Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 391

2026 Convention Workbook
356 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod together with 
their pastors be encouraged to reconsider the  practice of women’s 
suffrage in light of the Holy Scripture. 
Immanuel 
Mayville, WI 
Ov. 5-33 
To Reconsider Issue of Woman Suffrage  
in the Church 
WHEREAS, The 1969 Synod convention adopted Resolution 2-
17, “To Grant Woman Suffrage and Board Membership,”  
permitting congregations to adopt w omen’s suffrage and, at the 
same time, stating that any such suffrage in the congregation must 
not conflict with the order of creation or infringe on the pastoral 
office (Proceedings, 88–89); and 
WHEREAS, The Scriptures ordain male-headship in Gen. 2:18–23 
and both reaffirm and warn us that it would be challenged in Gen. 
3:16; and 
W
HEREAS, An important principle of our Lutheran Reformation 
was found in Martin Luther’s own confession at Leipzig in 1519 
(Luther’s Works [LW] 31:322) and at Worms in 1521 (LW 32:112–
17) that councils can and do err; and 
WHEREAS, The Scriptures clearly prohibit women from 
exercising authority over men as noted in 1 Tim. 2:11–12 and 1 Cor. 
14:34–35; and 
WHEREAS, The polity of many Synod congregations grants 
members of the voters’ assembly authority over weighty matters , 
including the calling of a pastor and the final excommunication of 
a sinner; and 
WHEREAS, Voting in the congregation is clearly an act of 
authority over men in that it determines matters affecting both men 
and women; and 
WHEREAS, A voters’ assembly that gives equal authority to both 
men and women overturns the order of creation and undermines the 
God-given distinction between men and women revealed in the 
Scriptures; and 
WHEREAS, Our Synod strongly opposed the practice of women’s 
suffrage in the church for the first 122 years of its history on the 
basis of the Word of God, and many of its pastors and congregations 
continue to oppose the practice to the current day; and 
W
HEREAS, Scripture offers to women praiseworthy vocations to 
serve God as wives, mothers , and in various capacities within the 
church ( e.g., altar guilds, ladies’ groups, mercy work, and as 
teachers or deaconesses, etc.), which do not conflict with the 
divinely ordained principle that a woman must not exercise 
authority over a man; and 
W
HEREAS, The church should not be at all ashamed of God-given 
distinctions in the area of gender despite the pressure to align our 
teaching and practice—in part or in full—with the culture; and  
W
HEREAS, The biblical principles that  speak to suffrage in the 
church are in no way invalidated by the fact that men, at times, fail 
to humbly and faithfully carry out the charge to sacrificial headship 
in the family, church, and state; therefore be it 
Resolved, That the pastors and congregations of the  Synod be 
encouraged to study this matter on the basis of the Word of God; 
and be it further 
Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod work together 
with their pastors to restore the Synod’s historic position of male -
only suffrage, that is,  the proper roles of both men and women in 
light of the Holy Scripture. 
Trinity 
Clinton, MA 
Ov. 5-34 
To Direct that the Synod and Its Commission on 
Theology and Church Relations Study and 
Reexamine Woman Suffrage in Light of Synod’s 
Historic Practice and Holy Scripture, so as to 
Address and Resolve Confusion and Disunity 
Preamble 
Over the last 56 years (since the 1969 Synod convention) there has 
been confusion in the Synod about the roles of men and women in 
the church. We see the disunity and confusion in our Synod because 
one congregation permits women to vote and to serve in offices such 
as chairman or vice chairman, while another congregation practices 
male-only suffrage and only permits men to serve in offices such as 
chairman or vice chairman. In 1969 , the Synod in convention said 
congregations may continue the practice of mal e-only suffrage or 
they may alter their constitutions to allow woman suffrage as long 
as it does not exercise authority over men. From 1847 until 1969, 
the Synod not only taught that women may not hold the office of 
pastor, but that women may not hold any public office in the church 
wherein they exercise authority over men. This also includes the 
voters assembling , which, per Synod’s “Guidelines for 
Constitutions and Bylaws of Lutheran Congregations ,” is “the 
governing body of this congregation and shall be  empowered to 
administer and manage all its affairs” (2013 Workbook, 327). The 
voters represent the congregation, act on her behalf, and make the 
final, binding decisions for the congregation. Thus, to be a voter is 
to hold public office in the church wherein one represents the 
congregation and exercises authority over the congre gation, which 
is also made up of men. God’s Word forbids women from 
exercising authority over men in 1 Cor inthians 14:34; Ephesians 
5:22; 1 Timothy 2:11–12; 1 Peter 3:1; and 1 Corinthians 11:3. 
WHEREAS, God forbids women to serve in public office wherein 
they supervise or exercise authority over men as noted in 1 Timothy 
2:11–12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34–35; these passages speak broadly 
and not only of the office of pastor; and 
WHEREAS, The voters assembly is the governing body of the 
congregation, which means the voters assembly exercises authority 
over men. The Synod’s 
“Guidelines for Constitutions and Bylaws 
of Lutheran Congregations” states: “The voters assembly shall be 
the governing body of this congregation and shall be empowered to 
administer and manage all its affairs” (ibid.). To be a voter is to hold 
public office, that is, to act and make decisions on behalf of the 
whole and exercise authority over the congregation, which includes 
things like church discipline, excommunication, calling a pastor, 
removing a pastor, appointin g church officers, doctrinal matters, 
spending, etc.; and 
WHEREAS, The Synod opposed woman suffrage for the first 122 
years of its history based on God’s Word and many pastors and 
congregations continue to strongly oppose it; and