To Comply with and Apply Constitution Article VI 3 regarding Regular Call

Ov. 6-22

To Comply with and Apply Constitution Article VI 3 regarding Regular Call

WHEREAS, Some persons and organizations have challenged the authority of our seminaries, placement officers, and district presidents to teach, examine, and place candidates for the pastoral ministry in cooperation with congregations who call them; and

WHEREAS, Constitution Article VI 3 demands that “ Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod ” include the “regular call of pastors and any commissioned ministers … as also the blamelessness of the life of such”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in its wisdom over the years has always given the authority to teach, examine, and place candidates for the pastoral ministry to its two seminary faculties, their respective boards of regents, the Council of Presidents (COP), and various placement officers responsible to these faculties, boards, and council; and

WHEREAS, This arrangement has prevented both the accumulation of too much authority in one small group or a single person and, at the same time, prevented various sectarian and independent-minded persons and congregations from abandoning the fellowship, unity, and doctrine of the Synod by teaching, examining, and placing candidates apart from the S ynod’s established ways and means; and

WHEREAS, In one situation in 1975, known as the “Seminary in Exile” or “Seminex,” a group of faculty members who had left their legitimate calls attempted to examine and place candidates apart from the Synod’s established ways and means, and the Synod in its 1975 convention authorized the Synod President to remove from office any and all district presidents who ordained candidates that came from Seminex (1975 Res. 5-02A, “To Deal with District Presidents Who Have Ordained or Who Have Authorized Ordination of Persons Who Are Not Properly Endorsed,” Proc., 122–24); and

WHEREAS, President Jacob A.O. Preus followed the mandate of the 1975 convention by removing four Seminex- ordaining district presidents from their office, which led to the departure of 250 congregations into the s ynod known as the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches ( AELC), which soon thereafter made overtures to the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) and American Lutheran Church (ALC) to form a new synod, now called the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); and

WHEREAS, The example of Seminex demonstrates how serious our forefathers considered , and how they acted in , cases where Constitution Article VI 3 has been violated; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention urge, by the mercies of God, those who are challenging the authority of our seminaries, placement officers, and district presidents to cease and desist from these sectarian and divisive actions; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention hereby authorize the Synod President and the COP to counsel those who are challenging the authority of our seminaries, placement officers, and district presidents; and be it further

Resolved, That only after futile admonition and in accord with Constitution Article VI 3, the Synod President with a majority vote of the COP, is hereby authorized to remove from membership and the roster of the Synod those persons and congregations who ordain or install pastoral candidates apart from the existing process, which involves the two seminary faculties, their respective boards of regents, the COP , and various placement officers responsible to these faculties, boards, and council; and be it finally

Resolved, That candidates for the pastoral ministry who have received training to be Christian pastors apart from the Synod pastoral education system submit to colloquy, in accord with the 2023 Synod Bylaws.

Grace San Mateo, CA