LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — March 22-23, 1974, Page 3

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d.

Simply express regrets.

64. Status of Dissenters (Ag. 516): After discussion it was concluded that Freise draft a reply. See 68.
65. Report on COP Meeting Re Vicars and Candidates: Secretary Mueller appeared and presented a brief
review of the Chicago meeting and questions to be raised concerning placement of vicars and candidates.
66. Manitoba-Sask. Bylaws (AZ. 533): Secretary Mueller presented further information on questions of
"full" District pastoral conferences. He will write a letter of clarification that the intended word was
"official."
67. Secretary Mueller resumed duties as Secretary in lieu of Prevallet.
Donald Prevallet, Acting Secretary

68. Dissent (Ag. 516): In answer to the second question of Rev. Arthur E. Graudin's letter the
Commission adopted the following reply prepared by Freise:
In answer to your second requested opinion, you do not specifically set forth the kind and extent of
the dissent to actions of the Synod's convention in New Orleans. Generally speaking the individual
dissenter must place himself in statu confessionis. Also, generally speaking such dissenting
individuals are eligible to hold office in District and Synod. However, holding membership in the
Synod and holding office in the District and Synod carry with it certain duties and responsibilities.
See Resolution 5-01 of the Milwaukee convention and such sections of the Constitution and
Bylaws as are applicable, including but not limited to Article XII, 9a of the Constitution and
Section 1.09e of the Bylaws.
69. Eligibility of Seminex Graduates for Certification, Placement, and Ordination (Ag. 555, 549, 550;
551, 552; 557, 558; 559; 561; 562): The meeting of the Council of Presidents just concluded had spent
considerable time on the question of the eligibility of second year Seminex students for vicarage
assignments and had passed resolutions to that effect. Before dealing in the next meeting with the
assignment of candidates for calls, the Council spent considerable time discussing the difficulties. It
appointed a committee to draft certain specific questions to be addressed to the Commission on
Constitutional Matters regarding this problem. The report of this committee was transmitted to the
Commission together with quite a few questions in the same general area submitted by District presidents
before the Secretary left their meeting to return to St. Louis for this meeting of the Commission on
Constitutional Matters. The Commission now discussed these requests in great detail. It asked
Luessenhop overnight to draft what seemed to be the conclusions of the Commission. On the following
day this draft was discussed in still greater detail, amended several times, and finally adopted as attached.
In substance the Commission ruled that Seminex is not a recognized seminary of the Synod and therefore
a diploma issued by Seminex cannot be recognized. It was resolved to send this ruling to all District
presidents and to the Reporter for publication. The individual District presidents who had submitted
questions in this area were to be informed that this larger ruling seemed to cover their specific concerns.
70. BHE and Supervision of Vicars (Ag. 548): The Council of Presidents had adopted a resolution giving
vicarage assignments to second year Seminex students on the condition that their certification for
assignment would be by the 801 faculty and that their supervision as vicars would be under the Board for
Higher Education in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and the
placement officers of Seminex. President Ressmeyer asked the Commission on Constitutional Matters to