LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 238

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238 PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

WHEREAS, Such provision is necessary for the continued eligi-
bility of a school association’s church workers to remain on the
roster of the Synod as active members (Bylaw 2.11.1); therefore be
it

Resolved, That Bylaw 2.11.1 (k) be amended to include as ac-
tive members of the Synod those church workers called by school
associations that are solely governed by LCMS congregations, as
follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
2.11.1 To remain on the roster of the Synod as an active
member, an ordained or commissioned minister of religion must
be a communicant member of a congregation which is a mem-
ber of the Synod (except as provided in paragraph [c} below)
and be regularly performing the duties of one of the follow-
ing:...

(k) An executive or professional staff member called or ap-
pointed by an auxiliary (Bylaw section 6.1) or other recognized
service organization (Bylaw section 6.2), melding or a person

serving an educational institution solely governed by congrega-
tions of the Synod-whether-elementary-er-seeendary; and rec-
ognized by a district of the Synod.

Commission on Structure

7-05

To Amend Bylaws 1.9 and 3.9.3 Pertaining
to the Doctrinal Review Process

WHEREAS, The Commission on Doctrinal Review has collabo-
rated with Concordia Publishing House, with the assistance of the
Office of the President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,
to propose changes to the Bylaws 1.9 and 3.9.3, in order to clarify
the Doctrinal Review process and to establish certain time frames
to streamline the process; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Doctrinal Review believes that

certain study documents prepared by boards, commissions, or other °

subordinate groups of the Synod should not be subject to the doc-
trinal review process if clearly marked as such; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaws 1.9 and 3.9.3 be amended to read as fol-
lows:

PRESENF/PROPO SED WORDING
1.9 Doctrinal Review
Definition

1.9.1 Doctrinal review is the exercise of the Synod’s responsibility
to determine that every doctrinal statement made in its or any of its
agencies’ or auxiliaries’ materials is in accord with the Scriptures and
the Lutheran Confessions.

Material Subject to Doctrinal Review
1.9.1.1 The following materials are subject to doctrinal review:

(a) Ail official periodicals and journals of the Synod, as well as any
material with doctrinal content issued publicly by boards, commissions,
or other subordinate groups of the Synod, except as stipulated in these
Bylaws, shall be subject to doctrinal review.

(b) The right to produce study documents and exploratory material
plainly designated as such and published by boards, commissions, or
other subordinate groups of the Synod is recognized-, and such material

(c) Each district is accountable to the Synod through its respective
president and board of directors for the content of all of its published
materials.

(d) Each of the Synod’s schools is accountable to the Synod through
its respective president and board of regents for the content of its pro-
fessional journals and all of its published materials that are not the offi-
cial publications of the Synod (paragraph [a] of Bylaw 3.8.5.2.3). The
editorial boards of such publications shall serve as their own doctrinal
reviewers.

(e) Auxiliary organizations recognized by the Syned shall be held
directly accountable for their material. However, in accord with his of-
fice as defined in Article XI B 1 of the Synod’s Constitution, the Presi-
dent of the Synod shall require doctrinal review.

(f) In the case of broadcasts over the Synod’s radio station by other
than staff members, individuals must be held responsible for their own
material since it is not feasible to apply the process of doctrinal review
to such broadcasts.

(g) Official reports of the boards, commissions, task forces, and
committees of the Synod prepared in response to directives from the
Synod shall not be subject to doctrinal review.

Procedure

1.9.2 j j in 1 lish
submitted to a doctrinal reviewer. eee shall make a
careful evaluation of the doctrinal content of all items submitted. Mate-

t 7 iewer and the originati ,
(a) The primary responsibility for doctrinal supervision and review
lies with the President of the Synod (Constitution, Art. XI B 1).

(1) Each board, commission, and other subordinate group of the
Synod shali advise the President of the Synod of the number and
desired competency of doctrinal reviewers needed by it and may
suggest a list of qualified persons. The President shall appoint re-
viewers for each group according to its needs. They shall be broadly
representative of the ministry of the Synod.

(2) Reviewers shall be appointed for renewable three-year terms.
An appointment may be terminated prior to the completion of the
appointed term if the reviewer is unable or unwilling to carry out
the reviewing tasks assigned. In the event of such termination, the
President of the Synod shall appoint another reviewer to complete
the unexpired term.

(b) Each agency of the Synod, synodwide corporate entity, or aux-
iliary shall establish procedures that will insure that its material as spec-
ified in Bylaw 1.9.1 wil} be submitted for doctrinal review to one of the
reviewers referred to in Bylaw 1.9.2 (a).

(c) Since time requirements vary according to the type of material
being reviewed, the procedure in each case shall be worked out to the

mutual satisfaction of the predueing sponsoring group and the publisher
doctrinal reviewer.

(d) The identity of authors and reviewers shall not be disclosed
without the approval of the President. Consultation may at times be ad-
visable, however, where clarification is necessary.

(e) The reviewer's primary concern is that items submitted to him
be in agreement in their doctrinal content with the Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions.

(f) The reviewer shall also be concerned that the items submitted do
not contain statements that are inadequate, misleading, ambiguous, or
lacking in doctrinal clarity.

(g) The reviewer shall further be concerned that resolutions of the
Synod be honored and upheld and that positions deviating from the doc-
trinal resolutions of the Synod be clearly identified as such.

(h) When the author is also a reviewer his material shall be assigned
to another reviewer. In or rt in) i
volv. 7 i i Vi

for hi
(i) The reviewer may request that specific material assigned to him
also be reviewed by another reviewer.

(j) Where changes appear to be necessary, the reviewer(s) shall sub-
mit a thoro wri documented critique that shall be
made available to the author, the sponsoring group, and the publisher.

i TOVi reviewer shall provi

(k) The author shall consider the critique and make necessary revi-
sions until there is agreement between the author and the reviewer.

(1) Should any problem arise between an author, a reviewer, the
publisher, or any other party involved with respect to the material sub-
mitted for review, the sponsoring group shall endeavor to resolve it to