LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 196

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196 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

of the CCM may be “further define[d]” and “‘redefine[d]” in the fu-
ture on the basis of further study of Scripture; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) in its 1985 report “Women in the Church” concluded on
the basis of Scripture that the service of women in congregational
offices depends upon the nature of the functions assigned to the
various offices established by the church; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in 1989 Res. 3-13A and 1992 Res. 3-05
asked the CTCR to further clarify on the basis of Scripture the 1970
de iure humano opinion of the CCM; and

WHEREAS, Neither 1989 Res. 3-13A or 1992 Res. 3-05 express
disagreement with principles articulated in the CTCR’s 1985 re-
port with reference to the question of women serving in congrega-
tional offices; therefore be it

Resolved, That members of the Synod who are convinced the
offices of congregational president and vice president exist de iure
humano, not de iure divino, be at liberty to elect persons to these
offices without regard to gender; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations who choose not to associate the
board of elders directly with the pastoral office be at liberty to elect
elders without regard to gender; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod recognize that the 1970 CCM opinion
itself assumes that the Synod might, on the basis of further scrip-
tural study, redefine its position regarding the service of women in
congregational offices.

Resurrection
Garden City, NY

3-120

To Encourage Women to Serve in Any
Congregational Office except Pastor
WuerEAS, The Holy Spirit has given gifts to the church; and

WHEREAS, Peter pointed out on the first Pentecost that the Holy
Spirit is poured out on people of different ages, social classes, and
genders; and

WHEREAS, It is clear that women had prominent roles in the
early church (Priscilla, Phoebe, Junias, Mary, the daughters of
Philip); and

WHEREAS, There is little in the New Testament that directly ad-
dresses the issue of congregational structure, thereby leaving many
of the details in this area to the discretion of the various congrega-
tions; and

Wuereas, That is indeed the case today as the congregations of
the Missouri Synod are variously structured, and that even the po-
sition descriptions of people having the same offices of the same
name varies from congregation to congregation according to their
Constitutions and Bylaws; and

Whereas, There are many Missouri Synod congregations that
do, in fact, limit the office of elder and president to men because
they are concerned that women holding these offices would be in
a position of exercising authority over men, which they base on
1 Tim. 2:12; and

WHEREAS, The meaning and nature of the authority referred to
in | Tim. 2:12 may itself refer to a type of authority that is inap-
propriate in all cases in the church and clearly does not proscribe
legitimate, delegated authority or exousia; and

Whereas, There is a growing need in the church for people of
mature faith and Christian sensitivities, which are evident in Chris-
tian women and men alike; and

WHEREAS, It is the nature of Christian service to be first and
foremost “servant” as our Lord has taught and showed us; and

WHEREAS, When it comes to matters of Christian discipline in
Matthew 18 there is no hint whatsoever that women are to be ex-
cluded from this process, but clearly are a part of the “church”; and

WuerEAS, There are more and more faithful congregations
throughout the church that are demonstrating that being a commu-

2001 Convention Workbook

nity of equals in all things is essential to the church’s witness and
mission; and

WHEREAS, The church is impoverished wherever and whenever
it fails to recognize and use the gifts the Holy Spirit gives it; there-
fore be it

Resolved, In the name of the One in whom there is no distinc-
tion, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, that con-
gregations of the Missouri Synod be urged to consider only the
qualifications conferred by the Holy Spirit in all the offices in the
congregation’s life (with the exception of pastor); and be it further

Resolved, That gifted women not only be allowed but encour-
aged to serve as congregational elders and presidents.

Circuit 18
North Wisconsin District

3-121

To Grant Eligibility of Women
for Leadership Positions in Congregations

WHEREAS, Great joy has been found in carrying out Christ's
Commission with women working side-by-side with men in a rela-
tionship of mutual and reciprocal deference; and

Whereas, As stated in Gal. 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor fe-
male; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”; and

WHEREAS, As Christians learning to serve together as male and
female according to Christ’s model, we long to serve our Lord with
the talents God has given us; and

WHEREAS, Women have also been given spiritual gifts of lead-
ership; and

WHEREAS, Synodical constraints Jimit women from fully exer-
cising God-given talents and thereby limiting their contributions to
congregations; therefore be it

Resolved, That women are equally eligible for the congrega-
tional offices of President and Vice-President.

Messiah

Mounds View, MN

3-122

To Affirm Women as Teachers of Theology

Wuereas, The church of Jesus Christ has only one Teacher, the
Lord, who came announcing the kingdom of His Father and
promising the gift of the Holy Spirit “who will teach you all things”
(Matt. 23:8—10; Matt. 10:24~25; John 14:26); and

Wuereas, This one Lord of the church “came not to be served
but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark
10:45); and

WHEREAS, The one Gospel of the church is the good news
which announces that through Jesus, His ministry, and His death
and resurrection, people receive forgiveness of their sins, life, and
salvation; and

WHEREAS, This Gospel alone gives freedom from sins, freedom
from God’s condemning Law, freedom from the curse of death,
and freedom from humanly designed religious traditions and cus-
toms (Gal. 5:1); and

WHEREAS, This Gospel breaks down the sin-created dividing
walls of hostility that separate the sinner from God, the sexes from
each other, the races of people from one another, the Jew from the
Gentile, and the slave from the free (Eph. 2:14; Gal. 3:26—-28); and

WHEREAS, Contrary to the values of His own culture and reli-
gion, Jesus taught women, rejected legal taboos about women, for-
gave women, called women to be His disciples, received assistance
from women, made women full members of His community, and
gave His Spirit to women (John 20); and

Whereas, For the sake of unity and for building up the body of
Christ, His church, the Lord has given some to be apostles, some