LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 3-11, 1975, Page 1

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Resolved, That the Synod establish a Board of Review, composed of the District Presidents of the
Alberta-British Columbia District and the Manitoba-Saskatchewan District and our professor or
professors serving on the Saskatoon faculty, who shall endorse our Saskatoon graduates for the
pastoral office and recommend them to the Board of Assignments for placement; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod ratify the placement of the recent Saskatoon graduates and, upon receipt
of a statement of certification from the aforementioned Board of Review by the President of
Synod, legitimatize their inclusion on the clergy roster of Synod.
After considerable discussion the commission decided that there is a serious question as to whether the
first resolve meets the constitutional requirements for endorsement. They do not seem to square with the
rather high requirements which the Synod has always held for admission to its ministerium. With regard
to the second resolve the commission held it to be unconstitutional and suggested instead that these
unendorsed Saskatoon graduates of the past few years be included in the exceptions which are being
proposed for certain Seminex graduates as the Synod adopts new bylaws for the colloquy program.
Herbert Mueller, Secretary

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
July 3-11, 1975 - Anaheim, California
The commission met at regular intervals during the Anaheim convention to take up pressing matters.
454. Status of Advisory Delegate (Ag. 845): Secretary Mueller reported that an assistant pastor in
Bethalto, Illinois had been chosen as the advisory delegate but since that time had been elevated to the
position of main pastor in the parish, although he has not yet been installed. The question had been raised
whether he should be seated or his alternate. Secretary Mueller stated that the Credentials Committee had
ruled that if the alternate does claim his seat, he should be seated. The commission resolved to sustain this
action of the Credentials Committee if a request for a ruling should be made.
455. Delegate Status - High School Teacher (Ag. 847): The Ohio District President reported that it had
been customary for the advisory teacher delegates to set aside one delegate position for the faculty of the
Cleveland high schools. The appointment of this man by the faculty had been overlooked and the District
President asked whether he could still be appointed. The secretary had informed him on the basis of
Bylaw 1.57 that the advisory members are to elect their delegates at their District convention. The
Credentials Committee agreed with this position and ruled that the high school teacher could not be seated
as an advisory delegate. The commission ratified the letter sent by Secretary Mueller.
456. Rose Ziemke: The secretary alerted the commission to the fact that the male missionaries in India
had chosen a deaconess as one of its two representatives. The propriety of this had been questioned. A
proposed resolution of Committee #5 suggests the elimination of the word "male" from the bylaw.
However, the same proposal would change the required number of missionaries from 10 to 20 for the
election of a representative. The commission may be involved somewhere in the situation.
457. Vice-President at Board of Control Meetings (Ag. 846): In answer to a request from the St. Louis
Board of Control thru Dr. Ralph Bohlmann, the commission ruled on the basis of Bylaw 6.23 b, 3 that a
vice-president cannot substitute for the District President in a voting function. Unless a representative is
specifically provided for in a bylaw (e.g. 6.115) no voting substitution is possible.