LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 46

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46 SYNODICAL REPORTS

D. Expressions of Dissent

The Commission’s policy for handling expressions of dissent
submitted to it under the provisions of Bylaw 2.39 c is as follows.
When in accordance with Bylaw 2.39 c dissent to the doctrinal po-
sition of the Synod is brought to the attention of the CTCR, it shall
be shared with all members of the Commission. The Executive
Committee. at its next meeting, shall assign this dissent to one of
the Commission’s standing committees for the preparation of a rec-
ommendation to the plenary Commission. This recommendation to
the plenary is to include a determination regarding whether or not
there ts sufficient basis in the dissent for supporting the dissenter(s)
claim(s) that the doctrinal position of the Synod is in need of revi-
sion. Upon the Commission’s action relative to the standing com-
mittee’s recommendation. its response to the submission of dissent
shall be shared with the dissenter(s) and reported to the Synod in its
convention report.

1. Expression of Dissent to 1969 Resolution 2-17 “To Grant Woman
Suffrage and Board Membership”

In August 1996 the Commission received a 20-page document
from an LCMS pastor in which he expressed dissent to the Synod’s
position on woman suffrage. Thirty pastors of the Synod subse-
quently submitted their names in expression of agreement with this
document of dissent. The Commission reported to the 1998 con-
vention that consideration of this expression of dissent will be in-
corporated into the comprehensive study of the relationship of man
and woman assigned to the CTCR in 1995. Following its Novem-
ber 2000 meeting, the Commission communicated with the original
dissenters to ask them whether they had any thoughts on or modi-
fications of their earlier dissent. Four responses were received, with
one of the original dissenters withdrawing his subscription to the
letter of dissent. The standing committee to which the expression of
dissent has been assigned—which is now conducting the compre-
hensive study of women in the church—will be considering the dis-
sent when it addresses the exegesis of the relevant passages in
| Timothy and | Corinthians.

2. Expression of Dissent to Position on Ordination in A Brief
Statement

In a May 13, 1999, letter to the CTCR. an LCMS pastor indi-
cated that he was formally expressing dissent to the official position
of the Synod as stated in A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Posi-
tion of the Missouri Synod, namely, that ordination “is not a divine,
but a commendable ecclesiastical ordinance.” (Assigned to the ap-
propriate standing committee. )

3. Expression of Dissent to the LCMS Position on the Ordination
of Women

In a letter dated December 22, 1999, an LCMS pastor submitted
a study titled “Theses on Women in the Church” “as a dissent to
the official position of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
concerning women’s ordination as expressed in the September
1985 document [CTCR’s report Women in the Church].” (Assigned
to the appropriate standing committee.) This expression of dissent
will be taken into consideration in connection with the Commis-
sion’s report on the theology and practice of the divine call.

4. Expression of Dissent Regarding Interim Ministry

With a letter dated January 18, 2001, an LCMS pastor for-
warded to the Commission a paper that he requested be considered
as a formal expression of dissent to 1998 Res. 3-17B “To Prepare
Policy and Guidelines for Intentional Ministries.” (Assigned to the
appropriate standing committee.)

5. Expression of Dissent to 1995 Res. 3-08 “‘To Reaffirm the Practice
of Close(d) Communion”

In November 1995 a pastor from the North Wisconsin District
submitted an expression of dissent to 1995 Res. 3-08. Having re-

2001 Convention Workbook

viewed this item at its September 2000 meeting, the Commission
concluded that the concerns in this dissent were answered in its re-
port on Admission to the Lord’s Supper.

E. Other Agenda Items
1. Response to Proposal on Certified Diaconate

The 1998 LCMS convention requested that a task force be con-
vened to provide pastoral assistance where a full-time ministry can-
not be maintained (Res. 5-09). The Synod required that implemen-
tation of a church-worker position proposed by this task force must
first have “the concurrence of the entities represented on the task
force” (President, synodical Board of Directors, Council of Presi-
dents, Board for Higher Education, and CTCR). In February 2000
the Task Force for Diaconal Ministry submitted to the CTCR a pro-
posal “To Establish a Deacon Ministry Where Full-Time Ordained
Pastoral Ministry Cannot Be Maintained.” At its September 2000
meeting, the CTCR prepared its response to this proposal and sub-
mitted it to the Task Force. In February 2001 the Commission re-
viewed a revised version of the proposal. While a majority of the
Commission expressed sympathy for the proposal, the majority also
indicated that they could not support it without serious revision.

2. Preliminary Report of Task Force on National/District Synod
Relations

At its September 2000 meeting, the CTCR completed its review
of the Task Force’s report. In view of the Task Force’s proposal to
change the manner in which the members of the CTCR are se-
lected, the Commission adopted for submission to the Task Force
the following response:

CTCR Response to the “Preliminary Report
of Task Force on National/District Relations”
as That Report Proposes to Change the Manner
in Which Members of the CTCR Are Selected
WHEREAS, The presen! method of selecting the members of the

CTCR—five chosen by the Synod in convention, four by the seminary

faculties, four by the Council of Presidents, and three by the President

of the Synod—has served the Synod well over the years in helping to
ensure that the membership of the Commission is representative of the

Synod which it serves; and

WHEREAS, The synodieal Task Force on National/District Relations
has recommended, in its “Preliminary Report,” a change in the manner
in which members of the CTCR are selected, namely: that the COP se-
lect only one representative to the CTCR (a sitting Districi President)
and that the Synod in convention elect eight (8) individuals to serve on
the CTCR; and

WHEREAS, The present means of selection fosters a close relation-
ship between the CTCR—which has been entrusted with the responsi-
bility of providing guidance in matters of theology and church rela-
tions—and those who have been given responsibilities in the area of
supervision of doctrine; and

WHEREAS, No good reason can be ascertained for a change in this
method of selecting members at this time; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the CTCR officially express its opposition to the
proposed change in the manner in which its members are selected; and
finally be it

RESOLVED, That this opposition to the proposed change be for-
warded to the synodical Task Force on National/District Relations.

Adopted September 23, 2000
I. Church Relations

A. Inter-Lutheran
1. International Lutheran Council

At its February 2000 meeting, the CTCR once again granted
permission for its Executive Director, Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, to
serve as Executive Secretary of the ILC. For information on the
ILC see its Web site at www.ilc-online.org.

The International Lutheran Council met for its 18th conference
in Cambridge, England, on Aug. 7-14, 1999, under the theme