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Resolved, That the Synod in c onvention condemn all efforts to use these unauthorized processes and organizations; and be it further

Resolved, That Synod leadership make diligent efforts to ensure that only properly authorized processes are being used; and be it finally

Resolved, That the President of the Synod exercise oversight and execute appropriate discipline on offending district presidents, rostered church workers, and congregations.

Circuit 7 (Fort Wayne South)

Indiana District

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

Ov. 6-23

To Affirm That Pastoral Formation in the Synod Is Done by Synod-Approved Seminaries

WHEREAS, The Office of the Holy Ministry has been instituted by Christ Himself (John 20:19–23; Eph. 4:11–16); and

WHEREAS, An objective of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is to “recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers and provide opportunity for their continuing growth” (Const. Art. III 3); and

WHEREAS, A central purpose in the formation of the LCMS, 179 years ago, was to share together in the task of preparing and recognizing LCMS pastors, whom LCMS congregations would then be free to choose and call for service. Thus, the Synod has, from its beginning , supported and operated its own seminaries:

Concordia Seminary (CSL) and Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW); and

WHEREAS, In May 2025, the presidents of CSL and CTSFW wrote letters to the Synod responding to questions about non-LCMS online theological programs appealing to LCMS students and donors; and

WHEREAS, The presidents of CSL and CTSFW clearly stated in their letters that graduates of these non-approved programs may not be ordained or installed in an LCMS congregation or ministry and that these non-approved programs are neither owned, operated, nor governed by the Synod; and

WHEREAS, These two presidents (of CSL and CTSFW) are two of the three members of the Pastoral Formation Committee, whose primary role is “ensuring that the Synod’s objective of training pastors is fulfilled consistently (Constitution Art. III 3)” (Bylaw 3.10.4); and

WHEREAS, The 2023 Synod convention, in Resolution 6-02A, “To Encourage Proper Pastoral Formation through Our Synod’s Seminaries,” resolved that “districts and members of the Synod honor, use, and promote Synod- approved programs and not create 2026 Convention Workbook

377PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES