LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — April 24-25, 1981, Page 3

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190. Publication Responsibilities of CPH Board of Directors and the Synodical Doctrinal Review Process
_(Ag. 1475,A-F) : On the basis of several drafts that had been circulated and discussed the Commission
eventually adopted an opinion as attached to the Minutes which the Commission feels will safeguard the
responsibilities of the CPH Board of Directors and at the same time safeguard the doctrinal review
processes of the Synod. It was decided to send the opinion to the Board of Directors in care of its
Chairman, Fred Kuhlmann, with carbon copies to Dr. Preus, Rev. Barclay Brown, Dr. Ralph Reinke. It
was also resolved that a copy should be sent to the floor committee calling their attention to the proposal
made in Overture 5-20, which the Commission holds is not completely satisfactory. It was suggested that
the floor committee might also wish to have a copy of one of the proposed opinions labeled 1475-C-2 for
additional information on the issues involved.
191. Model, Constitutional Constitutions (Ag. 1446, A) : Schnelz will offer his complete report to the
next meeting.
192. Tenure of Ann Arbor Professor (Ag. 1494,A): Dr. Walter Rosin, executive secretary of the Board for
Higher Education, had called attention to several facts not known to the Commission when it had ruled
previously that the service of an individual in the high school at Concordia, Missouri could not be
counted toward tenure requirements. After discussing this matter further, the Commission resolved to
reiterate its previous opinion but to add the following to that opinion: "Quarters or semesters in which the
individual taught at the collegiate level may be counted, in the judgment of the Board of Control, toward
the tenure requirement."
193. Right to Call During an Appeal (Ag. 1505): Mr. Alvin Rummel, president of St. Luke's, Cabot,
Pennsylvania, had asked in behalf of the congregation whether it had the right to call a pastor while the
case of its deposed pastor was still under appeal. The Commission decided to postpone consideration in
order to give the District Commission of Adjudication and the District President opportunity to bring
about God-pleasing reconciliation in harmony with Bylaw 5.01. This presupposes that the Commission
will be kept informed of the progress being made toward reconciliation.
194. Questions Concerning Dallas Res. 5-01 on Dual Membership (Ag. 1509,A) : Atonement
Congregation of Florissant, Missouri has raised several questions regarding the theological and
constitutional basis of Dallas Res. 5-01. These questions have been relayed to the Commission on
Constitutional Matters by English District President, George Bornemann and by Rev. E. N. Schulte,
chairman of the District Commission of Adjudication. The Secretary had replied in an extended way. His
reply might be summarized as follows: The opinion of the CCM on dual membership had been
challenged; the Dallas convention had then examined the challenge, presumably from every conceivable
point of view, constitutional, theological, etc., and had upheld the opinion of the CCM regarding dual
membership. Furthermore, the Board of Appeals of the Synod in a similar situation had resolved that the
only question which a District Commission on Adjudication needs to ask in such an instance is whether
the individual or the congregation is indeed a member of another church body such as the AELC. If the
answer is in the affirmative, the case is settled by Res. 5-01. The Commission resolved to ratify both
letters of the Secretary.
195. Combined Word and Deed Ministry Among American Indians (Ag. 1499,A): Upon
recommendation of the Synod's American Indian Advisory Council and the Synod's Board for Missions
the Board of Directors had resolved, subject-to approval by the convention, to combine the word and deed
ministry among American Indians under the supervision of the Board for Missions with a full-time staff
person to be engaged for that purpose. The Board of Social Ministry and World Relief had raised
questions regarding the constitutionality of this action of the Board of Directors since it maintained that
the ministry in deed is an assignment given in the Handbook to the Board for Social Ministry and World