Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1973 · 50th Convention › Page 158
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 158

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

158 SEMINARY ISSUES

Wuereas, The seminary president was negligent in his
duties by knowingly and willingly permitting a theology to
Srow at the seminary which Was inconsistent with the doc-
trinal position of Synod: and

WHEREAS, The seminary president not only condones the
views of the erring professors but also supports their views
which are contrary to the established doctrinal Position of
Synod: and

WHEREAS, The seminary presi-lent upholds a “Gospelism”
theology which is contrary to the Reformation theology
clearly stated in our Confessions and held by Synod: and

WHEREAS, The seminary president has failed to take any
steps to correct and admonish the erring professors: there-
fore be it

Resolved, That Dr. J, Tietjen, president of Concordia
eminary, St. Louis, Mo., be requested to resign as president
of the said institution; and be it further

Resolved, That... .

St. Pav. LutHeran CHURCH
Sanford, Mich.

Earnest Sutton, President
Lynn Robinette, Secretary

3-165

To Require Evidence for Allegations
Against a Congregation’s Pastor

WHEREAS, The president of our St. Louis seminary, Dr,
John Tietjen, has characterized the theology of the mem-
bers of the Fact Finding Committee appointed by Dr. J. A. O.
Preus as a theology that “threatens our Synod with grave
danger,” and as “an incipient distortion of the biblical Gos-
pel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” which “needs to
be exposed and corrected lest it worsen, and in Worsening,
destroy the faith by which we live”; and

WHEREAS, The pastor serving our congregation was a
member of the Fact Finding Committee: an

WueERrEAs, Our congregation as a member of The Lutheran
Church — Missourj Synod should be assured the ministra-
tions of a thoroughly Lutheran pastor: therefore be it

Resolved. That we respectfully request The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod to require that Dr. Tietjen pro-
duce the evidence for these allegations, and be it further

Resolved. That if there is convincing evidence of such
theological aberrations on the part of our pastor he be ad-
monished and corrected as required by the Constitution and
Bylaws of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and be
it further

Resolved. That if Dr. Tietjen has no such evidence he
be required publicly to retract the charges he has publicly
made so that our pastor's good name may be cleared and
our confidence in his ministrations continued.

Grace Evancenicar LUTHERAN CHURCH
Palisades Park, N. J.

Herbert Bieri, Chairman

Charles Cernek, Secretary

3-166
To Reinstate Arlis Ehlen

WHEREAS, Professor Arlis Ehlen is a member of Bethel
Lutheran Congregation, University City, Mo.. and is not
now, nor has he been. under church discipline since he
joined the parish: and

Wuereas. He has faithfully Witnessed in our midst, espe-
cially with his teaching, including teaching on the work
and wonder of God at the Red Sea for which teaching he jis
ostensibly being criticized in our Synod: and

Wuereas, His life and teaching in our midst has served
to magnify the merits and benefits of Christ and strengthen
the faith of many of us: and

WHEREas, The Board for Higher Education of The Lu-
theran Church — Missouri Synod has nullified the last teach-

ing contract which Arlis Ehlen had at Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis, in a manner which is in our view unbrotherly, and
contrary to the will and work of the Lord of the church,
without consulting Dr. Ehlen himself; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod at New Orleans in 1973 declare
null and void the action of the Board for Higher Education
taken against Arlis Ehlen; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod instruct the Board of Control
of Concordia Seminary to reinstate him with al] appropriate
speed to the position he had before the action taken against
him by the Board for Higher Education.

BETHEL LUTHERAN CHurcH
University City, Mo.
Kenneth Guebert, Chairman
Walter Mueller, Secretary

3-167A

To Declare Dr. A. Ehlen Not Guilty
of False Doctrine

Resolved, That the New York State Pastoral Conference
of the Atlantic District petition The Lutheran Church — Mis-
Souri Synod in convention in New Orleans to declare pub-
licly that Dr. Arlis Ehlen is not guilty of having taught false
doctrine.

Reasons:

1. Dr. Arlis Ehlen’s contract to teach at Concordia Sem-
inary, St. Louis, was not renewed, thus placing him under
a cloud of suspicion:

2. No charges of false doctrine have ever officially been
lodged against Dr. Arlis Ehlen.

New York Stare PAasTora, CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC District
Daniel Aho, Secretary

Similar:
3-167B

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst, Mass., Charles
Cole, President: Mrs. James Terrill, Secretary.

3-168A

To Furnish Dr. Ehlen Particulars

Wuereas, The Board for Higher Education has refused to
approve the renewal of the contract with Arlis J. Ehlen to
teach at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; and

WHEREAS, The Fort Wayne Pastoral Conference, among
others, has inquired into the reason for this action without
receiving a proper response; and

Whereas, Prof. Ehlen himself has never been informed
of the reason for the Board’s action; and

WHEREAS, This procedure. in the lack of any evidence to
the contrary, appears to us to be arbitrary, unloving, and
contrary to the elementary canons of human justice; there-

concerning what has been, in effect, his dismissal from the
faculty of Concordia Seminary, St.Louis; and that he be
given a proper opportunity to defend himself against what-
ever charges may be brought against him.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH
Fort Wayne, Ind.

Richard Laker, President
Paul Sauerteig, Secretary

Similar:

3-168B

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst, Mass., Charles
Cole, President: Mrs. James Terrill, Secretary,