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:
Framework: Congregations Decide (CD)
Description
The framework proposes that calling communities have the freedom to include qualified and approved women on their call list when a pastoral vacancy arises. Ordination is held either in the candidate’s home congregation or the calling congregation (community) rather than at district or churchwide level, with minimal to no structural change to the LCA or its districts.
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Principles upheld
Theses of Agreement 1, ‘Principles governing Church Fellowship’ (TA 1), indicates the path that preserves the church in peace and unity.
- The church, as a whole, has not been convinced that the wide range of biblical passages drawn on in the debate has led to a clear conclusion either for or against women’s ordination.
- A lack of agreement on scriptural texts has been accentuated by the fact that male-only ordination has never received majority support at the five synods where a vote has been taken; nor has the case for women’s ordination received the supermajority support required to effect change.
- Male-only ordination can be retained as one of two divergent yet legitimate theological opinions (TOs) and divergent TOs are not ‘divisive of Church fellowship’ (TA 1.4.c, TA 1.4.e).
- The two conditions for non church-divisive TOs have been met by the church as a whole, namely that neither TO runs counter to a clear scriptural teaching, and second, no teaching of the Lutheran Confessions is violated, especially the doctrine of justification by grace alone (TA 1.4.e).
Components
- The Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand would resolve that the church may also ordain women.
- The necessary constitutional amendments would need to be resolved at General Convention of Synod 2024.
- Australian Lutheran College would need to prepare a pathway for women, as well as men, to prepare women for ordination.
- Calling communities would also require enabling constitutional amendments to be made prior to calling a female pastor.
- Calling communities will be able to make their own decision whether and when to amend their constitution from the gender-specific 'man' to non-gendered language.
- No district(s) or regions, whether existing/geographic/non-geographic, are created or established purely for the ordination or non-ordination of women. Any such formation or declaration of areas bordered by either theological opinion could be potentially church-divisive.
- Pastors conferences should remain united gatherings and not be held separately based on theological opinion/conviction regarding this issue.
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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