LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 207

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5. Seminary and University Education
5-01

To Convene a Task Force to Enhance the Lutheran
Identity of CUS Colleges and Universities
Whereas, One of the objectives of the Synod is to “aid congregations to … support synodical colleges, universities, and seminaries”
(Constitution, Art. III 5), and part of the purpose of those colleges and
universities is to “recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers” (Art. III 3); and
Whereas, The Lutheran identity of the colleges and universities
in the Concordia University System (CUS) should be more than the
fact that some of them “train pastors, teachers, and other professional
church workers” but that they are also distinctly Lutheran schools of
higher education; and
Whereas, Many Christian scholars have become concerned about
the loss of denominational and even Christian identity by colleges
and universities that were founded and funded by Christian churches
in America; and
Whereas, The decline in Christian identity of these American
schools was brilliantly researched and reported by James Tunstead
Burtchaell in his celebrated book The Dying of the Light: The
Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from their Christian
Churches (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998), which included
a report on Concordia University—River Forest; and
Whereas, Similar reports and literature have been produced
by both Evangelical and Catholic scholars, including George M.
Marsden, The Soul of the American University: From Protestant
Establishment to Established Nonbelief (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1994); Mark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994); Arthur F. Holmes, The Idea of a
Christian Academy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1975); Arthur
F. Holmes, Building the Christian Academy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans, 2001); James Tunstead Burtchaell, “The Decline and Fall
of the Christian College” First Things 12 (April 1991):16–29 and
13 (May 1991):30–38; and the special issue of First Things titled
“Degrees of Faith: God and America’s Colleges,” 207 (November
2010); and
Whereas, The January 2013 Reporter (p. 2) noted that the CUS
presented to the LCMS Board of Directors a plan to strengthen the
fiscal and administrative structure of the CUS called “CUS 2.0,” and
this is an important step forward for the CUS and its schools; and
Whereas, It is proper that the matter of Lutheran identity be taken
up by the LCMS President in his official role as doctrinal supervisor
of the Synod’s agencies and schools (Constitution, Art. XI B 1; Bylaw
3.3.1.1.1 [c]; Bylaw 3.3.1.3 [d]; Bylaw 3.3.1.3 [f]; etc.); therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS President is hereby directed to convene
a task force for the primary purpose of investigating, reporting on,
and enhancing issues of Lutheran identity in all the CUS schools, as
well as the secondary purposes of strengthening the CUS schools’
connection to the Synod and increasing financial and organizational
efficiencies; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force consider the possibility of recommending to the Synod a chancellor of CUS schools, whose primary
purpose would be supervising issues of Lutheran identity and doctrinal concerns; and be it further
Resolved, That the President appoint members of the LCMS to
this task force, which may include, solely at his discretion, one or
more CUS faculty members, administrators, regents, or presidents, as
well as other LCMS persons not working for or with any of the CUS

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schools; and that he or his personal representative be appointed as an
ex officio member of this task force; and be it finally
Resolved, That this task force make its first reports and recommendations to the LCMS President in 2015 and their final report and
recommendation to the 2016 LCMS convention.
Trinity Lutheran Church
Evansville, Indiana
5-02

To Encourage Faithful Spiritual Oversight
in Concordia University System
Whereas, The Circuit 12 Forum of the CNH District has
expressed concern with oversight of instruction regarding morality
and doctrine in the Concordia University System; and
Whereas, The mission of the colleges and universities of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is to be Christ-centered in their
character, as listed in Bylaw 3.6.6.6; and
Whereas, The schools in the Concordia University System were
established to impact their students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
taught and witnessed by the instructors and administrators in the
teaching and practice of the schools; and
Whereas, The schools in the Concordia University System were
created in order to prepare young people to be witnesses of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ in the world; and
Whereas, There is concern that the mission of the Concordia
Universities to be Christ-centered may not have been carried out in
some classrooms and subjects in favor of a world-centered teaching; and
Whereas, The board of directors of the Concordia University
System has authority with respect to the Synod’s colleges and universities to provide for the education of preseminary students, ministers
of religion—commissioned, other professional church workers of
the Synod, and others desiring a Christian liberal arts education; and
Whereas, The district presidents have ecclesiastical supervision
over the called ministers in their districts; therefore be it
Resolved, That the CNH District meeting in convention direct the
CNH district president to communicate these and other concerns as
they may arise to the presidents of the districts in which the universities reside; and be it further
Resolved, That the board of directors of the Concordia University
System be encouraged to be faithful overseers of the universities of
the Concordia University System; and be it further
Resolved, That the administrations and faculties of all educational
institutions of the Synod be attentive to their purpose to be witnesses
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in everything they teach and oversee;
and be it finally
Resolved, That this overture be proposed to the 2013 LCMS
convention.
California-Nevada-Hawaii District
5-03

To Maintain Accountability of Synod Universities
Whereas, One of the most important ways in which the Synod’s
universities are held accountable to the membership of the Synod is
through the election of four members of university boards of regents
at Synod conventions on a regular basis and the election of four others at the respective district conventions; and

2013 Convention Workbook