LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 121

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

To Prepare Policy and Guidelines
for Intentional Interim Ministries
RESOLUTION 3-17B
Overtures 3-85, 3-88, 5-26 (CW, pp. 178–79, 217)
WHEREAS, In the case of some pastoral vacancies, congregations may well benefit from a significant time for
healing, self-examination, or other needs; and
WHEREAS, These vacancies are occasionally being served
by pastors as intentional interim ministries; and
WHEREAS, Intentional interim ministries ought never to
be imposed upon congregations, for the precious relationship of the shepherd to his sheep can be protected only as
long as the congregation maintains the right to choose its
own pastor (see C. F. W. Walther, The Congregation’s Right
to Choose Its Pastor); and
WHEREAS, For the sake of this same precious relationship, an intentional interim ministry ought never to be the
kind of “temporary call” against which Walther warns
(Walther, Pastoral Theology, pp. 26–29); and
WHEREAS, A number of practical questions pertaining to
intentional interim ministries have arisen; therefore be it
Resolved, That we recognize the value of intentional interim ministries in certain cases when congregations
choose them; and be it further
Resolved, That when congregations do choose to be
served by intentional interim ministries, they be assisted
by their District Presidents to select among available candidates; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Council of Presidents prepare policy
and guidelines for intentional interim ministry in harmony
with this resolution.
Action: Adopted (9)

To Reject Temporary Calls
(Recertification) for Pastors
RESOLUTION 3-18
Overtures 3-87–88 (CW, p. 179)
WHEREAS, Candidates for the pastoral office are examined and certified by the church through one of the synodical seminaries, and on the basis of this, are called and ordained into the holy ministry; and
WHEREAS, The recertification of pastors makes ordination a temporary action equivalent to the licensing of professionals, thereby violating Art. XIV of the Augsburg Confession; therefore be it
Resolved, That we reject the proposal for mandatory recertification of our ordained pastors; and be it further
Resolved, That pastors be encouraged to continue their
education throughout their ministry on a voluntary basis.
Action: Adopted (9)
(An amendment stating Resolved, That congregations of the
Synod be encouraged to provide continuing education support for
professional church workers was declined.)

121

To Study Materials on the Pastoral Office
and the Church from the 150th
Anniversary Convocation
RESOLUTION 3-19
Report R3-01, F (CW, p. 55); Overtures 3-83, 3-86, 389–90, 3-94 (CW, pp. 178–81)
WHEREAS, On Aug. 5–7, 1997 a theological convocation
was held in St. Louis as part of the celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the Synod. Participants in this convocation
included the Council of Presidents of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, members of the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations, professors of both seminaries and the heads of 27 international churches and 26
theologians from these church bodies.
The subject of the convocation was “church and ministry.” At the request of Dr. Barry, the major papers presented, together with the responses given and the concluding reflections were published together with a four-part
Bible study on the office of the public ministry and the
priesthood of believers. This study and the papers will be
distributed to the Synod this year; therefore be it
Resolved, That we urge all our pastors and congregations to share in the Bible study; and be it further
Resolved, That pastoral conferences devote time to serious study of this published material and that the subject
be considered for District convention essays; and be it further
Resolved, That pastoral conferences of our Districts are
encouraged to present their reaction arising out of such
study to the office of the President of the Synod; and be it finally
Resolved, That the President of the Synod share these
responses with the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations, the Council of Presidents, and the faculties of
our seminaries as he deems advisable.
Action: Adopted (10)

To Remove Assignment on Study
of Inerrancy of Scripture
RESOLUTION 3-20
Overture 3-149 (CW, p. 197)
WHEREAS, The Synod at its 1973 convention requested
that the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
“conduct an intensive study of the doctrine of inerrancy and
also of the traditional interpretation of Genesis 1–3 and the
interpretation of the Book of Jonah” (1973 Proceedings,
p. 46); and
WHEREAS, The CTCR, in view of more pressing assignments, has asked that this assignment be removed from its
agenda; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod grant the CTCR’s request to
remove the study on inerrancy called for by the 1973 convention from its agenda.
Action: Adopted (11)