LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 191

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 19]

WHEREAS, Clear passages of Scripture also establish that in mar-
riage the man is to be the head of the woman (1 Cor. 11:3, 8~9;
14:34-36; Eph. 5:22-27; Col. 3:18-19; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1); and

WHEREAS, The Synod has in many official documents and reso-
lutions affirmed that the passages mentioned above are indeed clear
in reaching these conclusions (as, for example, in the reports of the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations entitled The Min-
istry: Offices, Procedures, and Nomenclature [1981] and Women in
the Church [1985] and in the following actions of conventions:
1971 Res. 2-04; 1977 Res. 3-15; 1986 Res. 3-10; 1995 Res. 3-17;
and 1998 Res. 3-25A); and

WHEREAS, The passages mentioned, their contexts, and other
passages of Scripture (for example, 1 Tim. 5:17) speak beyond the
specific matters of ordination and marriage and therefore would be
expected to have implications for the roles of men and women be-
yond these two particular matters, including for other roles of
women in Christian congregations; and

WHEREAS, Official discussions in the church have by no means
revealed the same degree of clarity as to the application of these
passages to wider issues, nor have they revealed unanimity in the
conclusions to be drawn from these passages on these wider issues
(as seen in the report of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations entitled The Service of Women in Congregational and
Synodical Offices [1994] and the accompanying Dissenting Opin-
ion on Women in Congregational Offices); and

WHEREAS, In the absence of agreement as to clear mandates of
Scripture, wisdom suggests framing practices that will by analogy
support and follow rather than contradict those teachings of Scrip-
ture that are indeed clear (such as male-only ordination and male
headship in marriage); and

WHEREAS, Limiting certain positions in the congregation (pres-
ident, vice president, elder, and their equivalents) to males alone
does support and follow the clear teachings of Scripture on ordina-
tion and marriage; and ‘

WHEREAS, Confusion continues in the church over which posi-
tions in the church may be properly held by women; and

WHEREAS, The request has been made by at least one District of
the Synod for the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
to clarify further “the appropriateness of women serving as executive
director or president or assistant director” or “vice-president of con-
gregations” (Minnesota South District, 2003 Res. 1-07); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its position that only men
may serve in the offices of president (or executive director), vice-
president (or assistant director), elder, and their equivalents (in ac-
cord with the 1970 ruling of the Commission on Constitutional
Matters, 1971 Convention Workbook, p. 244).’

Faculty
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, IN

3-88

To Affirm Scriptural Prohibition
of Women’s Ordination

WHEREAS, Christian men and women have all the God-given
rights, privileges, and responsibilities of all believers (CTCR re-
port Women in the Church, 1985 p. 38); and

WHEREAS, God’s people are called priests not to confer. status
but to commission all of them to declare His deeds of salvation
(WITC, p. 38); and

WHEREAS, All Christians have been given the responsibilities to
live their Christian faith in their several callings, including the re-
sponsibility to profess and share the Christian faith and to judge all
doctrine (WITC, p. 38); and

WHEREAS, The order of redemption, while affirming that men
and women are one in Christ and joint heirs of salvation, does not
abolish the order established at the time of creation (Genesis 2,
WITC, p. 37); and

WHEREAS, The distortion of the order of creation brought about
by the fall has been remedied by Christ’s redemption therefore far
from annulling the order of creation, the order of redemption sanc-
tifies it (WITC, p. 37); and

Whereas, In the order of creation God has placed woman in a
position subordinate to man and the scriptural concept of subordi-
nation is a matter of function and relationship between two persons
of equal worth and not a matter of inferiority/superiority (WITC,
p. 37); and

Whereas, | Cor. 14:33b—35; 1 Tim. 2:11—15; 3:12, 5:17; and
1 Thess. 5:12, because of the order of creation, forbid women to
exercise those functions which would involve them holding the of-
fice of public ministry, or having authority inherent in, or having
oversight, or public accountability over the office of pastor (W/TC,
pp. 42, 46); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod, in convention, affirms that the ordi-
nation of women is contrary to God’s Word and is therefore pro-
hibited by Scripture; and be it further

Resolved, That the following be added to Art. VI the Synod’s
Constitution: “Affirmation that the ordination of women is contrary
to God’s Word and is therefore prohibited by Scripture.”

Circuit 2
Ohio District

3-89

To Reaffirm Scriptural Teaching
on Woman’s Role in the Church

WHEREAS, Major Lutheran bodies worldwide have rejected the
apostolic injunction to the church that the office of the holy min-
istry is to be entrusted to qualified men only; and

WHEREAS, There is increasing pressure on our church body,
from within and without, to compromise this position; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in conven-
tion, in 1992 (Res. 3-04, 3-05), has encouraged groups, congrega-
tions, etc., within the Synod to discuss and express any concerns
they may have; and

Whereas, Our Synod has always affirmed that the biblical doc-
trine of the ministry teaches that the pastoral office is to be held
only by men, as found in 1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-14; 3:1-7;
and

Whereas, Our Lutheran Confessions also affirm this biblical
teaching concerning the pastoral office: “A bishop (pastor) must be
blameless, the husband of one wife...” Triglotta 561:2; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in conven-
tion, in 1986 (Res. 3-10) has stated that the Scriptures prohibit
women from the pastoral office and its functions; and

WuerEas, There are organizations (e.g., LWML) that provide
opportunities for women to serve the Lord beyond the local con-
gregation; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 2004 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
convention reaffirm as the official doctrinal position of our church
the Scriptural teaching that women may not hold the pastoral of-
fice or carry out the distinctive functions of this office (1 Cor.
11:14; 1 Timothy 2); and be it further

Resolved, That all pastors, District officials, and professors of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod must believe and teach that
the Bible opposes the ordination of women into the holy ministry.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC