The Process in brief

The 1997 General Convention of the LCA gave the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations (CTICR) the task of studying the issue of the ordination of women, reporting to pastors conferences and congregations, and presenting a Final Report with recommendations to the 2000 synod. This involved the CTICR working through four stages.

First, it was necessary to identify the theological issues involved and study them in depth. This procedure has in fact been in progress since at least 1991 with the release of Ordination of Women: Final Report of the Special Committee to the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations, LCA, and then the study booklet in 1992, Women in Ministry. This has been a complicated task. Even as recently as September 1999, the commission revisited a number of issues raised as a result of the forums conducted throughout the church.

Secondly, Resolution 79.d of the 1997 Synod asked that the CTICR:
  • finalise its study of the question of women being ordained as pastors,
  • complete its study during 1998,
  • during 1998 provide congregations with a range of appropriate study resources,
  • report to district pastors conferences and to congregations early in 1999, and
  • present a final report with recommendations to General Synod in 2000.
In response to that resolution, the CTICR released an Initial Report to the church in 1998. The main purpose of this paper was to present the issues to the church. The report outlined the areas of agreement as far as the doctrine of ministry and the understanding of scripture was concerned. It also included brief summaries of the case for the ordination of women and the case for the ordination of men only so that the whole church could also share in the process of evaluating arguments and weighing the evidence. The majority decision of the commission was that ‘on balance, scripture and the Lutheran Confessions allow the ordination of women‘.

The third stage was to serve the church and the College of Presidents by involvement in a series of forums throughout the church, both to outline the content of the Initial Report and also to receive feedback from the church. In addition the issue was studied at pastors conferences throughout Australia and New Zealand. Feedback from individuals and groups was received, tabulated, studied, and considered.

The last stage was the presentation of this Final Report together with recommendations to the 2000 synod. At the meeting of 7-8 September 1999, most of the commission concluded that ‘scripture and theology permit the ordination of women‘. The commission agreed, however, that it was not its place to recommend whether women’s ordination be implemented. It therefore
recommends that this report be received, and that the opinion of the majority be put to synod for a decision.
This has been an on-going struggle for the commission. It has become aware of the hurt of those who believe that the exclusion of women from the ordained ministry in our social and cultural context is contrary to the gospel, and the hurt also of those who believe that to ordain women would be to act contrary to God’s word. Both women and men have strong convictions and experience pain over the issue. The commission has not been able to reach consensus on the main issue. Nevertheless it holds that it has complied with the synod’s request and sought to serve the best interests of synod in forwarding this final report.

Approved by CTICR Plenum,
14 and 15 March 2000