LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 279

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 279

book were appealed to the Praesidium of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Doctrinal Review continued the
challenge of the book’s doctrinal review certification for more than
six months before issuing an opinion; and

WHEREAS, The synodical Bylaws contain no provision limiting
challenges to previously published materials to a reasonable period
of time; and

WHEREAS, Our brother pastor and his congregation have en-
dured great hardship under this procedure, and it is our desire to
support and encourage members of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 11.15 of the Handbook of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod be amended as follows:

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING

a. A challenge to the doctrinal review certification of a pub-
lished item may be initiated by any member of the Synod within
twelve months of the date of publication or the date when the
item was first distributed to the public.

{intervening Bylaws unchanged}

d. After receipt of the challenge, the chairman of the Com-
mission on Doctrinal Review shall inform the President of the
Synod, the sponsoring group, the author(s) and/or editor(s}, and
Concordia Publishing House, and shall appoint three members
of the commission to serve as a review panel, and shall desig-
nate one as its chairman.

e. To aid in maintaining objectivity, the identity of the chal-
lenger and the identity of the panel will ordinarily not be dis-
closed.

f. If the published item is directly related to a complaint or
an appeal currently before a District President, the Praesidium
of the Synod, a Dispute Resolution Panel, or Review Panel when
the challenge is made, under such circumstances the identity of
the challenger, the exact nature of the challenge, and the iden-
tity of the panel shall be disclosed to the District President, the
Praesidium of the Synod, the Dispute Resolution Panel, or the
Review Panel, as well as to all parties to the dispute.

& The Review Panel shall review the published material
within 90 days of the receipt of the written challenge. If the Re-
view Panel fails to act within 90 days, the challenge shall be
nullified.

[f becomes h, g becomes i, and h becomes j]

Circuit 9, Minnesota South District; Redeemer, Wayzata,
MN

7-133

To Amend Clergy Roster Bylaws

WHEREAS, Members of the LCMS roster of ministers of reli-
gion, ordained, are gifts of God to the church; and

WHEREAS, Such members of the Synod from time to time ac-
cept positions other than those listed in LCMS Bylaw 2.15, but still
provide a valuable service and ministry to the church; and

Wuereas, In such circumstances membership on the clergy ros-
ter of the Synod may be both desirable and beneficial to the min-
istry being performed; and

WHEREAS, Current Bylaw provisions do not allow continued
roster status in some of these situations; and

WHEREAS, Candidates on the clergy roster frequently perform
valuable acts of ministry in congregations or other entities of the
church but are unable for any of many causes to display “a demon-
strated willingness” to consider a call or appointment to any of the
offices of ministry specified in LCMS Bylaw 2.15; and

WHEREAS, Clergy who seek reinstatement as a member of the
LCMS roster of minister of religion pursuant to Bylaws 2.31 and
2.33 are bound by the decision of the Council of Presidents without
any right of appeal; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Texas District of the LCMS memorialize the
1998 convention of the LCMS to review and amend the relevant

Bylaws of the Synod to rectify these matters, including to afford
due process and basic fairness to these pastors who are being re-
moved from the roster by the Council of Presidents, the right to ap-
pear in person and address the Council of Presidents at the time the
council considers the issue and the right to appeal an adverse deci-
sion.

Texas District

7-134

To Commend President Barry

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has explic-
itly stated that the President has the responsibility to exercise
supervision over the doctrine taught in our Synod, as well as su-
pervision on how the true doctrine is put into practice (Bylaws
3.101-3.105); and

WHEREAS, Our Synod understands that only as true doctrine is
taught and practiced wilt unity of the true faith be maintained (1995
Handbook, pp. 9~11; Art. II-Art. VI 7; Art. XI B 1-2); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Barry has faithfully sought to fulfill the respon-
sibility which he vowed before God to keep even though some dif-
ficult decisions had to be made (Reporter 2/97; Bylaw 3.103); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Barry has also sought to fulfill his responsibilities
by producing some scriptural, orthodox, confessional, and helpful
booklets which address certain key doctrinal areas (i.e., Catechesis
in the Lutheran Congregation, The Nature and Basis of Lutheran
Worship, etc.); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod dele-
gates in the 1998 synodical convention rise and sing the Doxology
in thanks to God for blessing our Synod with a faithful synodical
President.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

7-135
To Resolve Apparent Bylaw Conflict

Rationale

Questions have arisen regarding the possible conflict between
Bylaw 3.905 a and Bylaw 15.01 d. The former calls upon the Com-
mission on Constitutional Matters to “examine all reports and over-
tures to the Synod asking for amendments to the Constitution and
Bylaws of the Synod or which in any manner affect the Constitu-
tion and Bylaws, to determine their agreement in content and lan-
guage with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.” The latter
requires that amendments to the Bylaws be “submitted to the Com-
mission on Constitutional Matters for clearance” and has been in-
terpreted by some to mean that a special action of “submission” of
proposed amendments is required, an action not covered in Bylaw
3.905 a. This possible conflict should be eliminated.

Resolved, That Bylaw 15.01 d be amended to read as follows:

d. examined by the Commission on Constitutional Matters prior
to presentation to the convention to determine that they are not in
conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod: and be it
further

Resolved, That a Special Standing Rule be proposed which
states:

The Chair shall require written or oral certification that pro-
posed constitutional or Bylaw amendments have been examined by
the Commission on Constitutional Matters and found not to be in
conflict with the Constitution or Bylaws of the Synod.

Board of Directors
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod