# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S234 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 233 Wuereas, The Council of Presidents is a counsel to the President of the Synod and not to the entire Synod; and Wuereas, The Council of Presidents has become a di- visive force in the Synod, to wit: 1. The Council of Presidents has injected itself into the seminary investigation process, contrary to the procedures adopted at the Milwaukee convention of the Synod in 1971. 2. The Council of Presidents sought to suppress the pub- lication and distribution of the Fact-Finding Committee Re- port (twenty-three District Presidents in July, 1972). 3. When charges have been leveled against the President of the Synod, such as statements charging him with “at- tempts to usurp power” and of “violating the rights and privileges of the office of President conferred on him by election,” and statements which indicated that his theology is sub-Biblical and un-Lutheran and the Council does not publicly support and defend the theological position of the President in this connection. 4. The Council of Presidents has interfered (February 1973) with the functioning of the Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations, seeking to suppress its work of evaluating the faculty statements whereas the CTCR has the Handbook authority to do such a study. 5. The Council of Presidents sought to suppress the sup- portive activity (the “crossroads” letter) of other District Presidents, pastors, and laymen in Synod who are seeking to support the doctrinal position of Synod and the constitu- tional authority of the President of Synod in supervising the Doctrine of Synod and to unite all under the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. 6. The Council of Presidents has not once supported the President of Synod in his efforts to maintain purity of doc- trine in the Missouri Synod. 7. The Council of Presidents violates its own statement on ethics by channeling news of the Council's actions to the public press with articles which indicated the Council of Presidents was attempting to establish itself as an independ- ent counterforce against the conservative minded Dr. Preus; by not disciplining those within their own Districts who have been slandering Dr. Preus in the public press and or the ecclesiastical press: and by either permitting or encouraging conferences in which Dr. Ehlen spoke: and Wuereas, The Council of Presidents is being held in dis- repute by many in the church for its meddling in the affairs of the Synod where it does not belong: and Wuereas, The request of the Council of Presidents to sup- press the work of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations may be considered as tacit approval of the false doctrine taught at Concordia Seminary. St. Louis; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled cen- sure the Council of Presidents; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be required to concern itself only with matters that have been delegated to it by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod; and be it further Resolved. That the Council of Presidents meet as a Coun- cil only at the call of the President of Synod; and be it further Resolved. That the Council of Presidents not impede the work, authority, and responsibility given to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations: and be it further Resolved. That the Council of Presidents cease and desist from suppressing the truth of any false teaching at Concor- dia Seminary. St. Louis: and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and de- sist from suppressing the supporting activities of pastors, professors, District Presidents. and laymen in the Synod who support the theological position of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. its Constitution and Bylaws. as well as the constitutional authority of the President of Synod to have supervision of doctrine: and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and desist from taking upon itself authority, rights, responsibilities, and powers which do not belong to them, but belong only to the President of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and desist from intervening and hindering the responsibilities and du- ties of the President of the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be reprimanded for their violation of the Constitution of the Synod, Article XI, A. 1; and be it further Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be instructed to refrain from passing resolutions which are divisive and “leaking” such divisive resolutions to the public press; and be it further Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod confirm its already stated policy that the President has the power to remove any District President who does not assist the President in maintaining true doctrine in his own Dis- trict. and in removing all those pastors who teach false doc- trine; and be it further Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod not only confirm its already stated requirement that the President has the power and obligation to remove such dis- senting District Presidents. but demand that he take such action immediately; and be it finally Resolved. That the President of the Synod report to the Synod such District Presidents and members of the Council of Presidents who do not act in keeping with this Resolution. BEAUTIFUL Savion LUTHERAN CHURCH Broomfield, Colo. Virgil Balke, Chairman Gordon Bundy, Secretary Similar: 5-76B St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor, M..n., Norbert Mueller, Pastor; Thelma Wheppy, Secretary. 5-76D Redeemer Lutheran Church, Highland, Ind., Thomas Firsich, President: Betty Frank, Secretary. 5-76E Zion Lutheran Church, Plainview, Nebr., Martin Hoyer, Pastor. 5-76F Trinity Lutheran Church, Rock Springs, Wyo., Maynard Suhr, Secretary; Clarence Sorensen, Chairman. 5-16G Trinity Lutheran Church, Riverton, Wyo., Jim H. Luers, Chairman; R. C. Oberheu, Pastor. 5-76H Board of Directors. Indiana District, E. H. Zimmermann, President: Donald W. Biester, Secretary. 377A To Instruct Council of Presidents to Recognize Limits of Its Authority Wuereas. The council of Presidents, both corporately and some individually, publicly and privately, have intervened repeatedly in the matter of the St. Louis seminary and hin- dered the President of the Synod from carrying out the duties and responsibilities of his office in “the supervision regarding the doctrine... of all such as are employed by the Synod” (Const. Art. XIB1b); and