LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 174

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174 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

training lay deacons as directed by the spirit of the 1989 Wichita
Res. 3-05B”); and 2004 Res. 5-09 (“To Affirm District Programs
that Equip Laity for Ministry”); and be it finally

Resolved, That the church continue to ask the Lord of the har-
vest to send out workers into His harvest field (Matt. 9:38) in ac-
cordance with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

Zion
Ainsworth, NE

3-57

To Revisit 1989 Res. 3-05B

WHEREAS, The situation in the United States today offers a plu-
rality of cultures with which the opportunities for Word and Sacra-
ment ministries continue to expand; and

WHEREAS, 1989 Res. 3-05B established the category “Certified
Church Workers, Lay” with the title deacon to provide Word and
Sacrament ministry in “exceptional circumstances or in emergen-
cies”; and

WHEREAS, In the ensuing years since Wichita there has been
misunderstanding, confusion, and misapplication of this resolution;
and

WHEREAS, It is the desire of the Texas District to ensure every
opportunity for the expansion of Word and Sacrament ministries
and the furtherance of the Gospel message; and

WHEREAS, We have pledged faithful adherence to both the
Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions, e.g., AC XIV; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the 2006 Texas District convention memorialize
the 2007 LCMS convention to give further study to this matter, with
a view to the establishment of a newly created office such as
“ordained deacon”; and be it further

Resolved, This newly created office be understood to fulfill the
requirement of AC XIV, being vested with the full authority to
preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments; and be it finally

Resolved, that considerations be given to these guidelines for
such an office:

+ The individual who serves as an “ordained deacon” has a call to
this office to be limited in service to the parish into which the man is
originally called and ordained.

+ Aman who is called and ordained to this office of “ordained dea-
con” shall be assisted in his training by the pastors of the circuit in
which he is located and he shall be under the supervision of the circuit
counselor or another pastor designated by the district president.

Texas District

3-58

To Rescind 2001 Res. 3-08B
and Reinstate 1995 Res. 3-07A

Whereas, Our Lord Jesus Christ has granted to His church the
gift of the Office of the Holy Ministry (John 20:21-23, Eph. 4:11,
Matt. 28:19-21); and

WHEREAS, Christ has declared to those who have been placed
into this office by Him, “He who hears you hears me” (Luke
10:16); and

WuereaS, Our Lutheran Confessions make it clear that those
who have been placed into this office stand in the stead and by the
command of Christ so that it is Christ Himself who through the of-
fice pronounces Absolution to His people, baptizes them, distrib-
utes His body and blood to them in the Holy Supper and preaches
to and teaches them through the voice of the called minister (SC V
27, AC V, XIV, XXV; Ap XIII 12; VII 28; XIV; XII 39-41; AC
XXVIII 8-9; Ap XXVIII 19); therefore be it

Resolved, That the MNN District convention submit as an over-
ture to the 2007 Synod convention to reaffirm this doctrine of the
Office of the Holy Ministry including that, according to ecclesias-
tical order and its functions, “no one should publicly teach in the

church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called”
(AC XIV). In upholding this position, we guard against confusing
the uniqueness of this office and its functions with the identity and
responsibilities of the priesthood of all believers; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod through her district presidents, dis-
trict vice-presidents, and circuit counselors assist the congregations
of the Synod in upholding this doctrine of Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod promote and instruct her congrega-
tions, educational institutions and agencies in this essential confes-
sional doctrine concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry; and be
it finally

Resolved, That the MNN District convention submit as an over-
ture to the 2007 LCMS convention to rescind 2001 Res. 3-08B' and
reinstate the 1995 Res. 3-07A, which required laymen who are
licensed to perform functions of the public ministry to be trained
and certified for admission into the Office of the Holy Ministry.

' Authorized the Synod’s districts to “continue training lay deacons
as directed by the spirit of the 1989 Wichita Res. 3-O5B” and rescinded
“1995 St. Louis convention Res. 3-07A (requiring such licensed lay-
men to complete a seminary program for ordination).”

Minnesota North District; Central Illinois District; Holy
Cross, Albany, OR

3-59

To Urge Withdrawal of CTCR Report
Christian Faith and Human Beginnings

WHEREAS, Montana Lutherans for Life, in its report to the 2006
Montana District convention, has expressed serious concerms re-
garding the CTCR report entitled Christian Faith and Human Be-
ginnings (hereafter, “the report’); and

WHEREAS, Questions regarding the status of newly conceived
children often arise in discussions regarding embryonic stem-cell
research, human cloning, in vitro fertilization, and other issues; and

WHEREAS, It is important for Christians to view such matters in
a way that is grounded in and consistent with God’s Word; and

WHEREAS, The Bible speaks clearly to the status of human life
from conception onward; and

WHEREAS, The report (Christian Faith and Human Beginnings)
was prepared in response to a request from the 1998 LCMS con-
vention (Res. 3-15B) that the CTCR prepare “a study document to
help the church, on the basis of the Word of God, make informed
ethical judgments concerning cloning and attendant issues” (em-
phasis added); and

WHEREAS, The report includes a treatment of Bible passages re-
lated to the status of unborn humans that is both very brief (e.g.,
the section entitled “The Relevance of Biblical Passages” is ap-
proximately three pages long) and also notably lacking in depth
(including very little discussion of the passages it does include),
and

WHEREAS, The report unnecessarily speaks dismissively and
disrespectfully of approaches that have relied on the use of clear
biblical passages regarding the status of unborn human life by say-
ing that the alternative approach taken in this report (Christian
Faith and Human Beginnings) enables us to “expand beyond those
somewhat ‘set piece’ and ‘sterile debates’ regarding an individual’s
‘right to life’” (p. 36); and

WHEREAS, The report draws an unbiblical distinction when it
says that Bible passages about human life in the womb (including
Luke 1:41) “do not seem immediately applicable to...questions con-
cerning human embryos not yet in the womb” (p. 32), thereby im-
plying that the status of a child before God is dependent upon its lo-
cation (in the womb versus out of the womb); and

WHEREAS, The report relies to a great extent on a “burden of
proof” argument that is not shown to be derived from God’s Word
and, therefore, does not have the same authority for Christians as
the Word of God; and