The following resolutions were prepared by the Concordia University System Board and were sent to the LCMS Board of Directors. All of the resolutions involve Concordia University Texas. 

 

To Call for Appropriate Ecclesiastical Discipline of Rostered Concordia University Texas Board of Regent Members 

WHEREAS, "The Board of Direct ors of the Concord University System has authority with respect to t he Synod' s colleges and universities" (Bylaw 3.6.6.1); and 

WHEREAS, The Concordia University Texas Board of Regents voted on November 8, 2022, to purportedly separate from t he governance of the Synod and declared itself to be the "sole govern ing body of the institution"; and 

WHEREAS , this action to purportedly separate was in contradiction to the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod which the members of the Synod are obligated to uphold; and 

WHEREAS, despite repeated consultation and calls for the board to repent of its action and reverse its decision , the CTX Board of Regents voted on April 4, 2023 to affirm its action to purportedly separate from the Synod ; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the Concordia University System Board of Directors acting in a regularly scheduled meeting at Concordia University St . Paul, on May 4, 2023, encourages the appropriate ecclesiastical supervisor of each individual member of the Concordia University Texas Board of Regents who supported separation and is also on the roster of the LCMS as either a Minister of Religion - Ordained or a Minister of Religion - Commissioned to investigate and determine any appropriate disciplinary action that should be taken; and be it further 

Resolved, That the CUS Board encourages this process to take place in an expeditious manner for the sake of the Church; and be it finally Resolved, That the CUS Board prays diligently that these board members might repent of their action, reverse their decision, and be enabled to continue service within the Synod.

 

To Indicate Readiness to Immediately Provide Interim Leadership for Concordia University Texas 

WHEREAS, "The Board of Directors of the Concordia University System has authority with respect to the Synod's colleges and universities" (Bylaw 3.6.6.1); and 

WHEREAS, Concordia University Texas has taken action to purportedly separate from the governance of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; and 

WHEREAS, this action has been taken at the behest of current CTX administrators; and WHEREAS, appropriate action relative to the above-mentioned administrators should include their removal from office; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the Concordia University System Board of Directors acting in a regularly scheduled meeting at Concordia University St. Paul on May 4, 2023 indicates its readiness to immediately provide for interim leadership at Concordia University Texas upon the removal from office of current leaders; and be it further 

Resolved, That the CUS Board stands ready to assist these interim leaders in repairing the damage created at Concordia University Texas by the action to purportedly separate from the Synod; and be it finally 

Resolved, That the CUS Board will direct said interim leaders to review all of the concerns raised in the report of the visit conducted by President Harrison in April 2022 and implement corrective action regarding all concerns forthwith. 

 

To Notify Appropriate Entities of the Unauthorized Action of Concordia University Texas 

WHEREAS, "The Board of Directors of the Concordia University System has authority with respect to the Synod's colleges and universities" (Bylaw 3.6.6.1); and 

WHEREAS, Concordia University Texas has voted to purportedly separate from the governance of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; and 

WHEREAS, this action was undertaken without proper authority under the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; and 

WHEREAS, this action resulted in the filing of amended documents with the State of Texas; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the Concordia University System Board of Directors meeting in a regularly scheduled meeting at Concordia University St. Paul on May 4, 2023, directs Dr. Dean 0. Wenthe, President of the CUS to communicate the invalid nature of this action by sending the formal press statement of the President of the Synod and the Synod Board of Directors, the Minority Statement, the CCM Opinion 23- 3006, and other appropriate supporting information to both the Secretary of State of the State of Texas and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOS), CTX's regional accrediting body. 

 

To Remove All Concordia University Texas Board of Regent Members Who Voted to Purportedly Separate from the Synod 

WHEREAS, "The Board of Directors of the Concordia University System has authority with respect to the Synod's colleges and universities" (Bylaw 3.6.6.1); and 

WHEREAS, the bylaws state "Unless otherwise specified, each governing board shall also be empowered to settle disputes within that corporate entity" (Bylaw 1.4.4(b)); and 

WHEREAS, the bylaws state "Each board shall report its activities and recommendations to the respective convention" (Bylaw 1.4.4(c)); and 

WHEREAS, The Concordia University Texas Board of Regents voted on November 8, 2022, to purportedly separate from the governance of the Synod and declared itself to be the "sole governing body of the institution"; and 

WHEREAS, this action to purportedly separate was in contradiction to the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod which all those serving on boards of the Synod are obligated to uphold; and 

WHEREAS, despite repeated consultation and calls for the board to repent of its action and reverse its decision, the CTX Board of Regents voted on April 4, 2023 to affirm its action to purportedly separate from the Synod; and 

WHEREAS, the Minority Report (attached) issued by members of the CTX Board who voted against purported separation and/or for a reversal of this decision (all of whom have subsequently resigned from the CTX Board) makes it clear that this action was taken with the full knowledge that it was in violation of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod; and 

WHEREAS, CCM Opinion 23-3006 states that the process under bylaw 1.5.7.1 for removal of a member of an agency board remains valid; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the Concordia University System Board of Directors acting in a regularly scheduled meeting at Concordia University St. Paul, on May 4, 2023 , according to Bylaw 1.5.7.1 declares its intent to call a special meeting to recommend to the Board of Directors ofThe Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod and the President of the Synod to remove all members of the Concordia University Texas Board of Regents who support this purported separation from office for failure to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to the Synod (Bylaw 1.5 .7) ; and be it further 

Resolved, That the CUS Board encourage the process to select the replacement for the CTX Board be initiated by the appropriate appointing bodies forthwith for the sake of the Church and the proper operation of Concordia University Texas as an agency of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod . 

 

To Remove the President, Provost, and Other Executives from Officers at Concordia University Texas 

WHEREAS, "The Board of Directors of the Concordia University System has authority with respect to the Synod's colleges and universities" (Bylaw 3.6.6.1); and 

WHEREAS, on November 8, 2022, the Concordia University Texas Board of Regents voted to purportedly separate from the governance of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Concordia University System; and 

WHEREAS, this action was the culmination of a lengthy period of interaction with Concordia University Texas relating to many matters of concern at the institution being addressed by the CUS; and 

WHEREAS, among the concerns repeatedly addressed by the CUS with Concordia University Texas are the following: 

• Campus Ministry and the long-term lack of a full-time Campus Pastor to serve the campus community (a position only very recently filled after many years) 

• Challenges with matters of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the manner in which these issues are addressed, taught, promoted, and facilitated on the campus 

• The separation of faculty members who are faithful in their teaching and administration for failure to comply with the DEi and Woke agendas 

• Concerns with failing to ensure that property reversionary clauses were in place related to all CTX property with the LCMS listed 

• Calling/Hiring of a faculty member to serve on the campus after the individual was not granted prior approval as required of all theology faculty members; and 

WHEREAS, the above matters are all areas of concern which existed prior to the indication from Concordia University Texas that it was interested in pursuing separation; and 

WHEREAS, many additional matters and concerns related to DEi, the Woke agenda, and other items were revealed during the official visit by President Harrison to the campus of CTX; and 

WHEREAS, it was apparent that these matters were being heavily promoted by the President, the Provost, and other members of campus leadership; and 

WHEREAS, these matters are of sufficient concern so as to warrant action even apart from the decision by CTX to purportedly separate from the Synod; and 

WHEREAS, the decision to separate was also fomented by many of the same leaders; and 

WHEREAS, after CTX indicated to the Synod it's desire to separate from the governance of the Synod and the CUS, the institution was directed under the bylaws of the Synod to work with the CUS to consider such a proposal; and 

WHEREAS, despite repeated invitations from Dr. Dean 0 . Wenthe, President of the CUS for Concordia University Texas to submit a proposal for evaluation by the CUS, a proposal did not arrive for many months; and 

WHREAS, during the time that the proposal was not delivered to CUS, the President is reported to have repeatedly indicated to the CTX Board that CUS was refusing to discuss separation; and 

WHEREAS, when a proposal was finally delivered CUS began its due diligence in evaluating it; and 

WHEREAS, during the period of time that the proposal was being evaluated it was difficult to determine for certain that the proposal submitted (labeled draft by CTX) was in fact the final proposal and obtain other relevant documents and materials from CTX due, in part, to the hinderance of the President; and 

WHEREAS, the President of CTX did not confirm until the first week of October 2022 that the proposal submitted was in fact the complete and final version; and 

WHEREAS, as CUS was finalizing its recommendation to decline the proposal and preparing to send the decision to CTX along with a rationale document, the President of CTX and the Chairman of its Board of Regents led the CTX Board to take action that is contrary to the Constitution and Bylaws of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and of its own bylaws; and 

WHEREAS, this action violates the Fourth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Commandments ; and 

WHEREAS, this action led to the President of CTX filing documents with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas that reported the unauthorized amendment to CTX's Articles of Incorporation; and 

WHEREAS, this action demonstrates a violation of the President of CTX's fiduciary duty to the Church; and 

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in Hosanna-Tabor unanimously ruled that Church entities may define proper governance and identify their leaders; therefore be it 

Resolved, That the Concordia University System Board of Directors meeting in a regularly scheduled meeting at Concordia University St. Paul on May 4, 2023, calls for the immediate resignation or removal from office by the President of Synod and the Board of Directors ofThe Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (CCM Opinion 23-3006) the President of Concordia University Texas , Provost of Concordia University Texas, and any other members of the Executive Leadership Team at Concordia University Texas complicit in the above actions.