Three frameworks
A robust evaluation process was approved for use by the General Church Board and College of Bishops to generate the three frameworks and involved both quantitative and qualitative analysis. This followed the call for models from across the church in June. The three frameworks will be enhanced, with further details being added between October 2023 and July 2024.
Explore the frameworks:
The date for feedback has been extended to Friday 23 February 2024.
Framework: Confessional Communities (CC)
Description
The framework proposes that pastors decide to be a member of one of two conferences/confessional communities:
- Male Ordination (MO) confessional community
- Men and Women Ordination (M&W) confessional community.
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Principles upheld
- The status quo prevails for all congregations in the MO confessional community.
- The framework allows pastors to maintain alternate understandings on ordination.
- Each pastor would be requested to identify with one community.
- All other structures would remain unchanged.
- The framework upholds the Confessions of the church as set out in Article 2 of the Constitution of the LCA.
- It protects the congregation and its ministry from division, being between pastor and calling body, congregation and members, congregations within a parish.
- It treats both sides of the issue with respect and dignity. There should be no ‘winners’ or ‘losers’.
- In order to meet the timeline, the framework should reduce the amount of change required.
Components
- All pastors of the church, whether active in a congregation/parish, school, executive role or retired, would register as a pastor on the Roll of Pastors of a confessional community.
- A separate Roll of Pastors would be maintained for each confessional community in order to facilitate identity, communication, and call information.
- Lay members of the church may elect to register as a member of a confessional community based on their own personal confession and faith.
- Within a confessional community, the registered pastors would elect those from among their community to act on their behalf for the purpose of ordaining candidates for pastoral ministry and having oversight of disciplinary matters of pastors in relation to the doctrine, teaching and practice as set out in #1 and #2 above. This role may be occupied by a current district bishop or a new bishop for this purpose created.
- A confessional community would have the right to provide advice, recommendations or an opinion to the General Synod of the church on any doctrinal matter before the synod.
- The confessional community would have the right to publish and promote its doctrinal or teaching position on societal matters.
- General Synod: The pastor delegates would be elected from the confessional community on a pro rata basis.
- District Synod: The pastor delegates would be elected from those registered with a confessional community and serving in the relevant district on a pro rata basis.
- Lay members: Lay delegates to both General Synod and any District Synod would be in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws.
- General Pastors Conference and District Pastors Conference would be replaced by the separate confessional community gatherings.
- The confessional community would be encouraged to gather as a community at least once a year to worship together, encourage one another, study God’s word and conduct any elections of those in authority or delegates as may be required.
- Congregations would remain unchanged as the members of the church.
- The district structure would remain unchanged as set out in the Constitution of the church.
Your opinion matters
The Way Forward team values your opinion on this framework. You may direct your feedback, reflections and questions to one or multiple working groups at a time, using the form below. To share general feedback about the project, please email wayforward2024@lca.org.au As you do so, please bear in mind the Principles of Engagement for this project.
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