LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 18–19, 2019, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Marriott Waterfront Hotel and Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Fla.
July 18–19, 2019 (67th Regular Convention)
217. Call to Order and Opening Devotion
Commission Chairman Dr. George Gude called the commission’s meeting to order with all members
present except for Gerhard Bode, who arrived on Friday. Dr. Gude offered opening devotions on the basis
of Luke 11:1–13 and with prayer for the Synod in its upcoming convention.
218. Meaning of Face-to-Face (19-2914)
The commission received the following request for an opinion from a member of the Synod:
Question:

“May the requirement of a “face-to-face meeting” in Bylaw 1.10.5 also be fulfilled by modern
digital technology via face-to-face telephone conversation via computers, smartphone and the
like using FaceTime or via Skype, where both parties are very much face-to-face, merely
separated by a monitor, but in real-time communicating face-to-face?”

Opinion:

No.

After receiving the request for the opinion, the commission requested input in accordance with Bylaw
3.9.2.2 (b), in this instance, from the Council of Presidents (district presidents being primarily responsible
to determine when the requirement of a face-to-face meeting has been satisfied) and staff of the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations. A very large number of virtually unanimous responses were received,
supporting the conclusion that face-to-face means what it says, that is in person. For example:
“[P]arties need to make every effort to meet together physically—even it if requires personal financial
expense and the use of a great amount of time. Matthew 18 calls us to meet together. A personal
meeting has qualities that cannot be duplicated electronically. Meeting personally also shows care for
one another demonstrated by the time and effort expended.”
Some responses suggested that perhaps in extreme cases a technological alternative to direct physical
interaction could be substituted for the in-person meeting. For example:
“If for some reason, meeting “face-to-face” would cause an inordinately long delay in the process and
hurt the possibility of reconciliation, or if an extreme circumstance exists that does not allow for a
personal meeting, an electronic meeting or meetings may be substituted after proper consultation with
the parties involved and with appropriate ecclesiastical supervisors.”
On the other hand, there was this response:
“The only argument that I can muster for conducting such meetings by electronic media is
convenience. There is certainly no Biblical argument for doing so. Human convenience does not seem
to be a Biblical priority. Since human convenience often detracts from God’s purposes, I would not
admit it as a valid argument in favor of the proposal.”
One response, in particular, crystalized what this commission finds to be the requirement of the face-toface language of the Bylaws of the Synod:
“Presuming that Matthew 5:24 and 18:15 are the Biblical foundation for the face-to-face meeting
requirement found in the bylaws…
Jesus’ command to go to the brother, (ὕπαγε) could not have been understood in any other way, at
the time, than having the parties physically meet…[T]o adopt the use of electronic media for the
purpose of meeting would require interpreting the word “go” (ὕπαγε), to mean “stay.” …[W]e should
be interested very much in following the example given in the Scripture as closely as possible.
CCM Minutes – July 18–24, 2019 – Page 159