LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 177

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

Theology and Church Relations
terminology, call and ordination of eligible Licensed Deacons into
the pastoral office in accordance with Augsburg Confession Article
XIV, rostering them as ordained ministers, and amending the bylaws
accordingly.” Yet, at the 2010 Convention, Synod took no action; and
Whereas, The Synod does not recognize the district understanding of the request of a licensed deacon, the solemn appointment by
the district president, and the rite of induction to be synonymous
with being rightly called and ordained into the pastoral office; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Rocky Mountain District, rejoicing in our common and unanimous subscription of the Augsburg Confession, giving
thanks for the unity of doctrine expressed in the church’s confessions (including the Augsburg Confession), and extolling our Lord’s
gift of the Office of the Holy Ministry (Augsburg Confession, Art.
XIV), work together to teach of our Lord’s gifts of His Gospel and
Sacraments and the holy office and support and encourage those men
who are being trained up (or are contemplating being trained up) to be
called and ordained servants [rite vocatus] of the Lord to His beloved
sheep; and be it further
Resolved, That the Rocky Mountain District, apart from renewals,
discontinue the licensing of lay deacons to serve as pastors (preaching and administering the Sacraments) without being rightly called
and ordained into the pastoral office and that the district president
be respectfully requested to discontinue issuing any new licenses;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Rocky Mountain District encourage those men
who are currently serving as licensed lay deacons to enroll in a residential seminary program or in the SMP program, leading toward
call and ordination into the pastoral office, and that the district work
with those currently serving as licensed deacons with appropriate care
given for the allowance of their continued service; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Rocky Mountain District in convention memorialize the 2013 LCMS convention to direct the Synod’s entity with
oversight of pastoral education as well as the Council of Presidents
to develop and implement a plan to ensure that all men engaged in
Word and Sacrament ministry are rightly called and ordained into
the pastoral office.
Rocky Mountain Distric
4-30

To Ensure That Every Man Who Pastors Is
a Called and Ordained Pastor
Whereas, In certain situations today, the Synod approves of
preaching and administration of the Sacraments by men who have not
been publicly called to and placed in the Office of the Holy Ministry
(this position is expressed, e.g., in 1989 Resolution 3-05B, “... when
no pastor is available, and in the absence of any specific Scriptural
directives to the contrary, congregations may arrange for the performance of these distinctive functions [preaching and administering the
Sacraments] by qualified individuals”); and
Whereas, This position contradicts the Augsburg Confession’s
fourteenth article, which reads, “concerning church government it is
taught that no one should publicly teach, preach, or administer the
sacraments without a proper [public] call” (Book of Concord, KolbWengert edition, p. 46); and
Whereas, The systematic theology faculties of both seminaries,
acting jointly, have published a detailed statement on “The Office of
the Holy Ministry” (Concordia Journal/33.3 [July 2007]: 242-255)
which states in part,

177

The Confessions never use the truth that the whole church possesses
the power of the keys to make the office of the holy ministry unnecessary or merely useful. On the contrary, this truth serves as the basis for
the church’s right to call, choose, and ordain ministers. ... [T]he Treatise [on the Power and Primacy of the Pope] does not imagine churches
without ordained ministers of some kind, even in emergency situations
or when no one else will call and ordain men for the office. As confessors of the same doctrine, neither should we. ...
“[C]all and ordination” are essential for conduct of the ministry. ...
What is the sign of authority for ministers today? It is their call and
ordination, which assure that they act by divine right and on the authority of Christ. This truth makes such ideas as “lay ministers” invitations
for difficulties and troubles to ministers whose authority is doubtful and
to laypersons whose assurance of God’s grace may be questioned. (pp.
253–254, 255)

and
Whereas, The congregations and pastors of the Indiana District
desire to uphold the Augsburg Confession’s intent that only men publicly called to and placed in the Office of the Holy Ministry conduct
Word and Sacrament ministry in each of its congregations; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Indiana District in convention memorialize the
2013 LCMS convention to phase out current Synod and district tracks,
programs, licensing procedures, etc., which train men for Word and
Sacrament ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That those men already enrolled in Synod and district
tracks, programs, licensing procedures, etc., be fully prepared to be
publicly called and ordained to the Office of the Holy Ministry by
the end of 2016.
Indiana District t
4-31

To Ensure That Every Man Who Pastors
Is a Pastor
Whereas, In certain situations today, the Synod approves of
preaching and administration of the Sacraments by men who have not
been publicly called to and placed in the office of the ministry. This
position is expressed, e.g., in 1989 Res. 3-05B: “[W]hen no pastor is
available, and in the absence of any specific Scriptural directives to
the contrary, congregations may arrange for the performance of these
distinctive functions [preaching and administering the Sacraments]
by qualified individuals”; and
Whereas, The Augsburg Confession’s fourteenth article reads:
“Concerning church government it is taught that no one should publicly teach, preach, or administer the sacraments without a proper
[public] call” (KW p. 46); and
Whereas, The systematic theology faculties of both seminaries, acting jointly, have published the detailed statement “The Office
of the Holy Ministry” (Concordia Journal 33.3 [July 2007]: 242–
255), which states in part, “The Confessions never use the truth that
the whole church possesses the power of the keys to make the office
of the holy ministry unnecessary or merely useful. On the contrary,
this truth serves as the basis for the church’s right to call, choose, and
ordain ministers. … The point is that the Treatise [on the Power and
Primacy of the Pope] does not imagine churches without ordained
ministers of some kind even in emergency situations or when no one
else will call and ordain men for the office. As confessors of the same
doctrine, neither should we. … Call and ordination are essential for
conduct of the ministry. … What is the sign of authority for ministers
today? It is their call and ordination, which assure they act by divine
2013 Convention Workbook