LCMS Doctrinal Review

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As a Doctrinal Reviewer, you will periodically receive assignments to be reviewed. You will know that a project has been assigned to you when you receive an email with the subject New assignment for doctrinal review. (If you are having trouble receiving emails from lcmsdr.org, check your Junk Messages folder to see if they are incorrectly being moved there.) You can also log in to lcmsdr.org. The first thing you will see is a list of uncompleted assignments.

When you are asked to review a project, click on the title of the project to see more information about it and to accept or decline the assignment.

Once you've accepted an assignment, download the documents to be reviewed. You can download the files by clicking on their names. Be sure to download all of the documents in the project you are reviewing. The documents will be in PDF format. If you have any trouble viewing them, make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader.

After completing your review, log back in to lcmsdr.org and click on the title of the project you just reviewed. Enter your feedback (if applicable) and click the colored button that corresponds to your conclusions.

If you have any other questions, reply to any of the emails you've received from lcmsdr.org.

Grades

Materials that are submitted for doctrinal review can be given one of four grades:

  1. Pass I find these materials to be in agreement with Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
  2. Suggestions I find these materials to be in agreement with Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, but I have given suggestions for improvement.
  3. Revise* I find these materials to be inadequate, misleading, ambiguous and/or lacking in doctrinal clarity. I have given suggestions for improvement. After revision, send the materials back to me for further review.
  4. Fail* I find these materials to be contrary to Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. They are unsuitable for publication. I have given an explanation for this decision.
*Where changes appear to be necessary the reviewer(s) shall submit a thorough and clearly written documented critique that shall be made available to the author the sponsoring group and the publisher. The documentation provided by the reviewer(s) shall provide a thorough and detailed explanation with all appropriate biblical and confessional references used to support the opinion offered.
LCMS Bylaw 1.9.2 (f); Handbook p. 42

Frequently asked Questions

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