LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 269

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STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION 269

7-95

To Seek to Restore Robert Rahn to Ministerium

Wuereas, Robert Rahn has been removed from the ministerium
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, This removal by the Council of Presidents, upon the
suggestion of former District President John Heins, took place be-
cause information was withheld from them and incorrect informa-
tion was given to them; and

WhereEAS, His removal from office required only a majority
vote, but his reinstatement requires a 75 percent vote of the Coun-
cil of Presidents, which he did not receive when he sought rein-
statement; and

WuerEAS, He must wait three years before he can again seek
reinstatement; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Commission on Constitutional Matters be
asked to determine whether, on the basis of the evidence in this
case” Robert Rahn was properly removed from office.

St. Paul
Brookfield, IL

71-96

To Reinstate Robert Rahn to Clergy Roster of Synod

WHEREAS, Rev. Robert Rahn has not had his CRM (Candidatus
Reverendi Ministerium/Candidate for the Holy Ministry) status ex-
tended and was thereby removed from the ministerium of the
Synod; and

Wuereas, Rev. Robert Rahn has not been accused or found
guilty of false doctrine or of an immoral life; and

WherEAS, He cannot reapply for admission to the clergy roster
of the Synod for three years; and

WHEREAS, There are presently 300-400 men who are CRM sta-
tus and some whose CRM status goes back as far of 1984; and

WHEREAS, Two pastors of the congregation in which Rev.
Robert Rahn is a member have indicated that he is involved in a
Word and Sacrament ministry and was awaiting a call to serve; and

WhereEAS, Rev. Robert Rahn is the executive director of the
Lutheran Heritage Foundation whose sole purpose is to translate
and publish confessional Lutheran writing into languages which do
not have such writing, the most ambitious of which is the transla-
tion of the Book of Concord into eight languages which do not yet
have these historic writings of our faith; and

WHEREAS, There are many who have the CRM status who are
not actively involved in “church work,” whose CRM status was not
removed, therefore be it

Resolved, That the CID in convention by copy of this resolu-
tion request the Michigan District President to bring to the Council
of Presidents the matter of reinstating Rev. Rahn; and be it further

Resolved, That the Central Illinois District in convention memo-
rialize Synod in its 1998 convention to direct the Council of Presi-
dents to reinstate Rev. Robert Rahn to candidate status on the
LCMS Minister of Religion/Ordained roster.

Central Illinois District

7-97
To Restore Dr. Ted Jungkuntz’s Candidate Status

Background Information (Ex Post Facto)

On Sept. 12, 1985, Dr. Ted Jungkuntz was granted CRM status
(now called “Candidate Status”), When this occurred, Synod’s own
rule said that such status was good for three years. That meant that
Dr. Jungkuntz could remain on said status until Sept. 12, 1988.
However, in 1986 Synod altered the term of initial CRM status to
two years, and it was under this new rule (which should not apply
to Dr. Jungkuntz’s case) that he was removed from the synodical
clergy roster after only two years of his three-year CRM status.

This removal was illegal, for Dr. Jungkuntz should have been dealt
with under the rule which was in effect for him. Another sad fact in
this matter is that when he was removed from the clergy roster by
the Council of Presidents (COP) on Nov. 17, 1987, he was never
officially informed of this action (a breach of pastoral ethics). In
simple language, he was deprived of approximately one year of
CRM status and was removed from the roster without notification
or warning before his original three-year “time of grace” had
elapsed.

While it is certainly possible that the COP was ignorant of this
legal error at the time they took the above action, nevertheless an
error was made. In 1992 the Commission on Constitutional Mat-
ters (CCM) was asked to rule on this procedure. The CCM’s reply
was: ‘“‘As to the matter of a person who was granted candidate sta-
tus under the three-year rule, the Commission concludes that he
cannot be required to meet a two year-rule for initial candidate sta-
tus which was subsequently passed. The Bylaw may not be applied
ex post facto." While no names are mentioned, this ruling certainly
would apply to Dr. Jungkuntz’s request for the restoration of his
“lost year” of clergy status in the Synod. The COP was informed
by the Secretary of Synod of the CCM’s decision at least two times.
Page 68 of the 1995 Handbook gives information as to the mem-
bership and functions of the CCM. Bylaw 3.905 d states: “An opin-
ion rendered by the commission shall be binding on the question
decided unless and until it is overruled by a synodical convention.”
Perhaps the COP was unaware of its ignoring of 3.905 d. At any
rate, the CCM’s ruling should negate the COP’s action which re-
moved Dr. Jungkuntz from the clergy roster.

We have addressed these matters (especially the ex post facto
issue) to the COP a number of times and this matter has not been
corrected.

WHEREAS, The COP made a legal error by disregarding ex post
facto law in regard to the term originally granted Dr. Theodore
Jungkuntz (three years); and

WHEREAS, The COP made a pastoral error by not properly in-
forming Dr. Jungkuntz of any anticipated or actual change in his
candidate status; and

WHEREAS, The COP made an ecclesiastical error when it disre-
garded the CCM ruling on ex post facto matters even after this had
been brought to its attention relative to Dr. Jungkuntz; therefore be
it

Resolved, That the COP immediately restore the “lost year” of
his candidate status to Dr. Jungkuntz; and be it further

Resolved, That during this year the President of the appropri-
ate District meet with Dr. Jungkuntz to work together for a God-
pleasing resolution as to his future status; and be it finally

Resolved, That the convention direct the COP to apologize to
Dr. Jungkuntz for its procedural error as well as for its failure to
rectify the situation after the facts of the case had been brought to
its attention.

Zion, Holland, MI; Faith, Sugar Land, TX; Gloria Dei,
Houston, TX; Nazareth, Buffalo, NY; Holy Cross,
Bordentown, NJ; Trinity, Walden, NY; East Bethlehem,
Detroit, MI; Our Savior, Colonie, NY; Faith, Geneva, IL;
Bethlehem, Nekoosa, WI; Grace, Streamwood, IL; Oak
Road, Lilburn, GA; Resurrection, Charlotte, NC; Grace,
Huntsville, AL; St. James. Marion, IN

7-98

To Remove Pastors Involved in Renewal in Missouri
(RIM)
WHEREAS, Renewal in Missouri (RIM), issued chiefly by pas-

tors of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, seeks to make the
charismatic movement acceptable to the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, The RIM News/etter claims that more pastors are be-
coming interested in R/M’s charismatic position; and