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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 165

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

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RESOLUTIONS
6

Seminaries
To Create a Pastoral Formation Committee
RESOLUTION 6-01
Report R64 (CW, pp. 268–296); Overtures 6-03, 6-07–08, 6-11,
6-13, 6-15 (CW, pp. 357–362)
Whereas, One of the objectives of the Synod is to “recruit and
train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers and
provide opportunity for their continuing growth” (Constitution
Art. III 3 [3]); and
Whereas, The 2013 Resolution 5-14A Task Force (CW, R64 “The
Task Force”) undertook a study of the various means by which the
Synod prepares, examines, and certifies men for the pastoral office
as ministers of religion—ordained of the Synod; and
Whereas, The task force reported that it “has concluded that
all of these several means [Master of Divinity (both seminaries),
Alternate Route (both seminaries), Center for Hispanic Studies (St.
Louis), Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (St. Louis), Deaf
Institute of Theology (St. Louis), Cross-Cultural Ministry Center
(St. Louis), and Specific Ministry Pastor Program (both seminaries)] by which the church recruits, trains, and certifies men to be
placed into the pastoral office are both appropriate and needed for
the life and mission of our Synod, and ought to be recognized as
such by the Synod” (R64, p. 276); and
Whereas, The task force has recognized “the need to provide
for greater coordination and collaboration between our two seminaries” (R64, p. 279); and

tion with the two seminary boards of regents in their
annual joint meeting.
3.10.4.2

Seminaries will implement new routes to ordination
only upon approval by resolution of the Synod.

3.10.4.3

The committee shall review, assess, coordinate, support, and make suggestions for improvement of all
existing noncolloquy routes leading to ordination
in the Synod, including seminary and pre-seminary
education programs.

3.10.4.4

The committee shall monitor and receive reports
from all directors and committees charged with oversight of all routes to ordination (e.g., Specific Ministry
Pastor Committee) and shall foster coordination and
collaboration among them.

3.10.4.5

The committee shall consider the long-term strategic
direction of pastoral formation within the Synod and
facilitate discussion of the same with the two seminary boards of regents in their annual joint meeting.

3.10.4.6

The Pastoral Formation Committee shall be composed of the following members:
Voting Members:
1. The Chief Mission Officer of the Synod, chairman
2. The presidents of the seminaries

Whereas, The task force recommended “that there be an entity
ensuring that the seminaries do coordinate and collaborate with
respect to these various programs” (R64, p. 279); therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.10 be amended as follows:
PROPOSED WORDING
D. Pastoral Formation Committee
3.10.4

The Pastoral Formation Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the Synod’s objective of training
pastors is fulfilled consistently (Constitution Art. III
3).

3.10.4.1

The committee shall recommend any new routes leading to ordination for approval by resolution of the
Synod. Such a recommendation shall follow consultaCommittee 6 Chairman James Baneck

“6. Seminaries”

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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