LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 58

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58 SYNOD REPORTS

R2-05
Concordia Historical Institute
I. Introduction

The Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) is the Department of
Archives and History of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Located on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, it serves
the members of the Missouri Synod, as well as the general public,
with a modern archival facility, a museum, conferences, publica-
tions, and other research services. It owns and administers the
Saxon Lutheran Memorial and the Hill of Peace properties in Perry
County, Missouri. The documents, books, and artifacts in its col-
lection are held in trust, on behalf of the congregations of the Mis-
souri Synod, for the use of present and future generations.

The Institute provides a number of significant benefits to the
Synod. First, it is dedicated to the long-term preservation of signif-
icant documents, media, official records, and artifacts related to the
Synod’s history. Second, it provides access to and assistance with
these items for researchers and the Synod staff. Third, the Institute
provides counsel to the members of the Synod in the areas of
archives, record management, and historic preservation. Fourth,
it offers a venue for the publication of articles on Lutheranism
in America, without which there would be little opportunity for
such publishing. Fifth, it educates the members of the Synod in
their own history. Finally, it provides conferences on American
Lutheranism to the general public, as well as training for district,
university, auxiliary, and congregational archivists.

II. Special Research

In the last triennium, the Institute has been involved in research
preparing for the Synod’s new museum at the International Cen-
ter. It has consulted with experts at the Smithsonian Institute in
Washington, DC. The Smithsonian has recommended the Lewis
and Clark museum at Wood River, Illinois, as a local example of
good design and space usage for modern museums. That museum
employs several modern techniques, including one-way traffic
flow, curved walls and partitions, theme colors, dramatic lighting,
multimedia presentations, and hands-on exhibits for multiple ages.
A good example of modern museum design, as applied to a reli-
gious heritage, is the Billy Graham Center Museum of Wheaton,
Illinois. These museums evidence a trend toward planned emo-
tional impact, the presentation of fewer items in display, and a
greater emphasis on explaining significance and historical causes.
These techniques and trends will be considered in the design of the
Synod’s new museum.

In the field of archives, the national archival organizations (So-
ciety of American Archivists and Midwest Archives Conference)
have promoted the policies and procedures of “More Product—
Less Process.” This is due partially to reduced funding, but also
due to the need to make documents available more quickly and to
reduce archival backlogs. The Institute has adopted these recent
policies for its own use, in the expectation that this will help re-
searchers locate the items they want more quickly and efficiently.

In the field of data management and access, the Institute is con-
sidering replacing its generic computerized database system with
software either directly tailored for midlevel archives/museums or
software that can be custom-fit to the Institute’s needs. Those with
access to the Internet can point their browser at the Institute’s Web
site (http://chi.lcms.org) and review a limited set of the Institute’s
internal database fields, under “Holdings and Collections.” Access
to the same is available on a public computer in the Reading Room
at the Institute.

In the field of digital publishing, the Institute announces its first
venture, “The Doctrinal Resolutions of the National Conventions
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 1847-2004.” This is a
CD-ROM disk readable by either PC or Macintosh computers,

2007 Convention Workbook

using the PDF file format. The disk is fully searchable. For $15
(plus $2 for domestic shipping), the CD contains the equivalent of
2,000 pages of doctrinal decisions and resolutions from the begin-
ning of the Synod until the present. Lessons learned in the produc-
tion of these disks will enhance the Institute’s ability to make more
of its resources available to the public for a reasonable cost. The
CD may be obtained at the CHI office (314-505-7900; e-mail:
chi@chi.lcms.org), and at the CHI display booth at the Synod con-
vention.

In the field of digital presentations, the Institute has produced
its first museum kiosk with computer presentation technology for
its “In the Gospel” military chaplaincy museum exhibit. The pre-
sentation was created by Chaplain Mark J. Schreiber, Director of
the Ministry to the Armed Forces, and modified for museum use.
In this case, audio-music files and color photo files were combined
with text to create an effective and inexpensive multimedia pre-
sentation. This opens up the possibility of publishing historic
narratives in a digital format (i-e., using PowerPoint technology),
especially since the Institute has an extensive photo collection doc-
umenting the Synod’s history. This technology will be used, in any
event, in the Synod’s new museum.

III. Goals and Assignments

Several goals have been adopted by the Board of Governors of
Concordia Historical Institute in the last triennium. The first, and most
public, goal has been to build a new museum at the International Cen-
ter and to expand the archival space at the Institute’s current facility in
Clayton. The Institute will not vacate its current premises, but expand
its museum function to include the space at the International Center.
As of the date of this report, this Museum and Building Expansion
Project is still in its capital-fund-raising stage, with over a half-million
dollars in receipts and pledges obtained. The intent is to move into
the design phase in the fall of 2007.

The second goal of the Institute in the triennium has been in the
area of planning. This is in the form of a detailed work program in-
volving the Institute’s vision, mission, program goals, program ob-
jectives, support goals, and support objectives. The purpose of the
work program is to ensure that the Institute’s resources are de-
ployed in the most efficient manner and in harmony with the ex-
pectations and needs of the Missouri Synod. The Mission and
Goals Committee presented the work program in draft form to the
CHI Board of Governors at its Feb. 7, 2007, meeting, with the final
version to be adopted on June 1, 2007.

The third goal of the Institute has been to upgrade and enhance
its communication vehicles. In the last triennium, the Institute’s
newsletter, Historical Footnotes, has seen several makeovers to im-
prove readability and reader interest. The Institute’s quarterly jour-
nal, CHI Quarterly, has seen more extensive use of photos from
the Institute’s collection, as well as a more consistent and attrac-
tive front cover. The Institute’s Web site, as mentioned above, has
also been upgraded in look, feel, and content.

Assignments from the Synod to the Institute are mostly of an
ongoing nature. The Institute regularly serves the informational,
historical, and archival needs of Synod officers, district officers,
and church staff at all levels. The special assignment from the
Synod Board of Directors, to produce an index of doctrinal resolu-
tions, has been completed and is discussed under Part II. The In-
stitute has recommended to the convention one overture pertaining
to the anniversaries of Walther, Wyneken, and Loehe.

IV. Conclusion

The most significant challenge to the Institute is expanding the
numbers of partners who are involved in and aware of the historical
dimension of our church. The Institute continues to believe that
membership in the Institute is the best method, at the present time,
for it to partner with individuals, congregations, and agencies of