So when I served on the Board for Communication Services, we tried to fill a few positions. One of the positions was Director of News and Information (I think that was what it was called). The bylaws required that a slate of candidates be approved by the Council of Presidents. And we forwarded the names of five people, laymen and ordained, who were without a doubt the most qualified men in our Synod. They included top journalists and authors of books. Great theologians all. Only one of the five could have been considered in any way a “political” opponent of Kieschnick and his cronies. All five were confessional theologians.
We sent along a slate of candidates to the Council of Presidents and they refused to send an approved list back to us. We were unable to fill the position for years because the COP refused to send back any names on our list.
It was unbelievable. So now when I read that the Council of Presidents shows complete deference to the Board for Communication Services when it comes to ending confessional Lutheranism’s greatest outreach mechanism . . . when I read that the Council of Presidents shows complete deference to the Board for Communication Services when it comes to firing Rev. Todd Wilken and Mr. Jeff Schwarz without warning or explanation, I guess I’m a bit perplexed.
One of the men who was considered inadequate by the Council of Presidents is a bright light in American Christendom: laymen, author of countless books, provost and literature professor, well-known journalist. Another, also a layman and trained theologian, is a world-renown journalist and author. Another is an author, public policy expert and seminary professor. I could go on, but the fact is that the Council of Presidents has shown a curious double standard when it comes to deferring to the wisdom and authority of the BCS.
Why is that?
Filed under: Updates
Well, we know why that is, & it’s quite obvious even though no one will admit it & everyone tries to hide behind the 8th Commandment, politics. Politics, with a theological impetus to be sure, is the beating heart of the institution of synod. Has been for a long time, way back to the Behnken days, & most likely before that, too. Some would say that even the charges against Stephan were political contrivances to get rid of a, granted, really bad bishop.
So, unfortunately, politics is the answer to your question of why. How to correct that situation, I don’t have the answers to that. I wish I did, for I could make a lot of money. :)