# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S753
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 753
in political rights and responsibilities, and in courts of justice;
therefore be it

Resolved, That we confess our sins where we in the past have
acted contrary to the principles hereinbefore set forth and that we
call upon all our members, both pastors and people, to confess
and repent of those sins which they in the past have committed
contrary to the principles hereinbefore set forth; and be it further

Resolved, That we acknowledge a fourfold responsibility of
the church in the area of race relations: .

a) To teach and to practice the unity of faith which tran-
scends the barriers of race or ethnic origin;

b) To condition its members to work in the capacity of Chris-
tian citizens for the elimination of discrimination based on race
or ethnic origin, in the home community, the city, state, and nation;

c) To teach the Word of God so that specific application is
made to what is God-pleasing in the Christian’s relation to his
fellow man of a different racial or ethnic origin, so that in these
modern times, when the whole world has become one neighborhood,
Christian people may be found establishing a pattern of social
living in keeping with justice and equity according to the Second
Table of the Law;

_d) To make such application of Christian teaching to life
(in keeping with the foregoing) not only to help men in their
temporal needs but primarily for the sake of the kingdom of God,
so that men may, as our Lord has taught, “see your good works
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Zion LuTHeran Cuurcn, Mascourtan, Itt.
Witiam E. Goerss, Pastor
Grorcr J. Lenser, President

(Memorial 408)
Identical Memorial by
ImmanueL LuTHERAN CHuRcH, Cuicaco, ILL.
Ratpy L. Moetcerine, Pastor

Re Establishment of Congregations
on a Nonsegregated Basis
(Memorial 409)

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, in
convention assembled in St. Paul, Minn., June 20—30, 1956, be
petitioned to declare as its policy

1) that all congregations of its constituency include in their
missionary outreach all persons within their geographic area, with-
out discrimination based on racial or ethnic grouping;