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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 61

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

5. Provide Assistance Regarding Bioethics (1977 Res.
03-26)

C. Requests for Opinions and Bylaw-Mandated
Assignments

The 1977 convention encouraged the CTCR to address the
moral implications of developments in bioethics and biomedical
technology in order to provide guidance to clergy, workers in those
fields, and the entire Synod. The commission uses this standing
assignment to address pertinent matters as they arise, such as the
recent report on end-of-life decision-making (see I.A.1. above). It
continues to monitor developments in artificial intelligence, transhumanism, medication abortion, IVF, fetal tissue vaccines, and
euthanasia, among others, in preparation for potential projects on
them in the future.

The CTCR receives and responds to requests for two types of opinions:

6. Inter-Christian Relationships (1981 Res. 3-03A)
Since 1981, the CTCR has completed a number of documents
relating to the subject of inter-Christian and inter-church relationships, some in specific response to 1981 Res. 3-03A and subsequent
resolutions related to it. These include: Inter-Christian Relationships: An Instrument for Study (1991), The Lutheran Understanding of Church Fellowship: Study Materials (2000), The Lutheran
Understanding of Church Fellowship: Report on Synodical Discussions (2001), Church Relations in the 21st Century (2009), Principles for “Cooperation in Externals” with Theological Integrity
(2010), Theological Dialogue with Other Christian Church Bodies (2011), and Policy for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Declaring Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with Another Church Body
(2009, rev. 2014, rev. 2021). The materials are all available on the
CTCR’s website at lcms.org/ctcr.
The Synod’s request for “practical guidelines … to assist officials, pastors, teachers, congregations, and individuals in the Synod
in determining which practices and activities are appropriate to the
various levels of inter-Lutheran and inter-Christian relationships in
which the Synod is involved” (1981 Res. 3-03A) remains permanently on the commission’s agenda as a standing assignment. The
CTCR continues to provide such guidance as needed and requested.

7. Beginning of Life Issues (2019 Res. 11-01A)
2016 Task Force 3-04 reviewed all previous CTCR resources
related to relevant beginning of life issues and prepared an overture for convention consideration. 2019 Res. 11-01A then asked the
CTCR to “review and revisit” all pertinent documents in its corpus
“to determine whether and/or where updates to these documents
are needed, particularly regarding IVF, and recent developments in
genetic testing, and how such potential updates might best and most
effectively be communicated to the Synod.” The commission and
its staff have reviewed and continue to review these reports with an
eye toward if, where, and how updates might be undertaken.

8. Biblical Six-Day Creation (2019 Res. 5-09A)
2019 Res. 5-09A encouraged pastors to study and discuss various CTCR reports related to biblical six-day creation, including
Creation in Biblical Perspective (1970), Together with All Creatures (2010), and In Christ All Things Hold Together (2015). It did
not request any direct action from the CTCR, but the commission
continues to review its current resources and consider new ones.
It has also developed a bibliography of resources defending biblical six-day creation that may be commended to the Synod prior to
convention.

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Advisory opinions are requests for guidance from the Synod President, district presidents, and other Synod officers,
boards, and commissions on matters of theology and practice under the general rubric that the CTCR “shall provide
guidance to the Synod in matters of theology and church relations” (Bylaw 3.9.5.2.1) and “shall assist the President of
the Synod at his request” (Bylaw 3.9.5.2).

•

Bylaws also specifically require the CTCR, when requested
to do so, to render opinions (within 30 days) on theological
questions that may arise in cases of dispute resolution or cases involving potential expulsion of an LCMS member (see,
e.g., Bylaw 1.10.18.1 [h]; 2.14.7.8 [h][3]).

The CTCR is also responsible for responding to expressions of
dissent. Bylaw section 1.8 provides a process for orderly “dissent
from the doctrinal position of the Synod as expressed in its resolutions and doctrinal statements.” That process involves, first, discussion “within the fellowship of peers” and thereafter the dissent is
to be “brought to the attention of the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations” (1.8.2).
The CTCR received no official requests for bylaw-mandated
opinions or for responses to expressions of dissent in this triennium. It did, however, receive several requests for advisory opinions
on various matters.

1. President of the Synod Request for Opinion on Lay
Reading of Sermons and Conduct of Worship in the
Absence of a Pastor
In November 2022, the CTCR received a request from the President of the Synod to provide a rationale and recommended guidelines for laymen who must publicly read sermons or conduct worship services in the absence of a pastor, whether in an emergency
situation or for an extended period of time. The CTCR completed
this assignment, which was unanimously approved at its May 2023
meeting, but was unable to include it in the 2023 Workbook. Therefore, the opinion is included in the present Workbook appendix.

2. President of the Synod Request for Opinion on
Lawsuits between Christians or Members and
Institutions of Synod
In December 2024, the President of the Synod requested an
opinion from the CTCR that would address the appropriateness
of lawsuits between individual Christians, members of the Synod,
or other institutions and corporate entities of the Synod in light of
the CTCR’s 1991 report on 1 Corinthians 6 and the Lutheran Confessions. The commission approved an opinion on this issue at its
February 2025 meeting and forwarded it to the Synod President for
his information and use. The opinion is included in the Workbook
appendix.

3. Joint Seminary Board of Regents Request for an
Opinion on Admission to Seminary for Divorced Men
In November 2024, the commission received a request from
the joint board of regents of Concordia Seminary and Concordia
Theological Seminary on the admission of prospective seminarians
who have been previously divorced. The commission produced an
2026 Convention Workbook