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2026 Convention Workbook

344 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

by means of another legitimate call or else depose him for only one or more of these causes: ungodly doctrine, ungodly life, or incompetence; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has over the years, at almost every convention, revised its Bylaws with regard to aspects of governance and structure that affect the divinely instituted office of the ministerium docendi evangelii et porrigendi sacramenta (AC V 1);

and

WHEREAS, In the Synod’s Bylaws, the following sections pertain to the employment and deposal of persons holding the divinely instituted office: (1) expulsion from the Synod of either congregations or rostered workers (Bylaw sections 2.14 –2.17); (2)

restricted or suspended status (Bylaws 2.13.2 –2.13.4); (3) removal of officers or board members of the Synod or districts (Bylaws 1.5.7–1.5.8); (4) removal of seminary faculty or administrators (Bylaws 3.10.5.7.5–3.10.5.7.9); (5) removal of university faculty or administrators (Bylaws 3.10.6.9.4– 3.10.6.9.6); and (6) dispute resolution (Bylaw section 1.10); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Handbook (COH) regularly revises and reviews the constitution and Bylaws according to the directives of the Synod in convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That in the coming triennium the COH be assigned the project of reviewing not only all the sections listed in the fourth whereas above, but also all parts of the Handbook , to ensure that such sections and parts are in compliance with our doctrine and practice of the divinely instituted office of the ministerium docendi evangelii et porrigendi sacramenta (AC V 1); and be it further

Resolved, That in order to assist with this task, the COH be urged to consult three orthodox statements of our doctrine of the ministry:

(1) The 2003 report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, Theology and Practice of “the Divine Call” ; (2) Kurt Marquart, The Church and Her Fellowship, Ministry , and Governance (Fort Wayne: IFLCR, 1990, 103–173, especially 157– 160); and (3) Robert D. Preus, “ The Doctrine of the Call in the Confessions and Lutheran Orthodoxy”, (John A. Maxfield, ed., Church and Ministry Today: Three Confessional Lutheran Essays [Saint Louis: Luther Academy, 2001], 1–50); and be it finally

Resolved, That the COH report its findings to the 2029 Synod convention, along with any proposed revisions to the Bylaws to bring them more fully into compliance with the Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, and our doctrine and practice of the divine call.

Mission of the Cross Crosslake, MN

Ov. 5-13

To Request Comprehensive Review When Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated

WHEREAS, The Synod has committed to caring for pastors and church workers in one of its seven mission priorities, to wit:

“promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well -being of pastors and professional church workers” (2023 Res. 4 -03, “To Affirm and Continue Mission Priorities for 2023–26 Triennium,” Proceedings, 136–37); and

WHEREAS, There are a number of reasons a person might self - terminate a Divine Call (e.g., age of retirement, mental or physical health concerns or incapacitations, personal conviction, etc.); and

WHEREAS, There is biblical precedent for the non -death ending of a tenure of service (e.g., Num. 8:23–26); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) discussed termination of a Divine Call in its 2003 Report, Theology and Practice of “t he Divine Call, ” only from the perspective of outside termination and not self-termination; and

WHEREAS, Care should be given to the worker and the people of God served by the worker throughout the length of a Divine Call, including if a call is terminated or self-terminated; and

WHEREAS, There is a paucity of theological rationale and practical direction in the Synod for the many ways a Divine Call might be self-terminated before death; and

WHEREAS, There can be confusion in the church over legitimate and illegitimate reasons for terminating or self-terminating a Divine Call, which might result in anxiety over candidate status; therefore be it

Resolved, That church workers and congregations be given clear teaching on the theological and practical procedures when a Divine Call is terminated or self-terminated; and be it further

Resolved, That the English District memorialize Synod to instruct the CTCR to offer clarity regarding theological and practical considerations for the ways a Divine Call might be legitimately or illegitimately terminated or self-terminated ; and be it further

Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the Synod that the Council of Presidents is to establish support and training materials for church workers who self -terminate their Divine Call legitimately; and be it finally

Resolved, That district presidents and circuit visitors work with the workers and congregations of their districts to support their called church workers before, during, and after times of termination or self-termination.

English District

Ov. 5-14

To Study How to Amend Practice of Issuing “Divine Calls” to Positions Not in Direct Service of Proclamation of Gospel and Administration of Sacraments

WHEREAS, Article V of The Augsburg Confession (AC) states, “So that we may obtain this faith [namely, that (our) sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake (AC IV 2)], the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted”; and

WHEREAS, AC XIV states, “Our churches teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church, or administer the Sacraments, without a rightly ordered call”; and

WHEREAS, The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (Tr) 60 states, “The Gospel assigns those who preside over churches the command to teach the Gospel (Matt. 28:19), to forgive sins (John 20:23), to administer the Sacraments, and also to exercise jurisdiction”; and

WHEREAS, The Smalcald Articles (SA) III X 2 teaches that “[the bishops] do not even want to be true bishops, but worldly lords and princes, who will neither preach, nor teach, nor baptize, nor administer the Lord’s Supper, nor perform any work or office of the Church”; and