# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1068
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

870. PARISH EDUCATION

wise the duty of the Church to train men for the fulfillment of th
citizenship duties, which include the duty of Christians to en
the service of government and fulfill their office in the fear of G
The Church brings its influence to bear upon civil governm
for the most part indirectly through its program of Christian
cation. It is desirable that governmental positions be occupied?
Christians or by men of sterling quality who are sympathetic ‘6
‘ward religion and the Church. Unless such people are voted int?
office, the Church may be deprived of its rights and even have
submit to persecution. Non-Christian officials do not know that th
have their power from God and that they will be held accountal
to God for any abuse of that power. Much less do they know’!
the Church is a divine institution and that it is their duty to in
conditions that are favorable for the healthy expansion of.-the
Church. Our task as Christian citizens is to elect men to office.<#
are aware of their responsibility to God and appreciate the dignii
of the Church.

The Church Nh
God, -the Supreme Ruler over all; rules through the spiritt
power of the Church and through the civil power of the State. Atid
the purpose of these institutions is that His will should be done
in the Church through the proclamation of the Word, and in:
State through the lawful exercise of authority, to preserve of ‘s
It is the duty of the Church, not of the State, to preach the Gogpé)
The Church should not expect the State to propagate the Gos
in fact, it should oppose any movement that would aim to m
the State responsible for the propagation of the Gospel. Any effo
in this direction by the State would be an invasion of the rights:of
the Church and a mixing of the two realms. But the State, throug
the exericse of its power, should create and maintain conditigs
that are favorable for the propagation of the Gospel and the
pansion of the Church. ;
The Church should be conscious of.its rights and guard
with a jealous watchfulness. Anything that inhibits the activi
the Church, or in any way makes the proclamation of the Go:
difficult, is a violation of the rights of the Church and should:no
submitted to passively. Sometimes the Church must conten
its own rights and for the rights of parents, which are identi§é
_With the rights of the Church in so far as the Parents may,
members of the Church. When attempts were being made in Ore
and Michigan in the early 1920’s to legislate all private and-ps
chial schools out of existence and compel all parents to sendsth
children to the public school, our Church went into action..:
therans and Catholics co-operated and used their influence to:
feat the unfair legislation. In standing up in defense of its