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[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
Board for Communication Services

LCMSNews -- No. 13
March 12, 2002

Dissenters fails
to convince CTCR

Some 30 Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod pastors who in 1996 formally 
dissented from the Synod's position that Scripture does not forbid women 
from voting in the congregation have failed to convince the Commission on 
Theology and Church Relations (CTCR).

"Following a careful study of the ... dissent and after prayerful 
consideration of the arguments presented, the commission has concluded that 
the dissenters have not presented sufficient Biblical evidence that would 
necessitate a recommendation that the Synod revise its position on the 
question of woman suffrage and board membership," the CTCR said Feb. 9

The CTCR's resolution, itself adopted without dissent during the 
commission's Feb. 7-9 meeting in St. Louis, added, "The commission 
continues to believe that the position of the Synod is clearly in keeping 
with what the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions teach regarding the 
role of women in the church."

The 1995 Synod convention reaffirmed what the Synod declared in 1969, that 
"Scripture does not prohibit women from exercising the franchise in 
congregational ... assemblies," thereby placing the matter into the realm 
of Christian liberty.  The 1995 convention urged Synod members who are 
convinced that Scripture does prohibit women from voting to follow the 
Synod's procedure for dissent.

The next year, in 1996, a paper dissenting from the Synod's position was 
submitted to the CTCR and endorsed by some 30 pastors.  After studying the 
arguments made in that paper, the CTCR came to the conclusion adopted Feb. 9.

Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, the commission's executive director, said this marks 
the fifth time that the CTCR has studied the issue and reaffirmed what it 
first said in 1968, that nothing in Scripture forbids women from voting or 
from holding most congregation or Synod offices.

The CTCR at its Feb. 7-9 meeting also declined to adopt a proposed draft 
report on the implications of the image of God for the relationship of male 
and female.  The draft was prepared in response to a 1995 Synod convention 
assignment.

The commission asked its standing committee that has been working on this 
assignment to continue its study of the topic.  It also adopted a 
resolution encouraging one of the Synod's two seminary journals to publish 
the declined draft, under the drafter's name, "as a contribution to the 
ongoing discussion of these issues in the LCMS."

In another item of business, the commission began its discussion of 
guidelines for participating in "civic events" that may include the 
participation of non-Christians and that involve such activities as prayer 
and Scripture reading.  Synod President Gerald Kieschnick in November asked 
the CTCR to provide guidance on the matter.

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