Convention Notes from the President: Ecclesiastical Supervision

by: District President Rev. Dr. Tony Steinbronn

Notes on Ecclesiastical Supervision – 2019 Synod Convention

Resolution 10-03A – Today’s Business Issue 2B – Sunday, July 21, 2019 – pages 279-280
the section in bold contain the words that I was able to share with the Convention assembly before the two minute clock ran out.

Rev. Chairman and fellow delegates of the 2019 Synod Convention,

A few comments pertaining to the matter of ecclesiastical supervision:

First…the Synod in Convention may adopt bylaws that are consistent with and do not
contradict the Constitution of Synod (Article XIV)

Second…that the officers of Synod assume only such rights as have been expressly conferred
upon them (Article XI A.1)

+ the scope of ecclesiastical supervision granted to the President of the Synod is limited to
article XI B1 – B3 of the Constitution and Bylaw 3.3.1

+ when a person reads these sections of the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws, the
ecclesiastical supervision over the individual members and congregations of Synod has NOT
BEEN EXPRESSLY CONFERRED upon the President of the Synod and this right cannot be
granted to him unless the Constitution of Synod is amended by Convention action (Article XV
2-4)

Third, the President of the Synod has, and always shall have the power to advise, admonish,
and reprove…he shall conscientiously use all means at his command to promote and maintain
unity of doctrine and practice in all the districts of the Synod

+ however, since ONLY the District Presidents are empowered to suspend individual
members of the Synod (Article XII 8), suspension CANNOT be one of the means available to
the President of the Synod

+ that ONLY the District Presidents especially are to exercise supervision over the doctrine,
life and administration of the individual members of the Synod and supervision of the Synod
(Article XII 7)

+ that ONLY the District Presidents are empowered to suspend individual members of the
Synod, and then according to the Bylaws of the Synod (Article XII 8)
Fourth, since resolution 12-14, when it grants the power and authority to the Synod President
to suspend a Member of Synod as a “suspending ecclesiastical supervisor,” contradicts the

Constitution of Synod (Article XIV) --- a power that has ONLY BEEN GIVEN TO, and EXPRESSLY
CONFERRED UPON, a District President (Article XII 8) --- therefore it clearly fails to bring the
Synod’s bylaw into line with the Constitution of the Synod, as it claims in the final resolve of
2019 Resolution 10-03A (page 280 of Today’s Business Issue 2B), for these reasons:

+ article XI A.1…that the President of Synod would be exercising the rights and duty not
expressly conferred upon him (2016 Handbook page 15)

+ article XI B.1…that the President of Synod would be granted the authority to supervise an
individual member of Synod not listed in his scope of ecclesiastical supervision (2016 Handbook
page 15)

+ article XI B.2…that the President of Synod would be doing more than “reporting” the matter
to Synod in convention (2016 Handbook page 15)

+ article XI B.3…that the President of Synod would be granted a power greater than to advise,
admonish, and reprove (2016 Handbook page 15)

+ article XII 7…that the President of Synod would be directly supervising an individual member
of Synod thereby exercising a power and authority granted ONLY to a District President (2016
Handbook page 17)

+ article XII 8…that the President of Synod would be placing an individual member of Synod
under suspension thereby exercising a power and authority granted ONLY to a District
President (2016 Handbook page 17)

+ bylaw 3.3.1.1.b…that the President of Synod would no longer be carrying out his
ecclesiastical duties THROUGH the District President in the Districts of the Synod but rather he
would be dealing directly with an individual member (2016 Handbook page 108)