LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 258

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258 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

Florida-Georgia District; Prince of Peace, Orlando, FL

7-61

To Pursue Consensus for Doctrinal Resolutions

Wuereas, Art. VUI C plainly states: “All matters of doctrine
and of conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God. All
other matters shall be decided by a majority vote”; and

Wuereas, There is a dispute in our church about doctrinal res-
olutions passed by synodical conventions; and

Wuereas, Art. VIII C plainly implies that we should not vote
on doctrinal matters but rather examine Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions so that a consensus could be reached on disputed
teachings; and

WHEREAS, Voting on doctrinal matters indicates that only those
representatives of the members of the Synod present and voting are
speaking for all other members of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, Such a vote, if it is not unanimous, places the dele-
gates at odds with each other; therefore be it

Resolved, That doctrinal resolutions presented to the conven-
tions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, when accepted by
a majority vote of the delegates, be distributed to all members of
the Synod for study by congregations and conferences of the Synod
to determine whether they are in agreement with Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions, and prayerfully to arrive at consensus
among all the members of our Lutheran Church——Missouri Synod.

St. John
Wadena, MN

7-62

To Clarify Meaning of “Honor and Uphold” re Bylaws

WHEREAS, The phrase “to honor and to uphold the resolutions of
the Synod” is used in Bylaw 2.39 c and several other places in the
synodical Bylaws; and

WHEREAS, The phrase “to honor and to uphold” is subject to a
wide variety of interpretations; and

Wuereas, The Constitution of the Synod in Art. VII states that
“no resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon the individ-
ual congregation is of binding force if it is not in accordance with
the Word of God.” The Constitution there states that the Word of
God is the standard for judging the “binding force” of synodical
resolutions; therefore be it

Resolved, That wherever the phrase “to honor and to uphold the
resolutions of the Synod” is used in the Bylaws, the phrase “if such
resolutions are in accord with the Word of God as determined by
individual congregations as members of the Synod” be added to it.

St. James
Myrtle Point, OR

7-63

To Uphold Doctrine of Christian Liberty

WHEREAS, The theology of the Lutheran church is centered in
the theology of the cross, “For I resolved to know nothing while I
was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2),
and not in traditionalism, legalism, or prescribed and practiced
pieties, etc. (SA II, I); and

Wuereas, All Christians are royal priests (1 Pet. 2:9) and pos-
sess the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:19), and all things
belong to them (1 Cor. 3:21-23; cf. TPPP 11, p. 321, Tappert); and

WHEREAS, We believe, teach, and confess that “‘we do not con-
cede to the papists (the papist bishops) that they are the church, for
they are not. Nor shall we pay any attention to what they command
or forbid in the name of the church, for, thank God, a
seven-year-old child knows what the church is, namely, holy be-
lievers and sheep who hear the voice of their Shepherd” (FCSD X,
19; SA II, XII, 1, 2) and “holiness does not consist of surplices,

2001 Convention Workbook

tonsures, albs, or other ceremonies of theirs which they have in-
vented over and above the Holy Scriptures, but it consists of the
Word of God and true faith” (SA III, XII, 3); and

WHEREAS, We believe, teach, and confess that “no one should
assume lordship or authority over the church, nor burden the church
with traditions, nor let anybody’s authority count for more than the
Word of God” (FSCD X, 21; TPPP, 11); and

WHEREAS, In regard to all indifferent matters, including human-
ordered customs, traditions, ceremonies, church usages, rites,
rubrics, liturgies, buildings, architecture, church administration, the
form of church government, and so on, “we believe, teach and con-
fess that the community (Gemeinde, ecclesia) of God in every
place and at every time has the right, authority, and power to
change, to reduce, or to increase ceremonies according to its cir-
cumstances, as long as it does so without frivolity and offense but
in an orderly and appropriate way, as at any time may seem most
profitable, beneficial and salutary for good order, Christian disci-
pline, evangelical decorum, and the edification of the church. Paul
instructs us how we can with a good conscience give in and yield to
the weak in faith in such external matters of indifference (Rom. 14)
and demonstrates it by his own example (Acts 16:3; 21:26; | Cor.
9:10)” (FCSD X, 9); and

WHEREAS, “We believe, teach and confess that at a time of con-
fession, as when enemies of the Word of God desire to suppress
the pure doctrine of the holy Gospel, the entire community of God,
yes, every individual Christian, and especially the ministers of the
Word as the leaders of the community of God, are obligated to con-
fess openly, not only by words but also through their deeds and ac-
tions, the true doctrine and all that pertains to it, according to the
Word of God—nor should we tolerate the imposition of such cere-
monies—in order to undermine the genuine worship of God”
(FCSD X, 10; also refer to AC VII, AC XV, AC XVI, AP XV, AP
XXVIIL SA II, XV); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention affirm that human ordinances, traditions, commands, etc.,
are not the true worship of God and are not to be imposed or co-
erced (conformity with ceremonies and matters of indifference are
not to be demanded) on the people of God as necessary (FCSD X,
26, 27); and be it further

Resolved, That we affirm that the “community of God” does
have the “liberty to use one or more ceremonies at any time and
place, according to its circumstances, as may in Christian liberty
be most beneficial to the church” (FCSD X, 30); and be it further

Resolved, That all congregations, pastors, educators, church
officials, and the like be encouraged not to “condemn each other
because of a difference in ceremonies, when in Christian liberty
one uses fewer or more of them, as long as they are otherwise
agreed in doctrine and in all its articles and are also agreed con-
cerning the right use of the holy sacraments” (FCSD X, 31; also
refer to AC VII); and be it finally

Resolved, That all congregations, pastors, educators, and syn-
odical and District institutions and officials be encouraged to honor
and uphold this doctrine of Christian liberty (Gal 2:4, 5; 5:1).

Holy Cross, Arlington, TX; Family of Faith, Houston, TX;
Our Shepherd, Cambridge, MD; Lord of Life, Leawood,
KS

7-64

To Require Convention Approval
of CCM Policy Decisions

WHEREAS, The Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod states in Art. VII that “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.” It further 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 the congregation is
concerned”; and