LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 208

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208 HIGHER EDUCATION

To Amend Bylaw re BHE Planning

WHEREAS, The Board for Higher Education should be the syn-
odical entity to coordinate institutional planning; and

WuereEAS, Such plans can have great impact upon the Synod’s
educational institutions; and

WHEREAS, Such plans should meet with the approval of the
Synod; and

Whereas, The Synod should have the responsibility for deter-
mining whether the Board for Higher Education or a special com-
mittee or some other entity approved of by the Synod be tasked
with the implementation of such plans; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 409 b (p. 61) of the LCMS be amended
to read, “coordinate institutional planning and prepare plans for ap-
proval and adoption by the Synod for meeting constituency needs
and interests.”

Faith
Chesapeake, VA

To Disallow Teachers in Synod Schools
Who Oppose Confessional Position

WHEREAS, The apostle Paul says in | Tim. 2:12, “I permit no
woman to teach or to have authority over a man”; and

WHEREAS, The theological instruction of our church-work stu-
dents and of other student members of our congregations who are
preparing for godly vocations at the universities of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod should be done by members of the
Synod or by those with whom the Synod is in doctrinal fellowship;
and

WuerEAS, All theological instructors of the aforementioned stu-
dents should publicly confess and teach in accord with the biblical
and confessional theological position of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod declare as contrary to God’s Word fe-
male teachers of theology and teachers of theology from church
bodies not in fellowship with The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod at our seminaries and schools of the Concordia University
System; and be it further

Resolved, That no one who openly opposes the doctrinal con-
fession of the Synod be allowed to be placed at the seminaries and
universities of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That “teacher” is defined as anyone involved in the
regular classroom, seminar, or continuing education instruction of
students and that this definition includes teacher aides, graduate as-
sistants, and other temporary instructors; and be it further

Resolved, That “teacher of theology” shall be defined as a
teacher of any course in the religion or theology departments of the
schools of the Concordia University System or of any seminary
course that is part of or cognate to any of the departments of theol-
ogy of the seminaries of the Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That guest lecturers who clearly espouse teachings
contrary to the doctrine of the Synod are to be allowed only when
the clear purpose of their presence is to show or contrast their
teachings with the Synod’s scriptural and confessional theology.

Circuit 2 Forum
Ohio District

5-11

To Investigate Doctrine and Practice
at Concordia, Portland

WHEREAS, Our synodical universities should be examples of or-
thodoxy in doctrine and practice for the whole church; and

2001 Convention Workbook

WHEREAS, Professors and teachers have vowed by their rite of
installation to uphold the doctrinal positions of the Synod in their
teaching, practice, and life; and

WrereaS, The Synod’s doctrinal positions are to be honored
and upheld until such time as the Synod amends or repeals them
(Bylaw 1.09 c 7); and

WHEREAS, Members of the faculty of Concordia, Portland, have
expressed doctrinal positions contrary to that of the Synod’s posi-
tions, such as advocating open Communion and the ordination of
women into the pastoral office (cf. 1998 Res. 3-25A); and

WHEREAS, These positions have been widely circulated through
various publications and position statements, including magazines
and documents posted on public Internet sites by various faculty
members; and

WHEREAS, Attempts have been made to address and correct this
situation according to Bylaw 2.27 (Matt. 18:15-18) and Bylaw 6.47
(CTCR documentation), and yet doctrinal unity has not been
achieved; and

WHEREAS, All faculty members of our synodical universities are
under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Synod (Bylaw 6.49);
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the President of
the Synod to formally investigate the doctrine and practice of Con-
cordia University, Portland, with a view toward addressing the con-
cerns about false doctrine at that institution; and be it further

Resolved, That if the President’s investigation discovers that the
doctrinal positions of the Synod are neither honored nor upheld,
that the President be directed to admonish those who are in error
for the purpose of repentance, reconciliation, and unity; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That the President of the Synod report his findings to
the synodical convention in 2004.

Iowa District East

5-12

To Set Aside District Resolution re Concordia, Portland

WHEREAS, The Iowa East District in convention has submitted
to the Synod in convention an overture (2000 Res. 3-06, “To Pro-
mote Better Doctrine and Practice at Concordia Portland”) that ac-
cuses unnamed individuals at Concordia University, Portland, of
fostering “false doctrine at that institution”; and

WHEREAS, Iowa East Res. 3-06 alleges that unnamed “members
of the faculty of Concordia Portland have expressed doctrinal po-
sitions contrary to that of the Synod’s positions”; and

WHEREAS, Iowa East Res. 3-06 does not identify the “doctrinal
positions” of Concordia University, Portland, faculty members that
are alleged to be “contrary to that of the Synod’s positions”; and

WHEREAS, The President, the faculty, and the Board of Regents
of Concordia University, Portland, had no prior knowledge that an
overture about Concordia University, Portland, was a potential
Iowa East Convention resolution; and

WHEREAS, The President and Board of Regents of Concordia
University, Portland, have repeatedly requested the Iowa East Dis-
trict to provide the specific evidence that was used to support the
District’s actions leading up to and including the passing of Res.
3-06; and

WHEREAS, Even after these repeated requests on the part of the
President and Board of Regents of Concordia University, Portland,
at no time before or after the 2000 Iowa East District convention
has any pastor, member, congregation, official, or conference of
the Iowa East District ever identified to the President, any admin-
istrator, or the Board of Regents of Concordia University, Portland,
the specific individuals at CU, Portland, who are alleged to have
expressed “doctrinal positions contrary to that of the Synod’s posi-
tions’; and

WHEREAS, Even after repeated requests on the part of the Pres-
ident and Board of Regents of Concordia University, Portland, at