LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 300

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

300 ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

* Bylaw 6.49 includes faculty members of the Synod’s schools who
are members of the Synod under the ecclesiastical supervision of
the Synod.

These Bylaws help to define the concept of ecclesiastical su-
pervision. Ecclesiastical supervision includes discipline and ad-
monishment (Bylaws 2.23; 2.25; 2.27; 3.19 d;), is comprehensive
to include all members of the Synod (Bylaws 2.41; 3.101 A 1; 5.19;
6.49), includes supervision of doctrine taught and practiced (By-
laws 3.101 A 1-3; 4.73) as well as supervision of administration
(Bylaw 4.73) and life (Bylaw 4.73), is proactive (Bylaw 3.101 A 2
and 3; 3.101 C 1 and 2; 4.71 d; 4.73; 4.75), includes consultation
(Bylaws 3.101 A 3; 3.101 C 3-5, 11) and offering of advice (Bylaw
4.73) and encouragement (Bylaw 4.71 2), and is to be done in an
evangelical manner (Bylaw 4.71 d 3-4).

The Constitution of the Synod, while not referring to ecclesias-
tical supervision by name, offers additional insights. Under Article
III, evangelical supervision is given as one of the objectives of the
Synod: “8. Provide evangelical supervision, counsel, and care for
pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers of the
Synod in the performance of their official duties.” Under Article
XI B, the President of the Synod is given the responsibility for su-
pervision regarding the doctrine and administration of officers, em-
ployees, and Districts of the Synod (paragraph 1), “to see to it that
all the aforementioned act in accordance with the Synod’s Consti-
tution, to admonish all who in any way depart from it, and, if such
admonition is not heeded, to report such cases to the Synod” (para-
graph 2). Under the same Article XI B, he also “has and always
shall have the power to advise, admonish, and reprove” and “shall
conscientiously use all means at his command to promote and
maintain unity of doctrine and practice in all the Districts of the
Synod” (paragraph 3), also seeing to it that the resolutions of the
Synod are carried out (paragraph 4).

The Constitution (Article XII) also describes the ecclesiastical
supervisory responsibilities of District Presidents, who are to “es-
pecially exercise supervision over the doctrine, life, and adminis-
tration of office of the ordained and commissioned ministers of
their District and acquaint themselves with the religious conditions
of the congregations of their District.” In doing so, “they shall visit
and, according as they deem it necessary, hold investigations in the
congregations,” assisted by the Circuit Counselors (paragraph 7).
They are “empowered to suspend from membership ordained and
commissioned ministers for persistently adhering to false doctrine
or for having given offense by an ungodly life” (paragraph 8). They
are also to “see to it that all resolutions of the Synod which con-
cern Districts are made known to the Districts and carried out by
them” (paragraph 9 a) and perform in person or by proxy all ordi-
nations and installations.

In recent times it has become evident that the Synod will be
aided in its life together by the provision of a summary definition
for ecclesiastical supervision in its Handbook. The Commission on
Structure proposes the following changes to Bylaw 3.51 to provide
a definition for ecclesiastical supervision.

PRESENF/PROPOSED WORDING

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.51 k be amended as follows:

k. Supervision: For the purpose of these Bylaws, other than
those pertaining to ecclesiastical supervision, to have authority
over, to direct actions, to control activities. Fre-definitien-oFee-

and be it further

Resolved, That a new paragraph “e” be added to Bylaw 3.51 as
follows, with all subsequent paragraphs re-lettered accordingly:

e. Ecclesiastical Supervision: The duty of those designated
by the Constitution and Bylaw: he Synod t nsel on be-

half of the Synod those members placed under their ecclesiasti-
cal supervision regarding the Synod’s doctrinal positions, the
personal life of the member, and the member’ ministration
of office. Such supervision includes evangelical consultation,
advice, encouragement, admonishment, and, when necessary,
appropriate disciplinary measures to assure that the Constitu-

tion, Bylaws, and doctrinal resolutions and doctrinal statements
of th nod ar ied out. Ecclesiastical supervision not
include the responsibility to observe, monitor, control, or direct
the day-to-day activities of individual members of the
whether in the conduct of their work or in their private lives (cf.
Bylaw 2.21).

Commission on Structure

8-21
To Provide Ecclesiastical Supervision for President

Rationale

The Commission on Constitutional Matters has issued a number
of opinions in response to questions regarding how complaints
against the President of the Synod are to be handled. A number of
parties in the Synod have asked the Commission on Structure to
address the matter of ecclesiastical supervision of the President of
the Synod by proper Bylaw change proposals.

Bylaw 3.51 k provides: “The definition of ecclesiastical super-
vision shall be determined exclusively by those Bylaws pertaining
to ecclesiastical supervision.” In the current Constitution and By-
laws of the Synod, no provision is made for the ecclesiastical su-
pervision of the President of the Synod.

One important aspect of ecclesiastical supervision for the Pres-
ident is that of offering counsel and advice. Current Bylaw 3.125
states that the Vice-Presidents of the Synod “‘shall be elected advi-
sors of the President.” The Vice-Presidents would therefore be log-
ical providers of this important aspect of ecclesiastical supervision
for the President.

At the same time, ecclesiastical supervision also includes a sec-
ond important aspect, namely, oversight and admonishment in this
case of the President. Current Bylaw 3.930 b provides that the
Council of Presidents exists “to enable the District President to give
counsel to the President.” As such, the Council of Presidents is in
the best position to serve in an oversight and admonishment role
and to handle complaints brought against the President in the exer-
cise of his duties.

The following amendments to pertinent bylaws are therefore
proposed:

PRESENFT/PROPOSED WORDING
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.125 be amended to read as follows:

3.125 Relation to the President

The Vice-Presidents shall be elected advisers of the Presi-
dent and shall provide counsel on trinal and ecclesiasti
matters. They may upon his request or as provided by the Synod
assist him in discharging his responsibilities or represent him.

and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.930 be amended by the addition of a
new paragraph “c” and re-lettering the remaining paragraphs of the
Bylaw accordingly:

c. to provi esi rvision for the President of
the Synod (Bylaw 3.107).
and be it finally

Resolved, That a new Bylaw 3.107 be added to the Bylaws gov-
erning the Office of the President under Section C of Chapter III,
“Officers of the Synod”:

3.107 Ecclesiastical Supervision of the President

The Council of Presidents shall serve as the ecclesiastical su-
pervisor of the President of the Synod when complaints are
brought against the President of the Synod that could lead to his
expulsion from the Synod under Article XII of the Constitution.

a. Complaints pertaining to doctrinal error (teaching or prac-
tice) shall be submitted in writing to the chairman of the Coun-
cil of Presidents by a Circuit Forum upon the majority vote of
all eligible members of the forum, by an official church worker
conference of a District, or by a convention of a District.