LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 285

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 285

7-104

To Reaffirm Spirit of Matthew 18 —

WHEREAS, We have willingly joined together as members of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and are committed to
working as one unified body to fulfill the Great Commission of our
Lord; and

WHEREAS, We understand the command of our Lord to work
with one another with love, and to exhibit all of “the fruit of the
Spirit” in our midst, both as a testimony to each other and to those
outside of our communion; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod’s Handbook, in Bylaw 2.39 c, “Relation
of the Synod to Its Members,” provides a God-honoring and or-
derly way in which individuals or groups can register dissent within
our church body; and

Whereas, Many harmful and inappropriate ways have been
employed, either to express dissent, promote one’s personal posi-
tion, or express disagreement with those whose opinions differ, in-
cluding the use of disciplinary Bylaws; therefore be it

Resolved, That members of the Synod in convention remind the ©

body of the right to dissent within the framework of Bylaw 2.39 c;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod firmly reject the use of disciplinary
Bylaws and uncharitable methods to attack individuals with whom
they disagree, but who are ministering within the agreed upon
boundaries of the Synod’s policy; and be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage all members of the Synod to treat
each other with Christ’s love and as brothers and sisters in the faith,
and where there are theological concerns and personal differences
to deal with each other in the spirit of Matthew 18.

Lord of Life
Leawood, KS

7-105
To Affirm Right to Dissent

WHEREAS, Christians have an obligation to live decently and in
order, especially among the brethren; and

WHEREAS, Synodical Bylaw 2.39 provides an orderly way in
which individuals or groups can register their dissent from synodi-
cal policies; and

WHEREAS, Disciplinary Bylaws are an inappropriate instrament
for expressing dissent or promoting one’s personal position; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod, once again, affirm the right to dis-
sent within the framework of Bylaw 2.39; and be it further

Resolved, That we encourage all members of the Synod to treat
each other as brothers and sisters in the faith, and to deal with each
other lovingly, in the spirit of Matt. 18, when there are theological
concerns and personal differences.

Board of Directors
Texas District

7-106

To Encourage Proper Expression
of Disagreement and Dissent

Whereas, As a part of our life together in the Synod members
have the responsibility of continually examining and reexamining
their confession (symbols, doctrinal statements, and resolutions) to
determine if they are faithful to Holy Scriptures and also have the
never-ending task of testing everything that we believe, teach, and
practice to see if they, too, are in accordance with the Word of God,
and

WHEREAS, One of the privileges of membership in the Synod is
to be able to have brotherly doctrinal disagreement or dissent; and

WHEREAS, This privilege of such disagreement and dissent is
not intended to lead to the bringing of charges that might lead to
expulsion from membership; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has provided avenues for settling doctri-
nal controversy and doctrinal dissent (in Bylaws 1.09 and 2.39 re-
spectively); and

WHEREAS, It is the duty of every member to “diligently and
earnestly [emphasis added] promote the purposes of the Synod by
word and deed” (Bylaw 2.35), and it is understood that the “Con-
stitution, Bylaws, and all other rules and regulations of the Synod
apply to all congregational and individual members of the Synod”
(Bylaw 2.39 a), and that the “members of the Synod are expected
as part of the life together within the synodical fellowship to honor
and to uphold the resolutions of the Synod” (Bylaw 2.39 c); and

WHEREAS, This includes honoring and upholding by the mer-
cies of God those resolutions of the Synod that encourage and
allow for Christian liberty, pastoral and congregational freedom;
and

WHEREAS, Res. 2-21 of the 1971 synodical convention (1971
Proceedings, pp 118-19) states in its Preamble:

The provision that allows a member to reject a doctrinal res-
olution of the Synod is that such a resolution is “not in accor-
dance with the Word of God” (Article VII of the Constitution).
The Synod, therefore, holds that every member, by virtue of his
agreement when he voluntarily joined the Synod and freely
placed himself under the provisions of the Synod’s Constitution
and Bylaws, is bound by the Word of God expressed in the
Synod’s resolutions until it can be demonstrated that a resolu-
tion is in fact “not in accordance with the Word of God.” Other-
wise the Synod holds that its resolutions are to be considered
“of binding force if they are in accordance with the Word of
God” (Bylaw 1.09 b), and the Synod permits no member to
teach or practice in violation of a resolution simply on the
grounds that he does not agree with it or that it is in conflict with
his private persuasion.

The object of the Synod, as stated in Article III, 1, of the
Constitution, is (1) to conserve and promote a unity in which
all are “united in the same mind and the same judgment”
(1 Cor.1:10), and (2) to avoid schism caused by contrary doc-
trine (Rom. 16:17). This purpose of the Synod is defeated when
individuals are permitted to teach in accordance with their pri-
vate views, for then there can be no such thing as a synodical
position, and a meaningful corporate confessional commitment
is impossible. Formal commitment of the Synod to a confes-
sional base is pointless unless the Synod has the right as a synod
to apply its confessional base definitively to current issues and
thus conserve and promote unity and resist an individualism
which breeds schism . . . If a member cannot for conscience’
sake accept a doctrinal resolution of the Synod, he has the oblig-
ation and opportunity through mutually approved procedure to
challenge such a resolution with a view to effecting the changes
he deems necessary. Failing in that, he is completely free by rea-
son of his wholly voluntary association with the Synod to obey
his conscience and disassociate himself from the Synod. Mean-
while every member of the Synod is held to abide by, act, and
teach in accordance with the Synod’s resolutions.

and

WHEREAS, In Christian love, members who have joined together
voluntarily, also have agreed to retain “the right of brotherly dis-
sent” (Bylaw 2.39 c) and to respect the conscience of the dissenter
when resolutions are of a doctrinal nature (Bylaw 2.39 c); there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the members of the Synod agree together that
any expression of dissent follows these synodically established pro-
cedures: (1) Express the dissent within the fellowship of peers; (2)
Then, bring the dissent to the attention of the Commission on The-
ology and Church Relations; (3) Following these first two steps,
dissent may find expression as an overture to the convention for
revision or recision (Bylaw 2.39 c); and be it further

Resolved, That we agree not to use the Bylaws for expulsion
from the Synod (Bylaw 2.21) or the synodical dispute resolution
process (Chapter VIII of the Handbook) as a way to express and