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Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand vote to allow women’s ordination

by | Oct 17, 2024

AUSTRALIA – The Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand (LCANZ) has voted to allow women’s ordination, affecting its relationship with confessional Lutherans worldwide.

The decision came during the LCANZ’s Convention of General Synod which met in Adelaide from October 4-7. On October 5, the church voted to accept a proposal altering the LCA’s Theses of Agreement, removing the paragraph which restricted women from serving in pastoral ministry on the basis of the teaching of Scripture. It comes after decades of internal debate and disagreement over the issue. Five previous attempts since 2000 to introduce women’s ordination in the LCA had failed.

As a result of the decision, the LCA’s status in the International Lutheran Council (ILC) has been reduced to Observer Member from its former Associate Member status. Full and Associate membership in the ILC is restricted to churches which maintain the doctrinal positions of the ILC as spelled out in the council’s bylaws; a departure from these positions results in an automatic reduction to Observer Member status.

“We grieve the decision of the LCANZ to depart from the clear teaching of Scripture on ordination and the historic practice of the Church,” said Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. “We pray for those who have faithfully resisted this change in doctrine for so many years. And we encourage those who have rejected the historic practice of ordination to return to the teaching of Scripture.”

The decision to allow women’s ordination has also strained the LCANZ’s relationship with Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC). In 1994, the Canadian and Australian churches signed a confessional agreement which allowed for fellowship, the shared recognition of each other’s ministry, and other areas of cooperation. The LCA’s decision to approve women’s ordination has undermined the doctrinal unity which serves as the basis of that agreement.

LCC President Teuscher addresses the LCANZ’s 2024 Convention of General Synod.

LCC President Timothy Teuscher was present for the LCANZ’s Convention of General Synod, and addressed the assembly a day after the vote. “While your decision yesterday to implement women’s ordination might bring an end to the constant discussion and debate here among you,” he said, “such is likely to lead to some internal ruptures and a new set of tensions that will not be easily healed.”

“‘Do not two walk together unless they are agreed?’” President Teuscher continued, quoting Amos. “Since LCC and the LCA are no longer in agreement on this matter pertaining to the office of the Holy Ministry, we in Lutheran Church–Canada will have no other option than to recognize that your action yesterday has severed the bond of fellowship between us. At the same time, we will do all in our power to support the faithful remnant here in the Lutheran Church of Australia.

In Lutheran Church–Canada, the formal recognition of dissolution of fellowship must take place during a synodical convention, the next of which is scheduled for 2026.

Many Australian Lutherans have opposed the move by their church body to adopt women’s ordination. That resistance recently led to the formation of the church organization Lutheran Mission – Australia, which was accepted into membership in the ILC in September 2024.

The LCANZ’s resolution authorizing women’s ordination calls on the church to finalize a doctrinal statement on ordination for 2025, to be approved during online meetings of the General Pastors’ Conference and Convention of General Synod.

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Lutherans in Australia, New Zealand prepare for another vote on women’s ordination

by | Sep 11, 2024

AUSTRALIA – The Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand (LCANZ) will hold another vote on women’s ordination at its upcoming Convention of General Synod in October.

The LCANZ has debated the issue of women’s ordination repeatedly for more than three decades, holding five votes on the matter since 2000. In each case, resolutions seeking the adoption of women’s ordination have failed to reach the 2/3 majority required to change church teaching.

The most recent vote took place in 2023. Despite that vote failing, the church went on to adopt another resolution calling on the LCANZ to prepare a detailed framework by which the church could become “one church with two ordination practices,” with a proposal to be submitted in anticipation of the LCANZ’s Convention of General Synod in 2024. That resolution also asserted: “It is the expectation of this General Convention of Synod that both women and men will be ordained in a District of the LCANZ during the 2024-2027 synodical period.”

The new proposal—known as the Way Forward Detailed Framework—was released at the end of July. It envisions amending the LCANZ’s Theses of Agreement so that “the Church changes its teaching to allow for the ordination of women and men.” The proposal argues that, while there are “different theological positions on the gender (male and female) of pastors in the Church,” such differences are “non-divisive of church fellowship, enabling the LCA to remain as one Church.”

