LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 242

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242 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

7-09

To Authorize Synodical President
to Suspend District Presidents

WHEREAS, The President of Synod currently lacks the authority
to suspend District Presidents who may act contrary to the condi-
tions of membership in the Synod, an authority which District Pres-
idents themselves have over those under their ecclesiastical super-
vision; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in its 1998 convention give the Pres-
ident of the Synod the authority to suspend any District President
who, after due process, is found to be acting contrary to the
Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod be empowered to ap-
point another to the office of the suspended District President until
such time as a replacement is elected at the next District conven-
tion.

Hope
Akron, OH

7-10

To Support and Encourage and Authorize Synodical
President in Exercise of Ecclesiastical Supervision

Wuereas, Art. III of the Constitution of the LCMS lists as ob-
jectives of our Synod to “conserve and promote the unity of the
true faith’’ and “provide a united defense against schism, sectari-
anism (Rom. 16:17) and heresy’’; and

WHEREAS, Concerns have been raised in the Synod that the syn-
odical President has responsibility for ecclesiastical oversight over
synodically elected officials, but does not have the authority to
carry out such supervision; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Minnesota South District in convention
memorialize the synodical convention to give the synodical Presi-
dent the same authority over synodically-elected officials as the
District Presidents have in their jurisdiction; and be it further

Resolved, That we humbly encourage one another to walk to-
gether in our agreed-upon doctrine and practice and show concern
for the souls of the weak who might be led astray by examples of
false doctrine or careless practice.

Minnesota South District

7-11

To Preserve Right of Free Discussion

WHEREAS, Freedom of the press is a cherished right of Ameri-
can citizens; and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures direct Christians to speak the truth to
their neighbors (Eph. 4:25); and

WHEREAS, Every member of the Synod has a right to expect
honest and unbiased discussion of practical issues in the official
periodicals of Synod; and

Wuereas, President A. L. Barry with the concurrence of the
Praesidium has directed the editors of the Reporter to publish with-
out comment a notice censuring President Orval Mueller of the
Southern District and also instructed them not to publish any letter
concerning this notice; and

WuereEas, Under the President’s directive President Orval
Mueller was denied the right to respond in the same forum in which
he was censured to the charges against him; and

WHEREAS, In this way members of the Synod also have been
denied a forum for the discussion of an issue of vital importance,
since the matter is not one of doctrine but of practice; and

WuerEasS, In the defense of purity of doctrine, the Synod ap-
propriately has established a procedure for doctrinal review; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters has rec-
ognized the right of the synodical President under extraordinary

circumstances with the approval of an appropriate synodical entity
to exercise such authority; and

WHEREAS, At the same time, the same commission has also
urged that such a right be used only in exceptional circumstances;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm the appropriateness of doc-
trinal review; and be it further

Resolved, That the right of free discussion of all issues be reaf-
firmed and encouraged.

Pastoral Conference
Florida-Georgia District

7-12

To Empower Synodical President to Enact Discipline

WHEREAS, We are celebrating the 150th anniversary of walking
together as a Synod; and

WHEREAS, We cherish the truth that it is good for brothers to
dwell together in unity (Psalm 133); and

WHEREAS, Situations have arisen where the doctrine and prac-
tice of Synod have been publicly flaunted by some of her mem-
bers; and

WHEREAS, Brotherly admonition by the synodical President has
gone unheeded in some cases; and

WHEREAS, The most prominent example of such public contra-
diction of scriptural practice is the situation in the Florida-Georgia
District regarding close(d) Communion in connection with the
“Celebrate” document; and

Wuereas, We as a Synod for the 150 years of our existence
have sought to demonstrate love for the neighbor in the practice of
close(d) Communion; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has consistently reaffirmed
this loving practice of close(d) Communion as the public doctrine
and practice of our church; and

WHEREAS, The disregard for agreed-upon doctrine and practice
fractures our walking together; and

WHEREAS, We seek to be faithful to our Lord in both confes-
sion and practice; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention again reaffirm the scriptural practice of close(d) Commu-
nion; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention fraternally admonish
our brothers and sisters in the Florida-Georgia District for their
open advocacy of a Communion policy and practice contrary to
Synod’s policy and practice; and be it further

Resolved, That we beseech the District President and our broth-
ers and sisters in the Florida-Georgia District to retract publicly
their decision to advocate and defend the practice of open Com-
munion as contrary to God-pleasing church fellowship; and be it
further

Resolved, That if at the next convention of the Florida-Georgia
District said District does not publicly retract the decision to advo-
cate and defend the practice of open Communion, The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod in convention give the synodical Presi-
dent authority to deal with this open violation of Synod’s doctrine
and practice, up to and including the power to remove District Pres-
idents and members of Synod from their offices, and to suspend
congregations from membership in Synod if they persist in advo-
cating and practicing open Communion; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod pray that the Lord of the church
would work repentance of heart and change of practice that these
steps need not be taken, and that we may walk in unity in doctrine
and practice.

Springfield Circuit Forum
Missouri District