LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — June 23, 2003, Page 8

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Does the term “ecclesiastical supervision” as used in the synodical Constitution and Bylaws
apply only to the synodical President and the District Presidents, or does it apply to other
positions and relationships within the Synod as well? For example:
Question 3A:

Are pastors to be understood by the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws as “ecclesiastical
supervisors” of the congregations to which they have been called?

Opinion: There is no reference to pastors as ecclesiastical supervisors in the Constitution and Bylaws of
the Synod.
Question 3B: Are Circuit Counselors “ecclesiastical supervisors” over parish pastors?
Opinion: The Constitution and Bylaws only refer to the President of the Synod and the District Presidents
as ecclesiastical supervisors. Bylaw 5.13 a states that the Circuit Counselor “shall serve under the
direction of and be accountable to the District President and shall serve as his spokesman when so
authorized and directed and shall assist him in doctrinal and spiritual supervision.” Further, Bylaw 5.13 c
states that a Circuit Counselor “shall serve in a servant role and seek to remind and encourage members of
the Circuit of their responsibilities as God’s people and the privilege they have in being about His
mission.”
Question 3C:

Are the Vice-Presidents of the Synod to be understood in any sense of the term as
“ecclesiastical supervisors”?

Opinion: The Constitution and Bylaws only refer to the President of the Synod and the District Presidents
as ecclesiastical supervisors. Bylaw 3.121 indicates that the First Vice-President “shall be responsible to
the President at all times.” Bylaw 3.123 indicates that the four additional Vice-Presidents “shall be
responsible to the President at all times for the performance of their duties as Vice-Presidents.” Bylaw
3.125 indicates that the Vice-Presidents “shall be elected advisors of the President” and “may upon his
request or as provided by the Synod assist him in discharging his responsibilities or represent him.”
Question 3D:

Are the Vice-Presidents of the District to be understood in any sense as “ecclesiastical
supervisors,” e.g., over the Circuit Counselors and/or individual members of the District
whom they represent or by whom they were elected?

Opinion: The relationship of District Vice-Presidents to the District President is the same as the
relationship of the Vice-Presidents of the Synod to the President of the Synod.
Question 3E:

Is the President of the Synod an “ecclesiastical supervisor” over the individual members
of the Synod?

Opinion: Bylaw 3.101 indicates that the President shall carry out his ecclesiastical duties in the Districts
of the Synod through the District Presidents. The same bylaw goes on to state that the President of the
Synod has ecclesiastical supervision of all officers of the Synod and its agencies, the individual Districts
of the Synod, and all District Presidents. Therefore, the President of the Synod is not an “ecclesiastical
supervisor” over the individual members of the Synod. Such supervision is the responsibility of District
Presidents (Bylaw 4.73).
Question 3F:

Could a member congregation bypass its “immediate” ecclesiastical supervisor to get
permission from a Circuit Counselor or District President? (E.g., the congregation wants
to participate in an interfaith prayer service in the wake of a horrible disaster, but the
pastor of the congregation is against it. Can the leadership and/or members of a
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