hide submenuCTCR Policy for Responding to Expressions of Dissent
When in accordance with Bylaw 1.8 expressions of dissent are brought to the attention of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations, the following steps shall be taken.
1. The staff of the CTCR shall respond promptly to the dissenter(s), sharing the following information:
a) An acknowledgment that the expression of dissent has been received by the CTCR, thus fulfilling the bylaw provision (1.8.2) that “dissent from doctrinal resolutions and statements is to be expressed first within the fellowship of peers and then brought to the attention of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations before finding expression as an overture to the convention calling for revision or recision.”
b) A printed copy and brief explanation of the CTCR's internal policy for handling dissent (see point 2 below).
c) Any additional information or clarification deemed necessary in order to help the dissenter(s) understand what it means to “express dissent from doctrinal resolutions and statements” and how this process works in the Synod in light of current bylaw provisions and guidance given in other synodical resolutions and documents (e.g., CTCR reports on the expression of dissent). Dissenters should be informed, if necessary, that their dissent should clearly identify the specific resolution(s) or statement(s) of the Synod to which they are dissenting and identify the Scriptural and/or confessional basis for their dissent.
2. Expressions of dissent to the doctrinal position of the Synod shall be handled internally by the Commission as follows:
a) The expression of dissent shall be shared with all members of the Commission no later than the next meeting of the Commission.
b) The Executive Committee shall assign the expression of dissent to a standing committee (or committees) of the CTCR for the preparation of a recommendation to be presented to the plenary Commission.
c) If the standing committee(s) should determine that the intended expression of dissent is not, in fact, dissent from the official, doctrinal position of the Synod, this shall be reported to the plenary Commission and communicated to the dissenter(s) (see point 3b below). An intended expression of dissent may, for example, reflect a misunderstanding about the actual position of the Synod, or express concern about the way in which the official position and/or practice of the Synod is (or is not) being implemented in the life of the Synod (e.g., issues that might be most appropriately dealt with by those entrusted with doctrinal supervision).
d) If the standing committee should determine that the dissent submitted is dissent from the doctrinal position of the Synod, the committee's recommendation to the plenary is to include a determination regarding whether or not there is sufficient basis in the dissent for supporting the dissenter's(') claim(s) that the doctrinal position of the Synod is in need of revision.
e) The recommendation shall also include an explanation or presentation of the theological basis for this determination. The precise nature of this presentation (e.g., length, specificity, argumentation, etc.) is to be determined on a case-by-case basis in light of such factors as the nature and content of the dissent itself, the significance of this issue in the life of the Synod as a whole, additional or related dissent(s) regarding this issue, etc.
3. Upon the CTCR's action relative to the standing committee's recommendation, the Commission's response to the submission of dissent shall be handled as follows:
a) It shall be shared promptly with the dissenter(s), along with a letter from the CTCR staff offering any information deemed necessary to help the dissenter(s) understand the nature and purpose of the CTCR's response in the context of the synodical guidelines offered in bylaw 1.8 and the CTCR's own internal policies.
b) Responses to dissent from the doctrinal position of the Synod will be reported to the Synod by placing them on-line and including them in the CTCR's report to the next synodical convention.
Adopted May 2, 2006
