LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — December 14-15, 1972, Page 3

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District convention would need to have full freedom on the basis of Bylaw 1.57 to accept or reject or
amend the various slates that had been offered. The commission resolved to ratify the secretary's reply.
216. Roster Bylaws and Reinstatement Provisions (Ag. 13 and 23): Already during the administration of
Dr. Harms the commission had been asked to determine whether the Synod needed additional bylaws in
order to specify more precisely which positions persons would need to fill in order to be continued on the
clergy or teacher rosters of the Synod and whether special provisions would need to be introduced for
their removal from and possible reinstatement to the roster. The secretary submitted documents reviewing
the long history of this problem and the extensive contacts with the Council of Presidents in developing
guidelines. Already previously the commission had come to certain conclusions and had directed the
secretary to draft proposed bylaws on the basis of these determinations. These bylaws were presented at
this meeting and were further refined and then adopted for submission to the New Orleans convention in
an overture. Basically, the commission is of the opinion that positions of service should be carefully
designated without any catch-all category of "special ministries" through which variations in policy
develop among the various Districts; that the District President could have the responsibility to decide
every year for three years whether or not a person who is not filling one of the prescribed
positions may be continued on the roster temporarily as a candidate; that after these three years the entire
Council of Presidents should by written ballot make the annual determination if any further extension of
the candidate status is justified. All of this is based on the premises that membership in the Synod is
something which should not be decided by an individual District but by the Synod itself and that perhaps
in this respect the Council of District Presidents might be the best agency to act in behalf of the entire
Synod. The proposed bylaws are attached to these minutes.
217. Official Conferences (Ag. 16 and 380): At the previous meeting the commission had approved
proposed bylaws on official conferences of pastors and teachers. At this time the commission approved a
substitute set of proposed bylaws which pulled together both pastor and teachers conferences in order to
avoid much duplication of language. This new set of proposed bylaws is attached to the minutes.
218. Report on Nomination Procedure for President and First Vice President (Ag. 328): The secretary
stated his position that unless he were directed by the commission or by the convention to reveal the tally
of votes cast in the nominations for President and First Vice President, he would follow the letter of the
bylaw and report only the names. He asked the commission whether it felt that this was the proper way
for him to proceed. The commission formally ruled that unless and until the convention itself orders him
to reveal additional information, the secretary in harmony with Bylaw 2.127 d should not report the tally.
219. Bylaw 1.53, Election of Delegates (Ag. 381): In answer to a suggestion by Pastor Rantala of
Huntington, West Virginia, the commission felt that no further clarification of Bylaw 1.53 was needed at
this time.
220. Bylaws, Armed Forces (Ag. 382): The Armed Forces Commission had submitted for review a new
set of bylaws which it intends to propose to the New Orleans convention. The commission came to the
conclusion that there does not appear to be anything unconstitutional in the proposed bylaws.
221. Charges Against a Professor (Ag. 388): President Karl Barth of the South Wisconsin District had
inquired whether there were in fact two ways in which charges could be brought against a professor on
the basis of false doctrine. Since there was a difference of opinion among the members of the commission
as to the exact meaning of President Barth's request, Freise stated that he would contact President Barth
and request him to clarify more fully his request.
222. West Hartford, Connecticut Congregation (Ag. 389): The congregation for the deaf, West Hartford,
Connecticut had submitted correspondence and voluminous documentation with a request for a ruling