LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 223

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Seminary and University Education
will directly impact the faith and confession of elementary and high
school students in LCMS parochial schools; and
Whereas, The Synod has given to the President of the Synod
general ecclesiastical supervision responsibilities, stating in Bylaw
3.3.1.1, “As the chief ecclesiastical officer of the Synod, the President
shall supervise the doctrine taught and practiced in the Synod, including all synodwide corporate entities”; and
Whereas, The Synod has given to the President of the Synod
specific responsibilities with respect to what is being taught at the
Synod’s institutions of higher education, stating in Bylaw 3.3.1.1.1
(c), “He shall at regular intervals officially visit or cause to be visited
all the educational institutions of the Synod to exercise supervision
over the doctrine taught and practiced in those institutions”; therefore be it
Resolved, That, for the comfort and confidence of the Synod,
during the coming triennium, the instructions for those visiting the
Synod’s institutions of higher education require a specific investigation of faculty and interview of students regarding the manner in
which the issue of creation and evolutionary theory is being taught;
And be it further
Resolved, That the President of the Synod report the findings of
this investigation in a regular edition of The Lutheran Witness by
October 31, 2015; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Montana District All Workers Conference
meeting in Billings, Montana, October 17–19, 2012, memorialize
the 2013 LCMS convention to make this resolution its own.
Montana District All Workers Conference
5-15

To Affirm Teaching of Six-Day Creation in Synod
Schools
Whereas, Evolutionary assumptions are erroneous, being neither biblical nor scientific; and
Whereas, Evolutionary assumptions have had a devastating
impact on our culture, undermining human morality and the institutions God has appointed (e.g., marriage, family, government, etc.);
and
Whereas, Evolutionary assumptions in the church undermine
the authority of Holy Scripture and have attacked the church’s confession of every major doctrine of the Scripture; and
Whereas, Unconditional subscription to Holy Scripture and the
Lutheran Confessions requires teaching a six-day creation; and
Whereas, Synod colleges, universities, and seminaries are obligated to provide an education that is truly biblical and scientific, so
that students might critically assess and respond to the erroneous
assumptions of evolutionary theory; and
Whereas, Synod-trained teachers have a life-long impact on their
elementary and high school students as they prepare them for a life of
confession of and service to God’s truth in Jesus Christ; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Montana District memorialize the Synod to
instruct the President of the LCMS to clarify what is and is not being
taught at LCMS colleges, universities, and seminaries regarding evolution and creation; and be it further
Resolved, That the Montana District memorialize the Synod to
instruct the President of the LCMS to provide specific means for
LCMS colleges, universities, and seminaries to prepare Synod college and graduate students to challenge evolutionary theory and the
assumptions upon which it rests; and be it further

223

Resolved, That the Montana District memorialize the Synod to
instruct Concordia Publishing House to prepare and provide resources
and curricula to equip teachers in parochial grade schools and high
schools for equipping their students to recognize and refute evolutionary theory on the basis of Holy Scripture and science; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Montana District memorialize the Synod to
instruct its district presidents, as ecclesiastical supervisors, to hold
Concordia college and university faculties in their respective districts accountable to be faithful in the classroom to the faith we have
been given to confess.
Montana District
5-16

To Study Historical Practices and New Paradigms
for Pastors Serving Congregations
Whereas, The Lord of the Church promises and continues to provide faithful servants to serve in His Kingdom; and
Whereas, The pastors and congregations of the LCMS have a
high esteem for the Office of the Public Ministry; and
Whereas, The Synod is passionate about remaining faithful and
obedient in the use of this great gift from God; and
Whereas, The numbers of available rostered clergy within the
next decade is certain to contribute to difficulties related to providing
pastoral oversight to all of our churches in the common forms; and
Whereas, Attempts already made to lessen the anticipated difficulties through licensed deacons and the Specific Ministry Pastor
program will help but not solve the shortage issue; and
Whereas, These difficulties will be compounded by the changing population trends in small towns and rural areas; and
Whereas, History has shown that there are many challenges
(physical, emotional, and fiscal) in asking parishes to enter into cooperative agreements and in providing service to parishes which become
unsustainable; and
Whereas, It is wise and preferable to prepare for these realities
before they result in a severe crisis; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2012 Minnesota South District Convention
memorialize the 2013 convention of the Synod to direct the Council
of Presidents, in conjunction with the seminaries of the LCMS, to
direct a study to identify the wide array of historical practices used
by our Synod to provide pastors; and be it further
Resolved, That such a study identify new and creative paradigms
for congregations to be served pastorally, in ways faithful to God’s
Word and the Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That the findings of said study be available to the 2016
convention of Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That these findings be disseminated through presentation at subsequent district conventions and circuit gatherings; and
be it further
Resolved, That these findings in published format, print and electronic, be provided to individual congregations; and be it finally
Resolved, That district staff and circuit counselors become familiar
with the resource and proactively present the same to congregations, especially encouraging those congregations whose future is
endangered.
Minnesota South District

2013 Convention Workbook