LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 179

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 179

Resolved, That the Synod: (a) rescind 2004 Res. 3-08A and any-
thing based upon it such as policies or administrative procedures;
(b) reaffirm that congregations should respect both criteria histori-
cally used to evaluate which church lay offices women may hold;
(c) reaffirm—at least for the present—its previous position that
congregations may allow women to hold all congregational offices
except those of chairman, vice-chairman, elder, and any other
board or policy-making committee whose chairmanship the con-
gregation might wish to restrict to men (see 1995 Res. 3-06A); (d)
assign the faculties of its two seminaries to give input to the CTCR
on these matters in “open letters” which are to be made available to
the entire Synod at the time they are delivered to the CTCR; and (e)
assign the CTCR critically to review all the recommendations in
its 1994 report and their basis in its 1985 Women in the Church
document in light not only of the seminary input mentioned and
input from other members of the Synod but also in light of the
scholarly studies concerning relevant biblical passages (many aided
by ancient literature databases) that have appeared since 1985.

Western Regional Pastors’ Conferences, Missouri District;
Glory of Christ, Plymouth, MN; Holy Cross, Albany, OR

3-72

To Rescind 2004 Res. 3-08A
and Return to 1995 Res. 3-06A

WHEREAS, The position of the Synod, in approving the 1970
opinion of the CCM, was that women may not serve in the offices
of elder, chairman, or vice-chairman of the congregation (reaf-
firmed in 1983 Res. 3-11; 1986 Res. 3-09) because of the biblical
teaching of the order of creation; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has stated in its 1985 report, Women in
the Church, that “women may hoid any office and serve on any
committee of the congregation . . . the only stricture would have to
do with anyone whose official functions would involve public ac-
countability for the function of the pastoral office (e.g., elders and
possibly the chairman of the congregation)” (p: 46); and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has stated in its 1994 report, The Service
of Women, that the principal consideration in whether women may
serve as elders (and chairman, vice-chairman) “is whether the of-
fice requires that those who hold it are eligible to perform those
functions that are distinctive to the public exercise of the ministry
of Word and Sacrament”; and

WHEREAS, Questions and concerns continue to arise regarding
the eligibility of women to serve in these offices, for a number of
reasons, but especially as to whether this violates the Bible’s teach-
ing regarding the order of creation (cf. the relevant dissenting opin-
ions from members of the CTCR); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Minnesota North District of the LCMS sub-
mit as an overture to the 2007 LCMS convention to rescind Res.
3-08A' of the 2004 LCMS convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the CTCR be directed to first complete the re-
quest of the 1995 convention to prepare a comprehensive study of
the scriptural relationship of man and woman (1995 Res. 3-10); and
be it further

Resolved, That in the interim, congregations of the Synod fol-
low the direction of 1995 Res. 3-06A?; and be it finally

Resolved, That for further study, congregations be encouraged
to read the 1985 CTCR report, Women in the Church, and “Man as
Male and Female: Created in the Image of God,” contained in Con-
cordia Theological Quarterly, Vol. 68 No. 1, Jan. 2004.

Notes

1. 3-08A resolved to allow women to hold all “humanly established”
congregational offices (none excepted) as long as the functions of
that office does not involve public accountability for the official
functions of the pastoral office.

2. 3-06A resolved to abide by the position that women be allowed to
hold all congregational offices except those of chairman, vice-chair-

man, elder, and any other office the congregation wishes to restrict to
men, based on the 1970 opinion of the CCM.

Minnesota North District

3-73

To Rescind 2004 Res. 3-08A
and Involve Seminary Faculties in CTCR Study

Wuereas, The Missouri District in its 2003 convention encour-
aged pastors to “‘catechize their congregations in the Biblical doc-
trine held by the LCMS on the different roles of men and women”
(2003 Missouri District Res. 1-10); and

Wtereas, The Synod in adopting 2004 Res. 3-08A seems to
have affirmed only the first of the two criteria for determining
whether women can serve in various lay congregational offices that
have been previously held in past resolutions of the Synod, see
1969 Res. 2-17—-The previously held two criteria have been: (1)
By serving in a given office does a woman do things which are dis-
tinctive functions of the pastoral office?; and (2) Might a woman be
violating the order of creation by serving in certain congregational
offices in which she does not carry out distinctive functions of the
pastoral office?; and

Wuereas, In 1995 Res. 3-06A the Synod directed the CTCR to
continue studying the issues in its. 1994 report and dissenting opin-
ion, and to do so “in consultation with the faculties of the Semi-
naries”; and

WuereaS, The CTCR has not reported to the convention any
record of such communication with or from the seminaries on the
topic of the role of women in the church nor has any further report
been issued by the CTCR; and

WHEREAS, The Synod is not in agreement about the role of
women in the church and the practical application of the various
resolutions of the Synod concerning women’s roles; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Missouri District express its desire to see the
Synod seek a God-pleasing resolution and lasting solution to the
understanding of women’s roles in the church; and be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri District memorialize the Synod to
rescind 2004 Resolution 3-08A and anything based upon it such as
policies or administrative procedures; and be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri District memorialize the 2007
Synod convention to assign the CTCR to fulfill the mandate given
it in 1995 Res. 3-06A; and be it further

Resolved, That the Missouri District memorialize the 2007
Synod convention to assign the task of giving input to the CTCR
concerning the role of women in the church to the faculties of her
two seminaries by addressing “open letters” to the CTCR and mak-
ing them available to the entire Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Missouri District memorialize the 2007
Synod convention to assign the CTCR to critically review ali the
recommendations in its 1994 report and their basis in its 1985
Women in the Church document in light of the seminary input men-
tioned above, the input of other concerned members of the Synod,
and in light of the scholarly studies concerning relevant biblical
passages (many aided by ancient literature databases) that have ap-
peared since 1985.

Missouri District; Zion, Moberly, MO

3-74

To Suspend Implementation of 2004 Res. 3-08
Pending Study of Order of Creation
WHEREAS, Res. 3-08A of the 2004 LCMS convention and the
CTCR report that it affirms do not adequately address the order of
creation in Genesis 2 and 3 when applied to congregational offices;
and

WHEREAS, Said resolution and report may make it permissible
for a woman to have authority in the church over a man, contrary to