LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 176

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176 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Together with other Christians, they humbly yield before and
serve one another in Christian love and actively support and par-
ticipate in the life, vision, planning, decisions, ministry, and mis-
sion of the congregation (1 Peter 4:10-L1; Rom. |2:4-8).

Together with other Christians in the congregation. they strive
tor forbearance, peace, harmony, and unity in the bond of love
(Phil. 2:1-5; Col. 3:12-14; | Thess. 4:9-10); and be it further

Resolved, That we reject all teachings and practice that would
violate the biblical teaching of the priesthood of all believers such
as hierarchicalism and lording it over the royal priests or the called
pastor. Accordingly we also reject such teachings or practice as “an
indelible character of the pastor.” the validity and certainty of ab-
solution. or the administration of the means of grace dependent
upon the pastor, the Office of the Public Ministry having a direct
special spiritual power distinct from the royal priests, etc.; and be it
further

Resolved, That we reject any lip service to this scriptural teach-
ing of the priesthood of all believers and we reject all teachings and
practice that would deny or hinder the royal priests responsibility
and/or participation, in the calling and biblical supervision of pas-
tors, in liturgical worship, in teaching, in Christian service, in wit-
nessing, in the right to judge doctrine, in decision making in the
congregation, in administration of all church affairs, etc.; and be it
finally

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod assem-
bled in convention encourage every congregation, educator, and
pastor of the Synod to teach and practice this treasured Reforma-
tion doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.

Holy Cross
Arlington, TX

3-59

To Reaffirm Doctrine of Priesthood of All Believers

Wuereas. Fundamental to understanding the relationship be-
tween congregation and pastor in The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod is the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, as
found in | Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful
light”: and

WHEREAS, Churchwide appreciation for this doctrine is de-
creasing, as evidenced by the proposed deletion from the Bylaw
5.13 reference to the Circuit Counselor’s charge “to remind and en-
courage members of the Circuit of their responsibilities as God’s
people and the privilege they have in being about His mission. In
doing so, he should keep in mind the glory and responsibility of
the universal priesthood of al] believers as it applies to the congre-
gation”: and

WHEREAS, Confusion on the relationship of the ordained pastor
and the priesthood of believers can cause disruption in the church
and hindrance to the effective ministry and mission of congrega-
tions; and

WuerEAS. The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
teach that God “bestows the (office of the) keys especially and im-
mediately on the church and for the same reason the church espe-
cially possesses the right of vocation”; and

WHEREAS. Martin Luther taught that the office of preaching is
the highest office in the church, and that it belongs to all who are
Christian both by right and command; and that every Christian has
the right and duty to teach, instruct, admonish, comfort, and rebuke
his neighbor with the Word of God at every opportunity; and

Wuereas., The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has long ap-
preciated the teaching of founder C. F. W. Walther that “The holy
ministry is the authority conferred by God through the congrega-
tion, as holder of the priesthood of all church power, to administer
in public office the common rights of the spiritual priesthood in be-
half of all”; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention reaffirm its historic emphasis on the authority and respon-

2001 Convention Workbook

sibilities of the priesthood of all believers in the relationship be-
tween the congregation and its called pastor; and be it further

Resolved, To reject any teachings and practices that would deny
or hinder the right and responsibility of church members, the royal
priests, to participate in the calling and biblical supervision of pas-
tors, in teaching and witnessing, in the right to judge doctrine, and
in the decision-making and administration of all church affairs: and
be it finally

Resolved, To retain and highlight in the Synod’s Bylaws refer-
ence to “the glory and responsibility of the universal priesthood of
all believers as it applics to the congregations.”

Trinity, Seattle, WA: Shepherd in the Pines, Big Bear
Lake, CA: Royal Redeemer. North Royalton, OH:
Concordia, Kirkwood, MO; St. Stephanus, St. Paul. MN;
St. John, Hinton, OK; King of Glory, Williamsburg. VA;
Emmanuel, Kettering, OH; Holy Cross, Mahwah, NJ; Our
Savior, Portland, OR; St. John, Hattiesburg, MS; Grace. El
Cerrito, CA; Grace, Woodbridge, VA; Holy Trinity,
Statesville, NC

3-60

To Reaffirm Historic Teachings and Correct
Abuses re Priesthood of All Believers

WHEREAS, The Lutheran understanding of both the Office of the
Public Ministry and the Priesthood of All Believers is firmly based
on Scripture passages and provides for a workable and beneticial
tension and cooperation between the two; and

Whereas, This balance has been offset in these days by some
who teach that our Lord gave the Office of the Keys not to the en-
tire church but only to the pastors, and that the Great Commission
applies only to pastors, not to all Christians, leading to questions
as to who has been given authority to absolve sin, evangelize, and
teach the faith; and

Whereas, The correct application of scriptural teaching of both
the Office of the Public Ministry and the Priesthood of All Believ-
ers has been a benefit to God’s people and His church; therefore
be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention reaffirm the historic teachings of the Lutheran Reforma-
tion, to wit:

. Scripture teaches that all Christians are royal priests before God
(1 Peter 2:9).

. Scripture teaches that all Christians have the responsibility to
judge whether doctrine taught in the church is of God (Matt.
7:15; Acts 7:11: | Cor. 10:15; 1 John 4:1).

3. Scripture teaches that the Office of the Keys is Christ’s gift to
the entire church, not exclusively to pastors (Matt. 18:17-28:
Matt. 28:19—20: John 20:22).

4. The apostle Paul told Corinthian Christians “all things are yours”
(1 Cor. 3:21) to counteract the notion that the Christian ministry
was restricted to apostles and pastors.

5. Reformation leaders affirmed these teachings in statements such
as these:

a. “All Christians have a common call and command to pro-
claim the Word of God, to speak it among themselves, to ad-
monish one another on the basis of God’s Word, to reprove,
to comfort” (Chemnitz, Enchiridion, p. 14).

b. “Even a smal} child can absolve and can transfer from the
kingdom of the devil into the kingdom of God by no other
means than the Word” (Luther's Works, American Edition,
vol. 8, p. 309).

6. The Synod adopted “A Brief Statement” in 1932 as the official

teaching. Said document stated in paragraph 30, The Original

and True Possessors of All Christian Rights and Privileges:
Since the Christians are the Church, it is self-evident that
they alone originally possess the spirilual gifts and rights which
Christ has gained for, and given to, His Church, Thus Si. Paul
reminds all believers: “All things are yours,” 1 Cor. 3:21, 22,
and Christ Himself commils to all believers the keys of the king-

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