RESOLUTION 5-13

Overtures 5-25–28 (CW, pp. 352–354)

WHEREAS, The Christian Church confesses that God created humanity, male and female, in His image and with His blessing as His stewards (Gen. 1:27–28; 2:21–24; 5:2) and, by grace through faith, to be His “chosen priests” living in service to Him (1 Peter 2:9–10; and see Matt. 4:10; Acts 2:18; Gal. 3:27–28); and

WHEREAS, All of God’s chosen priests (the congregation of saints, the church) are “to offer themselves as living sacrifices” and “to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light” (Rom. 12:1; 1 Peter 2:4–9; see also Matt. 28:19–20; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; as examples of this see John 4:39; Acts 8:4; 11:19–21) and therefore to them Christ gives the Office of the Keys (Matt. 18:18; Tr 67; 1932 Brief Statement, § 30); and

WHEREAS, The Word of God teaches that although all believers are royal priests and possess the keys of the kingdom of heaven, God has also established a particular office to proclaim the Word and administer the Office of the Keys publicly (i.e., on behalf of the church), and this Office of Public Ministry is to be held only by certain men who are “above reproach,” “able to teach,” and then rightly called to this office (John 21:15–17; 1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Cor. 12:29; Rom. 10:15; Eph. 4:11; Jam. 3:1; 1 Tim 3:1–6; 2 Tim. 2:1–2; Titus 1:5–9; see also Augsburg Confession (AC) Article V and AC Article XIV); and

WHEREAS, The priestly work of the people of God and the special calling to the office of preaching and the administration of the sacraments on behalf of the church are complementary, not competing, existing side-by-side in Scripture and in the life of the church; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has affirmed this complementary understanding of the royal priesthood and the office of the ministry throughout its history by (1) adopting C. F. W. Walther’s Theses on Church and Ministry (1851); (2) adopting the Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod (1932; see §§ 30–34); and (3) recently reaffirming Walther’s Church and Ministry (2001 Res. 7-17A; see also 1992 Res. 3-06A); and

WHEREAS, Misunderstandings have arisen in recent years such as denials of the right or responsibility of the laity to proclaim the Gospel and of the efficacy of the Word when lay people proclaim it, and also denials and confusion about the divinely-instituted nature and/or responsibilities of the office of public ministry; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) recently (May 2016) adopted an opinion titled “Response to Two Questions: Is the Gospel Effective when Spoken by a Lay Person? and Is Pastoral Oversight the Sole Criterion for Laymen Carrying Out Pastoral Functions?”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS confess that all Christians, as chosen priests, are the possessors of the keys of the Kingdom of God and are called in their Baptism to proclaim the Gospel in their daily lives (see references above as noted); and be it further

Resolved, That the Word of God is efficacious, without regard to where, when, how or by whom it is spoken (Is. :11; John 4:1 39); and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS encourage the CTCR to complete its requested study of the royal priesthood (see 2007 Res. 1-03) prior to the next Synod convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS confess that the office of the ministry is established and commanded by Christ as essential to the church’s life (see references above as noted); and be it further

Resolved, That we commend for study and discussion the CTCR opinion, “Response to Two Questions,” and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS again endorse Walther’s teaching on church and ministry, as stated in Church and Office, as fully faithful to Holy Scripture and the Confessions and as the teaching and understanding of this Synod.