Ordination. We're Listening.
Background
For all of its history, our church has ordained men to the office of the public ministry. Conventions have voted on the ordination of women three times – in 2000, 2006 and 2015. According to the constitution, such a decision would need a two-thirds majority of those registered at Convention.
The 2015 Synod, however, did not let the matter rest there. In a subsequent resolution, delegates voted, by a large majority, that the theologians of the church be requested to develop a draft doctrinal statement that presents a theological basis for the ordination of both women and men, and why this need not be church-divisive.
Resolution of the 2015 General Convention of Synod
2015:0216 RESOLVED that Synod requests the CTICR to build on its earlier work regarding the ordination of women and men to develop a draft doctrinal statement for GPC and the 19th Convention of Synod that presents:
- A theological basis for the ordination of women and men.
- A theological basis for why the ordination of women and men need not be church divisive.
- And that GCC resource it.
Outcomes
In fulfilment of this resolution the CTICR has prepared two documents:
- A Theological Basis for the Ordination of Women and Men – Draft Doctrinal Statement
- That the Ordination Issue Need Not Be Church Divisive.
Documents
These two documents, together with two supplementary documents, are available on the General Convention website.
Ordination. We're Listening.
owl@lca.org.au
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