# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S410
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

410

CHURCH AND CULTURE

in the triune name and by teaching all that He has commanded
(Matt. 28:18–20); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions, because they are a right
exposition of God’s Word stand as the doctrinal standard for our
congregations, church body, and its institutions, confess that “the
sole rule and standard according to which all dogmas together with
[all] teachers should be evaluated and judged are the prophetic and
apostolic Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament alone”
(Formula of Concord Epitome [FC Ep.] Summary, Rule, and Norm
1); and
WHEREAS, In our times ideologies by various names have arisen
which reject both the authority and truth of God’s Word, claiming
as authoritative standard for judgment each person’s individual selfdetermination, as shaped by categories including class, race, sex,
perceived gender identity, sexual preference, economic condition,
and/or the intersection of any perceived grievances; and
WHEREAS, After the fall into sin humankind has done injustice
and suffered evils that perpetuate our poor, miserable condition,
which evokes in the Christian the compassionate, loving desire for
prudent works of mercy as ordered by God’s Word, and the
commitment to give bold, clear and steadfast witness to Jesus as the
One who is our true peace and who alone breaks down dividing
walls of hostility, reconciling us to God and each other through His
blood shed on the cross (Eph. 2:13–22); and
WHEREAS, Some prevailing ideologies confuse belief in and
commitment to “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” (as popularly
understood) as constitutive of “righteousness,” prescribing social
policies as the means by which the human condition will be made
right; and
WHEREAS, Belief in false doctrine and participation in its
practices are fatal to Christian faith and discipleship, and yet many
of our children and institutions may be led into error through
ignorance of these false doctrines, or lack of preparation in how best
to love our suffering neighbors as Christians, as the Lord says, “My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6a); therefore
be it
Resolved, That the members of the congregations of the Indiana
District examine themselves and repent where they have failed to
love their neighbors by not rebuking false doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1–7;
Eph. 4:14–15; Gal. 6:1); and be it further
Resolved, That the pastors and congregations of the district
affirm their confession of the authority of God the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, as well as affirm their confession that “the sole rule and
standard according to which all dogmas together with [all] teachers
should be evaluated and judged are the prophetic and apostolic
Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament alone” (FC Ep.
Summary, Rule, and Norm 1); and be it further
Resolved, That the pastors and congregations of the district
identify as false doctrine and condemn any ideology, doctrine,
teaching, or movement which claims the authority of an individual’s
self-determination over and above the Lord God speaking in His
Word (Deut. 12:8; Prov. 12:15; Jer. 23:28), by whatever diversity
of name(s) these ideologies may clearly be known; and be it further
Resolved, That the pastors and congregations of the district reject
any organization, trainings, movement, or ethic, by whatever
diversity of name(s) they may clearly be known, which promise
righteousness through social action, perpetuates discontent through
grievance, reduces the human person’s essence to such categories

2023 Convention Workbook

like those listed above, or contradicts the Word and thereby the
unity Christians have in it (2 Cor. 6:14–16; FC Ep. Summary, Rule,
and Norm 1; Eph. 4:1–16; Gal. 1:6–10); and be it further
Resolved, That the pastors and congregations of the district call
on their members to love their neighbors as Christians, rejecting
policy and language which come from worldly presuppositions, but
instead discovering ways to show mercy to their neighbors within
the framework of Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions for
what constitutes righteousness, just action for the love of neighbor,
and unity through repentant faith in Christ Jesus (Matt. 12:30; John
14:6); and be it further
Resolved, That the Indiana District President, on behalf of the
district, exhort, encourage, and assist the education institutions of
the district (which are under direct assault from these false teachings
and social actions) to remain steadfast in believing, teaching, and
confessing the authority of God in His Word, and not to use
“commitment to and belief in diversity, equity, and inclusion” as a
rule or standard to evaluate those serving in them; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the 2023
Synod convention to exhort, encourage, and assist the educational
institutions of our church body (which are under direct assault from
these false teachings and social actions) to remain steadfast in
believing, teaching, and confessing the authority of God in His
Word, and not to use “commitment to and belief in diversity, equity,
and inclusion” as a rule or standard to evaluate those serving in
them.
Indiana District
Ov. 11-07

To Reject and Condemn Critical Theory,
Its Theologies and Ideologies,
and to Rebuke Its Proponents
WHEREAS, God has created all people and they are blood related
going back to our mutual fathers, Adam and Noah, and all are
subject to the stain of original sin, but now also have been equally
redeemed by the blood of Christ in order to be reconciled to God
and to each other; and
WHEREAS, God’s Word says, “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons
of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s
offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:26–29); and
WHEREAS, God’s Word further says, “If you really fulfill the
royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are
committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors”
(James 2:8–9); and
WHEREAS, Racism (the sinful notion that some races are
inherently superior to others), misunderstandings, and strife are
present in the world and experienced in congregations due to our
sin; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod abhors
racism and has passed resolutions repudiating all racism (see 1992
Res. 3-03 and 2019 Res. 11-04A); and
WHEREAS, Critical Theory (CT) and its application to race,
Critical Race Theory (CRT) as popularized by Ibram Kendi and