LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 253

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 253

Walther’s first presidential address to the Synod, where he clearly
noted that the only power the Synod has is the power to persuade;
and

Wrereas, All members of the Synod have already agreed in
mutual trust to conform their teaching and practice to Art. II of the
Synod’s Constitution, to accept “without reservation: (1) the Scrip-
tures of the Old and New Testament as the written Word of God
and the only rule and norm of faith and practice; (and), (2) all the
Symbolic Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and
unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God”; and

WHEREAS, More recent Bylaw revisions and recent ruling of the
Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters appear to contra-
dict the clear meaning of Constitution Art. VII by coercing confor-
mity to the Synod’s doctrinal resolutions; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters has re-
cently (Sept. 14, 1999) ruled “Thus, in answer to the question to
the Commission, the phrase ‘inexpedient as far as the condition of
the congregation is concerned,’ does not refer to the Constitution
and Bylaws of the Synod and is restricted to resolutions adopted
by a convention of the Synod which are non-doctrinal in nature”;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Northwest District advise its members that it
continues to honor the covenant on being an advisory body; and be
it further

Resolved, That the Northwest District recognize the right of the
members of the Synod to act as the synodical Constitution states;
and be it finally

Resolved, That this convention memorialize the 2001 conven-
tion of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to overrule the
above Sept. 14, 1999, ruling of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters.

Northwest District; Trinity, Hudson, WI; Holy Cross,
Arlington, TX; Royal Redeemer, North Royalton, OH; St.
Peter, Brooklyn, NY; St. John, Holbrook, NY; Circuit 9,
Atlantic District; Concordia, Wilmington, DE; Circuit 8,
Atlantic District; St. John, Mount Prospect, IL; Holy Cross,
Pacific Palisades, CA; The Family of Faith, Houston, TX;
Trinity, Memphis, TN; King of Glory, Williamsburg, VA;
Our Savior, Newton, IA; Emmanuel, Kettering, OH; St.
Peter, San Leandro, CA; Our Savior, Portland, OR; Holy
Cross, Mahwah, NJ; Lord of Life, Leawood, KS; Grace, El
Cerrito, CA; First, Paola, KS; Grace, Woodbridge, VA;
Salem, Orange, CA; St. John, Clearlake, CA

7-46

To Set Aside CCM Ruling re Art. VII

WHEREAS, The confessional base of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod is spelled out in Art. II of its Constitution as the
Holy Scriptures and the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church (The Lutheran Confessions); and

WHEREAS, Art. V and Art. VI limit membership in the Synod to
those who confess and accept the confessional basis of Art. II; and

WHEREAS, Art. VII of the Constitution limits the Synod’s role in
relation to its members as that of an advisory body and states that
no resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon the individual
congregation is of binding force if it is not in accordance with the
Word of God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far as the condi-
tion of a congregation is concerned; and

WHEREAS, Art. XIV states, “Changes in the Constitution and
amendments thereto may be made provided they do not conflict
with the provisions laid down in Article II and in Article VI’; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in 1962 acknowledged that a resolution
which declares every synodically adopted doctrinal statement (past
and future) binding upon its members is unconstitutional since such
a resolution would in effect amend Article II of the Constitution by
extending the Confessional basis beyond the Bible and the Sym-
bols (Res. 6-01); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention set aside the Sept. 14,
1999, ruling of the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Mat-
ters, which ruled that “the phrase ‘inexpedient as far as the condi-
tion of a congregation is concerned’ does not refer to the Constitu-
tion and Bylaws of the Synod and is restricted to resolutions
adopted by a convention of the Synod which are non-doctrinal in
nature”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention reaffirm its historic
principles of Art. VIF of the Constitution that the Synod is an advi-
sory body in respect to the individual congregation’s right of
self-government, and accordingly, “no resolution of the Synod im-
posing anything upon the individual congregation is of binding
force if it is not in accordance with the Word of God or if it ap-
pears to be inexpedient as far as the condition of a congregation is
concerned.”

Southern District; St. John, Hattiesburg, MS

7-47

To Prohibit All CCM Rulings Contrary to Art. VII

WHEREAS, The genius of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod has historically expressed itself in our Constitution’s Art.
VII to affirm that “‘in its relation to its members the Synod is not an
ecclesiastical government exercising legislative or coercive pow-
ers, and with respect to the individual congregation’s right of self-
government it is but an advisory body”; and

WHEREAS, There is an absence of wording in the Constitution
that has ever limited or qualified “exercising legislative or coercive
powers” in this definition of Synod’s relationship with our member
congregations; and

WuereEas, “An advisory body” offers not legislation but advice,
which can be accepted at the congregation level, or rejected “if it
appears to be inexpedient as far as the condition of a congregation
is concerned” without jeopardizing a congregation’s relationship
with the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters Ruling
99-2157 by implication compromises the autonomy of the congre-
gation and introduces an opposite role for the Synod as “an eccle-
siastical government exercising legislative or coercive powers”
when the ruling states, “The phrase ‘inexpedient as far as the con-
dition of a congregation is concerned’ does not refer to the Consti-
tution and Bylaws of the Synod and is restricted to resolutions
adopted by a convention of the Synod which are non-doctrinal in
nature”; therefore be it

Resolved, That Ruling 99-2157 of the Commission on Consti-
tutional Matters be rejected as contrary to Art. VII by our Synod;
and be it further

Resolved, That any other rulings and resolutions within the
Synod that threaten or infringe upon the freedom granted in Art.
VII of the Constitution be prohibited.

Redeemer
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

7-48

To Disallow Opinion
of Commission on Constitutional Matters

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters
has issued an official opinion that the “Inexpedient” clause of Art.
VIE of the LCMS Constitution applies only to nondoctrinal mat-
ters; and

WHEREAS, There are wide differences of understanding of what
is a doctrinal resolution of the Synod (e.g., Communion practices,
offices that may or may not be held by various genders, interchurch
activities); and

WHEREAS, The binding nature of resolutions that are not clearly
identified as doctrinal opens wide areas of controversy; therefore
be it

2001 Convention Workbook