# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S394
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

B04 SOCIAL ACTION AND WELFARE

viction that its individual members — and the fellowship
of all Christians — be urged to individually take active
part in the social, economic, and political issues of our
day; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod proclaim anew that its
singleminded task is to win souls for Christ: and reaf-
firm its confident belief that more Christians, armed
with the Law and the saving Gospel, will surely, with
God’s help, influence the secular world in unfathomable,
significant, and beneficial ways.

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Hillsboro, Oreg.
C. S. WoopwortsH, Secretary

(9-14)

Except for minor adjustments and the omission of the
fourth whereas, the same overture was received from
Trinity Lutheran Congregation, La Porte, Ind., Charles
Friend, Secretary; John Hacker Jr., President; Carl L.
Moellman, Pastor.

(9-15)
To Refrain from Corporate Positions
and Activities in Civil Matters
We believe that:

1. The true purpose of the church of Jesus Christ is
to proclaim the risen Christ as Lord and Savior and the
only hope for salvation.

2. Christians who are born again in faith by water
and the Word will serve one another and the world in
every area of life.

3. Acts of love can never be equated or substituted
for the verbal proclamation of sin and grace in the
Gospel.

4. Actions and judgments in secular matters — even
by Christians with their understanding of the fallen
nature of mankind — cannot represent the will of the
whole church, because of the fallibility of human judg-
ment.

5. The visible church is being attacked from within
by false prophets who proclaim humanism rather than
the Word of God.

Therefore the following resolution is submitted in
humility and with a prayer for guidance of the Spirit
upon the body of believers in Christ:

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod refrain from maintaining and establishing cor-
porate positions and activities in civil and secular mat-
ters; and be it further

Resolved, That our Synod proclaim anew the single-
minded task to win men for salvation and eternal life
in Christ; and be it finally

Resolved, That our Synod urge all its members to
acknowledge the Lordship of Christ and the whole
council of God in the written Word of God in both the

Old Testament and the New Testament as they live out
their lives of service to God and to all men.

MessiaH LUTHERAN CHURCH
Middletown, Ohio

Donap W. FoutusTAEDT, President
J. O. Frye, Secretary

Victor A. Kurz, Pastor

(9-16)

To Withdraw Corporate Positions on Civil
Disobedience and Open Housing

Wuereas, We, the First Lutheran Church, Knoxville,
Tenn., studied the subject of “The Church and the
State”; and

Wuereas, We looked at specific issues, such as civil
disobedience and open housing, on which our beloved
Synod has taken “corporate” positions; and

WHEREAS, We, collectively and as_ individuals,
searched the Word for guidance, read and discussed
various and opposing viewpoints concerning the rela-
tionships of church and state, and soberly and prayer-
fully endeavored to find answers; and

WHEREAS, We concluded that social, economic, and
political issues were secondary to the primary role of
the church, which is to win souls for a kingdom not of
this world (John 18:36); and

Wuereas, The Word is clear that consideration for
the “here and now” is not to be coequal with considera-
tion for the hereafter (Matt. 13:54-58; 11:20-24); and

Wuereas, The Word does not prescribe what form
of government to embrace: nor does it indicate the
type of economic system to employ: nor does it spell
out details of social relationships to enforce: and

Wuereas, Men — even within the Christian brother-
hood — differ greatly and are sharply divided on eco-
nomic, political, and social matters: and

Wuereas, The primary role of the holy Christian
church (preaching the Gospel to all the nations) is
often obscured, diffused, and confused by taking “cor-
porate” positions and “official” actions in secular affairs;
and

Wuereas, The gain in world Christian membership
as compared with gain in world population is decreas-
ing at an alarming rate (44¢¢ in 1964; 16°¢ in 1965; and
9.3°¢ in 1966); and

Wuereas, Secular positions and pronouncements from
certain church bodies and councils are creating un-
necessary and un-Christian dissension and _ discord
which cause people seeking spiritual guidance to be re-
pelled from the church; and

Wuereas, There is no clear precept from God to
disobey government unless it conflicts with obedience
to God, clearly stated in Scripture; and

WHEREAS, We are admonished to obey all forms of
government (unless such government attempts to set
up false gods or prohibits worship of God) and to obey