# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S300 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 300 HIGHER EDUCATION tential Lutheran church unity by 1980 will have some influence on the kind of educational offerings at Edmonton. These offer- ings need to fully take into account the availability of other Lutheran colleges in this part of Canada currently affiliated with the other church bodies. The Task Force is very much aware that the proposed change from institutional subsidy to student tuition support will drastically affect Concordia, Edmonton. In light of the educational objectives of training pastors, teachers, and other church ministries the Task Force does not believe that Concor- dia, Edmonton, should be treated as an exception to the support policy. It is primarily for this reason that the Task Force has reached its conclusions. The Task Force Recommends Gl. That the Board for Higher Education work with the Boards of Directors of the Alberta and British Columbia and the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Districts and the Board of Control of Concordia, Edmonton, to immediately determine the future of the school: G2. That plans be developed for Canadian support to main- tain Concordia, Edmonton, as a synodical school or to develop other appropriate uses for the facilities: G3. That plans for Canadian su port or other appropriate uses of the facilities at Concordia, Edmonton, be reported to the respective Canadian Districts for resolution at the 1976 conven- tion: and G4. That final resolutions be brought to the 1977 synodical convention for appropriate action. H. Seminary Requirements As indicated in the discussion on Concordia Senior College it is evident that The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod’s ability to attract a sufficient number of students for the pastoral ministry has been directly related to the supply of young men coming through the traditional “preferred route’ from the Junior colleges and later through the Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne. In recent years the supply of young men in the preferred track has dwindled, and young men who have pur- sued their educational objectives at nonsynodical! institutions have been recruited for the seminary in increasing numbers. It is painfully obvious that insufficient numbers of young men are following the traditional “preferred route,” but the semi- naries have found it possible to recruit non-pre-ministerial students from the synodical colleges and students who have attended colleges in other settings to provide a reasonable supply of pastors to meet most needs. It should not be assumed that the current situation is a new experience for The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, because throughout its history fairly large numbers of young men have entered the pastoral ministry from nonsynodical preministerial backgrounds and have served the church in an exceptional manner. The Task Force is convinced, however, that there is great strength to be found in maintaining a “preferred route” for a significant number of young men entering the pastoral ministry. At the same time the Task Force recognizes that qualified young men must be recruited from other educational backgrounds to provide for the church's future needs. In reviewing the future requirements for pastors it appears possible that a sufficient number could be educated in one location. However, it is doubtful that a sufficiently diversified program could be developed at one location to provide for a variety of student backgrounds and needs or for the variety of congregational needs. Additionally, it is questionable whether a single seminary with an enrollment in excess of 1,000 on- campus students would provide an ideal educational setting for seminary students. The Task Force Recommends H-Al. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod has a continuing need for more than one seminary: H-A2. That the operation of more than one seminary can best be accomplished in separate facilities and at separate geographic locations: H-A3. That the Board for Higher Education assist the semi- naries to plan curricula that provide distinctive and unique programs in pastoral ministry at each location, so that unneces- sary duplication of personnel and physical resources is avoided: H-A4. That at the present time the offering of advanced degree programs be offered only through the St. Louis semi- nary: and H-A5. That every effort be made to provide for the appro- priate sharing of personnel and other resources, so that the seminary facilities of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod serve the greatest possible constituency at the least possible expense to the participants. Concordia Theological Se minary The formal beginning of what is now Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, IIl., started in 1846 in Fort Wayne, Ind. More than one million German-speaking immigrants came to America in the 1840s and 1850s. The main concern of these immigrants was survival. The need for training young men for pastors was soon evident. The need was of an immediate nature, and lengthy seminary training was impractical. From Fort Wayne, Ind., this practical seminary was transferred to St. Louis as an economy move and largely for economy reasons was finally established at Springfield, III., in 1875 to fulfill the practical needs of supplying men for parish work among a rapidly growing immi- grant population. Though this was extremely vital to the growing church, at least a majority of the young Synod felt that a learned clergy who had the advantage of being able to read the original text of the Bible was vital to the church’s future. Throughout the history of the Springfield operation it is evident that the needs of the practical seminary frequently were not given a high priority. Several attempts have been made to terminate its programs or to transfer the operation elsewhere. The strengthened academic standards developed during the early 1960s and the need for recognition of the graduates having received a quality academic education have altered the status and financial support of the practical seminary in a very positive manner. During the past 100 years Springfield has survived rather difficult obstacles and attempts to close the seminary. In spite of this, Springfield has proved its ability to perform a vital service for the Synod. As a part of its total recommendations the Task Force feels that the Synod would be well served by reasonably equal facilities and financial support for the seminary programs. A variety of servants are needed to serve a diversity of congrega- tions and ministries. Education for this variety dictates that quality offerings be made available to meet these needs. The expense of improving the Springfield facilities to provide for the future will not overcome the other concerns attendant to that location. The facilities at Fort Wayne were originally developed to serve the Synod for the education of future pastors. The Task Force feels that, although some remodeling and adjustments are necessary, it would be prudent to utilize all the resources involved at that location as an appropriate setting for the Springfield seminary and for other uses of benefit to pastors and congregations in that region. The Task Force Recommends H-B2. That the best use of synodical resources requires that the facilities at Fort Wayne, Ind., be utilized for seminary education by Concordia Theological Seminary: H-B2. That the Board for Higher Education be directed to transfer Concordia Theological Seminary to Fort Wayne, Ind., by Sept. 1, 1976: H-B3. That the Board for Higher Education and the seminary Board of Control explore the potential of locating various prac- tical special ministry programs at the Fort Wayne facilities: and H-B5. That the proceeds from the disposition of the Spring- field property be used to offset any costs involved in (1) the trans- fer of appropriate resources of the seminary, (2) the transfer of appropriate resources of the preministerial program at Fort Wayne, and (3) for any necessary remodeling of facilities to accommodate these purposes. Any remaining proceeds shall be set aside as an endowment for needy students attending a synodical seminary program. The Needs for Seminary Training in Canada The report of the Committee on Colloquies to the 1971 convention indicated that a problem of obtaining a sufficient number of candidates for Canadian parishes through training in the United States-oriented seminaries has always existed. Recruitment of students from Canadian universities has been