To Give Thanks for the Work of, and To Amend Bylaws to Conclude, the Pastoral Formation Committee

Official Workbook overture source text

6-64 
To Give Thanks for the Work of,  
and To Amend Bylaws to Conclude,  
the Pastoral Formation Committee 
WHEREAS, Prior to the restructuring implemented by the 2010 
Synod convention, there existed a 14-member Board for Pastoral 
Education (BPE), all of whose voting members were elected by the 
Synod in convention (see 2007 Bylaw 3.8.2f.); and 
WHEREAS, The BPE, in addition to acting as a resource for advice 
and coordination, had significant and substantive governance 
authority over the seminaries, including the right to approve 
seminary master plans; to  approve new programs; to establish 
guidelines for distribution of Synod grants; to grant prior approval 
of faculty; to approve capital projects; to recommend consolidation, 
relocation, or divestiture of a seminary; to oversee pastoral 
colloquy; to set policies that were binding upon each seminary’s 
board of regents; and to appoint members of the seminary boards of 
regents for vacancies in Synod-elected positions; and 
WHEREAS, Two convention cycles after abolishing the BPE, the 
Synod in convention created the Pastoral Formation Committee 
(PFC) by adopting 2016 Resolution 6- 01, which was based on the 
recommendation of the 2013 Res. 5- 14A task force “that there be 
an entity ensuring that the seminaries do coordinate and collaborate 
with respect to” the various routes to ordination in the Synod; and 
WHEREAS, The PFC’s responsibilities do not include any of the 
substantive governance responsibilities listed above as previously 
held by the BPE; and 
WHEREAS, The PFC consists of only three voting members, none 
of whom is elected by the Synod in convention: namely, the two 
seminary presidents and the Chief Mission Officer of the Synod, 
together with the executive director of the Office of Pastoral 
Education, who is a non- voting advisory member. Consequently, 
only two individuals, both serving in similar contexts, can direct the 
course of the PFC’s actions; and 
WHEREAS, To the extent the PFC is “responsible for ensuring 
that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is fulfilled 
consistently” (Bylaw 3.10.4) and is directed to “review … seminary 
and pre -seminary education programs” (Bylaw 3.10.4.3) and to 
“monitor and re ceive reports from all directors and committees 
charged with oversight of all routes to ordination” (Bylaw 3.10.4.4), 
its structure creates a circular process, the two seminary presidents 
effectively reviewing and monitoring their own performance and 
that of their institutions— a function that belongs to the respective 
boards of regents (under Bylaws 3.10.5.1 and 3.10.5.6.1) and, for 
broader policy matters, to the Synod in convention; and 
WHEREAS, Because the PFC lacks the substantive governing 
authority, broad membership, and direct accountability to 
convention of the former BPE, and because the PFC creates a 
redundant level of monitoring and review of seminary-related 
activities by a committee c ontrolled by the seminary presidents 
(“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” [1 Cor. 
11:31 KJV]), it is an unnecessary addition to the seminary 
governance structure. As such, we should give thanks for the work 
done to date and sunset the PFC; therefore be it 
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.4.3.8 be removed as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
Chief Mission Officer 
3.4.3 The Chief Mission Officer shall be responsible to the 
President of the Synod for the mission, ministry, and any 
programmatic and coordinative functions which are implemented 
according to the policies adopted by the Board for National Mission 
and the Board for International Mission. 
… 
3.4.3.8 The Chief Mission Officer shall, on behalf of the President, 
provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for pre- seminary 
education programs, seminary education, and post -seminary 
continuing education, and by providing advocacy for pastoral 
2026 Convention Workbook
403PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES