LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 233

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CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 233

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

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents has become a di-
visive force in the Synod, to wit:

1. The Council of Presidents has injected itself into the
seminary investigation process, contrary to the procedures
adopted at the Milwaukee convention of the Synod in 1971.

2. The Council of Presidents sought to suppress the pub-
lication and distribution of the Fact-Finding Committee Re-
port (twenty-three District Presidents in July, 1972).

3. When charges have been leveled against the President
of the Synod, such as statements charging him with “at-
tempts to usurp power” and of “violating the rights and
privileges of the office of President conferred on him by
election,” and statements which indicated that his theology
is sub-Biblical and un-Lutheran and the Council does not
publicly support and defend the theological position of the
President in this connection.

4. The Council of Presidents has interfered (February
1973) with the functioning of the Synod's Commission on
Theology and Church Relations, seeking to suppress its work
of evaluating the faculty statements whereas the CTCR has
the Handbook authority to do such a study.

5. The Council of Presidents sought to suppress the sup-
portive activity (the “crossroads” letter) of other District
Presidents, pastors, and laymen in Synod who are seeking
to support the doctrinal position of Synod and the constitu-
tional authority of the President of Synod in supervising the
Doctrine of Synod and to unite all under the Scriptures and
the Lutheran Confessions.

6. The Council of Presidents has not once supported the
President of Synod in his efforts to maintain purity of doc-
trine in the Missouri Synod.

7. The Council of Presidents violates its own statement
on ethics by channeling news of the Council's actions to the
public press with articles which indicated the Council of
Presidents was attempting to establish itself as an independ-
ent counterforce against the conservative minded Dr. Preus;
by not disciplining those within their own Districts who have
been slandering Dr. Preus in the public press and or the
ecclesiastical press: and by either permitting or encouraging
conferences in which Dr. Ehlen spoke: and

Wuereas, The Council of Presidents is being held in dis-
repute by many in the church for its meddling in the affairs
of the Synod where it does not belong: and

Wuereas, The request of the Council of Presidents to sup-
press the work of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations may be considered as tacit approval of the false
doctrine taught at Concordia Seminary. St. Louis; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention assembled cen-
sure the Council of Presidents; and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be required to
concern itself only with matters that have been delegated
to it by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod; and be
it further

Resolved. That the Council of Presidents meet as a Coun-
cil only at the call of the President of Synod; and be it
further

Resolved. That the Council of Presidents not impede the
work, authority, and responsibility given to the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations: and be it further

Resolved. That the Council of Presidents cease and desist
from suppressing the truth of any false teaching at Concor-
dia Seminary. St. Louis: and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and de-
sist from suppressing the supporting activities of pastors,
professors, District Presidents. and laymen in the Synod who
support the theological position of The Lutheran Church —
Missouri Synod. its Constitution and Bylaws. as well as the

constitutional authority of the President of Synod to have
supervision of doctrine: and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and desist
from taking upon itself authority, rights, responsibilities, and
powers which do not belong to them, but belong only to the
President of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents cease and desist
from intervening and hindering the responsibilities and du-
ties of the President of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be reprimanded
for their violation of the Constitution of the Synod, Article
XI, A. 1; and be it further

Resolved, That the Council of Presidents be instructed to
refrain from passing resolutions which are divisive and
“leaking” such divisive resolutions to the public press; and
be it further

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
confirm its already stated policy that the President has the
power to remove any District President who does not assist
the President in maintaining true doctrine in his own Dis-
trict. and in removing all those pastors who teach false doc-
trine; and be it further

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
not only confirm its already stated requirement that the
President has the power and obligation to remove such dis-
senting District Presidents. but demand that he take such
action immediately; and be it finally

Resolved. That the President of the Synod report to the
Synod such District Presidents and members of the Council
of Presidents who do not act in keeping with this Resolution.

BEAUTIFUL Savion LUTHERAN CHURCH
Broomfield, Colo.

Virgil Balke, Chairman

Gordon Bundy, Secretary

Similar:
5-76B

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor, M..n., Norbert
Mueller, Pastor; Thelma Wheppy, Secretary.
5-76D

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Highland, Ind., Thomas
Firsich, President: Betty Frank, Secretary.
5-76E

Zion Lutheran Church, Plainview, Nebr., Martin Hoyer,
Pastor.

5-76F
Trinity Lutheran Church, Rock Springs, Wyo., Maynard
Suhr, Secretary; Clarence Sorensen, Chairman.

5-16G
Trinity Lutheran Church, Riverton, Wyo., Jim H. Luers,
Chairman; R. C. Oberheu, Pastor.

5-76H

Board of Directors. Indiana District, E. H. Zimmermann,
President: Donald W. Biester, Secretary.

377A
To Instruct Council of Presidents
to Recognize Limits of Its Authority

Wuereas. The council of Presidents, both corporately and
some individually, publicly and privately, have intervened
repeatedly in the matter of the St. Louis seminary and hin-
dered the President of the Synod from carrying out the
duties and responsibilities of his office in “the supervision
regarding the doctrine... of all such as are employed by
the Synod” (Const. Art. XIB1b); and