# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S246
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

282 PARISH EDUCATION

with the task of developing theologically and pedagogically
curricula and standards, and that our Church should now develoy
a number of young men who can devote their lives to this type
of work.
Guidance on Versions

In promoting greater use of the Bible, the Council on Bible
Study was at once confronted with the problem of a more Tread.
able English text. Contacts at conferences and a survey made
the Sunday school office indicate that the need is Pronounced.
Throughout the English-speaking world many new versions are
appearing. This is somewhat of a phenomenon of our times and
reveals a generally felt need. Our Church, too, must be prepared
for this demand. Many of our people already are making use of
new versions and paraphrases. For this reason the Board for
Parish Education asked a committee of the Council on Bible Study
to look into the problem and explore it further. This committee is
known as the Advisory Committee on English Versions. It has
made some preliminary explorations in the field and will give
special attention to the problem of an English text that can be
used more fruitfully in parish education, in family worship, and
in guiding our youth into the treasures of God’s Word.

Council on Bible Study

We wish to acknowledge with deep gratitude toward God
the service of the many persons who during the past triennium
have served as members of the Council on Bible Study and have
given much of their time and energy to this program. While
directed chiefly by the Secretary for Adult Education, much valu-
able assistance was given by the committee, chiefly the Steering
Committee.

Much work remains to be done to provide guidance and train-
ing materials for those thousands of men and women who must
first be trained as capable Bible teachers if we are to reach a goal
as low as 20 per cent of all communicant members enrolled in
Bible classes. We need leadership texts, audio-visual aids, and
other helps, especially for the small isolated parishes of Synod.
The Steering Committee will continue to work for improved study
materials for Junior, Senior, and Adult Bible classes. The greatest
need of all is more conscecrated, well-indoctrinated, and capable
teachers of the Bible. An analysis of one of our largest Districts
revealed that it now has about 200 classes, but that it should have
no less than 700 classes to have adequate Bible study facilities.
It is chiefly the setting up of classes for many age levels in the
congregation rather than the building of a few large Bible classes
that will do most to help us reach our goal of “building a Bible-
studying laity in this generation.”

PARISH EDUCATION 283

genes Family Life Education |
as’ When Synod, at its Saginaw Convention, created the Depart-

nent of Adult Education as a division of the Board for Parish .

Education, it entrusted to it especially also a program of construc-
tive service to the Christian home. Accordingly, the Board for
Parish Education outlined a program of study and action and set
up a subcommittee on marriage and the family (Proceedings,
p.294). The synodical convention which received this report also
requested the President of Synod to appoint a committee “to study
the matters of marriage, divorce, remarriage, and related subjects”
(Proceedings, p. 538). With two committees in the field, the Board
for Parish Education appealed to the President of Synod to make
these two committees one. This merger took place at his request.

The personnel of the present committee is as follows: Dr. E. F.
Dittmer, Rev. O. E. Feucht, secretary, Dr. Erdman Frenk, Dr. O. A.
Geiseman, Mr. Paul Jacobs, Rev. Martin Oldsen, Mr. E. H. Rup-
precht, Rev. Edgar Witte, Prof. W. F. Wolbrecht, chairman. The
committee has done the following work during the past triennium:

A survey was made of the entire field of marriage and the
family to get orientation both in regard to the special request of
Synod and the assignment from the Board for Parish Education.
Its general objective is “to give to our churches guidance in
regard to marriage and the Christian family so that they may
equip their members with the necessary knowledge, attitudes, and
skills requisite to wholesome Christian family living.” The com-
mittee met regularly and made appreciable progress.

The committee found that only a carefully devised research
program would give to the Church valid and reliable guidance in
matters concerning marriage, divorce, remarriage, and related
problems. Such a program has been outlined, and funds have been
secured for this project from the Centennial Thankoffering Re-
search Fund. Plans are being carefully laid for an effective pro-
cedure which will insure the wise stewardship of these funds and
the achievement of our purpose, theologically sound guidance in
matters of marriage.

Christian Family Week was suggested for general observance
throughout Synod the first full week of May, 1949, and definite
Suggestions were made to ministers, families, and parishes for an
observance which would help strengthen the Christian home. The
emphasis The capt on “a family life education program for the

. hasis in 1950 is “family worship.”

First Family Life Workshop. —To give further study to im-
Portant phases of family life, such as family worship marriage
counseling, parent education, child guidance, home visitation.
church-home co-operation, Christian family standards, and help-

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