LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — September 30, 1977, Page 1

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residence, and specific experience and qualification for the office in question") reveals that
only objective information, not subjective opinions, is called for by the Synod from the
Committee for Convention Nominations. The proposal to incorporate subjective opinions
therefore seems to go beyond the present bylaws.
2.

The procedure followed by.the Synod for many years and stated explicitly in its bylaws is a
process of selection of nominees by an elected committee instead of a process of volunteering
or "running for office." Since the Synod elects a committee for the process of nominating
candidates, the Synod has the right to conclude that all candidates for every position are
considered by the committee to be qualified as a result of having been selected by the
coumnittee.

3.

Before significantly altering its long standing principle that "the office should seek the man
instead of the man seeking the office," the convention may want to remind itself that some
individuals, though not necessarily being better qualified than others for a certain position,
may indeed be more articulate and sophisticated in "volunteering" for the position. Indeed, it
would be most difficult, if not impossible, to thoroughly express oneself on the issues stated
within the given limitations (e.g., number of words).
THE COMMISSION.L'ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

7/14/77

Minutes of' the Meeting of the Commission on Constitutional Matters
September 30, 1977
324. Carl Eberhard opened the meeting with prayer. All members were present: Chairman Herbert Freise,
Carl Eberhard, John Klotz, Donald Prevallet, and Secretary Herbert Mueller. The minutes of July 13-22,
1977 were approved as submitted. Attention was called to the' installation of Ev Grese as the coordinator
of the Task Force, but the Commission felt it did not have the time to attend during the course of the
morning.
325. Guido Merkens: The Secretary reported that Guido Merkens had been appointed by President Preus
to serve a two-year term, presumably beginning January 1, 1978, as the advisory vice-president on the
Commission.
326. Task Force (Ag. 1192, A,B,C,D,E,F): Some time was devoted to reviewing the experience of the
Commission at its dinner meeting with the Task Force on the previous evening. The presentation made by
the Secretary had called attention to the basic horizontal instead of vertical structure of the Synod, a
concept which seems foreign to those who think along centralized corporate lines but which seems to be
in line with the New Testament principle "One is your master, even Christ, and you are all servants one of
another." The Task Force was encouraged not to abandon this concept too readily since it had served the
Synod well for many years. Most of the session was devoted to questions which the Task Force had
received from the field concerning the Commission. Some of these were: Should the Commission be
appointed or elected? Who should do the selecting? Should it be larger in number? Should it have the
final say subject to convention action or should there be another layer of adjudication or appeals between
the Commission and the convention? How can "perceived control" by the administration be eliminated?
Shall the Secretary of the Synod be involved or shall it be entirely free standing? How should the rulings
of the Commission be shared with the church? Does the Commission make provisions for adversary
hearings and for reviews? What are the most important functions of the Commission?