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United Campus Ministry papers, 1970-1972

1971-01-29 Des Moines Register Article: 'Campus Clergy Oppose Action Against Hoenk'

Campus Clergy Oppose Action Against Hoenk
By Fred E. Karnes
Of the Press-Citizen

The Association of Campus Ministers at the University of Iowa has expressed its opposition to the forced resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk as pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel, 404 East Jefferson Street.
The association called a special meeting after Hoenk's firing was announced Tuesday, then sent a letter of protest to the board of directors of the Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Directed to the Rev. Martin P. Studtmann, executive secretary of the board, the letter said:
"We have learned that you have demanded the resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk from his pastorate at St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel here in Iowa City, and that he has acceded to that demand. We find ourselves deeply troubled by this action, and cannot agree with it.
"As you know, we have been concerned about the conflict between your board and Pastor Hoenk for some time. You will remember that you agreed to join the Association of Campus Ministers in inviting a review team last May to examine the ministry of Pastor Hoenk and his congregation and make recommendations for resolving the differences which then exited between your board and the campus ministry.
"This review team, as you remember, was composed of three Missouri Synod pastors involved in campus ministry and three members of the National Campus Ministry Association. The team was as free from prejudices about this situation as is possible. They were competent professionals and Pastor Hoenk's peers...
"We would also remind of the several occasions in which St. Paul's congregation has officially and publically affirmed its support of its pastor. And we note further that on Jan. 17 the congregation voted to accept his resignation only with regret and 'under protest.'
"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 particularly troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation has been undermined, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the sanctity of 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 that relationship can be restored in the 
HOENK Turn to Page 2A

U OF I PASTORS PRAISE HOENK

[handwritten]
D.M. Register 1-29-71

By Larry Eckholt
(Register Staff Writer)

IOWA CITY, IA. - Twelve University of Iowa (U of I) campus ministers say they are "deeply troubled" by the recent forced resignation of a controversial Lutheran pastor here. 

[photo]
PAUL HOENK

The ministers - all members of the U of I Association of Campus Ministers - made the statement in a joint letter to the Rev. Martin P. Stuotmann, executive secretary of the board of directors of the Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 
The board Tuesday accepted the resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel here, which it had requested Dec. 17. The Rev. Mr. Hoenk came under fire for his "activist" style of ministry.
"Your actions tends to confirm the suspicion of many that some church leaders are more concerned about preserving the institutional status quo than about person-centered, creative, prophetic ministry," the letter stated. "Such prophetic ministry involved advocating causes which sometimes are controversial and unpopular."
The Rev. Mr Hoenk was an outspoken critic of the Indochina war and was a leading advocate of abortion reform. He allowed his church to become a center of community involvement for U of I students. 
"If what we say has no relevance to the real issues of this era - peace, war, human rights, racism and so on - very few will think we have anything to say at all, and they will be right," the ministers wrote.
The ministers said they also are "troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation (of St. Paul's) has been undermined, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the sanctity of the relationship between a pastor and his people."
In announcing his resignation, the Rev. Mr. Hoenk said his congregation accepted his decision to step down "with regret and under protest" to avoid further harassment of himself by church leaders.
The ministers also quoted excerpts from a special report conducted by Lutheran Church review team which investigated the Hoenk style of ministry. The review team said "the Missouri Synod has a remarkable treasure in Pastor Hoenk," among other favorable things. 
The letter concluded:
"We again wish to affirm our love, and trust and respect for our brother Hoenk, and to declare our solidarity with him."
It was signed by the Rev. Joseph Hertzler of the First Mennonite Church; the Rev. James Davison, American Baptist Campus Ministry; the Rev. Ronal Osborne, Episcopal Chaplaincy; and Rabbi Lee Diamond of Hillel Foundation.
Also signing were Mrs. Evelyn Durkee and the Rev. David Schuldt, both of the Wesley Foundation, the Methodist student center here; the Rev. Franciskis Valainis and the Rev. Robert Jackson, both of the Catholic student center; the Rev. Philip Shively, Miss Sally Smith and the Rev. Roger Simpson, all of United Campus Christian Ministry; and the Rev. C. James Narveson of Christus House, a Lutheran student center.

