To Restore Binding Key to Rites of Ordination and Installation of a Pastor

WHEREAS, JesussaysinMatthew16:19,“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Again, He says in Matthew 18:18, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” And, in John 20:21– 23, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’”; and

WHEREAS, The ordination and installation rites in Liturgy and Agenda (1921) ask only three questions of the man to be ordained and installed and do not go into detail about the duties of the Christ’s office that he will perform, but ask only if the man intends to discharge those duties faithfully in accordance with the Scriptures and the Symbols of the Evangelical Lutheran Church: Dost thou hold and profess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as laid down in the Symbols contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, to wit, the three Ecumenical Creeds, the Augsburg Confession,the Apology of the same,the Smalcald Articles, the Small and Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, to be the true doctrine of the Holy Scriptures? Answer: I do so hold and profess. Art thou determined to discharge faithfully the duties of the holy ministry [in this Congregation] in full accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the said Symbols of the Evangelical Lutheran Church? Answer: I have so determined by the grace of God. The Ordination and Installation of a Minister: Dost thou believe the canonical books of the Old and the New Testament to be the inspired Word of God and the only infallible rule of faith and practice? Answer: I do so believe. Dost thou hold and profess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as laid down in the Symbols contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, especially the three Ecumenical Creeds, the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the same, the Smalcald Articles, the Small and Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, to be the true doctrine of the Holy Scriptures? Answer: I do so hold and profess. Art thou determined to discharge faithfully the duties of the holy ministry in this Congregation in full accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the said Symbols of the Evangelical Lutheran Church? Answer: I have so determined by the grace of God. The Installation of a Pastor: I ask thee, therefore, dear Brother, in the presence of God and this Congregation: Art thou willing and ready to take upon thee the charge of this Congregation, and to perform faithfully all the duties of thy ministry? Answer: I am. Wilt thou preach and teach the pure Word of God in accordance with the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and adorn the doctrine of our Savior by a godly and holy life? Answer: Yes, with the help of God (Liturgy and Agenda [St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House (CPH), 1921], 375–85). and

WHEREAS, The ordination and installation rites in Lutheran Worship Agenda (1984) specifically include the reading of John 20:21–23 and expand the number of questions asked of the man being ordained and installed to six while also going into more detail about the duties of Christ’s Office that he will fill, including explicitly mentioning the loosing key but omitting mention of the binding key: Will you faithfully instruct both young and old in the chief articles of Christian doctrine; will you forgive the sins of those who repent, and will you promise never to divulge the sins confessed to you; will you minister faithfully to the sick and dying; will you demonstrate to the Church a constant and ready ministry, admonish the people to a lively confidence in Christ and holy living? Response: I will with the help of God (Lutheran Worship Agenda [St. Louis: CPH, 1984], 205–21). and

WHEREAS, The ordination and installation rites in Lutheran Service Book Agenda (2006) add a seventh question for the man being ordained and installed while making only a minor change in the wording of other questions and also explicitly mentioning the loosing key but continuing to omit mention of the binding key: Will you faithfully instruct both young and old in the chief articles of Christian doctrine, will you forgive the sins of those who repent, and will you promise never to divulge the sins confessed to you? Will you minister faithfully to the sick and dying, and will you demonstrate to the Church a constant and ready ministry centered in the Gospel? Will you admonish and encourage the people to a lively confidence in Christ and in holy living? Response: Yes, I will, with the help of God (Lutheran Service Book Agenda [St. Louis: CPH, 2006], 160–81). and

WHEREAS, This omission of the binding key leaves out a significant portion of Christ’s command and necessary Christian doctrine and may improperly teach the full extent of the pastoral office’s responsibility; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montana District in convention instruct the current and all future Montana District Presidents to include these words in the Rites of Ordination and Installation of Pastors: “and do you promise to retain the sins of those who are impenitent as long as they do not repent,” when he or his agent conducts these rites;

and be it further

Resolved, That the district in convention request the Board for National Mission (BNM) of the Synod to insert the binding key language where applicable into the Rite of Ordination; and be it further

Resolved, That the BNM of the Synod deliver the revised rite to CPH for publication, or announce that they choose not to include the binding key in the Rite of Ordination and publicly provide the rationale for continuing to omit the binding key by November 30, 2024; and be it finally

Resolved, That the district in convention petition the Synod in convention to direct the BNM of the Synod to make this inclusion.