LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 46

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tending toward determining what lives are worth being
allowed to be lived. The Center provides input, education,
advice, and advocacy in the areas of life, marriage, and
religious liberty, for the sake of our churches, schools,
universities, and seminaries.
Convention Essay: “We Preach Christ Crucified—The
Redemption of the World”
During the essay, President Harrison relinquished the
chair to Minnesota South District President Lucas
Woodford.
[The entire text of the essay by Dr. Juhana Pohjola,
bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, is
printed in the 2023 Convention Proceedings.]
Committee 7: University Education
The President, resuming the chair, recognized Chairman
Scott R. Murray to resume the report of his committee.
Murray acknowledged and thanked five Concordia
University presidents: Michael Thomas (Irvine), Bernard
Bull (Seward), Erik Ankerberg (Mequon/Ann Arbor), Russell
Dawn (Chicago), and Brian Friedrich (St. Paul), whom he
described as strongly desiring their schools to excel in
faithfulness and connection to the Synod, for their faithful
service. He expressed the Synod’s love for these “fine
leaders” and the Synod’s determination to “defend them to
the nth” for the sake of a clear confession of Christ in their
universities. Murray noted their “wonderful input” and
unanimous support for Res. 7-04B.
Res. 7-04B, “To Revise Bylaws to Revisit and Renew
Relationship of Colleges and Universities with the Synod”
(TB, 4:417–42), was explained by committee member and
2019 Res. 7-03 Committee Chairman Christian Preus and
introduced by the committee.
It was moved to call the question, which motion was
withdrawn before being seconded. A delegate asked
whether the question could be divided; the Secretary offered
the explanation that due to the complex interrelation of
bylaw changes across the sections, division of this question
would be out of order.
With twenty minutes debate elapsed, the chair called the
question under the rule; this motion failed [Yes: 638; No:
326]. After further debate, the previous question was moved;
this was carried [Yes: 803; No: 180]. Res. 7-04B was adopted
[Yes: 882; No: 120].
It was moved that the convention expressly direct that
Bylaw 7.1.2 be invoked so that the Synod Board of Directors
may in an exceptional circumstance amend the bylaws with
respect to Res. 7-04B “if they run into any conflicts in
implementing the direction of the convention.” The
Secretary clarified that, in Bylaw 7.1.2, the “express
direction” contemplates that the convention, the delegates
of the congregations assembled, would give specific
instruction for bylaws to be developed and that a blanket
grant of authority to make undetermined changes would be
46 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod,
which require the convention to amend the Synod’s Bylaws.
The delegate withdrew the motion.
Res. 7-05A, “To Bring Accountability to Concordia
Boards of Regents and to Improve Doctrinal Fidelity and
Amenability to Ecclesiastical Supervision” (TB, 2B:335–36),
was read and introduced by the committee.
Moved and seconded was the amendment on TB 5:476,
to amend at TB 2B:335, lines 47–48, by replacing the inserted
language (“Members appointed by the board of regents may
not vote on the appointment of members of the board.”)
with the language adopted in Res. 7-04B, TB 4:434, ll. 6–7,
namely, “An appointed member shall not vote on his or her
reappointment.” Debate ensued. After twenty minutes, the
chair called the question under the rule; this was carried
[Yes: 883; No: 93]. The amendment failed [Yes: 348; No: 626].
The chair, again under the rule, called the question on the
resolution; this was carried [Yes: 832; No: 139]. Two points
of information were called for, to which the committee
responded. Res. 7-05A was adopted [Yes: 824; No: 143].
Res. 7-06B, “To Support Colleges and Universities of the
Concordia University System” (TB, 4:442–43), was read and
introduced by the committee. With the chair sensing no
need for debate, he put the question by an immediate hand
and voice vote; the resolution was adopted unanimously.
Greetings—Concordia Historical Institute
The chair welcomed the Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink,
executive director of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI), to
bring greetings to the Synod. Its mission is to “treasure and
trumpet the redeeming work of Christ in the work of the
Missouri Synod.” The institute resources congregations,
families, districts, and Synod, in preserving historical
touchstones of the Synod’s history and proclaiming the
Lord’s grace evidenced in them. Dr. Harmelink noted to the
convention the institute’s publications, including its CHI
Quarterly and its growing monograph series. During the
greeting, President Harrison relinquished the chair to First
Vice-President Lange.
Committee 11: Church and Culture
The President, resuming the chair, recognized Chairman
Terry R. Forke, president of the Montana District, to begin
the report of his committee. He opened with the words of
our Lord in John 15:18, noting both challenges and
opportunities in our addressing the culture around us—
both of which are evidenced in the resolutions to be offered
by the committee. He noted difficulty saying everything
exactly the right way but asserted that Christians do have the
answer; therefore, on a topic like racism, there is both
something to reject and something to rejoice that we
know—that the answer is in Christ and that God is working
in the Church to overcome racism. He concluded: “In the
love of Christ let us join our hearts and voices to say to each
other and to the world, ‘Within the incomprehensible
variety of gifts given to mankind; gifts of color and culture
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