LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 217

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RESOLUTIONS _ 217

Dr. Preus’ imposition of his ‘Statement of Principles’ as
a rule, guide, or standard for the Board of Control of
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, its faculty or students
and any members of the Synod,” and also referred to
“consistent efforts of Dr. Preus to bind the consciences
of the members of the Synod to doctrinal or exegetical
opinions adopted in synodical resolutions outside the
Lutheran Confessions”; and

Wuereas, The English District Board of Directors
also attacked Dr. Preus for “flagrant violation of the
Bylaw provision (Section 2.29) which limits the presi-
dent’s exercise of executive power to those special di-
rectives of the Synod for dealing with professors of an
educational institution through its prospective elected
Board of Control”; and

Wuereas, The aforementioned resolution of the Board
of Directors of the English District in other ways spoke
in unbrotherly and unloving manner concerning the
President of the Synod, merely agreeing with the
opinion of the president of the English District; and

Wuereas, The statements expressed were in direct
opposition to the Synod’s statement on ethics, adopted
at its convention in Milwaukee, Res. 5-23; and

Wuereas, The English District Board of Directors, on
Jan. 31, 1973, withdrew its resolution without referring
to the unjust and unloving accusations concerning the
synodical President so that this offense still stands as a
flagrant and public violation of the law of Christian love;
therefore be it

Resolved, That we ask the Board of Directors of the
English District to publicize a statement of suitable
amends to the President of Synod and to the Synod in
keeping with Christian conscience and the law of Chris-
tian love.

(After adoption of this resolution had been moved and
seconded in Session 15, President John Baumgaertner of the
English District read a statement of explanation and apology.
Dr. J. A. O. Preus and Dr. Baumgaertner embraced each
other at a floor microphone. Dr. Preus expressed his thanks
and asked that the pending resolution be withdrawn. The
chairman of the floor committee replied, “With great joy.”
See Minutes, Session 15.)

To Recognize 100th Anniversary
of Ministry Among Black Brothers

RESOLUTION 11-22

Overtures 11-27A, 11-27B, 11-28A, 11-28B, 11-28C (CW,
pp. 356—357)

Wuereas, The year 1977 marks the 100th anniversary
of ministry by the Synodical Conference among black
people; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod,
as a member of the Synodical Conference, participated
in this ministry; and

Wuereas, During this 100-year period the Lord of
the church has seen fit to use a goodly number of the
young black men and women in the ministerium of the
Lutheran church; and dedicated lay men and lay women
in the various leadership positions; and

Wuereas, The Lord of the church continues to this
day to use the black constituency within the LCMS in
demonstrating the liberating power of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ as the offsetting force to both covert and
overt racism; therefore be it

Resolved, That the convention of the LCMS, meet-
ing in New Orleans, La., in the year of our Lord 1973,
call on the entire membership of the Synod to proclaim
the year 1977 for a Synodwide celebration of the black
centennial; and be it further

Resolved, That this convention request the President
of the Synod in consultation with the Director, Depart-
ment of Archives, Concordia Historical Institute, and
the chairman of the Black Pastors’ Caucus to appoint a
special Centennial Committee which shall also serve an
ongoing purpose. This committee’s task shall be to con-
cretize a program whereby:

1. The church may be edified by the Word and Sac-
raments and moved to repentance for any missed op-
portunities, either consciously or unconsciously, which
may have occurred during the years, and offer grati-
tude and thanksgiving for her black brethren;

2. We all be encouraged by the past 100 years of
black participation to be ambassadors for Christ in the
ministry of reconciliation; and

3. The entire membership of the Synod be urged to
give thanks to the Lord of the church and to set posi-
tive goals for internal and external growth for the
decade of the eighties; and be it further

Resolved, That this committee also address itself to
the matter of presenting the particular problems of
black congregations before the Synod in an ongoing
manner; and be it finally

Resolved, That this committee advise the President
of the Synod:

1. In the establishment of a massive recruitment pro-
gram of blacks into church-related vocations in our
own country; and

2. In the intensification of our ministry among all
ethnic minorities, nationally and internationally.

Action: None. Referred under omnibus Res. 4-47 to
the Board of Directors.