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United Campus Ministry papers, 1970-1972

1971-01-29 'Campus Ministers Object to Hoenk Action'

Campus Ministers Object to Hoenk Action
- Friday, January 29, 1971

The Association of Campus Ministers at the University of Iowa Wednesday objected to the circumstances surrounding the forced resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk as pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
In a letter to the board of directors of the Iowa Districe East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the members of the campus ministry said they were "deeply troubled" by the board's action in demanding Hoenk's resignation, and said that they could not agree with it.

LETTER TO SYNOD
In reviewing the conflict between the district board and Hoenk, and in defending Hoenk's ministry, the letter said:
"As you know, we have been concerned about the conflict between your [b]oard and Pastor Hoenk for some time. [Y]ou will remember that you agreed to [j]oin the Association of Campus Ministers inviting a Review Team last may to [e]xamine the ministry of Pastor Hoenk [an]d his congregation and make recom[m]endations for resolving the differences [w]hich then existed between your Board [an]d the campus ministry. This Review [t]eam, as you remember, was composed three Missouri Synod Pastors involved the National Campus Minitry Associ[ati]on. The team was as free from prejud[ice]s about this situation as is possible. [Th]ey were competent professionals and [Pa]stor Hoenk' peers. We think it germane to repeat here some of the recommendations the Review Team made:

MINISTRY AFFIRMED
" 'Essentially we wish to affirm the kind of ministry being brought by Pastor Hoenk and St. Paul's congregation.
" 'We found a ministry at St. Paul's of which the Lutheran Church-Mossouri Synod may be proud and should defend and interpret.
" 'Public interpretation and affirmation of the ministry carried out by Pastor Hoenk and St. Paul's congregation are needed in order to defuse the turmoil among students and to overcome the hostility generated among the chuch's non-campus constituency.
" 'The Missouri Synod has a remarkable treasure in Pastor Hoenk. He is bringing a breadth and depth to the ministry in Iowa City, when seen in the context of all the other Christian campus ministries in Iowa City, that is desperately needed and a credit to the church.' "

THE LETTER CONTINUED:
"We would also remind you of the several occasions in which St. Paul's congregation has officially and publicly affirmed its support of its pastor. And we note further that on January 17 the congregation voted to accept his resignation only with regret and 'under protest.'

'TROUBLED'
"We are troubled that you have chosen to reject both the Review Team's recommendations and the judgment of the Congregation. It appears that you have acted on the basis of occasional reports of dissatisfaction from Lutheran constituents, and have not taken into account the contributions St. Paul's and its pastor have made in this community. We had hoped that you would follow the recommendations of the Review Team and attempt to interpret St. Paul's ministry to those constituents.
"We are particularily troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation has been undermind, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the relationship between a pastor and his people. We wonder if this congregation can ever enjoy the kind of relationship with its pastor which your tradition values, in view of the way you have challenged its competence and judgment. We hope that the relationship can be restored in the future, and that you will understand the necessity for a student congregation to perceive and exercise its minitry and mission in its own context, and on equal terms with any other congregation.

CONCERT FOR CREDIBILITY
"Our final concern is for the credibility of the total campus ministry at this university. Your action tends to confirm the suspicion of many that some church leaders are more concerned about preserving the institutional status quo that they are about person-centered, creative, prophetic ministry. Such prophetic ministry involves advocating causes which sometimes are controversial and unpopular. It requires us to "speak good news to the poor, the liberation of the oppressed and the giving of sight to the blind." (Is. 61, Lk. 4) If what we say has no relevance to the real issues of this era - peace, war, human rights, racism, etc. - very few will think we have anything to say at all, and they will be right. St. Paul's and Pastor Hoenk were faithful in living up to this prophetic tradition.
"We again wish to affirm our love, and trust, and respect for one brother Paul Hoenk, and to declare our solidarity with him. We believe that he lives joyfully in the proclamation of the Word and the Celebration of the sacraments. We want to make known to you our opposition to his forced resignation."
The letter was signed by the members of the Association of Campus Ministers, including the Rev. Joseph Hertzler, First Mennonite Church. the Rev. James Davison, American Baptists Campus Ministry; the Rev. Ronald Osborne, Episcopal Chaplaincy; Rabbi Lee Diamond, Hillel Foundation; the Rev. David Schuldt, Wesley Foundation; Evelyn Durkee, Wesley Foundation; the Rev Franciskis Valainis, Catholic Student Center; the Rev. Robert Jackson, Catholic Student Center; the Rev. Philip Shively, United Campus Christian Ministry; Sally Smith, United Christian Campus Ministry; the Rev. Roger Simpson, United Campus Christian Ministry; and the Rev. C. James Narveson, Christus House.
Hoenk made known his resignation from St. Paul's on Jan. 26, when he told The Daily Iowan that he had submitted a letter of resignation as requested by the board of Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He said at that time that he had received an "ultimatum" from the president of the Iowa District East: either resign from the pastorate of St. Paul's or be expelled from the ministry because his style of ministry is unacceptable to Missouri Synod Lutherans in Iowa.

