LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 259

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 259

Wuereas, The Synod has created a Commission on Constitu-
tional Matters (CCM) to render opinions or interpretations on con-
stitutional matters as well as interpretations on synodical resolu-
tions; and

WuhereasS, In recent years the opinions and interpretations of the
CCM have been given the standing of official synodical policy; and

Wuereas, The synodical Constitution specifically directs that
all matters that involve synodical matters shall be decided either at
a regularly scheduled synodical convention, a specially called syn-
odical convention, or by a congregation referendum that requires
at least one fourth of the congregations registering their vote; and

Wuereas, No resolution of any synodical convention can su-
percede or amend any article of the Constitution unless such
amendments are established in accord with the procedures speci-
fied in Art. XIV; and

WHEREAS, No such changes or amendments have been made
that authorize the CCM to have any authority to create or initiate
any synodical policy; therefore be it

Resolved, That all opinions and interpretations rendered by the
Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) shall always remain
opinions and interpretations and shall not carry the weight of syn-
odical policy; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention in St. Louis
in July 2001 affirm that only the synodical convention can adopt
or amend official policy of the Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That any opinions and interpretations that the CCM
would recommend as becoming synodical policy shall be brought
before the synodical convention for adoption or rejection.

Our Savior
Plantation, FL

7-65

To Require Publication and Ratification
of CCM Opinions

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.905 d provides that an opinion rendered by
the CCM shall be binding on the question unless and until it is
overruled by a synodical convention; and

WHEREAS, The CCM is not directed to present all of its opin-
ions to the members of the Synod and has not always done so; and

Wuereas, This makes it possible for opinions of the CCM to
be made binding without notice to members of the Synod; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the CCM be required to publish all of its opin-
ions in an official periodical, make them available on a Web site,
and include them in each Convention Workbook, all under CCM
headings; and be it further

Resolved, That opinions of the CCM not be binding unless and
until they are approved by a convention of the Synod.

Prince of Peace
Orlando, FL

7-66

To Preserve Right of Districts to Dissent

WHEREAS, In response to a query regarding whether an action
taken by a District Convention “to file an expression of dissent to a
doctrine or practice of the Synod” is permissible, the Commission
on Constitutional Matters’ Ruling 00-2212 of 26 October 2000 de-
clared that “an official action by a District ... to file an expression
of dissent to the Synod regarding a doctrine taught and practiced
by the Synod is out of order and, therefore, null and void”; and

Whereas, Synodical Bylaw 4.11 states that “the delegate con-
vention of the District is a legislative assembly. ... through which
the congregations and the District can together make recommen-
dations to the convention, boards, and commissions of the Synod”;
and

WHEREAS, In adopting resolutions for consideration by the
Synod in convention, Districts serve as appropriate and useful
channels through which member congregations may express their
views; and

Whereas, Ruling 00-2212 contradicts a long-standing practice
in our synodical covenant of Districts offering overtures for con-
sideration by the Synod in convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Missouri Synod in the 2001 convention
overrule and reject Commission on Constitutional Matters’ Ruling
00-2212; and be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri Synod reaffirm the right of a Dis-
trict, District delegate convention, and District Board of Directors
to submit overtures, including expressions of dissent to the Synod
regarding a doctrine taught and practiced by the Synod, and to
make any other recommendations deemed appropriate to the con-
vention, boards, and commissions of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Synod be directed to honor
and respect all overtures submitted by District conventions and Dis-
trict Boards of Directors and to publish them in the preconvention
Workbook; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Voters Assembly of St. John Lutheran
Church, Hattiesburg, MS, adopt and submit this overture to the
2001 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod meet-
ing in St. Louis.

St. John
Hattiesburg, MS

7-67

To Overrule CCM to Allow Districts to Dissent

WHEREAS, Districts are representative of the congregations that
make up their constituency; and

WHEREAS, The Synod was formed to facilitate the spreading of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ by bringing congregations together so
they could work cooperatively in telling the Good News about
Jesus; and

Wuereas, For the sake of order the Synod adopts certain ap-
proaches for going about telling the Good News about Jesus; and

Wuereas, God in His wisdom provides His people with a vari-
ety of views as to how to go about the telling of the Good News;
and

Wuereas, Ruling 00-2212 of the CCM challenges the right of
Districts of the Synod to bring the concerns of their constituent
congregations before the entire Synod as a District, thus calling into
question the guarantees of Art. VIIT of our synodical Constitution;
and

WHEREAS, Bylaw 3.905 d makes the ruling of the CCM bind-
ing unless it is overturned by a subsequent convention; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention overrule Ruling 00-

2212 of the Commission on Constitutional Matters issued on Oct.
26, 2000; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod gathered in convention express its ap-
preciation to those Districts that communicate their concerns to the
entire Synod in a variety of ways, including resolutions at District
conventions; and be it further

Resolved, That the term “Synod in that place” in reference to
Districts is understood to express reciprocal rather than one-way
communication and direction as it is the congregations who ini-
tially formed the Synod and not Synod the congregations; and be it
finally

Resolved, That recognized Districts do indeed have the right to
communicate and endorse overtures from their constituent congre-
gations to a convention of the Synod even if they are of a dissenting
nature.

First, Willows, CA; St. Paul, Artois, CA; Prince of Peace,
Orlando, FL

2001 Convention Workbook