Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 445
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 445

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through
childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness,
with self-control (1 Tim. 2:11–15);
and as follows:
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the
churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the
churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in
submission, as the Law also says (1 Cor. 14:33–35);
and
WHEREAS, Many congregations in The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod have accepted the practice of women speaking the
Scripture lessons to the congregation; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) document of 1985, titled “Women in the Church: Scriptural
Principles and Ecclesial Practice” by claiming on page 45 that there
is no Apostolic prohibition of women reading the lessons in the
public service directly contradicts St. Paul who says, “the women
should keep silent in the churches”; and
WHEREAS, The public reading of Scripture is listed by St. Paul
as one of Timothy’s official duties as pastor (1 Tim. 4:13); and
WHEREAS, Our sinful culture is working mightily to confuse or
outright deny the clear distinctions between male and female as
established and ordered by our Creator; and
WHEREAS, The Church, trusting that God is “not a God of
confusion,” does well to stand firm in the face of this world’s lies
with respect to the differences and distinct responsibilities given to
men and women, particularly concerning the pastoral office and the
worship life of the congregation; therefore be it
Resolved, That the South Wisconsin District encourage the
Synod in convention to commission the CTCR to revisit the 1985
CTCR document “Women in the Church: Scriptural Principles and
Ecclesial Practice,” specifically regarding the practice of women
reading the Holy Scriptures publicly before the congregation, and
be it further
Resolved, That the CTCR revisit the issue of whether the public
reading before the congregation constitutes an official duty and
authoritative act of the pastoral office in view of 1 Tim. 4:13, and
be it finally
Resolved, That the South Wisconsin District call on its president
and pastors to study together and teach their congregations what the
Scriptures teach about the roles of men and women in the home and
the church, that we might gain a better understanding and stronger
agreement on what God’s Word says concerning our various
stations in life.
South Wisconsin District
Ov. 5-38

To Rejoice in the Proclamation of God’s Word by
His Called and Ordained Servants
WHEREAS, We come to the Divine Service not to serve, but to be
served by God through His called and ordained servants, as we
confess our sins, hear His words of Absolution spoken by the pastor
in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, hear Law
and Gospel rightly divided, and receive the sacrament of Christ’s
body and blood; and
WHEREAS, When we hear the words of forgiveness of our sins
spoken by the pastor at Christ’s command, we are to rejoice and to

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believe them as surely and certainly as if spoken by Christ Himself;
and
WHEREAS, In the orientation of the service the words spoken
from the altar, pulpit, and lectern are the words of God spoken for
our benefit, whereas the congregation faces the altar and speaks
back the words God has said to us; and
WHEREAS, It is a great blessing for all those in the congregation
to hear the Word of God spoken by our pastors, who are our servants
(Mark 9:35), and it is meet, right, and salutary that we should accept
their service to us; and
WHEREAS, Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17), and the use of
lay readers for Scripture lessons denies those persons the comfort
and benefit of hearing the Word of God spoken directly to and for
them by their pastors; and
WHEREAS, No one should publicly preach and teach in the
church without a rightly ordered call (Augsburg Confession XIV);
there can be no clearer public teaching of the Word of God than
reading it in the Divine Service; and thus the use of lay readers can
confuse the vocations of the called and ordained pastor as servant
of the Word, and of the congregation as hearers of the Word; and
WHEREAS, The use of lay readers can be understood wrongly as
an individual “participating” in the conduct of the service, as though
greater meaning, benefit, or stature is thereby obtained (and by
implication, that those who do not read are taking a lesser role), and
we ought not burden mis-trained consciences in such manner, in
contrast to the right understanding that the whole congregation
benefits on an equal basis as it is served by the pastor; and
WHEREAS, As a practical matter the pastor is best suited to read the
text without disruption or delay to the flow of the service, and with
due emphasis on the pronunciation and salient points of the text,
particularly if it forms a portion of the sermon text; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks and rejoice
in the proclamation of the Word by God’s called and ordained
servants; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod President disseminate appropriate
resources throughout the Synod (such as the Lutheran Witness and
electronic publications) to assist pastors in catechizing their
congregations to understand the great blessing of the role of the pastor
in the Divine Service, so that rather than giving offense, laity who have
been accustomed to read Scripture lessons may rather understand and
appreciate the service of the pastor for their benefit, and hear with great
joy God’s Word as it is read for them; and be it further
Resolved, That all district presidents and circuit visitors give
emphasis in their visitations of all congregations in the next
triennium to a right understanding of the role of the congregation in
the Divine Service and other worship services, specifically toward
following the practice of having Holy Scripture read by the pastor
in all worship services, that all congregations may walk together in
doctrine and practice; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention adopt appropriate
resolutions for a right understanding of the role of the congregation
in the Divine Service and other worship services, specifically
toward following the practice of having Holy Scripture read by the
pastor in all worship services, that all Synod congregations may
walk together in doctrine and practice.
St. Paul
Brookfield, IL

2019 Convention Workbook