Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 412

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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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 
W
HEREAS, 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