# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S144
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

144 SEMINARY ISSUES

Identical:

3-96B

Ascension Lutheran Church, Hyattsville, Md., Arnold H.
Heumann, Pastor; Paul M. Ochs, Vice-President.

3-97A

To Revise Handbook Procedures Re Removal
from Office (Faculties)

Wuereas, There was a request already at the 1969 syn-
odical convention (Proceedings, pp. 130—131) for a revision
in the Handbook regarding the procedure in which charges
are made against faculty members and the removal of tham
from office; and

Wuereas, At the Milwaukee convention such a revision
was proposed both by the Board for Higher Education
(Workbook, pp. 317—319) and the Floor Committee (Pro-
ceedings, pp. 171—172) but this was subsequently referred
to the Board of Directors for further study; therefore be it

Resolved, That we petition the 1973 synodical convention
to give consideration to those revisions as they were pro-
posed at the Milwaukee convention in Res. 6-01, which is
given below.

(Instead, please see Appendix for full text of Res. 6-01)

Goop SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
Shalimar, Fla.

Richard O. Ziehr, Pastor

George L. Graham, President
Dorothy Erickson, Secretary

Similar:

3-97B

Zion Lutheran Church, Bogalusa, La., James Parker,
President; Elaine Fremin, Secretary.

3-97C

St.John Lutheran Church, Hattiesburg, Miss., Otto Ge-
meinhardt, President; Melissa Potter, Secretary.

3-98

To Adopt ‘Due Process’ Procedures
for Faculty Members

Wuereas, Section V of the Handbook of the LCMS pro-
vides a carefully worked out “due process” procedure for
members of Synod accused of false doctrine or conduct un-
becoming a Christian; and

Whereas, There is no comparable provision in Section
VI for due process for faculty members: and

Wuereas, The Synod in 1971 referred the matter of “due
process’ procedures in the removal from office of faculty
members to the Board of Directors for study and report; and

Whereas, It is highly desirable to have carefully worked
out procedures to protect the rights of both individuals and
the church; therefore be it

Resolved, That we urge the Synod to adopt at New Or-

leans “due process” procedures with respect to faculty
members. FAcu.ty

ConcorpIA Senror COLLEGE

Fort Wayne, Ind.

Melvin L. Zilz, Secretary
3-99A

To Adopt Declaration Re Faculty Members

Wuereas, There is a growing concern among the members
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod concerning syn-
odical actions regarding the employment and dismissal of
synodical faculty members; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,

assembled in convention at New Orleans, declare the fol-
lowing:

1) that the position of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod with respect to the Scriptures presupposes that her
clergy and faculty members have freedom for full explora-
tion of the Biblical message;

2) that we recognize the diversity of opinion with respect
to questions in the areas of hermeneutics and exegesis and
that we do not understand this diversity of opinion to be
divisive of fellowship or tantamount to teaching false doc-
trine;

3) that the Synod has no different confessional basis for
college and seminary faculties from that required of her
pastors, missionaries, and parochial school teachers but al-
lows them the freedom they require to pursue the scholarly
task to which they have committed themselves;

4) that when it is necessarv to dismiss a faculty member
from his/her position or when it is necessary to withhold
a contract renewal from a faculty member for his/her posi-
tion, the person involved be provided with a written state-
ment of the reasons for the action.

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF SAINT ANDREW
Silver Spring, Md.

George Lobien, Pastor

Walter Petzold, President

Mary Forman, Secretary

Identical:
3-99B

Southeastern District, Frederick A. Stiemke, Secretary.
3-100
To Revise Tenure Regulations

WuerEas, It is imperative that professors at our synodical
schools teach in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions; and

Whereas, Tenure ought to be extended only to qualified
educators who demonstrate that their theological position
is in accord with Scripture and the Confessions; and

Wuereas, The present Bylaws of Synod make it possible
for tenure to be granted automatically without a review of
the respective professor’s theological position; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Bylaws of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod (6.54c) be amended to read “. . . he shall
be granted tenure by the Board of Control of the respective
institution with the consent of the electors after the Board
of Control has reviewed his theological stance and his past

erformance.”
Pp Our Savior LUTHERAN CHURCH

Janesville, Wis.

Ralph Bobzien, President
Elmer Benash, Secretary
Theodore Gundlach, Pastor

3-101

To Limit Tenure of Faculty Members

Whereas, The professors and other officials of our col-
leges and seminaries are called to their positions for life; and

Wuereas, A change is often good for the person, the
school, and the church; and

Wuereas, Many pastors have experienced that a tenure
of approximately 10 years in a congregation is long enough,
and that they can do more effective work in a different con-
gregation after that length of time; and

WHEREAS, The same situations often apply to the pro-
fessors and other officials at our colleges and seminaries;
therefore be it

Resolved, That: (1) the professors and teachers at our
colleges and seminaries be limited to a tenure of 10 to 12
years at a certain school; and that

(2) toward the end of that time they be extended a call
into a congregation; and that