LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — April 18-19, 1974, Page 3

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94. Questions Re Seminex and Placement (Ag. 534): These questions posed by Rev. D.V. Dissen of
Clearwater, Florida were held on the agenda for future action.
95. Placement of Seminex Vicars (Ag. 563, 569): Pastor G.R. Discher of Navasota, Texas and Pastor
Donald Pohlers of Muncie, Indiana had both requested the Commission to rule on the constitutionality of
the action of the Council of Presidents in placing Seminex vicars. The Commission decided upon the
following position statement:
The CCM has found no constitutional barrier to the action taken by the Council of Presidents in
assigning second year "Seminex" students as vicars on the basis of the agreement that the
certification for assignment would be given by the faculty of Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun and
that the vicarage itself would be under the supervision of the BHE (Bylaw 6.05a and b) in
consultation with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and with the Placement
officers of "Seminex."
96. Letter from Arlen Bruns Re Ruling on "Seminex" Graduates (Ag. 564): The CCM took note of the
lengthy letter received from Dr. Arlen Bruns, chairman of the Placement Committee, with reference to the
ruling which the Commission had adopted at the previous meeting. It was felt that no reply was necessary
since the letter had been addressed to the Secretary, who in turn had been in verbal communication with
President Bruns since then on these matters.
97. English District President's Attack on CCM (Ag. 5671): President Baumgaertner in a letter to the
clergy of his District had stated that upon his return home from the Council of Presidents meeting he
discovered that once again the CCM had already taken action on a matter which had been discussed by
the presidents for five days. The fact of the matter is that it had been stated repeatedly in the meeting of
the Council of Presidents that Secretary Mueller would need to leave no later than Friday morning in
order to attend the meeting of the CCM which was getting underway on Friday morning and that he
would need to take with him any questions which the Council might wish to address to the CCM. After
some discussion as to what the CCM should do to counteract this false report, it was decided that perhaps
the Secretary who knows Dr. Baumgaertner personally might wish to approach him on a person to person
basis either orally or by letter.
98. Letter from "Seminex" Faculty Re CCM Ruling (Ag. 567L): The members of the Commission were
given copies of a four-page letter sent by the former faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis to all
pastors and to all congregations (through their chairmen) of the Synod. The Commission studied this
document in detail and came to the following conclusion:
The CCM has reviewed the document and finds the argumentation generally to be specious and the
conclusions erroneous and unwarranted. In urging congregations to take action contrary to the
mutually agreed upon regulations of the Synod, it can only serve to further divide the Synod. The
CCM was especially saddened by the loveless tone and the emotional pleading of the document,
especially in view of the fact that it was addressed to the congregations of the Synod, which have
already been subjected to much distress.
Before closing Chairman Luessenhop read a carbon copy of a letter addressed to "Seminex" by a Denver
area pastor taking strong exception to the letter sent by the "Seminex" faculty to the congregations even
though the pastor himself is in sympathy with the position taken by "Seminex."
Adjournment followed.