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Campus Clergy Oppose Action Against Hoenk By Fred E. Karnes Of the Press-Citizen The Association of Campus Ministers at the University of Iowa has expressed its opposition to the forced resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk as pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel, 404 East Jefferson Street. The association called a special meeting after Hoenk's firing was announced Tuesday, then sent a letter of protest to the board of directors of the Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Directed to the Rev. Martin P. Studtmann, executive secretary of the board, the letter said: "We have learned that you have demanded the resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk from his pastorate at St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel here in Iowa City, and that he has acceded to that demand. We find ourselves deeply troubled by this action, and cannot agree with it. "As you know, we have been concerned about the conflict between your board and Pastor Hoenk for some time. You will remember that you agreed to join the Association of Campus Ministers in inviting a review team last May to examine the ministry of Pastor Hoenk and his congregation and make recommendations for resolving the differences which then exited between your board and the campus ministry. "This review team, as you remember, was composed of three Missouri Synod pastors involved in campus ministry and three members of the National Campus Ministry Association. The team was as free from prejudices about this situation as is possible. They were competent professionals and Pastor Hoenk's peers... "We would also remind of the several occasions in which St. Paul's congregation has officially and publically affirmed its support of its pastor. And we note further that on Jan. 17 the congregation voted to accept his resignation only with regret and 'under protest.' "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 particularly troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation has been undermined, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the sanctity of 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 that relationship can be restored in the HOENK Turn to Page 2A U OF I PASTORS PRAISE HOENK [handwritten] D.M. Register 1-29-71 By Larry Eckholt (Register Staff Writer) IOWA CITY, IA. - Twelve University of Iowa (U of I) campus ministers say they are "deeply troubled" by the recent forced resignation of a controversial Lutheran pastor here. [photo] PAUL HOENK The ministers - all members of the U of I Association of Campus Ministers - made the statement in a joint letter to the Rev. Martin P. Stuotmann, executive secretary of the board of directors of the Iowa District East of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The board Tuesday accepted the resignation of the Rev. Paul Hoenk, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Chapel here, which it had requested Dec. 17. The Rev. Mr. Hoenk came under fire for his "activist" style of ministry. "Your actions tends to confirm the suspicion of many that some church leaders are more concerned about preserving the institutional status quo than about person-centered, creative, prophetic ministry," the letter stated. "Such prophetic ministry involved advocating causes which sometimes are controversial and unpopular." The Rev. Mr Hoenk was an outspoken critic of the Indochina war and was a leading advocate of abortion reform. He allowed his church to become a center of community involvement for U of I students. "If what we say has no relevance to the real issues of this era - peace, war, human rights, racism and so on - very few will think we have anything to say at all, and they will be right," the ministers wrote. The ministers said they also are "troubled by the way in which the authority of the student-governed congregation (of St. Paul's) has been undermined, suggesting to us that you have ignored your own tradition about the sanctity of the relationship between a pastor and his people." In announcing his resignation, the Rev. Mr. Hoenk said his congregation accepted his decision to step down "with regret and under protest" to avoid further harassment of himself by church leaders. The ministers also quoted excerpts from a special report conducted by Lutheran Church review team which investigated the Hoenk style of ministry. The review team said "the Missouri Synod has a remarkable treasure in Pastor Hoenk," among other favorable things. The letter concluded: "We again wish to affirm our love, and trust and respect for our brother Hoenk, and to declare our solidarity with him." It was signed by the Rev. Joseph Hertzler of the First Mennonite Church; the Rev. James Davison, American Baptist Campus Ministry; the Rev. Ronal Osborne, Episcopal Chaplaincy; and Rabbi Lee Diamond of Hillel Foundation. Also signing were Mrs. Evelyn Durkee and the Rev. David Schuldt, both of the Wesley Foundation, the Methodist student center here; the Rev. Franciskis Valainis and the Rev. Robert Jackson, both of the Catholic student center; the Rev. Philip Shively, Miss Sally Smith and the Rev. Roger Simpson, all of United Campus Christian Ministry; and the Rev. C. James Narveson of Christus House, a Lutheran student center.