Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2023 · 68th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 340
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 340

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

340

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES

Resolved, That such district lay training endeavors be celebrated,
encouraged to continue, and expanded in an effort to develop more
and more capable, well-trained, and qualified deacons to serve in
unique ministry settings under the supervision of ordained pastors
of the Synod, along with the faithful ecclesiastical oversight of the
respective district president; and be it further
Resolved, That in accordance with 2016 Res.13-02A, the Synod
restore the opportunity for deacons who have served for two or more
years and are 50 years of age or older to seek ordination through
colloquy, and thereby, roster status as a SMP, and as such will
remain under the supervision of an ordained general pastor of the
Synod.
Circuit 10 (Saginaw)
Michigan District
Ov. 6-34

To Prevent Admission, Reinstatement,
or Colloquization of a Divorced Man
into the Office of the Public Ministry
Who Has Married Another Woman
WHEREAS, Christ our Lord says with regard to marriage, “What
therefore God has joined together, let not man separate,” (Matt.
19:6; Mark 10:9; cf. Gen. 2:24); and
WHEREAS, A man is guilty of adultery if he marries another
woman while his wife lives; however, if his wife dies he is free
to marry (Rom. 7:2–3); and
WHEREAS, Men called into the Office of the Public Ministry are
called to be above reproach. Specifically, with regard to marriage,
this requires him to be the husband of no more than one wife (1 Tim.
3:2; Titus 1:6); and
WHEREAS, Divorce and remarriage disqualifies a man from the
Office of the Public Ministry (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6); and
WHEREAS, The decision whether to accept or deny a request
for reinstatement shall be at the sole discretion of the Council of
Presidents (COP) (Bylaw 2.18.1); and
WHEREAS, The decision to declare applicants for colloquy to
be qualified for the pastoral ministry and to certify such men for
placement rests at the sole discretion of the Colloquy Committee
for the Pastoral Ministry (CCPM; Bylaw 3.10.2.2 [b]); and
WHEREAS, In the action of reinstating or not reinstating a man
into the office of the ministry, the COP does so as an officially
established advisory body of the Synod (Bylaw 1.2.1 [g]); and
WHEREAS, By the actions of admitting, reinstating, or
colloquizing, the COP and CCPM, respectively, state that a man is
qualified for the Office of the Public Ministry in The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod. As this is an assignment given to them
by the members of the Synod in convention (having been codified
in the Bylaws), they do so as representatives of the members of the
Synod (Bylaws 3.10.1.4; 2.18.l); therefore be it
Resolved, That the COP not admit a divorced man into the Office
of the Public Ministry who has married another woman; and be it
further
Resolved, That the COP not reinstate a divorced man into the
Office of the Public Ministry who has married another woman; and
be it further

2023 Convention Workbook

Resolved, That the CCPM not colloquize a divorced man into the
Office of the Public Ministry who has married another woman; and
be it further
Resolved, That when a man is reinstated into the Office of the
Public Ministry, the reason for reinstatement be made available
upon request; and be it further
Resolved, That when a man is colloquized into the Office of the
Public Ministry, the reason for colloquization be made available
upon request; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Montana District in convention adopt this
resolution and submit it to the Synod convention for adoption.
Montana District
Ov. 6-35

To Define “Domineering in Office”
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) in its 2003 report Theology and Practice of “the Divine
Call” includes another category for removal of office:
“domineering in office” (Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
CTCR, Theology and Practice of “the Divine Call” [adopted 2003],
24–25); and
WHEREAS, In the minority report, it is noted that the phrase
“domineering in office” is ambiguous and is left open to
interpretation; and
WHEREAS, In the procedures of congregations when amending,
or rewriting a constitution, and/or bylaw, state: “The Constitution
Committee looks to see that the wording is clear, concise, and
unambiguous”; and
WHEREAS, In the 2019 guidelines for writing a constitution now
include that phase “domineering in office”; therefore be it
Resolved, That Concordia Seminary, Concordia Theological
Seminary, and the CTCR provide a clear, concise, and unambiguous
definition to the phrase “domineering in office”; and be it further
Resolved, That in the next Synod convention, deliberate that
work and proposal by the seminaries and CTCR and furnish a more
objective and clear understanding of that currently subjective and
ambiguous phrase.
Redeemer
Deer River, MN
Ov. 6-36

To Require Knowledge of Scripture and
Confessions from Candidates
for Ordained Ministry
WHEREAS,
The Synod, and every member of the Synod, accepts without
reservation:
1. The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the
written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith
and of practice;
2. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church as a true and unadulterated statement and
exposition of the Word of God, to wit: the three
Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg
Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession,
the Smalcald Articles, the Large Catechism of Luther,