Res. 7-06 — To Encourage University Worship Practices That Form Students to be Faithful to Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention (2023 Res. 7- 04B, “To revise Bylaws to Revisit and Renew Relationship of Colleges and Universities with the Synod”) revised Bylaw 3.6.6 to direct the Concordia University System (CUS) Board of Directors to develop and adopt Lutheran Identity Mission Outcome Standards (LIMOS), which were adopted in February 2024, including Identity Standard 2.1, that states, “The ecclesiastical mission and goals are clearly and consciously pursued in the design and delivery of campus worship;” and Identity Standard 2.1.5 of the LIMOS Evaluation Tool asks, “How is commitment to the church’s heritage and unity reflected in the use of liturgies, hymnals, and hymnody?” and “Describe the regular pattern of chapel services noting liturgies and hymnals used and those who serve as preacher and liturgists” (CUS, “Lutheran Identity and Mission Outcome Standards with Evaluation Tool,” Feb. 1, 2024; cus.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/LIMOS-Evaluation-Tool.pdf); and

WHEREAS, Fostering a consistent approach to worship practices across the congregations, universities, and seminaries of the Synod strengthens the unity of the Synod and provides a coherent witness to students, congregations, and the broader community; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church has long heeded the apostle’s injunction that all things be done decently and in order (1 Cor inthians 14) by, for example, joyfully and freely receiving the church’s historic order s of prayer (e.g., Matins, Vespers, Compline, etc.) and the historic order of the Divine Service (e.g., the Ordo as described in 2016 Res. 4-04A, “To Appeal to the LCMS Congregations, Workers, and Institutions within Christian Freedom and for Love’s Sake to Retain a Common Order of Service for the Lord’s Supper”) as a precious gift from previous generations of Christians; and

WHEREAS, It is simply not necessary for the true unity of the Christian Church that ceremonies instituted by human custom should be observed uniformly in all places (AC VII 3); and

WHEREAS, Th e Lutheran reformers could insist that those church usages that have been established by human authority ought to be observed, provided they could be observed without sin and without the erroneous opinion that they justified (AC XV), for the sake of training the unlearned in the faith (AC XXIV 3); and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran reformers confess that the churches of God in every locality and age have authority to order the ceremonies of worship in such ways as are fi tting and pro fitable for the edification of the communion of saints in particular times and places (FC Ep X 4) and so that the weak in faith might not be scandalized (FC Ep X 5); and

WHEREAS, The reformers also authored church orders, such as the Church Order for Braunschweig- Wolfenbüttel, published in English by CPH (2015), which show how evangelical freedom may fruitfully be joined with a grateful reception and creative appropriation of the church’s living liturgical and hymnological heritage; and

WHEREAS, The church orders evidenced variation in the details of the humanly established ceremonies from place to place, yet all within the order received from previous generations; and

WHEREAS, Constitution Article III 7 states, “ The Synod, under Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions shall — … encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with our common confession of faith”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has a ppealed to our congregations and workers to welcome and encourage the development and use of new hymns, spiritual songs, and liturgical settings, which continually are called forth by the Holy Spirit, not as a supplanting to what has come before, but as a supplement to it, its living growth (2016 Res. 4-04A); and

WHEREAS, Const. Art. VI 4 requires the “exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school”; and

WHEREAS, The chapels of the Concordia universities are fertile training grounds for all students, faculty, and staff to learn and grow in joyful, reverent, Christ-centered worship; and

WHEREAS, The adoption of Lutheran Service Book ( LSB) in 2006 provided a common, unifying liturgical and hymnological foundation for our life together as a Synod; and

WHEREAS, The CUS Board and its Campus Worship Committee, which includes representatives from each of the Concordia universities, is earnestly working to develop a plan for consistent Lutheran worship, spiritual life and pastoral care on the Concordia campuses; therefore be it

Resolved, That worship life in the chapel services and across the campuses of the CUS is to be planned, practiced, and aimed at the goal of forming all students, faculty, and staff to be scripturally-faithful Christians, grounded in Lutheran doctrine and practice, and active members of Synod congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That use of LSB is encouraged as the benchmark, and that other worship materials and practices should be doctrinally pure (Const. Art. VI 4); and be it further

Resolved, That the CUS Board and its Campus Worship Committee continue working to foster a rich, faithful, and distinctly Lutheran worship and spiritual life throughout the CUS; and be it finally

Resolved, That the CUS Board include in its report to the 2029 Synod convention the progress of its Campus Worship Committee.