There will be a meeting of conservatives to pick the "United
List" of nominees for the 2001 LC-MS Convention. This is an excellent
idea since "Jesus First" and their COP support group have already
selected their slate of candidates through manipulation of the nomination
process.
Support for Wenthe continues from "Balance."
On April 24, after the Chicago meetings of the Lutheran Concerns
Association, the Association of Concerned Lutherans, and "Balance,"
Reclaim News issued a released titled, "Five Candidates Down To Two-Man
Race For LC-MS President: an analysis of the five nominees' prospects to be
LC-MS president."
The article stated our projections on the current status of the five
candidates for LC-MS President. On May 1, the actual nomination tallies were
released by St. Louis.
- Gerald Kieschnick – 605
- Donald Muchow – 405
- Daniel Preus – 141
- Dean Wenthe – 99
- Loren Kramer – 90
- Jacob Preus – 53
- Raymond Hartwig – 44
To our surprise, the actual placement of the candidates according to their
vote tallies was exactly as projected by Reclaim News. We even guessed that
Hartwig had less than fifty nominations.
Considering the accuracy of our estimations, why did Rev. Paul T. McCain
call them "ill-advised musings?"
We hold to our projection that Dr. Donald Muchow is the actual
front-runner. He withdrew his name from consideration by letter from
"Jesus First" after they nominated him without his permission in
December of 2000. He in formed us of this action on December 30th in Pasadena,
California Even after he removed his name he still drew 405 nominations. On
the Texas Concord poll at www.concordtx.org he has three times the nominations
of Kieschnick.
Preus' 528 is by far the highest tally for First Vice President. He would
have had many more nominations for President if it were known that Barry would
be not running. Hartwig, the "Balance" candidate for First Vice
President, only has 320 nominations.
Wenthe's refusal to state Fort Wayne's position on voters assemblies and
the number of his graduates and faculty identifying with
Hyper-Euro-Lutheranism (a return to pre-Walther European Lutheran hierarchy)
we doubt he would receive more than 33% of the vote at the 2001 Convention.
We also wish to clarify Professor Marquart's position, who informed
Christian News that the influence of sacerdotalism among the students is not
only prevalent at Fort Wayne but throughout the Synod.
Criticism of our article from "Balance" insiders has been sharp
to say the least. Reverend Ray Mueller, former chairman of the Board of Fort
Wayne writes: "One more person who should fire himself is Jack Cascione.
He would be happier if the libs would win in July so he could boast about
being right. He doesn't care a whit about the LCMS as long as he can call
attention to himself by means of outlandish and scintillating self-centered
and unteam-like behavior. Unfortunately, Herman has begun to follow Jack down
the same sick path."
"Balance" has consistently refused to support Walther's Voter
Supremacy and actually views itself as the Synod's correct position on Church
and Ministry. They conclude that those who don't agree with
"Balance" don't care about the Synod. If our writing is so
outlandish why is Mueller even bothering to comment? By comparison the dry
reading of "Affirm" would make almost any other writing look
"scintillating."
There is no pleasing "Balance." If our information is incorrect,
we "don't know what we are talking about" and if it is correct, our
goal is only to be right.
Since "Balance" does not review our writing, they regard it as
self-centered. The "unteam-like behavior" is the most stinging
rebuke of all. "Balance" operatives consistently opposed our
promotion of the name "Lutheran" on all LC-MS congregations in 1995.
The resolution was adopted by the 1995 Convention 67% to 33%. After the
Convention, "Balance" dedicated a full page to blasting me in
"Affirm." It was then that I realized that even as a parish pastor
with no office, I was their signal, greatest threat. Just five hours before
our Lord took Dr. Robert Preus, he told me in a rather lengthy telephone
conversation never to trust "Balance". "Unteam-Like?" Ray,
I'm not on the team and you know it.
In 1998, Balance operatives made consistent efforts to oppose our
resolution endorsing the use of the three Creeds in public worship, even on
KFUO. However, it was adopted. We still challenge Tom Baker to tell us what
part of the Apostle's Creed is not the Gospel?
Now, "Balance" operatives fire away because I'm not going to
support Wenthe because Fort Wayne doesn't support Voters' Assemblies as the
official polity of the LC-MS. I'm not supporting any candidate for LC-MS
President who can' t support Walther's "Right Form of the Christian
Congregation Independent of the State."
The most serious problem with the Synod is not the Libs, Church Growthers,
or "Jesus First," but the so-called conservatives who have lost
their theological mooring to deal with these issues.
Reverend Herman Otten laughed when I told him, now they are saying he is
following me. "Balance" needs to keep things in perspective.
An excellent Pastor from Wisconsin asked me what I thought about Dr. Kuhn
being nominated from the floor. I ran it by the man who is supposed to be
following me. Otten is convinced that Daniel Preus is the best candidate and
that's why the conservatives should support him. If they can't do that, then
they deserve to lose. Preus had no difficultly being elected to the Board For
Parish Services. He is an excellent writer and the best theologian of the five
candidates.
Ray, you can't blame me if God puts an end to "Balance's"
one-heart-beat-away strategy. What major U. S. corporation would put itself in
such a tenuous position for nine years, without identifying a qualified
successor?
The tragedy is that we left Chicago after Easter without picking a
candidate because "Balance" operatives tabled a motion to vote for a
Candidate in the LCA meeting. Their guest speaker Mrs. Georgan Mckee, was
astounded to discover they wouldn't accept her suggestion to take a straw
poll. These are similar tactics used in her congregation, St. John's Orange,
California when Dr. Norbert Oesch, now executive leader of the Pastoral
Leadership Institute was their senior pastor.
The excuse given was we didn't have the polling information and couldn't
make an informed decision. Somehow, Reclaim News was able to publish the
placement of the candidates on April 24th when "Balance" said we
wouldn't have the information till May 1. Robert Preus was right.
Considering the razor thin margin by which the Conservatives elected Barry
in 1992, it is my opinion Ray, that "Balance" may have cost
conservatives the election right there on April 24th in Chicago. How will we
get that momentum back?
Otten is right, Rev. Daniel Preus, is the best man.