LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — May 11–13, 2012, Page 21

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Statement 2: An agency of the Synod (especially but not limited to a district, through its convention, or a
circuit forum) submits to the Synod in convention an overture that calls upon the Synod to revise or
rescind a doctrinal resolution adopted by the Synod.
Question 2.1: Must every member of a circuit forum, agency of the Synod (including a district), or
district or Synod floor committee considering such an overture participate in the
Bylaw 1.8.2 steps of dissent required of a member of the Synod before that circuit
forum, agency, or floor committee can submit such an overture to a convention?
Opinion: As stated above, neither a circuit forum nor a district convention is a member of the Synod,
but rather a proper channel through which a member presents his/her/its concerns. After a member
involved in the Bylaw 1.8.2 process has initiated a matter and an overture is before a convention, the
matter no longer belongs to the individual. The individual who initiated the process is not required to
participate.
Question 2.2: As a related question, Bylaw 1.8.2 mentions an “overture to the convention”
(emphasis added to highlight the definite article). To which convention? Is “the
convention” in view here exclusively the national convention (which is the only
convention that can actually revise or rescind a doctrinal resolution adopted by the
Synod) or does “the convention” include any convention of the synod at the national
or district level, i.e., also district conventions?
Opinion: Ultimately it is a convention of the Synod that decides the matter. However, such an
overture could also be presented to a district convention as an appropriate channel through which the
matter is presented to a convention of the Synod.
Statement 3: At a circuit forum or district convention, a pastor (an individual member of the Synod) casts
a vote in favor of (a) a properly submitted motion that calls upon the district to memorialize the Synod to
revise or rescind a doctrinal resolution adopted by the Synod, or (b) a properly submitted motion that calls
upon the Synod to revise or rescind a doctrinal resolution adopted by the Synod.
Question 3.1: Is it relevant whether this pastor had previously discussed his point of dissent within
the fellowship of peers and brought this matter to the attention of the CTCR and
expressed his dissent in the form of an overture for convention consideration?
Statement 4: At a convention of the Synod, a pastor (an individual member of the Synod) casts a vote in
favor of a properly submitted motion by which the Synod revises or rescinds a doctrinal resolution
adopted by the Synod.
Question 4.1: Is it relevant whether this pastor had previously discussed his point of dissent within
the fellowship of peers and brought this matter to the attention of the CTCR and
expressed his dissent in the form of an overture for convention consideration?
Opinion: Statements 3 and 4 and the questions that follow each statement (referencing those in
attendance at circuit forums or conventions who vote on the overture) are irrelevant because neither a
circuit forum nor a district convention is a member of the Synod, and such voting at a circuit forum or
district convention is part of the process by which such an overture from a member comes to a
convention of the Synod, where delegates decide the issue voting according to their own convictions.

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