It is reported that after Schulz refused to resign as Lutheran Hour Speaker
he was placed on suspended status. The request from the LLL President and
Board of Governors makes it impossible for Schulz to return as Lutheran Hour
Speaker.
The following release from the LLL states that Wallace Schulz may return as
Lutheran Hour Speaker if he excuses himself from the Benke Case. "Dr.
Schulz's . . . acted despite our request to excuse himself from ruling on the
matter." according to Int'l LLL President Al Waldron.
The LLL has replaced Schulz with a speaker who was the "Jesus
First" candidate to the Board of Directors at Fort Wayne. During the LLL
Convention it was requested that Christian News not be given out to the
delegates.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, July 21, 2002 -The Rev. Dr. Wallace Schulz can
return to the service of Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) and the
International Lutheran Layman's League (Int'l LLL) after agreeing to
stipulations that would govern his future employment, the league's board of
governors has ruled. Those stipulations will be specified by the league's
executive director, Rodger Hebermehl.
Schulz was relieved temporarily of his duties as Lutheran Hour Radio
Speaker on July 12. This action was taken after Schulz, acting in his
position as second vice president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod,
suspended the president of that church body's Atlantic District, the Rev.
Dr. David Benke. Schulz ruled that Benke violated church doctrine and policy
by participating in a prayer service at Yankee Stadium for victims of the
September 11 tragedy and their families.
The Int'l LLL takes no position on Schulz's ruling. However, the league's
leadership anticipated that any ruling he made would polarize the league and
have harmful consequences. When the ruling was announced, the league
immediately began hearing from donors and listeners protesting the action. A
second round of protest developed after Schulz was temporarily relieved of
duties with full compensation.
"Our mission is to bring Christ to the nations and the nations to
the church," said Int'l LLL President Al Waldron. "We cannot allow
polarization to compromise and harm our ministry. Dr. Schulz's action had
that effect, and he acted despite our request to excuse himself from ruling
on the matter."
The league's board of governors determined that Schulz violated the
organization's code of ethics and its conflict of interest policy. The code
of ethics requires employees to work together to bring Christ to the nations
and the nations to the church. If a choice of conduct is unclear or might
not serve the best interests of all, the code requires employees to ask for
guidance from supervisors, other league officers or pastoral advisors. The
conflict of interest policy requires employees not to enter into activities
that may be knowingly detrimental to the league. Schulz sought no guidance
and paid little attention to the guidance offered him, Waldron said.
"Nevertheless, the board recognizes Dr. Schulz's many contributions
... and that he has many friends within the league and the church at
large," Waldron said. "He is a man of numerous gifts and talents.
The board would like to see him continue his service to the Lord through the
league and is reaching out to him in this way."
Schulz must agree to the stipulations specified by the executive director
as a condition of being returned to service. When agreement takes place, the
executive director may reinstate Schulz to duties that the executive
director deems appropriate.
Lutheran Hour Ministries, with headquarters in St. Louis, is a service of
the International Lutheran Laymen's League (Int'l LLL) a volunteer
organization of 130,000 members. The Int'l LLL is an auxiliary of The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Lutheran Church-Canada.