LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 84

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84

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

The Synod’s history reminds us that there have been theological and doctrinal disputes both inside the Synod and between the Synod and other bodies, generating fervent argument and resulting in bitter divisions and fractured
fellowships. Yet our Synod has endured in remaining true to
our Scriptural and Confessional principles.
While most of the issues mentioned above are no longer in
contention, we nevertheless continue to experience in our
Synod today disagreement and divisiveness regarding numerous other issues, mostly regarding the practical application of our doctrinal principles. A few examples will suffice:
• Close Communion—There is little if any disagreement
among us on the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper as a
sacramental gift of God’s grace for repentant Christians wherein the body and blood of our Lord are truly
present in, with, and under the bread and wine for the
forgiveness of sin and assurance of life eternal. But
there is significant disagreement regarding the policies of admission to Holy Communion, namely, who
should be allowed or even encouraged to receive the
Sacrament at the altar in our congregations, campus
ministries, and military chaplaincies.
• Church and Ministry—Despite our theological clarity
on the subject, there exists in some corners of our
Synod a lack of agreement regarding the role, responsibility, authority, and accountability of both the office
of pastor and the role of laity in the church.
• The Service of Women in the Church—Since 1969, our
Synod has expressed its collective belief on the teaching of Holy Scripture, allowing women to vote and hold
congregational offices, but not to occupy the pastoral
office. Yet some in our Synod would severely restrict
the involvement of women in the church at many levels, while others would favor no restrictions at all.
• Worship—Disagreement exists on whether certain contemporary worship expressions employ doctrinally pure
resources faithfully and whether certain traditional
worship expressions do so meaningfully and effectively.
Notwithstanding the difficulty created by these serious
matters among us, the fact remains that the LCMS enjoys a
doctrinal unity unequaled in most parts of the Christian
Church. We simply are not arguing or even debating the
major doctrines of the Christian faith that are in contention
in many parts of the Body of Christ. We are undeniably
blessed with God-given unity and harmony and have so much
more that unites us than those things that would divide us!
In the years ahead, our Commission on Theology and
Church Relations, Council of Presidents, seminary faculties,
Synod leaders, ordained ministers, commissioned ministers,
and lay leaders will need to continue to work under Holy
Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions to achieve similar
solidarity in the matters of practice or application of doctrine
on which we do not yet have unanimity.

Dispute Resolution
Our Synod has provided a very specific process for the
expression of dissent: “the Synod, in the spirit of 1 Corinthians 6, calls upon all parties to a disagreement, accusation,
controversy, or disciplinary action to rely exclusively and
fully on the Synod’s system of reconciliation and conflict
2007 Convention Proceedings

resolution . . . the exclusive and final remedy for those who
are in dispute” (Bylaw 1.10.1.1).
In response to a series of questions regarding the meaning of our covenants of love in dispute resolution, our Synod’s
Commission on Constitutional Matters provided the following answers:
• All members of the Synod are required to resolve all
matters of dissent or all disputes by the avenues and
structures available to them as set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod without resorting to
secular courts and without resorting to avenues,
means, structures, or communications that are foreign
or contrary to the synodical agreements and which are
not in harmony with the polity of the Synod.
• A lawsuit is not a legitimate avenue of dissent.
• In the agreement to live and work together, a member
of the Synod is required to rely exclusively and fully
on the Synod’s system of reconciliation and conflict
resolution . . . unless the dispute is one concerning
property rights or contract arrangements.
• The use of the Synod’s conflict resolution procedures
is the exclusive and final remedy for those who are in
dispute.
• The Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod provide disciplinary measures against any member who violates
the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod.
This convention has the authority to overrule these opinions of the CCM. If that were to happen, the convention would
need to bring forth a different interpretation of Holy Scripture in 1 Corinthians 6 than has been the understanding of
our Synod for many, many years.
While making every effort to speak the truth in love, I believe I need to say one more thing about this matter. The lawsuit filed this past triennium against me, against First VicePresident Diekelman, and against the Synod itself by some
90 individual or congregational members of the Synod, and
the subsequent motion filed by four members of our Synod’s
Board of Directors to intervene after the lawsuit was dismissed, were, as was expressed by eight national church
leaders prior to the filing of the lawsuit, “needless and divisive,” and, as was reported by the Vice-President–Finance—
Treasurer in his convention report, very costly to the Synod.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, there is a better way:
If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do
you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you
are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial
cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much
more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes
about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that
there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against
another—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that
you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely
defeated already. . . . And that is what some of you were. But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
(1 Corinthians 6:1–7, 11)

That is a better way.