LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 173

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION
Resolved, That all pastors, professors, teachers of the
church, and congregations honor and uphold the resolutions of the Synod as regards the official position of our
Synod on church and ministry and teach in accordance with
them; and be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall
not in any way detract or distract from the primary mission
of God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted as amended (8)
(By request of the committee, the Chair invoked Special
Standing Rule 6 for the discussion of this resolution when it was
introduced during session 7. In response to a motion from the
floor during session 5 requesting that the committee provide a
brief presentation regarding church and ministry including key
points from Walther’s book prior to discussion of this resolution,
the committee chairman used the standing rule’s 15-minute allotment of committee presentation time for this purpose. During
the final segment of discussion time, the resolution was amended
by adding the words under Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions after the word statement in the first resolve. A motion to
include at the end of the first resolve the reference from the Apology as quoted in Ov. 3-16 failed. The following substitute resolution was offered but did not receive the necessary majority vote to
be considered: WHEREAS, Many delegates, members of the congregations, and members of Synod have not read C. F. W. Walther’s
Die Stimme unserer Kirche in der Frage von Kirche und Amt,
called in English Church and Ministry; and WHEREAS, Critical
questions have been raised concerning the available English translations of Church and Ministry; and WHEREAS, There appears to
be much confusion concerning the questions of the church and the
Office of the Holy Ministry; therefore be it Resolved, That the two
seminaries develop a document including a new translation of
Kirche und Amt that answers our present questions on what we
believe, teach, and confess according to the Scriptures and the
Confessions concerning the teachings on church and the Office of
the Holy Ministry; and be it further Resolved, That this document
be studied by the Winkels, Circuit forums, and District conventions during the next triennium; and be it finally Resolved, That
this document be brought before this body at the next synodical
convention for approval as our position on the teachings on church
and ministry. Another substitute motion to delete the third
whereas, to replace the word writings with the word theses and
the second occurrence of the word the with the word a in the first
resolve, and to replace the second resolve with the words Resolved, That the historical facts surrounding previous LCMS convention actions with respect to the book, The Voice of Our Church
on the Question of Church and Ministry by C.F.W. Walther and
impact of modifications to this work be studied by the Commission on Structure and that the Commission on Structure report
their findings to the 2004 convention of the Synod also failed to
obtain the necessary majority vote to be considered. When the allowed time for discussion had expired, the resolution was adopted
[yes: 791; no: 291]. The final resolve is added as required by Res.
1-02, adopted by the convention in an earlier session.)

To Clarify What Is Included
in Doctrinal Position of Synod
RESOLUTION 7-18
Overture 7-09 (CW, p. 239)
Rationale
The 1998 edition of the Handbook of the Synod mistakenly omitted reference to paragraph c of Bylaw 1.09 in
Bylaw 6.43 c 6. The commission advocates the permanent
removal of this reference to paragraph c from the reference
in Bylaw 6.43 to prevent confusion and contention regard-

173

ing the relationship of doctrinal resolutions and doctrinal
statements. This proposed amendment honors the understanding that all doctrinal statements and resolutions, although they originate differently, are of equal weight in describing the Synod’s understanding of Art. II of its
Constitution.
Resolved, That present Bylaw 6.43 c 6 be amended to
read as follows:
1. advocacy of false doctrine (Constitution, Art. II) or
failure to honor and uphold the doctrinal position of the
Synod as defined further in Bylaw 1.09 c.
Action: Declined (9)
(The resolution was not adopted [yes: 139; no: 992].)

To Have Council of Presidents Discuss
and Report on Bylaw 2.27 g
RESOLUTION 7-19
Overtures 7-86–95 (CW, pp. 270–72)
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 1998 adopted Res.
7-06A, which modified the Bylaws that could result in the
expulsion of District Presidents from the Synod; and
WHEREAS, This action has been questioned by Districts,
congregations, and Circuits; and
WHEREAS, These questions require serious study of the
issues involved to bring about a Christian mutual understanding; therefore be it
Resolved, That the issues raised by Overtures 7-86
through 7-95 be referred to the Council of Presidents and
the Praesidium of the Synod for discussion and brotherly
counsel in order to bring mutual agreement as brothers in
Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That the result of the discussion be reported
to the 2004 convention of the Synod with recommendations
for procedure; and be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall
not in any way detract or distract from the primary mission
of God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (10)
(By common consent, references to the Praesidium were removed from the resolution, since the members of the praesidium
are members of the Council of Presidents. A motion to amend the
first resolve by adding the words the Board of Directors and the
President of the Synod in consultation with before the words the
Council of Presidents was defeated. The resolution was adopted
as edited without amendment [yes: 1,033; no: 81]. The final resolve is added as required by Re. 1-02, adopted by the convention
in an earlier session.)

To Promote Study of Art. VII
and Bylaw 2.39
RESOLUTION 7-21
Overture 7-51 (CW, p. 254)
WHEREAS, There continues to be considerable discussion
of the relationship between the Synod, District, and individual congregations; therefore be it
Resolved, That the President of the Synod in consultation with the Council of Presidents and the presidents of
200l Convention Proceedings