LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 256

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

256 HIGHER EDUCATION

Bylaw 4.57 2) include as a category of those eligible for
admission to the pastoral colloquy program:
2. graduates of the Synod’s teachers colleges whose names appear
on the roster of the Synod and who have had at least 5 years of
successful experience as a Lutheran school teacher or director of
Christian education and are in good standing in a congregation of
the Synod;
and
WHEREAS, It is the conviction of the faculty of Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis. that in most cases five years of experience
in the teaching office of the church is not sufficient to provide
the maturity and personal growth expected for those who take
the shorter route to the ministry by the colloquy program; and
WHEREAS, It is reasonable for graduates of the Synod’s
teachers colleges with less than the required number of years
of experience to enter the master of divinity program; therefore
be it
Resolved, That the pertinent Bylaws be adjusted so that
graduates of the Synod’s teachers colleges are required to
complete at least 10 years of successful teaching as Lutheran
school teachers or directors of Christian education before being
eligible to apply for admission to the colloquy program for the
pastoral ministry.

Faculty

Concordia Seminary

St. Louis, Mo.

Robert Hoerber, Secretary

6-18
To Strengthen Colloquy Program

WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has in
recent years been embroiled in doctrinal controversy; and

WHEREAS, This controversy has centered in the areas of
systematic and exegetical theology; and

WHEREAS, It is vitally important that all pastors of the
Synod have the proper instruction in the teachings of the
Synod and Holy Scripture; and

WHEREAS, The shortage of pastors pressures to hasten the
certification of workers for the field; and

WHEREAS, The Synod might in its eagerness to provide
workers for a wide variety of ministries be inclined to seek
shortcuts by lowering the standards for certification; and

WHEREAS, Such a lowering of standards could only bring
harm to the Kingdom and weaken the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That as of Aug. 1, 1981, all persons in the colloquy
program or applying for the colloquy program be required to
take the same classes in systematic and exegetical theology
required for all regular students seeking the M.Div. degree.

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Franklin, Nebr.

Maynard Schriner, Secretary

Jay Currie, Pastor

6-19

To Speak to Colloquy Issues

WHEREAS, It is acknowledged that congregations within the
Synod do have the Scriptural and Confessional basis for
calling and ordaining noncertified graduates (however, it is
also recognized that such action would jeopardize the con-
gregation’s membership in the Synod); and

WHEREAS, Synod’s colloquy program, as described in Bylaw
4.61, has application to all Lutherans applying for colloquy,
including students of Christ Seminary—Seminex; and

WHEREAS, In the recent past, the Synod has also provided
opportunities for certification through retreat settings for
1974—77 graduates of Christ Seminary—Seminex; therefore
be it

Resolved, That we commend both synodical and District
administrations for those actions in the past which have
demonstrated a desire for healing; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod be urged to continue providing
opportunities for certification through retreat settings for the
1974—77 graduates of Christ Seminary—Seminex; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Southern District in convention urge the
Synod to review its current colloquy program as it applies to
graduates of all nonsynodical Lutheran seminaries; and be it
finally

Resolved, That course work at either synodical seminary be
assigned only if the student demonstrates personal or pro-
fessional deficiencies.

Southern District
Richard E. Kuehnert Jr., Secretary

6-20

To Strengthen Colloquy Program for
Those Entering Synod from Seminex

WHEREAS, Some graduates from Seminex have entered, or
are in the process of entering, the Synod by means of the
colloquy program; and

WHEREAS, It is vital to the Synod that those who have
entered the Synod from Seminex teach the true doctrines of the
Synod; and

WHEREAS, The congregations of the Synod must be assured
that those who attended Seminex and have entered the Synod
through the colloquy program are teaching and will teach the
doctrine of the Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Seminex students who have entered the
Synod by the colloquy program, those currently in the colloquy
program, and those whoat future dates shall enter the colloquy
program shall publicly renounce the anti-Scriptural theology
taught at Seminex; and be it further

Resolved, That the students from Seminex who have entered
the Synod by the colloquy program, those currently in the
colloquy program, and those who at future dates shall enter the
colloquy program shall publicly confess that the doctrines of
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are the true doctrines
as found in Holy Scripture; and be it further

Resolved, That these public renunciations of Seminex and
confessions of Synod’s doctrine be published in the Lutheran
Witness; and be it finally

Resolved, That these changes in the colloquy program shall
take effect on Aug. 1, 1981.

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Franklin, Nebr.

Maynard Schriner, Secretary

Jay Currie, Pastor

6-21

To Discontinue the Colloquy Program
for Seminex Graduates

WHEREAS, A number of students at Concordia Seminary, St.
Louis, became involved in the 1974 faculty-student walkout
and later formation of Seminex, due to personal friendships,
loyalties, and sympathies, and were not in full accord with the
theological deviations of the leaders of the walkout movement;
and

WHEREAS, The Synod, in an attempt to salvage for the
ministry of the LCMS those who had been caught up in the
emotion-charged controversy but whose involvement was due
to personal rather than theological concerns, establishing a
means whereby through a colloquy program Seminex gradu-
ates could be certified for the ministerium of the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, In spite of diligent efforts on the part of those
concerned with implementing the colloquy program, some who
were certified, although they may have indicated their inten-
tions of being members of the LCMS and subscribing to the
confessional principles of the LCMS, continued to remain
involved with organizations dedicated to undermining the
Synod by covert and overt acts against the Synod and by
questioning the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture; and