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Campus Ministers Object to Hoenk Action - Friday, January 29, 1971 The Association of Campus Ministers at the University of Iowa Wednesday objected to the circumstances surrounding the forced resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk as pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. In a letter to the board of directors of the Iowa Districe East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the members of the campus ministry said they were "deeply troubled" by the board's action in demanding Hoenk's resignation, and said that they could not agree with it. LETTER TO SYNOD In reviewing the conflict between the district board and Hoenk, and in defending Hoenk's ministry, the letter said: "As you know, we have been concerned about the conflict between your [b]oard and Pastor Hoenk for some time. [Y]ou will remember that you agreed to [j]oin the Association of Campus Ministers inviting a Review Team last may to [e]xamine the ministry of Pastor Hoenk [an]d his congregation and make recom[m]endations for resolving the differences [w]hich then existed between your Board [an]d the campus ministry. This Review [t]eam, as you remember, was composed three Missouri Synod Pastors involved the National Campus Minitry Associ[ati]on. The team was as free from prejud[ice]s about this situation as is possible. [Th]ey were competent professionals and [Pa]stor Hoenk' peers. We think it germane to repeat here some of the recommendations the Review Team made: MINISTRY AFFIRMED " 'Essentially we wish to affirm the kind of ministry being brought by Pastor Hoenk and St. Paul's congregation. " 'We found a ministry at St. Paul's of which the Lutheran Church-Mossouri Synod may be proud and should defend and interpret. " 'Public interpretation and affirmation of the ministry carried out by Pastor Hoenk and St. Paul's congregation are needed in order to defuse the turmoil among students and to overcome the hostility generated among the chuch's non-campus constituency. " 'The Missouri Synod has a remarkable treasure in Pastor Hoenk. He is bringing a breadth and depth to the ministry in Iowa City, when seen in the context of all the other Christian campus ministries in Iowa City, that is desperately needed and a credit to the church.' " THE LETTER CONTINUED: "We would also remind you of the several occasions in which St. Paul's congregation has officially and publicly affirmed its support of its pastor. And we note further that on January 17 the congregation voted to accept his resignation only with regret and 'under protest.' 'TROUBLED' "We are troubled that you have chosen to reject both the Review Team's recommendations and the judgment of the Congregation. It appears that you have acted on the basis of occasional reports of dissatisfaction from Lutheran constituents, and have not taken into account the contributions St. Paul's and its pastor have made in this community. We had hoped that you would follow the recommendations of the Review Team and attempt to interpret St. Paul's ministry to those constituents. "We are particularily troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation has been undermind, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the relationship between a pastor and his people. We wonder if this congregation can ever enjoy the kind of relationship with its pastor which your tradition values, in view of the way you have challenged its competence and judgment. We hope that the relationship can be restored in the future, and that you will understand the necessity for a student congregation to perceive and exercise its minitry and mission in its own context, and on equal terms with any other congregation. CONCERT FOR CREDIBILITY "Our final concern is for the credibility of the total campus ministry at this university. Your action tends to confirm the suspicion of many that some church leaders are more concerned about preserving the institutional status quo that they are about person-centered, creative, prophetic ministry. Such prophetic ministry involves advocating causes which sometimes are controversial and unpopular. It requires us to "speak good news to the poor, the liberation of the oppressed and the giving of sight to the blind." (Is. 61, Lk. 4) If what we say has no relevance to the real issues of this era - peace, war, human rights, racism, etc. - very few will think we have anything to say at all, and they will be right. St. Paul's and Pastor Hoenk were faithful in living up to this prophetic tradition. "We again wish to affirm our love, and trust, and respect for one brother Paul Hoenk, and to declare our solidarity with him. We believe that he lives joyfully in the proclamation of the Word and the Celebration of the sacraments. We want to make known to you our opposition to his forced resignation." The letter was signed by the members of the Association of Campus Ministers, including the Rev. Joseph Hertzler, First Mennonite Church. the Rev. James Davison, American Baptists Campus Ministry; the Rev. Ronald Osborne, Episcopal Chaplaincy; Rabbi Lee Diamond, Hillel Foundation; the Rev. David Schuldt, Wesley Foundation; Evelyn Durkee, Wesley Foundation; the Rev Franciskis Valainis, Catholic Student Center; the Rev. Robert Jackson, Catholic Student Center; the Rev. Philip Shively, United Campus Christian Ministry; Sally Smith, United Christian Campus Ministry; the Rev. Roger Simpson, United Campus Christian Ministry; and the Rev. C. James Narveson, Christus House. Hoenk made known his resignation from St. Paul's on Jan. 26, when he told The Daily Iowan that he had submitted a letter of resignation as requested by the board of Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He said at that time that he had received an "ultimatum" from the president of the Iowa District East: either resign from the pastorate of St. Paul's or be expelled from the ministry because his style of ministry is unacceptable to Missouri Synod Lutherans in Iowa.