LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 69

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‘differences, and wants to confess the faith of the
Missouri Synod with us. While there have been occa-
ional difficulties with certain graduates of Seminex,
there have also been occasional difficulties with gradu-
ates of our regular seminaries also. There is no way that
wecan guarantee the ongoing and uninterrupted ortho-
doxy or total behavior patterns of graduates of any
institution. Therefore, I think that the present policies,
although cumbersome and often unpleasant, are better
than a change.
With reference to Overture 6-22 and 6-23, while I do
not recommend particularly the adoption of either of
these overtures, I do call attention to Dallas Resolution
10-03, and suggest that the convention very strongly
urge those who have been given responsibility for
implementing the educational program of Hispanics in
our church to be about this matter as expeditiously and
as efficiently as possible. The church needs Hispanic
workers, both Anglos working among Hispanics,
English-speaking Hispanics working among them, and
Spanish-speaking Hispanics. All three categories are
needed in far greater number than we are able to supply.
With regard to the matter of Saskatoon, I would
simply say that I hope the committee, on which I have
placed all three Canadian District Presidents, will
attempt to thrash this matter out and come to a viable
and suitable solution to this difficult problem. I think it
is safe to say that we have been too close in our
educational process to the Saskatoon seminary as we
have previously carried out the program. It does not
appear that the Western Canadian Districts are as yet
ready to come up with a definitive solution. But it is
something to which the Board for Higher Education
and the Canadian Districts must give their unstinting
attention. At one point I was bold enough to suggest to
all three Canadian Districts that it seemed inappro-
priate for a church body of about 100,000 members, in a
country which for our purposes is almost totally English
speaking, to have a seminary both in the East and the
West. Without speaking disparagingly of our beloved
neighbor to the north, it appears that factionalism and
regionalism are rampant in Canada. It has always
distressed me to see this spirit carried over into the
church. If the Canadians expect to have one church
which is united in doctrine and in spirit, I think that the
creation of two seminaries is going to work against this
laudable goal. Therefore, it would seem to me that it
would be advisable for this convention to urge the
Canadians, before all kinds of buildings are built and
faculties engaged, to give earnest thought to the creation
of one seminary which can have an adequate library, an
adequate plant, and an adequate faculty which obvious-
ly needs to be predominantly or totally Canadian. There
is much to be said for the sharing of facilities at
Saskatoon. A case could be made for locating a Western
Canadian seminary at Edmonton, where we already
have property. But in making such a decision, the
Canadian church locks itself into the concept of two
seminaries, which will tend to have a divisive effect. If
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod of the U.S. can

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS 69

supply all of its needs with two seminaries, in a church
with nearly 3 million members, it would seem that it
might be advisable for a church body of 100,000
members to bend every effort to try to have one seminary
as centrally located as possible which could fill pulpits
from coast to coast. I had very little success in proposing
this to the Canadian brethren at various meetings
which were held. I am not proposing it to the convention
with the thought that we, by an American dominated
resolution, should tell our Canadian brethren what they
should do. However, I am raising the issue, so that in the
event the Canadians do seek our opinion, we might
possibly be able to propose this as at least as good an
option as arguing about the whole situation at Saska-
toon or trying to justify an Eastern and a Western
Canadian seminary.

Those overtures pertaining to seminary and college
support are certainly worthy of our careful study and
consideration. The answer at present means that we
take money from missions and other ministries of the
Synod and simply pour them into our colleges. The
obvious solution is to raise more money so that all of
these institutions can be supported and so that ulti-
mately at least our seminaries and perhaps all of our
terminal schools could be entirely freed from the
problem of fundraising and supported 100 percent by
synodical subsidy.

I certainly call attention to Overture 6-43 from the
Board for Higher Education relative to the support of
the mission role of Selma. It would be a calamity if we
did not give real support to our Black ministry.

7. Parish Services

The report of the various boards under the Division
of Parish Services are all of interest and contain a great
deal of very encouraging information. Some excellent
work has been done in this area and we want to give
special thanks to our boards in this area.

The concept of another great Synodwide youth
gathering in 1983 is certainly something that deserves
our support and encouragement. The last gathering was
an enormous success, and everything indicates the next
one will be even greater.

I certainly encourage the adoption of Overture 7-03
regarding making 1981 as the International Year for
Disabled Persons. The report points out that one-sixth
of the population are congenitally or causally disabled.
The church needs to express its support for this impor-
tant ministry.

I also direct your special attention to Overture 7-20
“9 Place Emphasis on the Christian Family.” This is
an emphasis that our times call for with great urgency.

8. Social Ministry

This committee will deal with a very interesting and
wide-ranging report from the Board for Social Ministry
and World Relief along with the report of the Commis-
sion on Ministerial Health.

I strongly endorse the idea expressed in Overture
8-03 about a conference on “The Church in Service to