LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 151

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152 RESOLUTIONS

To Decline to
Eliminate Honorary Degrees

RESOLUTION 6-25

Overture 6-132 (CW, p. 357)
Wuereas, It has been traditional and customary for
both seminaries and colleges of the LCMS to grant

honorary degrees as a part of their educational program;
therefore be it

Resolved, That we respectfully decline Overture 6-
182.

Action: This resolution died since it failed to receive
action before adjournment.

To Support Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis, Library Policy

RESOLUTION 6-26
Overtures 6-72A—6-73C (CW, pp. 339—340)

Wuereas, There are indications that some Seminex
individuals do not agree with the position of opposition and
God’s judgment toward Concordia Seminary; and

Wuereas, Limited use of Concordia Seminary library
facilities is available to all such individuals; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Synod consider the concerns of the
overture to have been satisfied.

Action: This resolution died since it failed to receive
action before adjournment.

To Decline Overtures Asking that
Actions of the St. Louis Board
of Control Be Reversed

RESOLUTION 6-27

Overtures 6-76—6-78C, 6-80, 6-150—6-152 (CW, pp.
340—341, 361—362)

Wuereas, Dr. John Tietjen has been removed from
the office of president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
Mo., on the basis of charges of false doctrine and mal-
feasance in the conduct of his office; and

Wuereas, The actions of the Board of Control in this
matter were carried out in harmony with the procedures
outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod;
and

Wuereas, Dr. John Tietjen has had opportunity to
avail himself of appeal procedures provided by the Con-
stitution and Bylaws but has chosen not to appeal his
case; and

Wuereas, The final disposition of the case has not yet
been made; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod permit the orderly proce-
dure prescribed for this and other similar matters to be
followed; and be it further

Resolved, That the above overtures be respectfully
declined.

Action: This resolution died since it failed to receive
action before adjournment.

To Affirm Action of the BHE
Regarding Academic Freedom

RESOLUTION 6-28

Overtures 6-113—6-114, 6-116—6-117 (CW, pp. 351—
353)

Wuereas, Every convention of the Synod since 1962
has pleaded with the members of the Synod “by the
mercies of God” to “honor and uphold” synodically
adopted doctrinal statements; and

Wuereas, The Synod has interpreted “honor and
uphold” as meaning “not merely to examine and study
them, but to support, act, and teach in accordance with
them until they have been shown to be contrary to God’s
Word” (Milwaukee Proceedings, Res. 2-21); and

Wuereas, The Synod also holds that every member,
by virtue of his agreement when he voluntarily joined

_the Synod and freely placed himself under the provisions

of the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws, is bound by the
Word of God expressed in the Synod’s resolutions until it
can be demonstrated that a resolution is in fact “not in
accordance with the Word of God”; otherwise the Synod
holds that its resolutions are to be considered “of binding
force if they are in accordance with the Word of God”
(Bylaw 1.09 b), and the Synod permits no member to
teach or practice in violation of a resolution simply on
the grounds that he does not agree with it or that it is in
conflict with his private persuasion (Milwaukee Proceed-
ings, Res. 2-21); and

Wuereas, The Policy Statement on Limitation of
Academic Freedom adopted by the Board for Higher
Education is taken from the Constitution and Bylaws of
the Synod and from resolutions of the Synod regarding
the status of synodically adopted doctrinal statements;
and

Wuereas, The Synod has affirmed and reaffirmed its
position “that such statements, insofar as they are in
accord with the Scriptures and the pattern of doctrine set
forth in the Lutheran Symbols, are, pursuant to Article Il
of the Synod’s Constitution, binding upon all its mem-
bers” (New Orleans Proceedings, Res. 2-12); and

Wuereas, The Policy Statement on Limitation of
Academic Freedom permits those who judge the synodi-
cally adopted doctrinal statements to be out of harmony
with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions to
express their dissent in a responsible and orderly way;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod affirm its right and duty to
expect that its doctrinal position, based on Article I of
the Constitution (the Scriptures and the Lutheran Con-
fessions) and as applied to contemporary theological is-
sues, be faithfully and fairly taught in the classrooms of
its colleges and seminaries; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod affirm the action of the BHE
in adopting the Policy Statement on Limitation of Aca-