# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S331
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

HIGHER EDUCATION 331

A. Twietmeyer
M. Tassler
E. Lammert

Concordia, Granite City, II.
Redeemer, Lincoln, Nebr.
St. Trinity, St. Louis, Mo.

6-42

To Provide Special Procedures for
Certification, Placement, and Ordination
of Seminex Graduates

WHEREAS, All students preparing for the ministry are gifts
of God to His church: and

WHEREAS, These gifts should not be lost to the church as a
result of the present controversy, especially in light of the
probable shortage of ministerial candidates in the near future:
and

WHEREAS, The students attending Concordia Seminary-in-
Exile have done so for reasons of conscience and out of deep
concern regarding certain actions by the Board of Control and
administration of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis: and

WHEREAS, Both sides in the present impasse have expressed
the desire for reconciliation and have held fraternal discussions
for that purpose: and

WHEREAS, Questions regarding certification and ordination
have hampered these discussions by drawing attention away
from the theological issues which lay at the root of the present
controversy: and

WHEREAS, The Missouri Synod graduates of the Lutheran
Seminary at Saskatoon, Sask., Canada (a non-Missouri Synod
seminary), are certified, placed, and ordained by special proce-
dures which, while not following the provisions of Bylaw 4.15 a,
have proved helpful to the Synod in this special case: therefore
be it

Resolved. That, during the interim until reconciliation is
effected, the same special procedures used with graduates of
the Lutheran Seminary at Saskatoon be applied to the certifica-
tion, placement, and ordination of graduates of Concordia
Seminary-in-Exile.

Immanuel Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Oscar Neitzel, Chairman

6-43

To Seek Placement of Seminex
Graduates

WHEREAS, It seems apparent that our present synodical
difficulties in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod have
brought many to support the seminary called Seminex: and

WHEREAS, Seminex has indicated its ability to place both
vicars and graduates in positions through The Lutheran Church
—Missouri Synod apart from official channels: and

WHEREAS, All pray and hope for such a time when Seminex
would no longer be necessary within the Synod: and

WHEREAS, The presence of Seminex seems indicated so long
as the present impasse continues: and

WHEREAS, All of The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod
would be overjoyed to find a mutually acceptable method of
placing both vicars and graduates of Seminex in The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Commission on Constitutional Matters
and the Colloquy Board be asked to examine together with
Seminex representatives the possibility of accepting vicars
and graduates of Seminex into the ministry of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod either under the provision of synodical
Handbook IV E 4.67 (1973 edition, p. 106) or under a newly
worded equivalent offering entrance into The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod ministry under equivalent conditions.

Peace Lutheran Church
New Berlin, Wis.

Donald Schwerin, President
Jan. Blanchard, Secretary
Martin W. Bangert, Pastor

6-44A

To Request Appointment of Board of
Examiners to Certify Seminex
Graduates

WHEREAS, Students recruited for training in our synodical
schools and seminaries in preparation for service as profes-
sional church workers are gifts from God: and

WHEREAS, Sharp and unresolved controversy in matters of
theological training and administration is seriously interrupting
the process of providing qualified pastors and has led to the
formation of Concordia Seminary-in-Exile, St. Louis: and

WHEREAS, The other major fields, such as law, medicine,
architecture, etc., have for years had established Boards of
Examiners different from their training faculties for review and
certification of their candidates: and

WHEREAS, The obvious intent of existing Bylaws on certifica-
tion is to safeguard our congregations from receiving candidates
who may not be theologically sound or competent for the respon-
sibilities of the pastoral office: therefore be it

Resolved, That until the Synod through its responsible boards
or officials has resolved the impasse at the seminaries in Saint
Louis, adequately dealt with the charges made or implied in
Resolution 3-09 and other related actions, and has determined
the guilt or innocence of members of the Seminex faculty, a
special Board of Examiners be appointed by the President of
the Synod in consultation with the Council of Presidents and
the duties of said board shall be to interview all uncertified
Seminex graduates of 1974 and of 1975 and to certify for place-
ment all who meet the requirements specified in the Constitu-
tion of the Synod and the approved curriculum for seminary
students: and be it further

Resolved. That the Synod establish a permanent Board of
Examiners which will interview all LCMS seminary graduates
and do the certifying for placement by the Council of Presidents.

Board of Directors
Northwest District

Emil G. Jaech, Chairman
D. C. Schroeder, Secretary

Identical or similar:

6-44B

Zion, Belleville, Ill. Edgar Rakow

6-45

To Decline Appointment of Board
of Examiners to Certify Seminex
Graduates

WHEREAS, Students at and graduates from our two semi-
naries (Springfield, Ill., and 801 De Mun, St. Louis, Mo.) are
indeed gifts of God: and

WHEREAS, We are saddened by the strike and voluntary
“exile” of both students and faculty of Seminex: and

WHEREAS, Our Synod does not need to follow the example of

the fields of law, medicine, architecture, etc., in having Boards
of Examiners to certify candidates: and

WHEREAS, A Board of Examiners cannot possibly carry out
a complete, competent, and responsible examination of hun-
dreds of candidates in a few months before their graduation: and

WHEREAS, The system of having the two faculties of our two
synodical seminaries certify the graduates of their respective
schools has satisfactorily served the Synod since its very found-
ing: and

WHEREAS, The first “resolved” of the overture from the
Board of Directors of the Northwest District is manifestly
an attempt to get an easy certification of Seminex graduates,
contrary to the Synod’s Bylaw 4.15: therefore be it