# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S162 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) CO IESXVW OO —X—ZAA Ricans. 162 SEMINARY ISSUES leans to adopt the District Presidents’ guidelines for evan- gelical supervision; and be it further Resolved, That we memorialize Synod to encourage all of its members to follow these same procedures. SIERRA~NEvaba Pastorat CONFERENCE CaLirORNIA AND NEvapa District Oren Geiger, Chairman James A. Kabel, Secretary Similar: 3-187B Golden Gate Pastoral Conference. California and Nevada District, Louis C. Marting, Secretary. 3-187C Zion Lutheran Church, Decatur, Ind.. Morris Kruecke- berg, President: Raymond Thieme, Secretary. 3-188 To Seek Reconciliation Through Fraternal Discussion WuereaS, The Board of Control of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has now completed its special assignment from the 1971 Milwaukee convention (Res. 2-28) and, after thoroughly examining members of the seminary faculty, has concluded that they believe and confess in accord with the Scriptures and the Confessions; and Wuereas, On the other hand, the Board of Control has acknowledged that there are theological issues both at the seminary and throughout the Synod which must be dealt with in fraternal discussion: and WHEREAS, Misunderstanding, polarization, and controversy over theological issues stil] continue in many places through- out the Synod, not only between a few prominent individ- uals or agencies but within many of the Synod's Districts and circuits and sometimes within one and the same con- gregation: and Wuerras, The only hope for a genuine solution of our present problems at any level is through frank and fraternal discussion of the issues on the basis of Scripture and the Confessions under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who alone leads us into all truth and makes us one: and Whereas, The Council of Presidents has offered the help of its members to function in a pastoral Capacity in dealing with controversies; and WuHereas, The faculty of Concordia Seminary is likewise eager to be a part of the solution rather than of the problem and therefore to participate in discussions, wherever these may occur, for the purpose of resolving the conflicts and reconciling the Synod: an going reconciliation throughout the Synod: therefore be it Resolved, That the 50th regular convention of The Lu- theran Church — Missouri Synod seek to alleviate the pres- ent polarization and controversy over theological issues by means of regional and local fraternal discussion of the issues on the basis of the Scripture and the Confessions under the guidance of the Holy Spirit: and be it further Resolved, That a special commission consisting of the President of the Synod, six district presidents elected by the Council of Presidents, and the presidents of the Synod’s six terminal schools be charged with the task of identifying those issues which are of concern to the people of the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That each District President arrange for pas- toral conferences, circuit meetings, and open forums in which the issues identified by the special commission can be dealt with in fraternal discussion involving laity as well as clergy and a fair representation of all sides of the issues: and be it further Resolved. That the presidents of our seminaries and col- leges in cooperation with individual District presidents ar- range for members of the faculties of our seminaries and of the religion departments of our colleges to participate in the discussions; and be it finally Resolved. That our congregations be urged to offer up Boarp or ControL AND Facutty ConcorDIA SEMINARY St. Louis, Mo. George A. Loose, Chairman John H. Tietjen, President 3-189 To Provide Additional Channel for Resolving Present Differences WHEREAS, The unity of the church is pleasing to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and Wuereas, The holy apostles exhort the church to agree among themselves and to avoid divisions (1 Cor. 1:10); and WHEREAS, The party spirit in our Synod has caused dis- ruption to the work of Christ’s kingdom of grace; and Whereas, Such party spirit has diminished the efficiency of our stewardship of all things temporal and eternal; and WHEREAS, We have within our Synod the adequate means to resolve such differences if we are willing to negotiate seriously; therefore be it Resolved, That all churches in our Synod pray earnestly for this unity: and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be the authorized forum for debate and negotiation of the differences between those who subscribe to the Statement of Scriptural and Con- fessional Principles and those who identify with the “Re- sponse of the Faculty of Concordia Seminary”; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be authorized by the convention of Synod to adopt and publish a document of agreement negotiated before it by members or represen- tatives of both parties with a view to incorporating the agreement into a future confession of faith which would reflect the deliberate sense of the entire Synod in this cen- tury in regard to all areas of disagreement: and be it finally Resolved. That the Synod express its appreciation to the many people who do not understand the nature of these ifferences and yet have stood by the Synod in spite of the offenses caused and the party spirit among the acknowl- edged leaders, and that the Synod encourage these people to remain steadfast and trust the Lord, Jesus Christ, to sanctify His church through His truth. EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH Van Wert, Ohio Lloyd E. Gross, Pastor Glen C. Rager, President Hugo Etzler, Secretary 3-190 To Take Various Steps Regarding St. Louis Seminary and Colleges Generally WHEREAS, In our opinion the St. Louis seminary has caused great distress and grief in Synod by its patently recalcitrant attitude towards Synod's President and Synod’s clear-cut hermeneutic and doctrinal position; therefore be it Resolved, That Synod in convention assembled (1) in brotherly love censure the St. Louis faculty for its essentially refractory spirit over against the supervisory responsibility of Synod's presidential office; (2) provide for a gradual change of seminary leadership So as to assure a more cooperative relationship with Synod and the synodical presidential office;