LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 256

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256 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

7-55

To Reject CCM Ruling re Doctrinal Resolutions

Wuereas, Art. VII of our synodical Constitution clearly states:
“In its relation to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiastical
government exercising legislative or coercive powers, and with re-
spect to the individual] congregation’s right of self-government it
is but an advisory body”; and

WHEREAS. That same Art. VII draws out the logical conse-
quence of that statement when it continues: “Accordingly. no reso-
lution of the Synod imposing anything upon the individual congre-
gation 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 condition of a
congregation is concerned”; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of the years there has been a ten-
dency to circumscribe the freedom of the congregations belonging
to the Synod; and

WHEREAS, This tendency has led to a ruling by the Commission
for Constitutional Matters that states: “In answer to the question to
the Commission, the phrase ‘inexpedient as far as the condition of
a 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
Ruling 99-2157); and

WuereEAas, Such a ruling, unless overruled by a convention of
the Synod, becomes binding (Bylaw 3.905 d); therefore be it

Resolved, That under no circumstances could any resolution of
the Synod deprive congregations of the freedom granted in Art. VII
of the synodical Constitution; and be it further

Resolved, That Ruling 99-2157 of the Commission on Consti-
tutional Matters be rejected by the Synod in convention.

Resurrection
Garden City, NY

7-56

To Declare Doctrinal Statements and Resolutions
Unconstitutional

Wuereas, Art. VIII C of the synodical Constitution states that
“all matters of doctrine and of conscience shall be decided only by
the Word of God. All other matters shal] be decided by a majority
vote”; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 1.09 b, which states that doctrinal “reso-
lutions come into being in the same manner as any other resolu-
tions of a synodical convention,” be declared unconstitutional; and
be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 1.09 c 6, which states that doctrinal state-
ments shall be “operative if a two-thirds majority of the member
congregations which respond within six months registers an affir-
mative vote.” also be declared unconstitutional; and be it further

Resolved. That any and all doctrinal resolutions and statements
that have been decided by a majority vote rather than by the Word
of God, not be binding on the members of the Synod; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That this resolution be submitted to the 2001 synodi-
cal convention.

Trinity, Hudson, W1; Mt. Zion, Minneapolis, MN

7-57

To Reject Elevation of Doctrinal Resolutions

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Constitu-
tion, in its confessional standard in Art. Il, states that the “Synod
and every member of the Synod accepts without reservation:

1. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the wril-
ten Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of
practice;

2001 Convention Workbook

2. All of the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of
the Word of God. to wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the
Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the
Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Large Catechism of
Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Con-
cord”; and

WHEREAS, The Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod (I. Relationships within and through the Synod, 1.03 Con-
fessional Position) state that the confessional position of the Synod
is “set forth in Art. II of the Constitution, to which all who wish to

be and remain members shal] subscribe’; and

WHEREAS, The Rites of Ordination, Installation, Commission-
ing, and Consecration that are contained in the Lutheran Worship
Agenda (1984) express the confessional standard as found in our
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Constitution and Bylaws;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the English District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod reaffirm the clear confessional standard as it is
contained in Art. II of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the English District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod in its 2000 convention reject the elevation of syn-
odical doctrinal resolutions to equal status with Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions; and be it finally

Resolved, That the English District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod memorialize The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod in its 2001 convention to reject the elevation of synodical
doctrinal resolutions to equal status with Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions.

English District

7-58

To Revisit CCM Opinion re Binding Resolutions

WHEREAS, Art. VII of our Synod’s Constitution states, “In rela-
tion to its members the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government
exercising legislative or coercive powers, and with respect to the
individual congregation’s right of self government it is but an ad-
visory 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 the congregation is concerned”;
and

WHEREAS, Our Synod’s Constitution Art. VIII C reads, “All
matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided only by the
Word of God. All other matters shall be decided by majority vote”;
and

WHEREAS, Dr. C. F. W. Walther, who helped draft that consti-
tution, declared in 1879 (“Duties of an Evangelical Lutheran
Synod” in Essays for the Church, CPH, 1992, p. 31), “According to
our Constitution, no synodical resolution is binding on the individ-
ual congregations. No resolution. Mark that well!”; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Constitutional Matters stated in
its opinion (Sept. 14, 1999) that “the phrase, ‘inexpedient as far as
the condition of a congregation is concerned,’ does not refer to the
Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod and is restricted to resolu-
tions adopted by a convention of the Synod which are non-doctrinal
in nature”; and

WHEREAS, This opinion if left unchallenged could transform the
Constitution’s statement that “no resolution of the Synod imposing
anything upon the congregation is of binding force if it is not in ac-
cordance with the Word of God” into a very limited guarantee that
applies only to non-doctrinal resolutions; and

WHEREAS, This opinion could transform matters of doctrine and
conscience, which according to Art. VIII can “only be decided by
the Word of God,” into matters that cannot only be settled by a
simple majority vote of a convention, but then become binding
upon all members of the Synod; therefore be it