# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S158 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 158 SEMINARY ISSUES Wuereas, The seminary president was negligent in his duties by knowingly and willingly permitting a theology to Srow at the seminary which Was inconsistent with the doc- trinal position of Synod: and WHEREAS, The seminary president not only condones the views of the erring professors but also supports their views which are contrary to the established doctrinal Position of Synod: and WHEREAS, The seminary presi-lent upholds a “Gospelism” theology which is contrary to the Reformation theology clearly stated in our Confessions and held by Synod: and WHEREAS, The seminary president has failed to take any steps to correct and admonish the erring professors: there- fore be it Resolved, That Dr. J, Tietjen, president of Concordia eminary, St. Louis, Mo., be requested to resign as president of the said institution; and be it further Resolved, That... . St. Pav. LutHeran CHURCH Sanford, Mich. Earnest Sutton, President Lynn Robinette, Secretary 3-165 To Require Evidence for Allegations Against a Congregation’s Pastor WHEREAS, The president of our St. Louis seminary, Dr, John Tietjen, has characterized the theology of the mem- bers of the Fact Finding Committee appointed by Dr. J. A. O. Preus as a theology that “threatens our Synod with grave danger,” and as “an incipient distortion of the biblical Gos- pel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” which “needs to be exposed and corrected lest it worsen, and in Worsening, destroy the faith by which we live”; and WHEREAS, The pastor serving our congregation was a member of the Fact Finding Committee: an WueERrEAs, Our congregation as a member of The Lutheran Church — Missourj Synod should be assured the ministra- tions of a thoroughly Lutheran pastor: therefore be it Resolved. That we respectfully request The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod to require that Dr. Tietjen pro- duce the evidence for these allegations, and be it further Resolved. That if there is convincing evidence of such theological aberrations on the part of our pastor he be ad- monished and corrected as required by the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and be it further Resolved. That if Dr. Tietjen has no such evidence he be required publicly to retract the charges he has publicly made so that our pastor's good name may be cleared and our confidence in his ministrations continued. Grace Evancenicar LUTHERAN CHURCH Palisades Park, N. J. Herbert Bieri, Chairman Charles Cernek, Secretary 3-166 To Reinstate Arlis Ehlen WHEREAS, Professor Arlis Ehlen is a member of Bethel Lutheran Congregation, University City, Mo.. and is not now, nor has he been. under church discipline since he joined the parish: and Wuereas. He has faithfully Witnessed in our midst, espe- cially with his teaching, including teaching on the work and wonder of God at the Red Sea for which teaching he jis ostensibly being criticized in our Synod: and Wuereas, His life and teaching in our midst has served to magnify the merits and benefits of Christ and strengthen the faith of many of us: and WHEREas, The Board for Higher Education of The Lu- theran Church — Missouri Synod has nullified the last teach- ing contract which Arlis Ehlen had at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in a manner which is in our view unbrotherly, and contrary to the will and work of the Lord of the church, without consulting Dr. Ehlen himself; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod at New Orleans in 1973 declare null and void the action of the Board for Higher Education taken against Arlis Ehlen; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Board of Control of Concordia Seminary to reinstate him with al] appropriate speed to the position he had before the action taken against him by the Board for Higher Education. BETHEL LUTHERAN CHurcH University City, Mo. Kenneth Guebert, Chairman Walter Mueller, Secretary 3-167A To Declare Dr. A. Ehlen Not Guilty of False Doctrine Resolved, That the New York State Pastoral Conference of the Atlantic District petition The Lutheran Church — Mis- Souri Synod in convention in New Orleans to declare pub- licly that Dr. Arlis Ehlen is not guilty of having taught false doctrine. Reasons: 1. Dr. Arlis Ehlen’s contract to teach at Concordia Sem- inary, St. Louis, was not renewed, thus placing him under a cloud of suspicion: 2. No charges of false doctrine have ever officially been lodged against Dr. Arlis Ehlen. New York Stare PAasTora, CONFERENCE ATLANTIC District Daniel Aho, Secretary Similar: 3-167B Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst, Mass., Charles Cole, President: Mrs. James Terrill, Secretary. 3-168A To Furnish Dr. Ehlen Particulars Wuereas, The Board for Higher Education has refused to approve the renewal of the contract with Arlis J. Ehlen to teach at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and WHEREAS, The Fort Wayne Pastoral Conference, among others, has inquired into the reason for this action without receiving a proper response; and Whereas, Prof. Ehlen himself has never been informed of the reason for the Board’s action; and WHEREAS, This procedure. in the lack of any evidence to the contrary, appears to us to be arbitrary, unloving, and contrary to the elementary canons of human justice; there- concerning what has been, in effect, his dismissal from the faculty of Concordia Seminary, St.Louis; and that he be given a proper opportunity to defend himself against what- ever charges may be brought against him. REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH Fort Wayne, Ind. Richard Laker, President Paul Sauerteig, Secretary Similar: 3-168B Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst, Mass., Charles Cole, President: Mrs. James Terrill, Secretary,