LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — October 16-17, 1967, Page 4

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

32. Paragraph 16.03 (Sister Church Fellowship): Heading adopted: "Procedure for Recognition
33. Chapter XVII. RECOGNIZED AUXILIARIES: Change heading to: "RECOGNIZED
ORGANIZATIONS" (1965-67 Minutes, 455).
34. Doctrinal Review: In Resolution 2-24 (see also Convention Workbook, Report 2-03, page 58 ff the
convention had adopted new procedures for doctrinal review to replace the censorial responsibilities of
the St. Louis faculty. The Commission spent much time on the question of what to do with this resolution.
Dr. Zimmerman had drafted a proposed set of bylaws but these bylaws had not been brought to the
attention of the convention by the floor committee. After much discussion it was finally decided not to
include any bylaws at this time but to ask the new Board of Doctrinal Review to develop bylaws, based
on its experience, for presentation to the Denver convention. Reference to this whole matter is to be made
in the Foreword of the Handbook and certain changes in the text of the Handbook were adopted with the
understanding that they would be footnoted to refer the reader to the explanation in the Foreword. The
explanation was also to call attention to the fact that the resolution itself provides that until the new
machinery is functioning the St. Louis Seminary is to continue with its previous responsibilities in this
field. A telephone call to President Harms revealed that he would have no objection to this procedure
since it would give needed room for experimentation and experience. The Handbook changes approved
are as follows:
6.165 a. The letter a is to be printed with simply an asterisk following, with footnote calling
attention to the comment in the Foreword.
11.23 a, second sentence: "All manuscripts of a religious or theological nature shall be approved
under the prescribed procedure for doctrinal review before publication," with asterisk and
footnote.
11.45 b, second sentence: "Matters relating to doctrine shall be approved under the prescribed
procedure for doctrinal review before publication," with asterisk and footnote.
3.1.53 b, final words: "...but under the prescribed procedure for doctrinal review before
publication," with asterisk and footnote.
11.89: "Doctrinal Review. Matters relating to doctrine shall be approved under the prescribed
procedure for doctrinal review before publication," with asterisk and footnote.
35. Doctrinal Review: In the course of the telephone conversation with Dr. Harms he asked the
Commission for guidance as to who is to be included in this new procedure of doctrinal review: Only
those formerly included? Auxiliaries? CTM and the Springfielder? Reporter and Witness to have their
own reviewers? Would eve doctrinal statement be involved? The Commission spent considerable time on
the problems involved and finally concluded to inform the President that the Commission feels that it is in
no position to give him guidance because of the leek of definiteness of the New York report and
resolution. The Commission feels that the answers will need to came from trial and error experience and
also expressed its confidence in the President's own good judgment. It also expressed the hope that the
Board of Doctrinal Review would submit recommended bylaws, based on their experience; prior to the
Denver convention. It was resolved to communicate these views to the President.
36. Luessenhop - Niedner Conversation and Correspondence: The Commission gave its tacit approval to
the answers given by Luessenhop to President Niedner, with the reservation that the sticky problem
regarding the Board for Convention Nominations had not yet been discussed (Two Luessenhop letters
dated July 27).
37. Board for Convention Nominations: Mr. Paul F. Steffens, a member of the Board for Convention
Nominations during the past biennium, addressed a formal request to the Commission: "I ask for