LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — December 2, 2025, Page 1

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MINUTES
COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Internet Conference Meeting (Zoom.us)
December 2, 2025
156. Opening Prayer and Adoption of Agenda
With all commission members present by internet conference, Chairman Peters called the meeting to order
and opened with prayer. The commission proceeded with its previously distributed agenda, as follows:
157. Concordia University Wisconsin Bylaws, Proposed Revision (25-3073)
By an email of October 3, the Concordia University, Wisconsin, (CUW) board of regents chairman
forwarded for the commission’s review a draft proposed revision of the university’s bylaws. This draft was
received prior to the commission’s publication of its Op. 23-3023B (minutes of Sept. 12–13). The
commission draws the university’s attention to its reviews of articles and board policies as contained in that
opinion, which are not reiterated here, though both have points requiring attention.
Regarding the bylaw draft, the commission has the following comments. Observations from Op. 23-3023B
that continue to pertain to the present draft are restated and indicated with an asterisk (*):
•

Section 1.1 (here and as in the following, as provisions are numbered in the revised version): The
revised version omits definition of the defined term “University,” which is nonetheless used
throughout. This should be corrected.

•

Section 2.1*: The three bullets of Synod Bylaw 3.6.6 provide a concise summary of the educational
objectives Synod has set forth for its universities, which may well replace or augment existing
language.
The commission newly observes that to state CUW has the purpose of carrying out “the educational
objectives of [the LCMS] as articulated in Article III” is overbroad, as CUW carries out only a
circumscribed portion of that objective, namely, that given to the Synod’s universities. As noted
previously, that charge is elaborated well in the three bullets of Bylaw 3.6.6, which language might
well be introduced here.
In the existing CUW language, items (b–d) should be clearly subordinated to the material in (a) as
the clearly governing principle. The university carries out the educational objectives of the
Synod…in its (b) operating, conducting, and maintaining…; (c) providing instruction and
training…; and (d) engaging in other…activities.

•

Section 2.2: in a manner consistent with should instead read in accordance with and the list of
authorities should include the policies of the Synod’s Board of Directors (Bylaws 3.10.6–3.10.6.1).
Likewise, component of should, for consistency with the Bylaws of the Synod, now read part of
(Bylaw 3.10.6.1 [b]).

•

Section 2.3: The proposed omission of the phrase “In furtherance of its purposes” causes the powers
described here to be less than clearly related to the foregoing limited purposes. This connective is
necessary to meaning and should be restored for clarity, since the powers held by the corporation
are not absolute but in pursuit of its particular objectives. The sentence break should also be restored
at “Without limitation,” as running what follows into the previous sentence suggests a more
expansive sense of the powers than was likely intended. Finally, the insertion of “and in a manner
consistent with Synod Bylaw 3.10.6” after “without limitation” may lead to future uncertainty of
interpretation.

CCM Minutes – December 2, 2025 – Page 127