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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 488

In the proposal below, bylaws concerning doctrinal review are 
reorganized for clarity. The reorganization places bylaws related to 
appeal of doctrinal review certification (whether before or after 
publication) adjacent to those treating its initial determination. This 
should prevent misunderstanding by allowing more ready 
comparison and by presenting all doctrinal review material (except 
for matters strictly involving the related commission) together in 
one place. A new second sentence is added in Bylaw 1.9 .1.1 (b) to 
memorialize the opinion of the CCM as to the scope of the “study 
document and exploratory material” exception. 
Therefore be it 
Resolved, That Bylaw section 1.9 and subsection 3.9.3 be 
amended as follows: 
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING 
1.9 Doctrinal Review 
Definition 
1.9.1 Doctrinal review is the exercise of the Synod’s 
responsibility to determine that every doctrinal statement made in its 
or any of its agencies’ or auxiliaries’ materials is in accord with the 
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. 
Material Subject to Doctrinal Review 
1.9.1.1 The following materials are subject to doctrinal review: 
(a) All official periodicals and journals of the Synod as well as 
any material with doctrinal content issued publicly by boards, 
commissions, or other subordinate groups of the Synod except as 
stipulated in these Bylaws shall be subject to doctrinal review. 
(b)  The right to produce study documents and exploratory 
material plainly designated as such and published by boards, 
commissions, or other subordinate groups of the Synod is 
recognized, and such material is not required to be submitted to 
the doctrinal review  process. The material of such a document 
shall be within the purview of the respective board, commission, 
or other subordinate group; its intended distribution shall be 
limited to those who are competent to evaluate the issue critically; 
and the document shall serve only as a penultimate document 
intended to result in a clearer or more correct public presentation 
of doctrine or practice in subsequent documents or efforts. 
Publication of  When released, such study material that is not 
submitted for doctrinal review shall always include this notice on 
or immediately following the title page: “This material is being 
released for study and discussion purposes, and the author(s) 
is(are) solely responsible for its contents. It has not been 
submitted to the process  for doctrinal review stipulated in the 
Bylaws of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod and does not 
necessarily reflect the theology of the Lutheran Confessions or 
the doctrinal position of The Lutheran Church —Missouri 
Synod.” 
(c)  Each district is accountable to the Synod through its 
respective president and board of directors for the content of all 
of its published materials. 
(d) Each of the Synod’s schools is accountable to the Synod 
through its respective president and board of regents for the 
content of its professional journals and all of its published 
materials that are not the official publications of the Synod 
(Bylaw 3.4.3.7). The editorial boards of such publications shall 
serve as their own doctrinal reviewers. 
(e)  Auxiliary organizations recognized by the Synod shall be 
held directly accountable for their material. However, in accord 
with his office as defined in Constitution Art. XI B 1, the 
President of the Synod shall require doctrinal review. 
(f)  In the case of broadcasts over the Synod’s radio station by 
other than staff members, individuals must be held responsible 
for their own material since it is not feasible to apply the process 
of doctrinal review to such broadcasts. 
(g)  Official reports of the boards, commissions, task forces, and 
committees of the Synod prepared in response to directives from 
the Synod shall not be subject to doctrinal review. 
Procedure 
1.9.2 Before materials stipulated in Bylaw 1.9.1 are published, 
they shall be submitted to (a) doctrinal reviewer(s). Reviewers shall 
make a careful evaluation of the doctrinal content of all items 
submitted. Materials are to be reviewed in a prompt manner and 
completed in no longer than four weeks. Exceptions shall be 
arranged by mutual agreement between the reviewer(s) and the 
originating entity. 
(a) The primary responsibility for doctrinal supervision and 
review lies with the President of the Synod (Constitution Art. XI 
B 1). 
(1) Each board, commission, and other subordinate group of 
the Synod shall advise the President of the Synod of the 
number and desired competency of doctrinal reviewers needed 
by it and may suggest a list of qualified persons. The President 
shall appoint reviewers for each group according to its needs. 
They shall be broadly representative of the ministry of the 
Synod. 
(2) Reviewers shall be appointed for renewable three -year 
terms. An appointment may be terminated prior to the 
completion of the appointed term if the reviewer is unable or 
unwilling to carry out the reviewing tasks assigned. In the 
event of such terminati on, the President of the Synod shall 
appoint another reviewer to complete the unexpired term. 
(b) Each agency of the Synod, synodwide corporate entity, or 
auxiliary shall establish procedures that will e nsure that its 
material as specified in Bylaw section 1.9 will be submitted for 
doctrinal review to one of the reviewers referred to in Bylaw 1.9.2 
(a). 
(c) 
Since time requirements vary according to the type of 
material being reviewed, the procedure in each case shall be 
worked out to the mutual satisfaction of the sponsoring group and 
the doctrinal reviewer(s). 
(d) The identity of authors and reviewers shall not be disclosed 
without the approval of the President. Consultation may at times 
be advisable, however, where clarification is necessary. 
(e) 
The reviewer’s primary concern is that items submitted to 
him be in agreement in their doctrinal content with the Scriptures 
and the Lutheran Confessions. 
(f) 
The reviewer(s) shall also be concerned that the items 
submitted do not contain statements that are inadequate, 
misleading, ambiguous, or lacking in doctrinal clarity. 
(g) The reviewer(s) shall further be concerned that resolutions of 
the Synod be honored and upheld and that positions deviating 
from the doctrinal resolutions of the Synod be clearly identified 
as such. 
(h) When the author is also a reviewer, his material shall be 
assigned to another reviewer. In order to avoid any conflict of 
interest, no author shall be involved in any way in the selection 
or assignment of reviewer(s) for his or her own work. 
(i) The reviewer may request that specific material assigned to 
him also be reviewed by another reviewer. 
(j) Where changes appear to be necessary, the reviewer(s) shall 
submit a thorough and clearly written documented critique that 
shall be made available to the author, the sponsoring group, and 
the publisher. The documentation provided by the reviewer(s) 
shall provide a thorough and detailed explanation, with all 
appropriate biblical and confessional references used to support 
the opinion offered. 
2026 Convention Workbook
453STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION