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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 504

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPERVISION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

504

honors local and district judgments, promotes evangelical care, and
builds trust rather than fear among pastors and congregations.
Our Savior, Arlington, VA; St. John’s, Alexandria, VA;
Trinity, Lexington Park, MD;
Circuit 8 (Washington, South), Southeastern District
Ov. 10-07

To Establish an Independent Appeals Panel
in Cases involving the President’s Decisions
WHEREAS, Holy Scripture warns against partiality and instructs
that accusations against elders be handled with great care and
fairness (1 Tim. 5:19–21); and
WHEREAS, Our Lord teaches that judgment within the Church
must be carried out with humility and awareness of our own sin
(Matt. 7:1–5); and
WHEREAS, The Synod Constitution and Bylaws provide for due
process and appeal in matters of ecclesiastical discipline, so that
decisions may not rest solely on one person’s judgment; and
WHEREAS, It is a fundamental principle of justice and good order
that one should not be the sole judge in his own case, nor should
final appeals be structurally dependent on the very office whose
decisions are being challenged; and
WHEREAS, In cases where the President of the Synod or his office
is the originating or decisive authority in a disciplinary action, the
perception that appeals are heard and decided by bodies closely tied
to that same office can undermine confidence in the fairness and
independence of the process; and
WHEREAS, For the sake of the consciences of pastors and
congregations, it is beneficial that appeals in such cases be heard by
an independent body clearly distinct from the Office of the
President (OTP); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod affirm the importance of genuine,
independent appeals in cases of ecclesiastical discipline, especially
where the decisions of the OTP are at issue; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod direct the Commission on Handbook
to propose bylaw amendments establishing an Ecclesiastical
Appeals Panel (or similarly named body) which:
• is appointed by the Council of Presidents (COP), with
representation from across the Synod;
• includes both ordained ministers and laypersons known for
their confessional fidelity and wisdom;
• does not include current staff of the OTP or current members
of the Synod’s Board of Directors;
• has the responsibility to hear and adjudicate appeals in
disciplinary cases in which the President or his office served
as the final decision-maker at the first level;
and be it further
Resolved, That such bylaw amendments:
• provide that decisions of this appeals panel be issued in
writing with stated reasons;
• specify whether and how such decisions may themselves be
reviewed by a broader body (e.g., convention or COP by a
defined supermajority), thereby ensuring both accountability
and independence;
and be it further

2026 Convention Workbook

Resolved, That the President of the Synod be encouraged, as a
matter of evangelical practice even prior to formal bylaw
amendment, to delegate the hearing and adjudication of appeals in
cases directly involving his office’s decisions to an independent
panel appointed by the COP; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod commend all who serve in supervisory
offices to the Lord’s care, praying that such structural safeguards
may assist them in carrying out their duties in a manner above
reproach and worthy of the trust of Christ’s flock.
Our Savior, Arlington, VA; St. John’s, Alexandria, VA;
Trinity, Lexington Park, MD;
Circuit 8 (Washington, South), Southeastern District
Ov. 10-08

To Require Greater Transparency
When Disciplinary Judgments Are Reversed
WHEREAS, Our Lord teaches that “everyone who does wicked
things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works
should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the
light” (John 3:20–21); and
WHEREAS, The Eighth Commandment and its explanation in
Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms call us both to protect our
neighbor’s reputation and to speak truthfully and clearly; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution and Synod Bylaws provide for
ecclesiastical supervision, discipline, and expulsion, including the
possibility that earlier judgments may be revisited in light of further
information; and
WHEREAS, When a matter has been carefully investigated and
publicly described as resolved, and especially when that resolution
has been communicated to the Synod at large, a subsequent reversal
or reopening of the case without clear, substantive explanation can
deeply trouble the consciences of pastors and congregations; and
WHEREAS, Vague references to “additional information” or
similar phrases, when unaccompanied by a basic explanation of the
nature of the concerns and the reasons for reversal, can undermine
confidence in both the fairness and the evangelical character of
ecclesiastical supervision; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod affirm the importance of transparency
and clear communication in matters of ecclesiastical discipline,
while still honoring legitimate needs for confidentiality and
protection of reputations; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod direct the Commission on Handbook
to review and propose amendments to the bylaws relating to
ecclesiastical supervision and discipline, such that:
• whenever a prior written conclusion or public statement
regarding the resolution of a disciplinary matter is later
reversed or superseded by a significantly different action
(e.g., removal from the roster, suspension, or public
censure), the authority reversing the decision must provide a
written rationale to the pastor, the congregation, the district
president, and the Council of Presidents, summarizing in
general terms:
• the nature of the additional or newly weighted concerns;
and
• the reasons why the earlier resolution is no longer judged
sufficient; and