LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 210

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210 HIGHER EDUCATION

(Preamble to Section VIII),” to which the response from the Iowa
District East was “We therefore respectfully decline your invita-
tion to meet. We are confident that your people will ably present
their case to the floor committee and the people from IDE will have
the opportunity to state theirs”; and

Standards for Consideration

Wrereas, Art. VI and VIII of the Synod Constitution cite sev-
eral biblical mandates for dispute resolution:

(a) the framework for dispute resolution is found in Christ’s
words in Matt. 18:!5—20: “Lf another member of the church sins
against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are
alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.
But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with
you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two
or three witnesses. If the mcmbcr refuses to listen to them, tell it
to the church; and if the offender refuscs to listen even to the
church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Again, truly [ tell you, if two of you agrce on carth about anything
you ask, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For whcre
two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them”;

(b) The ministry of reconciliation is found in 2 Cor, 5:18: “All
this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and
has given us the ministry of reconciliation”; and

WHEREAS, The Synod Constitution, in Art. IL, “Objectives,”
cites two provisions relevant to this dispute: the Synod, under
Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, shall

(a) 1. Conserve and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph.
4:3—-6; | Cor. 1:10), work through its official structure toward fel-
lowship with other Christian church bodies, and provide a united
defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom. 16:17), and heresy
[Art. [H. sec. t];

(b) 9. Provide protection for congregations, pastors. teachers,
and other church workers in the performance of their official du-
ties and the maintenance of their rights [ Art. If, sec. 9]; and

WHEREAS, The Bylaws of the Synod, in Section 6, “Colleges,
Universities, and Seminaries,” provide:

(a) 6.45. Board Supervision: The Board of Regents shall have
authority to investigate. hear, and act on any complaint arising out
of Bylaw 6.43 ¢ 1-6.

(b) 6.43 c 1-6

(c) The only causes for which members of a faculty may be re-
moved from office (within the definitions of a. and b. above), other
than honorable retirement, are

1. professional incompetence

. Incapacity for the performance of duty

. refusal to cooperate

. neglect or refusal to perform duties of office

5. conduct unbecoming a Christian

6. advocacy of false doctrine (Constitution, Art. 11) or failure to

honor and uphold the doctrinal position of the Synod as defined
further in Bylaw !.09; and

WuereEas. The Bylaws of the Synod at Section 8, “Synodical
Dispute,” offer another vehicle for dispute resolution, summarized
in its Preamble and at 8.01, “Purpose and Objectives”; and

mW lv

Willingness of Concordia to Participate in Investigation

WHEREAS, Concordia University, Portland, willingly invites in-
vestigation of whatever allegations may be brought by Iowa Dis-
trict East within the procedural safeguards of Bylaws 6 or 8; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That Iowa District East, regarding its June 2000
Overture 3-06 concerning Concordia University, Portland, provide
(a) a detailed written statement of the matter(s) in dispute, ac-
companied by copies of all materials relied upon or used by Iowa
District East in making its allegations, annotated to demonstrate

2001 Convention Workbook

any claim of false doctrine, incorrect practice, or refusal by the
Board of Regents to take a necessary action;

(b) a detailed written statement setting forth in detail the efforts,
beginning no later than 1996, that the District has made to achieve
informal reconciliation; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod shall

(a) determine, based on the detailed information provided in the
immediately preceding resolution, whether the matter complained
of should be more appropriately resolved using procedures of By-
Jaws Art. VI or Art. VIII;

(b) initiate such procedures specified in either Art. VI or Art.
VIII as may best achieve resolution of the matter(s) complained of,

(c) report the resolution of the matter(s) to the Synod conven-
tion in 2004.

Board of Regents
Concordia University, Portland

To Affirm Constitution Procedure
for Addressing Accusations and Complaints

WHEREAS, Iowa District East of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod has made public accusations against the faculty, the
administration, and the Board of Regents of Concordia University,
Portland, for alleged advocacy of false doctrine and practice, al-
though no complaints or support for any complaints have been for-
mally registered with our university. Therefore the faculty of Con-
cordia University, Portland, in consonance with the Board of
Regents of this university, states publicly that it rejects these accu-
sations as unfounded and false; and

WHEREAS, The synodically rostered faculty members of Con-
cordia University, Portland, unconditionally hold to the doctrinal
basis of our Synod as given in Art. [I of the Synod’s Constitution.
We publicly confess that the actual and explicit doctrinal articles
of the various symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church are “a true and unadulterated statement and exposition” of
the doctrinal content of the Holy Scriptures. We teach in accor-
dance with this evangelical pattern of doctrine; and

WHEREAS, We as a faculty hold to the principle of the supervi-
sion of doctrine and practice and to the proper procedures by which
such supervision is to occur. These procedures ensure that fairness
and due process are observed so that the integrity and reputation of
the individual faculty member(s) and the integrity and reputation
of the institution are maintained; and

WHEREAS, We as a faculty affirm the need to follow fraternal
principles when interpreting a person’s words and public teaching.
Where questions arise, there is the need for fraternal, private, and
ongoing communication that makes every effort to maintain the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are called to bear with
one another in love, with all humility and gentleness and with pa-
tience; and

WHEREAS, We as a faculty adhere to and support all of the ob-
jectives of the Synod, including the Synod’s commitment “to pro-
vide protection for congregations, pastors, teachers, and other
church workers in the performance of their official duties and the
maintenance of their rights” (Art. III, 9). Therefore, in light of the
above, the faculty of Concordia University, Portland, offers the fol-
lowing overture to the 2001 synodical convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod: be it

Resolved, That the Synod continue to be guided in the area of
accusations and complaints by | Tim. 5:19; Deut. 19:15-19; Exo-
dus 20:16; and Matt. 18:15—20; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod, consistent with his
responsibility to promote and supervise doctrine and practice of the
Synod, be encouraged to carry out this responsibility in a way that
would protect pastors and teachers in the performance of their du-
ties and the maintenance of their rights as stipulated in Art. III, 9, of
the Constitution and Bylaw 6.47; and be it further