LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1979, Page 101

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2. TASK FORCE

To Provide Common Foundation for
Living and Working Together as
Appendix to Synodical Handbook

RESOLUTION 2-01
Report 2-01, A (CW, pp. 56—58)

WHEREAS, The Constituting Principles enunciated
by the Task Force on Constitution, Bylaws, and Struc-
ture of the Synod provide a clear and understandable
description of our Synod’s walking together; and

WHEREAS, Widely accepted and mutually understood
principles serve to clarify and promote understanding
among parties; and

WHEREAS, These principles provide a guide toward
what is meant to “preserve the congregational polity of
church government which has served our Synod in its
history and avoid the centralization of power within the
synodical structure’; therefore be it

Resolved, That the following Constituting Princi-
ples be placed as a salutary “Appendix” to the Hand-
book of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod with
the following introductory paragraph:

In response to its charge “to study and propose
revisions of the Constitution, Bylaws, and the entire
organizational structure of the Synod” (Anaheim 5-
01A), the Task Force on Constitution, Bylaws, and
Structure (1975—79) enunciated certain Constituting
Principles as reflective of the philosophy of our
synodical structure and operation. While these prin-
ciples, as amended by the 1979 convention, might
serve to illuminate the Constitution and Bylaws of
the Synod, they ought not to be used to determine the
interpretation thereof.

THE CONSTITUTING PRINCIPLES
Definition

A constituting principle states an underlying
premise on which relating members, mindful of a
common purpose, desire to structure their relation-
ships, preserve essential rights, define basic privi-
leges and responsibilities, and give order to their
common work.

A constituting principle is normally derived from
Scriptural mandate or Scriptural example. A consti-
tuting principle may also emerge from sound judg-
ments about what seems most beneficial to the
relationship being constituted or from the best in
historical tradition. Principles proceeding from these
latter sources require testing.

A constituting principle influences the character
and style of subsequent principles, namely, organ-
izing and operating principles. The purpose of ident-
ifying constituting principles, therefore, is to estab-
lish a cohesiveness among the various sections of the
Constitution and Bylaws, to provide a frame of
reference for designing the resulting organization,
and in general to facilitate the achievement of the
stated purpose and objectives of the relationship
being constituted.

I. On the Nature of a Christian Congregation

In structuring our relationships in The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod and in giving order to our
common work, we recognize and affirm—

101

A. That a congregation, a community of believers
gathered and organized for worship, nurture, witness,
and service, comprises the primary fellowship to
which God grants certain privileges, together with
attendant rights and responsibilities.

B. That the God-given privileges of a congre-
gation include: to call itself a gathering of God’s
people, not by merit but by virtue of God’s forgiving
grace; to gather around the study of God’s Word; to
proclaim the Gospel and to live by its power; to use
and administer the sacraments as a means of God’s
grace; to exercise the Office of the Keys.

1. As a beneficiary of these privileges, a congre-
gation humbly exercises certain God-given rights. A
congregation has a right to govern itself! under the
guidance of God’s Word; to test under the Scriptures
and the Lutheran Confessions the soundness, suit-
ability, and adequacy of synodically adopted resolu-
tions and render a judgment;? to cooperate with other
Christian congregations when the opportunity exists
to promote the glory of God and the upbuilding of the
church; to select and call its own pastors, teachers,
and other professional church workers.?

2. As a beneficiary of these privileges, a congre-
gation is to fulfill faithfully certain God-given respon-
sibilities. A congregation has a responsibility to
proclaim God’s Word, rightly dividing Law and
Gospel; to witness in particular to the love of God
revealed in Jesus Christ; to nurture and upbuild
members in the faith; to care for the purity of doctrine
and life in its midst; to celebrate God’s goodness and
worship Him; to share God’s gifts in common; to serve
people in need; to keep diligently the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace.

3. As a congregation covenanting with other con-
gregations within the Synod, a congregation further
agrees to accept certain additional responsibilities: to
be considerate of other congregations within the
Synod in the exercise of its rights; to unite with other
congregations of the Synod in the exercise of their
joint responsibilities; to undergird the work of the
Synod through its service and support according to
the criteria of the Constitution and Bylaws of the
Synod; to use the Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions as the base and norm from which it renders
judgment on synodically adopted resolutions; and,
according to the procedures which are set forth in the
Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod, to select and
call pastors, teachers, and other professional workers
who have been endorsed for such service by the
Synod.

II. On the Nature of a Synod

In structuring our relationships in The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod and in giving order to our
common work we recognize and affirm—

A. That a synod is a voluntary association of
congregations covenanting together to preserve their
confessional unity; to pursue commonly accepted
objectives which are established to support these
congregations in their God-given responsibilities;
and to demonstrate their acceptance of the diversity
of God’s gifts and their willingness to share them for
the common good.

B. That asynod makes possible a division of labor
whereby congregations pledge their mutual assis-
tance and support to the Synod, thereby endeavoring
to carry out the objectives for which the Synod has
been formed as identified in Article III of the Consti-
tution; pledge themselves to one another in a com-
monly identified theological and confessional basis
as enunciated in Article II; voluntarily comply with