LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 248

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248 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

(a) It shall address itself to and evaluate existing fellowship re-
lations for the purpose of mutual admonition and encour-
agement.

(b) When a church body applies for formal recognition of altar
and pulpit fellowship with the Synod, such recognition shall
be proposed at a synodical convention only after the ap-
proval of the commission.

(c) When a synodical mission applies for formal recognition as a
self-governing partner church, such recognition shall be pro-
posed at a synodical convention by the Board for Mission
Services with the approval of the commission.

The commission shall provide guidance to the Synod in matters

of theology and church relations.

(a) It shall bring matters of theology and church relations
through special studies and documents to the membership of
the Synod and to conferences.

(b) It shall refer theological issues and questions to the proper
individuals or groups of individuals for additional study.

(c) It shall suggest and provide studies of contemporary issues,
including also current social issues, as they affect the church
and as the church may affect such social issues.

(d) It shall foster and provide for ongoing theological education
through institutes, seminars, and other means.

(e) It shall obtain and study theological treatises, conference pa-
pers, and similar documents and studies.

The commission shall assist congregations and ordained and
commissioned ministers of religion in fulfilling their commitment
to witness publicly and privately to the one and only Gospel set
forth in the Holy Scriptures specifically as they carry out their re-
sponsibilities relating to membership in societies, lodges, cults, or
any organizations of an unchristian or antichristian character to
which the Synod has declared itself firmly opposed.

The commission shall

(a) provide information and counsel conceming organizations,
philosophies, and worldviews about which ordained or com-
missioned ministers and congregations may make inquiry
relative to objectives, tenets, programs, practices, or cere-
monies.
(b) seek to explain the Synod’s concerns to any organizations
that are involved in religion and have unchristian or an-
tichristian features, with the goal of persuading them to
abandon such features.
(c) prepare and disseminate periodic reports concerning new or-
ganizations, philosophies, and worldviews, changes within
existing agencies, and developments relative to the world re-
ligious scene in general.
(d) serve as the resource center for the Synod with reference to
information on religious agencies and worldviews, publish
study materials, and assist pastors and congregations in pro-
viding counsel.
(e) assist the pastors and congregations of the Synod in carry-
ing out the policy of the Synod regarding fraternal organiza-
tions as set forth in the following guidelines:
(1) Pastors and congregations alike must avoid membership
or participation in any organization that in its objectives,
ceremonies, or practices is inimical to the Gospel of
Jesus Christ or the faith and life of the Christian church.
It is the solemn, sacred, and God-given duty of every
pastor properly to instruct his people concerning the sin-
fulness of all organizations that
* explicitly or implicitly deny the Holy Trinity, the deity of
Christ, or the vicarious atonement;

* promise spiritual light apart from thal revealed in the Holy
Scripture;

* attach spiritual or eternal rewards to the works or virtues of
men; and/or

* embrace ideologies or principles that clearly violate an express
teaching of the Holy Scriptures concerning the relationships
of men to one another.

(2) The responsibility of diligent and conscientious pastoral
care requires that pastors of the Synod do not administer
Holy Communion to nor admit to communicant mem-

2001 Convention Workbook

bership members of such organizations who, after thor-
ough instruction, refuse to sever their affiliation with the
organizations, since Holy Communion expresses an ex-
clusive spiritual relationship of the communicant to his
Lord and to his brethren (Matt. 10:32; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; |
Cor. 11:25). Earnest, continuous efforts should be put
forth to bring individuals to a clear-cut decision regard-
ing their contradictory confessions, in order that they
may become or remain communicant members of the
congregation, as the case may be.

(3) The responsibility of conscientious pastoral care recog-
nizes that a pastor will occasionally encounter an excep-
tional case in which he is called on to administer Holy
Communion to a person who is outwardly connected
with such an organization. Such exceptional cases ordi-
narily involve an individual who
* has accepted the pastoral care of the congregation and is being

instructed by its pastor in an effort to lead that person 10 see
the inconsistency of contradictory confession and witness; and
¢ has renounced to the pastor and/or church council the unchris-
tian or antichristian character of the organization in which
membership is held.
In such exceptional cases the pastor should consult with his
brethren in the ministry or with officials of the Synod, as the
case may require. He should, furthermore, beware of procras-
tination and the giving of offense to members of either the
congregation or sister congregations.

(4) The Synod instructs its officials to exercise vigilant care
and urges all pastors and congregations to carry out these
provisions and faithfully eradicate all compromise or
negation of the Gospel through members’ identification
with objectionable organizations. It shall be the duty of
every member, pastor, and especially officials of the
Synod to admonish those pastors and congregations that
fail to offer counter testimony and take decisive action in
matters pertaining to this subject. Refusal to heed broth-
erly admonition shall lead to suspension and eventual ex-
pulsion from the Synod.

Commission on Theology and Church Relations

7-31

To Place Directors of Parish Music
on Roster as Commissioned Ministers

WHEREAS, The office of Director of Parish Music (DPM) is a
ministry developed in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and
there are a number of DPMs listed in The Lutheran Annual; and

WHEREAS, Directors of Parish Music are graduates of four-year
synodical church work programs or complete a comparable collo-
quy under synodical auspices; and

WHeREAS, Martin Luther considered music an art closely tied
to theology, to be used in the praise of God and in the proclamation
of the Word; and

WHEREAS, It is helpful and desirable for synodically certified
Directors of Parish Music to be declared eligible for membership in
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and that they be placed in
the category of Ministers of Religion—Commissioned; therefore
be it

Resolved, That Constitution Art. V (Handbook, p. 10) be
amended by adding the words “directors of parish music” after the
words “directors of Christian outreach”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Constitution Art. V B (Handbook, p. 10) be
amended so that “Directors of Parish Music” are listed as number 8
under advisory members, and that the remaining classifications of
‘“Deaconesses,” “Parish Assistants,” “Certified Lay Ministers,” and
“Candidates for the Office of Ministry” be renumbered 9 through
12 respectively; and be it further

Resolved, That the Constitution Art. V B (Handbook, p. 11) be
amended by adding the words “for director of parish music” after
the words “for director of Christian outreach”; and be it finally