# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S256 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 256 HIGHER EDUCATION Bylaw 4.57 2) include as a category of those eligible for admission to the pastoral colloquy program: 2. graduates of the Synod’s teachers colleges whose names appear on the roster of the Synod and who have had at least 5 years of successful experience as a Lutheran school teacher or director of Christian education and are in good standing in a congregation of the Synod; and WHEREAS, It is the conviction of the faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. that in most cases five years of experience in the teaching office of the church is not sufficient to provide the maturity and personal growth expected for those who take the shorter route to the ministry by the colloquy program; and WHEREAS, It is reasonable for graduates of the Synod’s teachers colleges with less than the required number of years of experience to enter the master of divinity program; therefore be it Resolved, That the pertinent Bylaws be adjusted so that graduates of the Synod’s teachers colleges are required to complete at least 10 years of successful teaching as Lutheran school teachers or directors of Christian education before being eligible to apply for admission to the colloquy program for the pastoral ministry. Faculty Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Mo. Robert Hoerber, Secretary 6-18 To Strengthen Colloquy Program WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has in recent years been embroiled in doctrinal controversy; and WHEREAS, This controversy has centered in the areas of systematic and exegetical theology; and WHEREAS, It is vitally important that all pastors of the Synod have the proper instruction in the teachings of the Synod and Holy Scripture; and WHEREAS, The shortage of pastors pressures to hasten the certification of workers for the field; and WHEREAS, The Synod might in its eagerness to provide workers for a wide variety of ministries be inclined to seek shortcuts by lowering the standards for certification; and WHEREAS, Such a lowering of standards could only bring harm to the Kingdom and weaken the Synod; therefore be it Resolved, That as of Aug. 1, 1981, all persons in the colloquy program or applying for the colloquy program be required to take the same classes in systematic and exegetical theology required for all regular students seeking the M.Div. degree. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Franklin, Nebr. Maynard Schriner, Secretary Jay Currie, Pastor 6-19 To Speak to Colloquy Issues WHEREAS, It is acknowledged that congregations within the Synod do have the Scriptural and Confessional basis for calling and ordaining noncertified graduates (however, it is also recognized that such action would jeopardize the con- gregation’s membership in the Synod); and WHEREAS, Synod’s colloquy program, as described in Bylaw 4.61, has application to all Lutherans applying for colloquy, including students of Christ Seminary—Seminex; and WHEREAS, In the recent past, the Synod has also provided opportunities for certification through retreat settings for 1974—77 graduates of Christ Seminary—Seminex; therefore be it Resolved, That we commend both synodical and District administrations for those actions in the past which have demonstrated a desire for healing; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod be urged to continue providing opportunities for certification through retreat settings for the 1974—77 graduates of Christ Seminary—Seminex; and be it further Resolved, That the Southern District in convention urge the Synod to review its current colloquy program as it applies to graduates of all nonsynodical Lutheran seminaries; and be it finally Resolved, That course work at either synodical seminary be assigned only if the student demonstrates personal or pro- fessional deficiencies. Southern District Richard E. Kuehnert Jr., Secretary 6-20 To Strengthen Colloquy Program for Those Entering Synod from Seminex WHEREAS, Some graduates from Seminex have entered, or are in the process of entering, the Synod by means of the colloquy program; and WHEREAS, It is vital to the Synod that those who have entered the Synod from Seminex teach the true doctrines of the Synod; and WHEREAS, The congregations of the Synod must be assured that those who attended Seminex and have entered the Synod through the colloquy program are teaching and will teach the doctrine of the Synod; therefore be it Resolved, That the Seminex students who have entered the Synod by the colloquy program, those currently in the colloquy program, and those whoat future dates shall enter the colloquy program shall publicly renounce the anti-Scriptural theology taught at Seminex; and be it further Resolved, That the students from Seminex who have entered the Synod by the colloquy program, those currently in the colloquy program, and those who at future dates shall enter the colloquy program shall publicly confess that the doctrines of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are the true doctrines as found in Holy Scripture; and be it further Resolved, That these public renunciations of Seminex and confessions of Synod’s doctrine be published in the Lutheran Witness; and be it finally Resolved, That these changes in the colloquy program shall take effect on Aug. 1, 1981. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Franklin, Nebr. Maynard Schriner, Secretary Jay Currie, Pastor 6-21 To Discontinue the Colloquy Program for Seminex Graduates WHEREAS, A number of students at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, became involved in the 1974 faculty-student walkout and later formation of Seminex, due to personal friendships, loyalties, and sympathies, and were not in full accord with the theological deviations of the leaders of the walkout movement; and WHEREAS, The Synod, in an attempt to salvage for the ministry of the LCMS those who had been caught up in the emotion-charged controversy but whose involvement was due to personal rather than theological concerns, establishing a means whereby through a colloquy program Seminex gradu- ates could be certified for the ministerium of the LCMS; and WHEREAS, In spite of diligent efforts on the part of those concerned with implementing the colloquy program, some who were certified, although they may have indicated their inten- tions of being members of the LCMS and subscribing to the confessional principles of the LCMS, continued to remain involved with organizations dedicated to undermining the Synod by covert and overt acts against the Synod and by questioning the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture; and