LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 351

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HIGHER EDUCATION 351

6-111

To Support Synodical Lutheran High
Schools

WHEREAS. The Task Force on Higher Education has identi-
fied as fact that the closure of our synodical high schools tradi-
tionally attached to our synodical preparatory schools has in
a most serious way negatively affected the total recruitment
program for full-time service within the Synod: and

WHEREAS. We are reliably informed that our needs for full-
time church workers in the Synod will be increasing in the very
near future: and

WHEREAS. We have not provided as a church body any
adequate substitute for a Lutheran high school education in
terms of recruitment and training for full-time service within
the church: therefore be it

Resolved. That we fervently promote and assist in any pro-
grams and plans for community Lutheran high schools in The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod: and be it further

Resolved. That the Board for Higher Education be asked to
examine and act upon the possibility of one or several strategi-
cally located synodical high schools or their equivalent to begin
to answer our present lack of Lutheran secondary education
in the Synod.

Peace Lutheran Church
New Berlin, Wis.

Donald Schwerin, President
Jan Blanchard. Secretary
Martin W. Bangert. Pastor

6-112

To Experiment with New Models
for Higher Education

(New Orleans Resolution 6-06)

WHEREAS, A variety of educational models may serve more
effectively in meeting the needs and educational goals of
a changing society: therefore be it

Resolved. That the Board for Higher Education continue to
experiment with pilot programs at strategic locations in co-
operation with the several Districts.

Board of Control

Christ College Irvine

Charles L. Manske. Acting President
Arnold G. Kuntz. Chairman

Glenn Molyneaux, Secretary

6-113

To Act on Limitation of Academic
Freedom at Synodical Institutions

WHEREAS, The Synod has in past years adopted resolutions
on doctrinal matters to make its corporate position known to
the church and to the world: and

WHEREAS, Additional resolutions have been adopted to
assure those doctrinal resolutions are given due respect by the
members of the Synod (3-17, 1962: 2-08, 1965: 2-04, 1967: 2-24,
1969; 2-21, 1971, 2-12, 1973): and

WHEREAS, In recent years efforts have been made to ‘‘bind"
teachers to “honor, uphold, and teach” in accordance with
synodically adopted doctrinal resolutions, especially through
the implementation of a “Statement on Limitation of Academic
Freedom”: and

WHEREAS, The report of the Committee on Constitutional
Matters to the Cleveland convention in 1962 clearly stated: ‘The
Confessions mentioned in Article II are the only confessions to
which pastors and teachers bind themselves in taking their
ordination and installation vows or to which a congregation
binds itself when it becomes a member of the Synod. It neces-
sarily follows that in order to make any other confessional or
doctrinal statement binding upon the member of the Synod, the

statement must be made a part of the constitution” (Cleveland
Proceedings. p. 187): and

WHEREAS, in light of this decision the Synod has not ade-
quately clarified the meaning of the terms ‘“‘honor, uphold, and
teach" as they are applied to the teaching responsibilities of
instructors at synodical schools: and

WHEREAS. The implementation of the Board for Higher
Education “Statement on Limitation of Academic Freedom”
has caused considerable concern among the faculties of synodi-
cal colleges owing in part to the uncertainty that still exists
about the meaning of the words to “honor, uphold, and teach”
as these are actually applied to classroom teaching: therefore
be it

Resolved. That the Synod resolve much of the difficulty with
the application of synodically adopted doctrinal statements by
applying the following distinctions between these statements
and the Confessions mentioned in Article II:

A. A doctrinal statement of the Synod, adopted in conven-
tion by a simple majority of the voting delegates present, is to be
regarded as an honest attempt by an earthly church to discern
the mysteries of God and to state publicly its corporate position
on a given theological or social issue. These statements are to
be ‘“‘accepted and used as helpful expositions and explanations”’
(Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Rule and Norm, par. 10,
Book of Concord. ed. Theo. G. Tappert, p. 506), and the members
of the faculties of synodical colleges are bound to—

1) Honor them by avoiding public ridicule or outreach con-
tradictory judgments, but to respect them as the doctrinal
positon of the majority of the delegates voting in the
convention on this issue.

we

Uphold them in classroom and professional activities by
fairly presenting the rationale by which the Synod arrived
at its decision to adopt the given resolution. The argu-
ment supporting them should be presented clearly and
objectively.

Teach in accord with them by avoiding ridicule or publicly
opposing them. The instructor is to present their content
and the basis on which they were adopted in fairness and
with objectivity as the public corporate position of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He should also be
free to present, in fairness and with objectivity, other
views or understanding of responsible scholarship to his
students and the basis on which these views or under-
standing rest. He is not bound to teach the synodically
adopted doctrinal resolution as truth and all other views
or understandings as error and in contradiction with the
Word of God and the Lutheran Symbols.

B. If a doctrinal statement is to be regarded as unalterable
and immutable truth and to be taught as such in the classrooms
of our Synod, wherein also all contradictory doctrinal state-
ments are to be regarded as error. then the Synod must proceed
to adopt these doctrinal statements as amendments to the Con-
stitution of the Synod according to the provisions of Article XIV
of the Constitution of the Synod. This deliberate process avoids
the potentially dangerous practice of redefining truth every
2 years and thereby creating confusion and great distress within
The Lutheran Church -— Missouri Synod at large, and especially
among the teachers of the Synod.

3

(25 members of the faculty have recorded a negative vote
against this overture and desire this to be reported together with
the overture. The reasons for the dissent will be filed with the
floor committee.)

Faculty

Concordia Teachers College

River Forest, Ill.

Merle L. Radke, Secretary
6-114

To Require All Faculty Members of All
Synodical Schools to Subscribe Without
Reservation to “A Statement of
Scriptural and Confessional Principles”

WHEREAS. The CTCR has declared “A Statement” to be in
complete harmony with Scripture: and