Lutheran Mission – Australia

Other Lutherans in Australia disagree that the issue of women’s ordination is non-divisive; a group of concerned Lutherans in Australia have recently launched a new organization—Lutheran Mission – Australia (LM-A)—to “ensure Confessional Lutheranism has a home in Australia for generations to come.” Elected to serve as LM-A’s inaugural President is Rev. Matt Anker, who formerly served as the LCANZ’s Assistant to the Bishop for International Mission.

“LM-A was established to support, encourage, and strengthen confessional Lutherans in their faithfulness to God and His Word, and to eventually establish a synod which ensures that people are served through the proclamation of the ‘whole counsel of God,’” LM-A’s website explains. “It is committed to ensuring that people in Australia are served with both the Law and Gospel so that God’s desire to bring peace and forgiveness of sins by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone is realised.”

While women’s ordination is one of the most visible areas of contention among Australian Lutherans, LM-A argues that it is just a symptom of a more fundamental disagreement in the LCANZ over the authority of Scripture. Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming vote at the Convention of General Synod, LM-A says, “sooner or later it will be necessary to separate from those who hold to a different confession.”

International Church Relations

In addition to causing internal division in the LCANZ, the adoption of women’s ordination could affect the church’s relations with international partners. For example, the LCANZ is an Associate Member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies. But the Bylaws of the ILC state that any Full or Associate Member which changes its church teaching in a way contrary to the ILC’s Doctrinal Basis will be reduced automatically to Observer Member status.

Lutheran Mission – Australia, for its part, has indicated its intention to also seek membership in the International Lutheran Council.

The Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand will formally consider the proposal on women’s ordination at its General Pastors Conference from September 29-October 2 before bringing it before the Convention of General Synod from October 4-7.

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Lutherans in Australia and New Zealand decline women’s ordination but raise future possibility of “one church, two practices”

by | Feb 21, 2023

AUSTRALIA – From February 9-12, 2023, the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) gathered in Melbourne, Australia for in-person sessions of its General Synod, during which time the church again declined a resolution calling for the ordination of women. However, a day later the church accepted a separate proposal to study the possibility of creating “one church with two different practices of ordination.”

The gathering in Melbourne was the continuation of a General Synod which first began in October 2021, but in-person sessions were delayed until this year because of the pandemic.

The first resolution was debated on February 10, and saw the church vote on whether to alter church teaching to allow the ordination of women. The vote required a 2/3 majority, which it failed to achieve. In total, 59 percent of delegates voted in favour of the change (203 for; 136 against; 3 abstentions).

The LCANZ’s Bishop Paul Smith encouraged continued “prayer for the Lord’s guiding hand on His church” as it continues to wrestle with this subject.

This was the church’s fifth vote on women’s ordination since 2000, with all failing to receive the required 2/3 majority to change church teaching (votes took place in 2000, 2006, 2015, 2018, and now in 2023). In a release, the LCANZ notes that the practice of ordaining men only was included in the Theses of Agreement which the LCANZ’s two predecessor church bodies accepted in 1966 as part of their decision to unite.

Following the February 10 vote on women’s ordination, the LCANZ adopted a separate proposal on February 11, which calls on the synod to examine the possibility of creating “one church with two different practices of ordination.” Because this proposal was to examine the possibility, rather than to change church teaching at this time, it required only a simple majority, which it achieved (250 for; 89 against; 1 abstention).

“Synod directed that work be done to outline how one church with two ordination practices might function,” notes the LCANZ in another release, “such as one or more existing LCANZ districts becoming districts that teach and practice the ordination of both women and men to the office of the public ministry, or by establishing a non-geographical LCANZ ‘district’ that does so.” The results of that examination are to be presented for discussion at the church’s 2024 General Pastors Conference in the lead up to the next convention of General Synod.

“We are grateful that the LCANZ has again declined the practice of women’s ordination, which is contrary to Holy Scripture and historic Christian teaching,” said Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “However, the proposal to examine the possibility of creating ‘one church with two different practices of ordination’ is disconcerting and will sow the seed of confusion and discord. We pray that the church’s discussion will ultimately conclude in favour of one church with one practice of ordination—namely, the biblical position that ordination is only open to men.”

The Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand is an associate member of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies. In keeping with the teachings of Scripture, the ILC does not accept the ordination of women to the pastoral ministry, encouraging women to serve the church in other ways.

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ILC brings greetings as new bishop installed for Australia and New Zealand

by | Mar 16, 2022

Bishop Emeritus John Henderson (right) installs Rev. John Henderson as Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand.

AUSTRALIA – The Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) installed its new bishop, Rev. Paul Smith, during a service of celebration in Adelaide on February 20, 2022, and the International Lutheran Council was present to bring greetings. The theme for the service was Galatians 5:1—“For freedom Christ has set us free.”

Bishop Smith was elected to lead the LCANZ in October 2021. Prior to his election, he served as bishop of the LCANZ’s Queensland District from 2005-2021. He is the sixth leader to head the LCANZ since the unification of Australia’s Lutheran churches in 1966.

“I ask you to pray for me and for all the people of our evangelical Lutheran Church in New Zealand and Australia,” Bishop Smith said in remarks following his installation, “and for the people of all Christian churches of the world, that we would gladly serve in the Lord’s name.

President Antonio Reyes of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) was present for the installation of Bishop Smith to bring greetings on behalf of the International Lutheran Council. President Reyes represents the Asia World Region on the ILC’s Board of Directors.

LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith and LCP President Antonio Reyes.

“It is amazing how God’s promise of providing for His people and never abandoning them still continues to be fulfilled today,” President Reyes said. “It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide you, Bishop Paul, as the shepherd of God’s flock here in Australia and New Zealand. May the Lord of the harvest grant you wisdom, strength, and courage as you serve Him and His people.”

President Reyes also expressed his thankfulness for the LCANZ’s longstanding participation in the life of the International Lutheran Council. “My presence here signifies the ILC’s wholehearted intention to walk and work with you,” he said, “to continue to study and learn with you and your pastors the Holy Scriptures—the inspired Word of God—and the Lutheran Confessions as the correct exposition of God’s Word.”

President Reyes also expressed thanks for the cooperative work which exists between the LCANZ and the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, and especially for the love they showed the LCP during the pandemic.

President Reyes’ full remarks can be read here.

Additional information on the installation of Bishop Smith is available here.

The LCANZ is an Associate Member of the ILC,  a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as expounded in the Lutheran Confessions.

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New Bishop for Lutherans in Australia and New Zealand

by | Oct 7, 2021

Bishop Elect Paul Smith (Image: LCA)

AUSTRALIA – On October 1, the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) elected Rev. Paul Smith as its new bishop. The election came during the LCA’s 20th Convention of General Synod, which is being split into two parts: one online in October 2021, and a second in-person gathering scheduled for 2022.

Bishop Elect Smith was ordained in 1988, and has served in parishes and school ministry in Queensland and South Australia. At the time of the election, Rev. Smith was serving a temporary placement at St Peter’s Lutheran College Indooroopilly. He previously served as bishop of the LCA’s Queensland District from 2015-2021.

Also on the ballot for president was Rev. Matt Anker, LCA Assistant to the Bishop for International Mission. The nominees were selected at the LCA’s General Pastors Conference in July.

Bishop Elect Smith succeeds Bishop John Henderson who announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking reelection. The transition in leadership will take place towards the end of the year. More information on Bishop Elect Smith is available from the LCA here.

Also elected during this online portion of the Convention of General Synod was Rev. Neville Otto to serve as Assistant Bishop of the LCA. Rev. Otto succeeds Rev. Dr. Andrew Pfeiffer, who did not stand for reelection as Assistant Bishop. Rev. Dr. Stephen Pietsch was also on the ballot.

The LCA’s 20th Convention of General Synod’s theme verse is Isaiah 55:3—“…come to me, listen, that you may live.” The convention will reconvene in-person in 2022.

The Lutheran Church of Australia, which includes the Lutheran Church of New Zealand, is an Associate Member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC).

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