LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 6-13, 1989, Page 9

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broad authority of the Board of Regents as well as 3.233, which encompasses the BHES. The
exact language previously contained in the Handbook is to be found in the BHES manual, as well
as the Handbook adopted by the Board of Regents of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft.
Wayne, (last adopted May, 1989). The related section of the Seminary Handbook is found on
page 12, and is as follows:
c. The Board of Regents may honorably retire the president of the seminary from his
presidential responsibilities at the end of the school year in which he attains the age
of sixty or after fifteen years of service as president of the seminary. The Board may
entertain such a request by the president at any time after the end of the school year
in which he attains the age of sixty or after fifteen years of service as president. The
president shall be relieved of his presidential responsibilities at the end of the school
year in which he reaches the age of seventy.
There being no other provision of a similar nature in the synodical Handbook, and the Regent's
Handbook not being in conflict with the synodical Handbook, the Regent's Handbook language
controls the entire situation.
In reaching this conclusion, we have considered only the termination of the presidential function.
The distinctive rights which he may have as a faculty member as well as certain prerogatives of a
retired president described in Bylaw 3.53 are not addressed here.
A member of the Board of Regents had also contacted the Commission because he had not received a
copy of the proposed letter forwarding questions from the Board of Regents and felt that authorization
had not been given to a member to seek the opinion of the Commission. The Secretary had provided a
response indicating that without additional information it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the
Commission to respond to the specific questions which had been raised. The Commission agreed that no
further response was necessary.
159. Constitution and Bylaw Changes Relative to Deaconesses (Ag. 1862) : Dr. John Heins, chairman
of Floor Committee 3, had indicated to the Commission on Constitutional Matters that a recommendation
would be coming to the convention which would categorize deaconesses as commissioned ministers of
religion. If the convention adopted this proposal, it would require constitutional and bylaw changes. The
Commission was requested to assist in the preparation of these. During the course of the convention, the
delegates adopted this proposal and the Commission on Constitutional Matters provided guidance in the
adoption of proposed constitutional and bylaw amendments.
Walter L. Rosin, Secretary

Minutes of the Commission on Constitutional Matters - September 29-30, 1989
1. Organization and Agenda : The Commission met on September 29-30, 1989, in its first meeting of a
new triennium. At its first session, the Commission reviewed, in a preliminary manner, all matters which
had been forwarded to it in a previously mailed agenda.
2. Conditions of Membership (Ag. 1866) : Dr. L. Dean Hempelmann had requested the Commission to
provide an opinion regarding the interpretation of Article V of the Constitution of the Synod as it relates
to conditions of membership. The specific question which was asked was whether this paragraph
assumed, as a condition of membership, that congregations of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
would, in fact, use an agenda, hymnbook, and catechism. Another way of stating the question would be,