary mission of the church is to preach
repentance and remission of sins to all men (Luke
24:47), thus to lead to faith in Jesus Christ or to
strengthen faith in Christ;

d) —the ultimate question men must be taught to
ask is not concerned with their own joy, happiness,
pleasure, political, or economic freedom, but the ques-
tion concerning the will of God for their lives (2 Cor.
5:14-15); and be it also

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm Resolution 2-20
of the New York convention that:

“1. In declaring that the church is Christ’s mission,
the affirmations by no means present the mission of
the church as one which confuses an ethic of love with
the speaking of the Gospel (Rom. 10:17);

“2. The affirmations were designed to remind us that
those who proclaim the message of God’s love in Christ
should also witness to Christ in Christian actions (Matt.
5:16);

“3. The affirmations offer no license for unionism or
separatism but rather emphasize our responsibility to
minister also to other Christians in the body of Christ
(Eph. 4:11-12);

“4. The affirmations, in emphasizing the ‘Church’s
Mission to the Whole Man,’ do not thereby imply any
improper conclusions regarding man’s state of existence
between death and resurrection .. . ; the affirmations
rather stress that our loving concern for man be for
his body and mind, which God has created and re-
deemed. (Matt. 4:23)”

Action: Referred under omnibus resolution to Board
of Directors for study and report to next convention.