LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 432

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432

Wnereas, God has blessed our Synod with nearly
3,000,000 baptized witnesses, clergy and laity: and

Wuertas, Many lay witnesses regularly travel to
and ‘or reside in foreign lands for varying periods of
time: and

Wuereas, Such lay witnesses have asked how they
can be used in Christ's mission; and

Whereas, Members traveling or living overseas
should be made aware of opportunities to witness and
serve as partners in mission: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board for Missions study and act
on the matter of enlisting and equipping our laymen
who travel overseas for witness and service in the mis-
sion of the church.

To Intensify Mission to Minorities
RESOLUTION 1-25
Report 1-01, WI, 2 (CW, p.7)

Wuertas, The number of minority people is increas-
ing rapidly; and

Whereas, The Synod is not currently prepared to
seize its opportunities to minister to the total needs of
minorities, even though some scattered efforts have been
made to improve the Synod's performance in this area;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod instruct its Board for Mis-
sions and District boards to review their mission priori-
ties in order to take immediate advantage of opportu-
nities for outreach and service to minorities; and be it
further

Resolved, That institutions such as Concordia Teach-
ers College, Seward, and Concordia Teachers College,
River Forest, be commended for their Indian and His-
panic ministries program, and that all our institutions
be encouraged to express concern and take positive ac-
tion toward ministry to minorities; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Board of Directors appoint a task
force of five people, representing the area of Missions,
Parish Education, Higher Education, Stewardship, and
Social Ministry, to develop and propose to appropriate
boards and agencies a coordinated and intensified min-
istry to minorities, focusing primarily on ways to en-
able minority leaders to be in ministry to their own
people.

To Make Fuller Use of Minority Representation
in the Mission of the Church

RESOLUTION 1-26
Report 1-01, IM, 2, ¢ (CW, p.7)

Whereas, Different cultures demand different ap-
proaches to mission outreach; and

WHEREAS, Minority representatives know better than
anyone the characteristics of their own culture; and

Wuereas, Very few decision-making boards cur-
rently have the advantage of minority representation
which could greatly improve the church’s ability to wit-
ness and serve; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod strive for minority repre-
sentation primarily on the Board of Directors, the
Boards for Missions, Parish Education, Higher Educa-
tion, and Social Ministry, not to the exclusion of other
boards, commissions, and committees: and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod endeavor to do this both
on synodical and District levels; and be it finally

Resolved, That the synodical Handbook be amended
as follows:

2.143 (new c)

c. The committee shall strive to place in nomina-
tion candidates from various minorities represented
in the Synod.

(present c, d, and e to be renumbered accord-
ingly).

To Plan and Implement Programs
for the Elimination of Racism in the Church
RESOLUTION 1-27
Report 1-01, III, 2, ¢ (CW, p.7)

Waereas, Our Lord Jesus lived, worked, relaxed,
prayed, suffered, died, and rose again so that His fol-

REFERRED RESOLUTIONS

lowers could be one as He and the Father are one (John
17:11); and

Wuereas, The New Testament is full of references to
the unity of the church (Eph. 2:19-22: Gal. 3:28; 1 Cor.
12:12-13, to mention just a few); and

WuHereEAS, The Lord Jesus told us to preach the Gos-
pel to every creature and bring all His sheep into the
sheepfold; and

Wuereas, White racism with its assumption of su-
periority over against minority groups is entrenched
in our society and also in the church, including The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod: and

Wuereas, Racism is very harmful to the life and work
of the church, contributing to her denial of her mission
mandate, hampering her outreach to minorities, and
virtually precluding any effective work in changing
neighborhood situations: and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
has so often resolved to correct this situation but has
implemented little in that direction; therefore be it

Resolved, That the officials of The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod, on all levels, regularly advise all
congregations of the subtle and devastating effects of
racism on the mission outreach to minority peoples;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod place a high priority on
the task of eliminating racism from its life and work;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the Board of Social Ministry be in-
structed to authorize a staff member to devote the major
portion of his time and energy to the planning and im-
plementation of programs which will assist Districts
and congregations to combat racism wherever it appears.

