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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 352

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

352

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

WHEREAS, This reorganization is built around the theology of the
two kingdoms that distinguishes between the practical matters of an
institution (kingdom of the left hand) and the theological principles
that form its foundation (kingdom of the right hand); and
WHEREAS, One of the difficulties in the administration of a
university is the different roles and responsibilities in the kingdoms
of the right hand (leaders of the Synod) and the left hand (presidents
and boards of regents), which would need to be clarified prior to
reorganization; and
WHEREAS, This reorganization provides a significant voice of
influence for leaders in the Synod over the institutions with virtually
no accountability for the impact of that influence; and
WHEREAS, This reorganization is dependent upon an
interpretation of the First Amendment of the United States
Constitution that provides the leadership of the Synod with a
significant protection from financial liability that is still under
consideration by the courts; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Northwest District memorialize the 2023
Synod convention to delay action on the recommendations of the
task force; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force would fully study and broadly
report on the closures of the three Concordias in the past five years
to the Synod and all its members before developing a proposal for
the reorganization of the Concordia University System.
Northwest District
Ov. 7-05

To Delay Consideration
of Concordia University System Restructuring
WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention called for a task force to
study and propose a reorganization of the Concordia University
System; and
WHEREAS, The task force was organized and has proposed such
a reorganization; and
WHEREAS, This proposal is built around the theology of the two
kingdoms that distinguishes between the practical matters of an
institution (kingdom of the left hand) and the theological principles
that form its foundation (kingdom of the right hand); and
WHEREAS, This proposal allows the leaders in the Synod as those
responsible for the right hand kingdom to exert influence that could
hamper the leaders of the universities (their presidents and boards
of regents) in their ability to manage their kingdom of the left hand
responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, The proposal provides a significant voice of influence
for leaders in the Synod over the institutions with limited
accountability for the impact of that influence; and
WHEREAS, This proposal is dependent upon an interpretation of
the First Amendment of the United States Constitution that provides
the leadership of the Synod with a significant protection from
financial liability that is still under consideration by the courts;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the California-Nevada-Hawaii District
memorialize to the 2023 Synod convention to delay action on the
recommendations of the task force; and be it further
Resolved, That a new task force be formed composed of at least
a district president from a district of a closed Concordia and a
district president with an operating Concordia University and at
2023 Convention Workbook

least multiple representatives chosen by current Concordia
University presidents; and be it finally
Resolved, That this new task force study and report on the
closures of the three universities in the past five years before
forming a new proposal.
California-Nevada-Hawaii District
Ov. 7-06

To Suspend Recommendations
of 2019 Res. 7-03 Committee
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in
convention adopted 2019 Resolution 7-03, “To Direct a
Collaborative Process to Propose a New Governance Plan,” with
respect to the Concordia University System (CUS); and
WHEREAS, 2019 Res. 7-03 resolved:
That the proposed new governance plan specifically address the
objectives of 2013 Res. 5-01A and 2016 Res. 7-02B by
continuing to:
• strengthen all CUS institutions’ connection to the Synod;
• strengthen the confessional Lutheran identity of all CUS
institutions;
• review the composition, size, and selection of boards of
regents;
• review the process for selecting presidents of
institutions;
• review the overall governance of CUS and the boards of
regents of the CUS institutions;
• review the financial models for the institutions;
and
WHEREAS, 2019 Res. 7-03 further resolved “That a report on the
initial governance model proposals be disseminated to the Synod
for a six month period of comment commencing not later than 15
months prior to the start of the 2022 convention of the Synod”
(Proceedings, 172); and
WHEREAS, At the Feb. 19, 2021, meeting of the LCMS Board of
Directors (BOD), the board approved dissemination of the initial
governance model proposal, “setting the stage” for the “built-in sixmonth period of comment … by the Synod’s congregations,
districts and circuits, the universities themselves, and others”
(David Strand, “BOD advances new CUS governance model,”
Reporter Online, March 8, 2021, reporter.lcms.org/2021/bodadvances-new-cus-governance-model/); and
WHEREAS, The governance model proposal is a 27-page
document of bylaw changes that have been and continue to be
reviewed by the presidents and boards of regents of the universities
in the Concordia University System (CUS); and
WHEREAS, This review has produced observations, among them
being:
• Giving to the boards of regents unfettered authority and
responsibility in the business matters of the school (Section
A, page 3, lines 15–16).
• Defining the universities as affiliates of the church rather
than agencies (Section B).
• Providing an ecclesial accreditation process by which the
schools demonstrate their commitment to being and
remaining Lutheran (Section C).