# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S376
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

376

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

Resolved, That this teacher certification maintain high standards of
academic and professional excellence, including a well-documented
understanding of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts, classes and experience in pedagogy,
and student teaching under a qualified mentor; and be it finally
Resolved, That the committee bring the proposal for enacting this
second route to teacher certification to the 2019 LCMS convention
for approval.
Board of Directors
Wyoming District
7-24

To Establish Program for Training Classical
Lutheran Teachers
Whereas, The Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions command
and commend education that shapes students morally as well as intellectually, preparing them to love God and serve their neighbors:
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the
discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is
just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about
these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen
in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
(Phil. 4:8−9)
For if we want capable and qualified people for both the civil and spiritual realms, we really must spare no effort, time, and expense in teaching and educating our children to serve God and the world. We must
not think only of amassing money and property for them. (LC, Fourth
Commandment, 172–173;

and
Whereas, An increasing number of Lutheran schools are choosing a classical model of education as best suited to carry out these
mandates; and
Whereas, Classical Lutheran education requires teachers richly
conversant in Lutheran doctrine and practice, as well as the languages,
literature, and history of Western civilization, as Luther himself notes,
“One knife cuts better than another; so likewise, one that has learned
languages and arts can better and more distinctly teach than another”
(Table Talk CXXXVI); and
Whereas, Current teacher education programs offered through
the Concordia University System (CUS) do not focus on the classical education model; and
Whereas, This forces many classical Lutheran schools to seek
teacher candidates from colleges and universities outside the CUS,
even though many such schools would favor having Synod-trained
candidates; and
Whereas, It is the duty of Synod to “aid congregations to develop
processes of thorough Christian education and nurture and to establish agencies of Christian education such as elementary and secondary
schools and to support synodical colleges, universities, and seminaries” (Constitution, Art. III 5); and
Whereas, In conjunction with this Synod duty, the CUS Board of
Directors (BOD) is charged with ensuring that the schools of the CUS
are “delivering academic and student programs designed to give students Christ-centered values and tools that equip them for vocations
within the church and world” (Bylaw 3.6.6.6 [b]); and
Whereas, The establishment of a program designed to train prospective Lutheran teachers with a focus on the classical education
model would greatly strengthen the service of the CUS to Synod
2016 Convention Workbook

members and help ensure the flourishing of Christian education in
the Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Wyoming District convention memorialize
the Synod to direct the president of the CUS to form a committee to
include, at minimum, representatives from the CUS BOD, faculty of
the CUS, and administrators, faculty, or staff from schools currently
espousing the model of classical Lutheran education; and be it further
Resolved, That this committee will study how to design and implement a program for training classical Lutheran teachers that will
include a strong core of courses in the Scriptures, the Confessions,
and the traditional liberal arts, history, literature, and languages of
Western civilization, supplemented by practical pedagogical experience; and be it finally
Resolved, That a plan for implementation of such a program be
enacted within the coming triennium, with a report by the president
of the CUS or his representative to be given at the 2019 Synod convention on the progress of the classical Lutheran teacher training
program.
Wyoming District
7-25

To Celebrate 125th Anniversary of Concordia
University, St. Paul, Minnesota
Whereas, The Lord of the Church has blessed Concordia
University—St. Paul by empowering it to serve The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod for 125 years as an institution to prepare
church workers and lay leaders for thoughtful and informed living,
dedicated service to God and humanity, and the enlightened care of
God’s creation—all within the context of the Christian Gospel; and
Whereas, The Lord of the nations has blessed Concordia
University—St. Paul with opportunities for ministry in an urban, multicultural setting, with many nations, tribes, people, and languages
represented on its campus, and around the world through online education; and
Whereas, The God of abundance has blessed Concordia
University—St. Paul over the course of a century and a quarter with
nearly 35,401 alumni, sainted and living, who have served and led
churches, schools, institutions, and communities throughout the world
through a variety of vocations; and
Whereas, The God of all wisdom and knowledge has blessed
Concordia University—St. Paul by enabling it to serve the church
and world through 141 graduate and undergraduate programs; and
Whereas, The God of grace has blessed Concordia University—
St. Paul by leading it to achieve record enrollment numbers in each of
the past four academic years, including 2,567 undergraduate, 1,742
graduate, and 71 doctoral students; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention declare Concordia’s
Founders Day, September 13, 2018, as a synodwide “Concordia
University—St. Paul Sunday,” encouraging and facilitating prayers,
thanksgiving, offerings, and gifts to be given in celebration of the
Lord’s abundant blessings to the church through one of its treasured
educational institutions; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod pause from its regular business to offer
special thanksgiving and praise to almighty God for His continued
blessings on Concordia University—St. Paul, Minnesota, and to commend it to His continued providential care.
Concordia University
St. Paul, Minnesota