Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 157
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 157

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

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SEMINARY ISSUES 157

3-160
To Reprimand Council of Presidents

Wuereas, The District Presidents are restricted to juris-
dictional matters within their own Districts; and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents is a counsel to the
President of Synod and not to the entire Synod; and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents has chosen to concern
itself with matters delegated to the President of Synod: and

WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents has taken a public
position in the Seminary Investigation process, without the
express direction of the Synod and contrary to the pro-
cedures adopted at the Milwaukee convention of the Synod
in 1971; and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents has served to frus-
trate the Seminary Investigation process, and placed itself
in a biased position: therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled pub-
licly reprimand the Council of Presidents: and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be required to
confine its actions only to matters that have been delegated

to lt. Our REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH

North Platte, Nebr.
Craig Wilke, Secretary
Freddy Meyer. President
H. Harnapp, Pastor

INDIVIDUALS
3-161

To Request Resignation of Dr. John Tietjen

Wuereas, The synodical Handbook states in the Bylaws,
Section 6.91,

The president of each of Synod's institutions shall be the spir-
itual, academic, and administrative head thereof, and shall be
the executive officer of the Board of Control. The Synod, its
boards and its members, shall first of all hold him responsible
in all matters pertaining to the institution;

and

Wuereas. Dr. Tietjen, since his election as president of
Concordia Seminary. St. Louis, has failed to demonstrate the
executive ability necessary to work in Christian harmony
with his superiors, the President of Synod and the Board
for Higher Education, so that it became necessary for the
President of Synod, in pursuit of his responsibilities (Consti-
tution Art. XI) to make an unprecedented decision to ap-
point a Fact Finding Committee to investigate the teaching
at the seminary in response to an overabundance of concerns.
complaints, and accusations directed to both the President
of Synod and the president of the seminary. of the teaching
of false doctrine at the St.Louis seminary; and

Wuereas, The results of the investigation of the Fact
Finding Committee have shown, conclusively. that the teach-
ing of false doctrine by some professors was being permitted
and defended by the president of the seminary (Report of
the Synodical President to The Lutheran Church — Missourt
Synod, Sept. J, 1972); and

Wuereas, Dr. Tietjen has persistently and continually de-
nied any teaching of false doctrine at the St. Louis seminary,
explicitly indicates he does not believe that the doctrinal
position of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod con-
cerning the Holy Scriptures in its totality as believed, taught,
and confessed by Synod over the past 125 years is correct
(Ref.. Faithful To Our Calling, Faithful To Our Lord);
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Voters’ Assembly of St. John's Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church, 503 Chase Parkway, Waterbury.
Conn., of the New England District of The Lutheran Church
— Missouri Synod respectfully asks The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod in convention at New Orleans to take what-
ever steps are proper. Christian, and necessary to obtain the
resignation of Dr. John Tietjen as president of the St. Louis

seminary. Sr. Joun’s EvaNcELicaL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Waterbury, Conn.
Robert A. Beer, President
Charles L. Emerick, Secretary

3-162A
To Secure Resignation of President
of St. Louis Seminary

Wuereas, The president of the St. Louis seminary con-
tinually discredits the efforts of the President of Synod to
correct the doctrinal aberrations at the St. Louis seminary,
to the point of public insult (re: the opprobrium, “. . . gar-
bage in— garbage out . . ” applied by the St.Louis sem-
inary president to the findings of the President of Synod);
therefore be it

Resolved, That Synod demand a public apology be made
by the president of the St.Louis seminary to the President
of Synod for his intemperate remarks: and be it further

Resolved, That Synod direct the Board of Control of the
St. Louis seminary to terminate the tenure and secure the
resignation of the president of the St.Louis seminary ac-
cording to the provisions of Handbook Bylaw 6.77d and

6.77h. Mount Hore LUTHERAN CHURCH
Casper, Wyo.
F. D. Stewart, President
Richard Means, Secretary
Rev. J. B. Brown, Pastor
Similar:
3-162B

Trinity Lutheran Church, Rock Springs, Wyo., Maynard
E. Suhr, Secretary; Clarence E. Sorensen, Chairman, Board
of Elders.

3-163A

To Remove Dr. John H. Tietjen
from Presidency of Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis

Wuereas, The presidents of our church's institutions
must comply with the public Scriptural and confessional
stance of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, Dr. John Tietjen has publicly termed as “less
than Scriptural” the view of Scripture held by the President
of the LCMS and by the Fact Finding Committee appointed
by the synodical President: and

Wuereas, Dr. Tietjen has also publicly termed as “less
than Lutheran” the theology of our synodical President and
of the Fact Finding Committee appointed by him; and

WuereEas, Synod President Dr. J. A. O. Preus, in consul-
tation with synodical Vice-Presidents, has summarized his
view of Scripture and his theological position in A State-
ment of Scriptural and Confessional Principles: and

Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions of the LCMS has declared A Statement to be in doc-
trinal accord with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions and the position of our Synod; therefore be it

Resolved, That Dr. Tietjen be removed from the presi-
dency of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and be it further

Resolved: That Dr. Tietjen be removed from the clergy
roster of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Scarsdale, N.Y.
Merlin C. Meyer, Pastor
Similar:
3-163B
Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.,
Joseph Weber, Secretary.

3-164
To Request Resignation of Dr. J. Tietjen

as President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Wuereas, The Synod Handbook (6.91) clearly states, “The
Synod, its boards, and its members shall first of all hold him
(the president of the institution) responsible in all matters
pertaining to the institution”; and