LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 254

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254 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

Resolved, That this opinion of the CCM be revised to bring it
into line with the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the
Synod and to disavow any efforts to conceive of the Synod as a
controlling entity over against its members.

Trinity
Walnut Creek, CA

7-49

To Overturn CCM Ruling re Art. VII

WHEREAS, Art. VII of the Constitution of the Synod states, “in
its relation to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiastical gov-
ernment exercising legislative or coercive powers, and with respect
to the individual congregation’s right of self-government it is but an
advisory body. Accordingly, 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 inex-
pedient as far as the condition of a congregation is concerned”;
therefore be it

Resolved, That any interpretation of the Commission on Con-
stitutional Matters be consistent with the meaning and clear intent
of Art. VII; and be it further

Resolved, That the ruling of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters, dated September 14, 1999, be overturned by the Synod in
convention.

Faith
Rochester, NY

7-50

To Maintain and Emphasize
Art. II and VII of Constitution

Rationale

Art. Il of the Synod’s Constitution clearly states that the con-
fessional subscription for the Synod and its members is the Holy
Scriptures, the three Ecumenical Creeds, and the Lutheran Confes-
sions (Book of Concord). A confessional Lutheran position is to
maintain that Scripture alone is the norm for faith and practice for
Christians and the church (Scripture is norma normans [the norm-
ing norm]), and that the Lutheran Confessions rightly explicate the
teaching of the Gospel and all its articles (Confessions are norma
normata [the normed norm]). To make anything other than Scrip-
ture and Confessions binding is to betray Lutheran principle.

Art. VII of the Synod’s Constitution clearly states what the
Synod is not (“of an ecclesiastical government exercising legisla-
tive or coercive powers”) and what it is (“it is but an advisory
body”). In addition, it clearly 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 ap-
pears to be inexpedient as far as the condition of a congregation is
concerned” {emphases ours] (1998 Handbook p. 11).

Articles in the Reporter (e.g., “Oesch: Some don’t grasp their
commitments,” Reporter, May 2000, p. 3), recent rulings of the
Commission on Constitutional Matters (e.g., Ruling 177, Oct. 26,
2000), and parts of the Task Force Report all give evidence of a
tendency to make binding something more than only
Scripture/Confessions as normative and to become legislative and
coercive rather than relating to congregations as only advisory. We
Lutheran Christians continue to see things from a Reformation per-
spective, which calls us to be cautious of institutional control and of
past and present attempts by ecclesiastical authorities to claim that
the institution establishes what is acceptable and binding doctrine
and practice rather than Scripture alone rightly summarized in the
Ecumenical Creeds and explicated by the Lutheran Symbols.

Resolved, That the Synod in convention recognize with thankful
hearts the wisdom of the LCMS Constitution’s evangelical and un-
reserved emphasis on Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions as
the only binding and determining documents for our life together,

2001 Convention Workbook

and the Constitution’s parallel emphasis on the Synod as an insti-
tution that is “but an advisory body”; and be it further

Resolved, That any and all resolutions and/or rulings that state
or suggest that anything other than Holy Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions as described in Art. II of the Synod’s Constitution are
binding or normative in our walking together be rescinded and de-
clared null and void; and be it finally

Resolved, That any and all resolutions and/or rulings express-
ing the position of the Synod be received by its members as helpful
and useful for our life together and honored as such, while at the
same time it is emphasized that all such resolutions and position
statements are only advisory and that Art. VII's provision be ab-
solutely maintained: “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” (Handbook, p. 11).

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

7-51

To Organize Forums to Discuss
Art. VII and Bylaw 2.39

WHEREAS, There continues to be considerable discussion of the
relationship between the Synod, District, and individual congrega-
tions; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Minnesota South District of the LCMS be
asked to organize forums to discuss Art. VII of the synodical Con-
stitution and Bylaw 2.39, b and c, concerning the issue of how the
Synod, District, and individual congregations relate to one another
in matters of doctrine and practice; and be it further

Resolved, That the Minnesota South District memorialize The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to do the same thing Synod-
wide.

Minnesota South District

7-52
To Reject the CCM Ruling re “Inexpedient’’ Phrase

Rationale

The congregation’s freedom of self-governance was
established by our founding clergy and laity in Art. VII of the
Synod Constitution, which reads:

In ils relation to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiasti-
cal government exercising legislative or coercive powers, and
with respect to the individual congregation’s right of self-gov-
ernance it is but an advisory body. Accordingly, no resolution
of the Synod imposing anything upon the individual congrega-
tion is of binding force if it is not in accordance with the Word
of God or if it appears 10 be inexpedient as far as the condition
of a congregation is concerned. (1998 Handbook, p. 11)

In the Fall of 1999 the CCM issued an opinion regarding this
article stating 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”
(CCM, Sept. 14, 1999).

This opinion fails to consider that conventions of the Synod
have passed non-doctrinal resolutions that have changed and
amended the Constitution and Bylaws since they were first
adopted. Changes and amendments to the Constitution require a
two-thirds approval of the Synod in convention and of the
individual congregations (1998 Handbook, p. 16). Changes and
amendments to the Bylaws only require an “affirmative vote of a
majority of the delegates present and voting” (1998 Handbook, p.
145).

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