LEAven Blog

When the 68^th regular Convention of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod began on July 29, 2023, in Milwaukee, it had all the makings of the churchwide conventions I have attended for the past 40 years: hundreds of overtures crafted into resolutions by floor committees; reports and presentations scheduled to be made to the assembly; worship and Bible study; exhibits representing ministries from around the globe; and brief periods of social time in between the tightly packed agenda. The debates on the floor led to decisions that were both adopted and defeated, typically by a margin of a few percentage points. Elections produced individuals selected for boards and commissions, presumably influenced by a variety of lists shared with delegates prior to the convention. There were both highlights that reminded me about the reasons we “walk together” as a Synodical body in ministry around the word, but also some times that demonstrated how we are divided on issues that can delay and inhibit our walking together.

Among the many surprises that I observed during our six days together was the confusion that seemed to still abound about the “Minister of Religion – Commissioned” and its place in the LCMS. I had gotten used to the fact that there continues to be a division in understanding about why those who are called into public ministry with this designation are disenfranchised from voting in district and synodical conventions. This issue has a long history and has been addressed in every triennium that I can remember. Despite attempts to bring this to the floors of conventions and get more serious attention between gatherings, there continues to be debate about why more than 10,000 individuals who, by definition in LCMS bylaws, are full members of Synod (along with clergy and congregations) are not even eligible to be elected as delegates.

Attempts to surface alternative plans have been thwarted constantly over the years, particularly when some well-defined options were not allowed to the convention floor in 2010. Even an attempt to suggest some new ideas this summer for more advisory involvement which were successfully implemented at several district conventions was refereed by the floor committee to omnibus resolutions. (See the “Voice, but no Vote” article and the“Voice and Vote” blog for more background on the disenfranchisement battle)

Behind the discussion through the decades about the voting issues seems to be a more deeply rooted confusion about what the “Minister of Religion – Commissioned” designation really means and the significance of how this confusion affects the decisions that are made in convention. I have observed that many delegates (both lay and ordained) do not have a full understanding of how commissioned ministers fit into the synodical structure, how they serve in a variety of ministry areas, or how many are serving today. The definition of a commissioned minister as a member in the LCMS is made very clear in Article V of its Constitution. The relationship of this “auxiliary office” to the office of pastoral ministry has been clear for decades through work of the Commission of Theology and Church Relations and in many other writings. Commissioned ministers have been allowed certain capacities in service on boards, commissions, and floor committees – all without the ability to have voting participation in conventions.

The 2023 Milwaukee convention was a place where such confusion became more evident. Something as simple as the wording of overtures and resolutions caused questions from the floor. In cases where commissioned ministers are the only topics of discussion, it is generally understood who they are. What caused confusion are instances such as the following:

• Certain positions on boards are made available to either a commissioned minister OR ordained minister, and in some cases “OR layperson”
• Several resolutions and bylaws refer to “laymen and clergy” (where all non-clergy are inferred to be together) while in some instances the reference is made to “laymen and commissioned ministers” (commonly defined as separate groups)

We need to make some advances in the ways in which Ministers of Religion – Commissioned are allowed to fully participate in the decisions of the LCMS, even as they are full members, defined by the Constitution. The structure for voting is one that can be adjusted to provide full inclusion. Several suggestions for this have been made over the years, but most often not brought to a vote. Organizations of boards and committees, and the wording of bylaws and resolutions, must be carefully crafted to take into full account the defined rights and responsibilities of congregations, commissioned ministers, and clergy. We must do the best we can to move forward … walking together … to avoid confusion and carry God’s Word into all the world.