LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 120

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120 SEMINARY ISSUES

3-19

To Deal Pastorally But Firmly with Those
Who Preach, Teach, Publish, Permit,
or Promote Doctrine Not in Accord
with Biblical, Confessional, or LCMS Positions

Wuereas, On April 18, 1972, our congregation forwarded
an overture to the Ohio District convention To commend
President J. A. O. Preus for preliminary report on seminary
and the Statement that was released on 3 3/72; and

Wuereas, On April 18, 1972 our congregation forwarded
an overture to the Ohio District convention To request Dis-
trict Presidents Arthur Ziegler and John Baumgaertner to
publicly repudiate the 27 72 open letter of “The Cleveland
Group” and to take whatever steps are required to secure
the public withdrawal and recantation by the cosigners or
to instigate procedures for discipline with loving but firm
pastoral concern shown to all under their doctrinal super-
vision; and

Whereas, On April 18, 1972. our congregation forwarded
an overture to the Ohio District convention To urge B’C of
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to proceed with deliberate
haste to complete their study of the Fact Finding Report
and take whatever steps are required to commend and cor-
rect as required: and

Wuereas, On April 18, 1972. our congregation forwarded
an overture to the Ohio District convention To encourage
President J. A. O. Preus to instigate and or continue with
onerous but necessary investigations: to report to the church
on the status of these investigations from time to time: to
bring commendation where deserved: and to cause correc-
tions to be made where required in areas of doctrine and
practices within LCMS: and

Wnuereas, The Ohio District convention following the
precedent of so many District conventions in recent years,
neither accepted nor rejected these four overtures but, in-
stead, passed resolutions to:

(1) encourage the use of A Statement of Scriptural and
Confessional Principles and the reply of the seminary faculty
as study documents (Res. 10-01); and

(2) wait patiently for the B-C and the President of
Synod to provide us with their findings (Res. 10-02); and

Wuereas, The Adult Bible Class of our congregation, over
a period of several weeks, studied both the Statement of
Scriptural and Confessional Principles and the reply of the
seminary faculty (as recommended by Ohio District Res.
10-01) and concluded that the Statement was very much in
accord with the Bible and the Confessions and that the fac-
ulty response did not face the issues presented in the State-
ment and seemed more of an attack on personalities than
a response to the issues: and

WHEREAS, The Report of the B C (consisting of a majority
and two minority reports) and the Report of the President
of Svnod have been released (and for which the Ohio Dis-
trict Res. 10-02 asked that we patiently wait): and

Whereas, The Report of the Synodical President disclosed
documented proof that within the faculty a false view of
Holy Scriptures exists: that methods of interpretation are
being used which effectually erode the authority of the
Scriptures; that there is a substantial undermining of the
confessional doctrine of original sin by a de facto denial of
the historical events on which it is based; that there is per-
missiveness toward certain false doctrines; that there exists
a tendency to deny the LAW as a normative guide for
Christian behavior: and that there exists a strong claim that
the seminary faculty need not teach in accord with the
Synod’s doctrinal stance as expressed in the Synod's official
doctrinal statements and resolutions; and

WHEREAS, On Sept. 18, 1972, our Church Council voted
to send commendation to the synodical President for issuing
the Report on the seminary investigation and to indicate
their support of his efforts to meet the responsibilities of his
office to regain and maintain doctrinal integrity both in the
seminary and throughout Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That the 1973 synodical convention adopt the
four overtures passed by our congregation on 4°17/72: and
be it further

Resolved, That the 1973 synodical convention commend
the Fact Finding Committee for completing their arduous
task: and be it further

Resolved. That the 1973 synodical convention commend
the synodical President for issuing the Report: and be it
further

Resolved. That the 1973 synodical convention urge all
boards, commissions, and officers who have responsibility,
under and with the synodical President for supervision of
doctrine, to take whatever steps are required to bring sem-
inaries, schools, publications and parishes into accord with
unalterable Article IJ of our Constitution and into the largest
possible uniformity in church practice, church customs. and,
in general, in congregational affairs as called for in Article
II 5 of our Constitution: and be it finally

Resolved. That this overture be forwarded through proper
channels to the New Orleans convention and also be released
to the Lutheran community as a witness to those convic-
tions that we have evolved after study, discussion, and
prayer of many among us.

St. Pau, LurHeran CuHurcu
Cincinnati, Ohio

W.H. Roschke, Pastor
Joseph Lewin, Secretary

(NotE: We have forwarded to the floor committee the at-
tached overtures to the Ohio District referred to above and
entitled:

To Commend President J. A. O. Preus for Preliminary
Report on Seminary and the “Statement”

To Request District Presidents Ziegler and Baumgaertner
to Publicly Repudiate Open Letter of “The Cleveland
Group”

To Urge St.Louis Board of Control to Proceed with
Deliberate Haste

To Encourage President J. A. O. Preus to Instigate or
Continue Investigations]

“A STATEMENT’ AND ARTICLE II
3-21
To Discuss and Accept “A Statement”

Wuereas, President J. A. O. Preus, in consultation with
the synodical Vice-Presidents, issued in 1972, A Statement
of Scriptural and Confessional Principles, originally to be
used by the Board of Contro] of Concordia Seminary, Saint
Louis, Mo.. for the purpose of identifying and resolving doc-
trinal problems besetting our Synod: and

Wuereas, The synodical Commission on Theology and
Church Relations has found these theological guidelines or
principles to be in accord with Scripture, the Lutheran Con-
fessions, and with the faith commonly held by our Synod:
therefore be it

Resolved. That each delegate to the 1973 synodical con-
vention be supplied with a copy of the Statement, and that
it be read in its entirety before the assembled church and
that after the reading a certain time be allotted for dis-

cussion: and be it further

Resolved. That the assembled church accept the Statement
as being in accord with Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions,
and the faith commonly held by our Synod: and be it finally

Resolved. That if the assembled church accepts the State-
ment as such, that all teachers and administrators in synod-
ical schools who can not accept the Statement as such. be
moved by the will of the assembled church to resign their
positions.

Our Savior LutHERaN CHURCH
Cavalier. N. Dak.

Richard Timian, Chairman
Robert Hildebrant, Secretary
Dennis Hipenhecker, Pastor