# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1959_S207
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PARISH EDUCATION 207

psychological, and spiritual factors which may lead either to unity
or to divisiveness.

In marriage, as in personal life, spiritual factors are of primary
concern, For Christians, the highest expression of mutual love in
marriage is comparable to the redeeming love of Christ of His
church (Eph. 5: 18-33; Rev. 21:2-9). Something less than this high
ideal may obtain in a marriage because of variant factors which
may in turn disturb or endanger its well-being and be detrimental
to family relationships and to the training of the children. Factors
which militate against or obviate the spiritual unity of the marriage
are of special concern to the church in its ministry to families.
Differences in religious beliefs and attitudes are fundamental differ-
erences which imply wide areas of conflict in church and family
loyalties, responsibilities, and relationships.

Concern for the spiritual welfare of the members of the body
of Christ should cause parents, teachers, pastors, and leaders of
young people to be sensitive to the urgent need of providing in the
home, in the church, and in the educational program such instruc-
tion as will enable youth, before or as they arrive at the age of
forming intimate friendships between sexes, to understand and
appreciate the divergent teachings and interpretations relative to
marriage and other doctrines held by different religious bodies.
As a church, we are to be concerned that our young people do not
enter into marriage relationships which would make it impossible
for them to enjoy a wholesome Christian family life or which
would require them to compromise or surrender their personal
Christian convictions and responsibilities (Joshua 24:15; John
8:31, 32) or which would hinder them from speaking the Word of
God to each other. (Col. 3:16)

2. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Marriages

Marriages between Lutherans and Roman Catholics raise seri-
ous and special problems for the following reasons:

a. The two faiths differ in fundamental doctrines. Of special
note is the fact that the entire spirit and way of thinking in the
Roman Catholic Church is different: the church and its interpreta-
tion is placed above the Bible and guides the conscience; while for
the Lutheran the conscience instructed by the Word of God is
the guide.

1 “All the studies made indicate that the greater the similarity of
religious background, the greater the chances of success in marriage.
The greater the differences, the greater the risks of failure.” From When
You Marry, Evelyn Millis Duvall and Reuben Hill (New York: Asso-
ciation Press, 1953), p. 390.