Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 141
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 141

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

SEMINARY ISSUES 141

Theological Seminary, Springfield, be directed to withdraw
their membership from the American Association of Theo-

logical Schools. Messtan Ev. LUTHERAN CHURCH

Sterling, Il.
Harold Nelson. Secretary
Eldor Mueller, Pastor

3-91A

To Take Positive Action in Matter
of Seminary Accreditation

Wuereas, The American Association of Theological
Schools has placed Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, on pro-
bation; and

Wuereas, Such action is the result of the position of the
AATS that the Synod should exercise its supervision of its
seminaries only through the local board of control; and

Wuereas, The position of the AATS on the government
of seminaries in effect requires the Synod to remove the
Board for Higher Education from its supervisory role over
Synod’s colleges and seminaries: and

Wuereas, It is obvious that the present system of checks
and balances in the government of Synod’s colleges and sem-
inaries is an important factor in protecting the interests of
the church in the supervision of its schools: and

Wuereas, The AATS is thus intruding itself into the in-
ternal government of the Synod and going beyond the right-
ful prerogatives of an accrediting agency; and

Wuereas, It is desirable that the Synod preserve accredi-
tation, but not at the expense of weakening its supervision
over its schools; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Boards of Control
of Concordia Seminary, St.Louis, and of Concordia Semi-
nary, Springfield, Ill.. to withdraw from the American Asso-
ciation of Theological Schools unless the AATS withdraws
its probation of the St.Louis seminary and insistence on
changes in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Boards of Control
of both its seminaries to investigate the possibility of seek-
ing or forming a new accreditation agency consisting of
schools whose church bodies are interested in maintaining
both high academic standards and effective control of their

seminaries. Mr. Hope LUTHERAN CHURCH
Boulder, Colo.
Harold Reiss, Pastor
Michael A, Boomhower
Identical:
3-91B

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Otis, Ind., Karl Hofmann,
Pastor; Roy Zahrn, Secretary.
3-91C

Trinity Lutheran Church, Riverton, Wyo. Jim Luers,
Chairman; R. C. Oberhau, Pastor.
3-91D

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Chesterton, Ind., Ferman Lane,
President: Donald Garvue, Pastor.
3-91E

Trinity Lutheran. Rock Springs, Wyo., Clarence Soren-
sen, Chairman; Maynard E. Suhr, Secretary.

3-92

To Invite Others to Join in Forming
a New Accrediting Agency
for Theological Schools

Wuereas, The purpose of our seminaries is not, first of
all, to satisfy the requirements of the academic community
but rather to train pastors who will be fully faithful to the

Holy Scriptures and the Gospel of Christ in their pastoral
calling; and

WHEREAS, The American Association of Theological
Schools has insisted that the Synod and its President as
the duly authorized overseer of doctrine in Synod’s semi-
naries and colleges should no longer be allowed to interfere
in the doctrinal stance and direction of the faculty mem-
bers in our St. Louis seminary: and

Wuereas, The AATS seems thereby to be injecting its
own form of external pressure into the internal doctrinal
affairs of our Synod by the threat to withdraw accreditation
from Concordia Seminary, St.Louis. unless certain condi-
tions are met by a given deadline; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled in-
struct the Board for Higher Education and the Boards of
Control of our seminaries in St. Louis and Springfield to
withdraw entirely from the AATS as of Sept. 1, 1973; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Board for Higher
Education to take the lead in inviting theological schools
of other church bodies which are thoroughly committed as
we are both to high academic standards and to the exercise
of full doctrinal authority over the teaching that is done
in their classrooms to join in forming a new agency for
accreditation of terminal theological schools.

St. PauL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Bremen, Ind.
Raymond Mueller, Pastor

3-93

To Reinterpret Role of BHE
in Reappointments

Whereas, The Board for Higher Education has reversed
the Board of Control of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in the
reappointment of Dr. Arlis Ehlen; and

Wuereas, This was done on the basis of an opinion of the
Commission on Constitutional Matters (prior consent on
6.53) which opinion was not reported to Synod nor to the
Board of Control (even while the subject appointment was
under consideration); and

Wuereas, 6.53 has never in the past been understood to
apply to reappointments; and

Wuereas, The BHE has not applied 6.53 to any other of
the many reappointments made at the seminary; and

Wuereas. This action permitted a board appointed by the
President of Synod to reverse a board elected by Synod; and

Wuereas, This action is one of the contributing factors
resulting in probation by the American Association of Theo-
logical Schools: therefore be it

Resolved. That 6.53 be interpreted to apply only to origi-
nal appointments and only for purposes of coordinating
action of the Boards of Control of our various institutions

(not a veto action). Hope LUTHERAN CHURCH

Pompano Beach, Fla.
Fritz Gale, President
James Maynard, Secretary

3-94

To Exclude BHE from Reappointment
Process (Faculty)

Wuereas, Synodical Handbook Bylaw 6.53 a provides that
the Board for Higher Education shall give its prior consent
to the initial appointment of a college or seminary professor,
but does not refer to the BHE’s role in the reappointment
of professors:

The Board of Control. on recommendation of the president of
the institution and with the prior consent of the Board for
Higher Education, shall appoint the members of the faculty.
Initial appointments to the theological seminaries require also
the prior approval of their electors;

and
WHEREAS, Synodical Handbook Bylaw 6.53c provides a