LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 233

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DELEGATE RESOLUTIONS
To Call for Repentance and Forgiveness by All
Parties to the Concordia Texas Conflict
DELEGATE RESOLUTION
Resolution 7-03 (TB, 1:139–41)
WHEREAS, 2023 Resolution 7-03 has been adopted,
wherein the Concordia University Texas (CTX) president,
administrators, and CTX Board of Directors were urged to
repent of their actions in the recent conflict about CTX’s
purported attempt to depart from Synod governance; and
WHEREAS, The President of the Texas District, who is the
direct ecclesiastical supervisor of called workers at CTX, on
July 26, 2023, published his Preliminary Observations and
Recommendations
(Texas
District,
txlcms.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/07/Observations-andRecommendationsCTXPrelimReport-1.pdf, Jul. 26, 2023), which
contains important, impartial information about this conflict,
not previously brought to the attention of convention
delegates, including the fact that miscommunication and
misunderstandings may have contributed to the conflict and
necessitate all parties to consider repentance and forgiveness
of one another; and
WHEREAS, Such open conflict negatively impacts not only
the immediate parties involved, but the entire Synod, as well
as our public witness (1 Cor. 12:26); and
WHEREAS, Scripture clearly teaches that those mediating
conflict must not consider only one point of view (Prov. 18:17;
Deut. 19:15); and
WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us that if we
perceive that our brother has something against us, we must
address that regardless of whether or not we believe him to be
correct (Matt. 5:21–24), and that we must remove the plank
from our own eye before we can address the speck in our
brother’s eye (Matt. 7:3–5); and
WHEREAS, God’s Word commands us in conflict or
disagreement we must look not only to our own interests, but
also the interests of others (Phil. 2:4; 1 Cor. 6:7–8) with a ready
spirit willing to listen to others’ perspectives (James 1:19–20);
and an offended brother may be unyielding (Prov. 18:19); and
WHEREAS, Because of our fallen, sinful nature, it is
impossible for any of us to fully recognize all of our many sins
(Psalm 19:12; Luke 23:34); and
WHEREAS, God’s Word urges us to confess our sins to one
another (i.e., mutual confession) in order to be healed (James
5:16); and
WHEREAS, The repentance of even one sinner is a source of
immeasurable joy to Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our
sins (Luke 15:7, 10); therefore be it
Resolutions

Resolved, That Synod in convention ask all parties to the
conflict, including the Synod President and the members of
the Synod Board of Directors, the Concordia University
System Board of Directors, and any other Synodical entities
directly involved in the matter, to humbly pray with the
Psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and
know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24); and
be it further
Resolved, That Synod in convention stand and pray for
repentance and forgiveness by all parties to the conflict; and
be it further
Resolved, That all parties to the CTX conflict be urged to
confess privately to one another any sins they discover in
themselves upon such heartfelt self-examination; and be it
further
Resolved, That all parties to the CTX conflict be urged to
extend public forgiveness and absolution to one another in a
demonstration of the grace that God has given to us in Christ
Jesus, as the apostle Paul instructs, “forgiving one another, as
God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32); and be it finally
Resolved, That any genuine Christian repentance and
forgiveness receive public notice in appropriate Synod
publications (e.g., Reporter, The Lutheran Witness,
www.lcms.org), in order that the wider Church may be called
upon to give thanks and celebrate this reconciliation.
Chris Matthis
Pastoral Delegate, Rocky Mountain District
Action: Declined (9)

The President briefly addressed the convention. Closure of
debate, called for by the chair, was carried. The resolution failed
of adoption [Yes: 393; No: 460].

To Establish a Standing,
Synodwide Process for Ongoing
Exchange and Conflict Resolution
DELEGATE RESOLUTION
Resolution 4-01 (TB, 1:101)
WHEREAS, God calls us to harmony in a “common mind”
in faith and practice (1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 2:2; Rom. 12:16, 15:5); and
WHEREAS, Establishing such a common mind requires
fallen human beings to always work toward consensus
through exchange of testimony to the Word of God and clear
reasoning by consciences held captive to it; and

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 233