To Decline Overture 2-174
on Certain Organizations

RESOLUTION 2-01
Report 2-03, Overture 2-174 (CW, pp. 47, 97)

Whereas, The fraternal organizations referred to in
Overture 2-174 have not changed their policy regarding
membership requirements as documented by recent cor-
respondence received by our Commission on Fraternal
Organizations; and

Wuereas, The Bylaws of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod do not permit membership in “societies,
lodges, and organizations of an unchristian or antichris-
tian character” (Handbook, p. 217, 14.01a); therefore
be it

Resolved, That Overture 2-174 be respectfully de-
clined.

To Retain the Present Structure
of the Commission on Theology
and Church Relations

RESOLUTION 2-02
Overture 2-09 (CW, p.50)

Whereas, The present composition of the CTCR rep-
resents a broad cross section of membership (pastors,
professors, teachers, and laymen): and

Wuereas, The present structure of the CTCR pro-
vides for both elected and appointed members; and

Whereas, After a restudy of the structure and com-
position of this committee between 1969 and 1971 the
Synod approved the present organizational form as de-
fined in the Handbook (2.109); and

Wuereas, The present workload and backlog of as-
signments to the CTCR does not suggest the desirability
of reducing its size; therefore be it

Resolved, That the present structure and organiza-
tional composition of the CTCR be retained; and be it
further

Resolved, That the CTCR be encouraged to continue
seeking help by involving other competent individuals
or groups by referring matters to them for additional
study in accordance with provisions of the synodical
Handbook (2.109 b, c); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod respectfully decline Over-
ture 2-09.

To Refrain from Placing the Inter-Lutheran
Commission on Worship Under LCUSA

RESOLUTION 2-05
Report X-03 (CW, pp. 416—418)

Wuereas, The Commission on Worship has, by for-
mal resolutions over a period of years, officially opposed
placing the work of the Inter-Lutheran Commission on
Worship under the umbrella of LCUSA since the com-
mission sees no appreciable advantage accruing from
such alignment either for the success or the rate of
progress of the work of the ILCW: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod support the position of its
Commission on Worship in this matter and so instruct
its representatives to LCUSA.

To Decline Executive Officer for ILCW
RESOLUTION 2-06
Report 2-02, Overture 2-110 (CW, pp. 45—47, 79)

Wnuereas, In accord with the provisions of the 1967
convention resolution, the President of the Synod has
reviewed the restructuring of the Inter-Lutheran Com-
mission on Worship and approved the proposed struc-
ture in all but one point; and

Wnereas, The President of the Synod upon the ad-
vice of the Commission on Worship has declined to
approve the creation of an executive officer for the
ILCW because the commission is not convinced that
such action will of itself speed up the preparation and
publication of a new hymnal and worship book: there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled
support the decision of its President regarding the re-
structuring of the ILCW, calling upon the ILCW to put
the approved rules of organization and procedure into
full operation; and be it further

Resolved, That the final request of Overture 2-110
be respectfully declined.

To Reaffirm Synod’s Position on Women
with Reference to the Pastoral Office

RESOLUTION 2-07

Overtures 2-47—2-49F, 2-50A—C, 2-52, 2-53A—C, 2-54A
to C, 2-55—2-58 (CW, pp. 63—65)

Whereas, In previous conventions the Synod has,
after study in depth by committees and commissions,
repeatedly and at length stated its position on the place
of women in the church according to the Scriptures: and

Wuertas, The Synod stated in Detroit, 1965, “On the
basis of 1 Cor. 14:34-35 and 1 Tim. 2:11-15, we hold that
God forbids women publicly to preach and teach the
Word to men and to hold any office or vote in the church
where this involves exercising authority over men with
respect to the Office of the Keys. We regard this prin-
ciple as of binding force also today because 1 Tim. 2:11-
15 refers to what God established at creation”: and

Wuereas, The Synod stated in Denver, 1969, “Those
statements of Scripture which direct women to keep
silent in the church and which prohibit them to teach
and to exercise authority over men, we understand to
mean that women ought not to hold the pastoral office
or serve in any other capacity involving the distinctive
functions of this office’: and

Wuereas, The Synod stated in Milwaukee, 1971, “That
the Synod reaffirm its position that the Word of God
does not permit women to hold the pastoral office or
serve in any capacity involving distinctive functions of
this office”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm its position that
the Scriptures forbid women to hold the pastoral office
or serve in any capacity involving distinctive functions
of this office.

To Develop Worship Materials That Reflect
Equality of Persons Before God

RESOLUTION 2-08
Overture 2-114 (CW, p. 80)

Wuereas, Both the Synod’s Commission on Worship
and the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship are