It’s political season in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. In preparation for the convention in July, congregations are electing our Synodical President.
The voting started a couple of weeks ago, and I was hoping for and expecting President Harrison to be elected on the first ballot, but this weekend we are going to a third ballot, which looks like a run-off between Harrison and Biermann (a professor at the St Louis seminary).
My general theory regarding synodical presidents that they can do a limited amount of good, but a lot of bad. I’ve been very pleased with the good that President Harrison has accomplished, and particularly pleased with the amount of bad that he has not caused or encouraged. I’ve always appreciated his winsome articulation of our Lutheran doctrine. Pastor Packer and I recently had him on our Q&A podcast, which was a delight. You can view that conversation here:
I don’t know much about Biermann. I’ve interacted with his ideas regarding self-defense, which don’t seem particularly right or helpful. (See https://youtu.be/AT-cW9PzZk8?is=aihFkP4zfkKRQGD_ and https://youtu.be/oM5gjrJbJGc?is=1QCNoqGiuqrlXCwY)
From my perspective, President Harrison’s presidency has been helpful and a service to the Gospel. I’m hoping he’ll be elected in the upcoming ballot, and if you are part of the election, that you’ll consider casting your vote for him.
I’ve been trying to sort out the issues that might be affecting the Harrison vote. One situation that’s discussed a lot online is the selling of the Concordia Ann Arbor campus. I asked President Harrison for his side of the Ann Arbor story, and he sent me the following with permission to publish it.
More than ten years ago AA was on the verge of closure. In fact, The Concordia University Board voted unanimously to close. The school had a long history of indebtedness, and was 10 million in debt. Only my appointee to the CUS Board voted against closure. I inquired of CUS staff about whether Pat Ferry had been approached about Concordia Wisconsin intervening. The response was “Yes. He’s been asked. Dead end.” I nevertheless called President Ferry and inquired if he’d been asked to look into saving AA. He responded “No” and that he would look into the matter. That began what ended as a cooperative effort between Synod, CUW and the Michigan District CEF, coming up with the funding to save the school. The Synod provided 3 million dollars. Ferry courageously convinced his board this could be done. CUW took over AA’s program and property and AA as an independently governed LCMS institution ceased to exist. That’s why the Synod office had no control over the elimination of programs.
Over the years since, the financials of CUW itself had deteriorated largely due to the general pressures on higher education across the U.S. There was turnover on the Board of Regents at CUWAA. There were also rising financial concerns. I conducted a visitation at CUW and confirmed a number of concerns over the issue of homosexuality among some other matters. As one of three members of the prior approval committee, I did NOT choose the new president. I was one of three who, by bylaw, concurred on a slate of candidates proposed by the regents themselves when certain that all on the slate for president were completely in support of the Scriptures and the public confession of the LCMS. The Regents chose a new president without interference, once the slate was agreed upon by both parties.
Over the ensuing years the financials continued to be problematic. In fact, the new board for years did not know the financial impact of operating AA because the costs were not broken out in the financials. We all rejoiced at the increase in enrollment at AA, and the addition of sports programs. Unfortunately it was determined that the costs of bringing on athletes, along with the cost of athletic programs meant it was costing more per new student athlete, than each student athlete was bringing to the institution.
The CUWAA regents resolved that unless CUW took strong financial action, CUW itself might be jeopardized. Prior to announcing this at AA, President Ankerberg informed me. I requested the financials and received them. I then requested the CFO of the Synod choose two university financial people from the CUS system (from neither AA or CUW) to evaluate the financials. The result was reported to me. They determined that the financial problem was very real.
The president of CUWAA informed the AA campus of the imminent need for change. This was not received well. The AA campus responded that they had not been asked to evaluate the situation or offer and participate in solutions. The president of CUWAA has admitted that this process was at best insufficient.
Soon after, I requested Brian Friedrich, and his financial people at Concordia St. Paul, talk with CUW leadership to see if some kind of partnership might be made to prevent closure. That effort did not produce the hoped for results. I also communicated with the CUWAA regents in writing urging them to find a way to keep some programs and the chapel at the south campus. I was assured by the then chair of the board that the board would keep the South campus. Unfortunately, that did not transpire.
I brought the Michigan District leaders, including the District President, the head of the Michigan District CEF together toward reconciliation and an agreement to move forward to find a mutual solution. In the meantime many public accusations of serious nature were flying about, and that effort broke down as the situation soured. I made other efforts.
Because AA was merged into CUW, the Synod President or Board of Directors had no authority over closure or changes to the AA campus. To the end, I was urging CUW to find a way to keep the chapel, and or some portion of the south campus, all to no avail. All I had in this situation was influence, not control.
When the Synod’s Board of Directors was asked to approve the sale of the south campus I voted “No.”
Finally, stripping away the emotion, and online accusations, this was a case of two parties of good will who simply had a disagreement. The outgoing officers of CUWAA believed that with time the profitable health programs etc. of the north campus would grow and finally cover the losses of the south campus. The other side (the new administration and board of regents) reported that the AA campus had been losing some 4 million per year for ten years, and believed the goal of the north campus covering the costs of the south campus was not attainable.
Closure of the AA south campus was the last thing I wanted. I tried everything I could, and I’m deeply saddened over this loss, especially for the Michigan District. It is my sincere desire that CUW begin the education of church workers at the north campus as soon as possible. I made sure that desire was put in resolution and passed by the Synod’s Board. I only hope and pray for reconciliation, and thank President Davis for taking a significant step in that direction.”
-President Matthew Harrison
I’m hopeful that this information will be helpful to all who are troubled by the Concordia Ann Arbor events, and especially for any LCMS voters wrestling through this particular issue. If you can support a vote for Harrison, I would encourage you to do so.
May God give us wisdom, and continued joy in His saving Word.
Christ is risen! PrBW
