# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S423
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

CHURCH AND CULTURE
legislature of New York state to codify in state law that houses of
worship be deemed “essential businesses/entities/services” and
clergy and church workers be deemed essential workers so that the
freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion may be
protected; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Atlantic District memorialize the Synod in
convention to pass a similar resolution at the next regular Synod
convention.
Atlantic District
Ov. 11-27

To Protect Christian Consciences
WHEREAS, Christians are called to “render to God what is God’s”
(Luke 20:25) and to “obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29); and
WHEREAS, Christians are called to “obey their magistrates save
when they are commanded to sin” (Apology of the Augsburg
Confession XVI 6–7); and
WHEREAS, The Holy Scriptures teach that man is not free to bind
the conscience of another to a merely human commandment (Gal.
5:1–6; Rom. 14); and
WHEREAS, There are increased attacks on Christian conscience;
such attacks including, but not limited to attacking Biblical
authority regarding the sanctity of human life, human sexuality,
Christian marriage, necessity of in-person Christian worship,
enforced masking, vaccine mandates, and other issues of Christian
conscience; and
WHEREAS, This is clearly evidenced not only anecdotally, but
also concretely, for instance, by the recent Equality Act in the
United States Congress (H.R.5), negating application of The
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (see Sec. 1107), and
redefining sex beyond the Biblical teaching (see Sec. 1101); and
WHEREAS, This violation of conscience is a violation of one’s
Christian freedom and Christian wisdom and may result in sin; and
WHEREAS, There is historic success in claiming religious
exemption from violations of conscience on the basis of Religious
Freedom in America (e.g. Philadelphia v. Catholic Social Services
[2021], The Lutheran Church–-Missouri Synod v. FCC [1998], or
Meyer v. Nebraska [1923]); therefore be it
Resolved, That the South Wisconsin District, congregations and
their members abstain from every teaching of men that violates their
Christian consciences bound to God’s Word alone in every sphere
of life; and be it further
Resolved, That the district, congregations, and their members be
encouraged to speak and act in a Christian manner against such
breaches of conscience in their daily vocations; and be it further
Resolved, That the district give its full assistance of every kind
to any congregation of the district or member of a district
congregation in securing religious exemption from teachings and
practices contrary to God’s Word; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district in convention refer this matter to the
2023 Synod convention for consideration and adoption.
South Wisconsin District

423

Ov. 11-28

To Offer Special Thanks
to Our Supreme Court Justices
WHEREAS, The Supreme Court of the United States rendered the
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision on June
24, 2022, holding that the Constitution of the United States does not
confer a right to abortion and thereby overturned the infamous Roe
v. Wade decision of 1973 which had made abortion legal throughout
the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Justices faced tremendous pressure from many
different areas in making this decision and yet stood firm in support
of the constitutional prolife position and in line with biblical moral
principles; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod offer our
thanks and commendation to Associate Justices Samuel Alito,
Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney
Barrett, for standing firm in the face of tremendous pressure to
render the Dobbs decision, overturning Roe and Planned
Parenthood v. Casey (1992), and giving states the power to regulate
abortion within their borders.
Circuit 3 (Rice Lake)
North Wisconsin District
Ov. 11-29

To Defend the Christian Conscience
and the Church’s Daughters
Preamble
On Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 the United States House of
Representatives passed the 2021 National Defense Authorization
Act, which included language that would require women at the age
of 18 to register for the military draft.
WHEREAS, God has created both male and female in His image,
yet made them individually to be complementary but not identical
to one another; and
WHEREAS, God specifically commands husbands to love their
wives as Christ loved the Church and laid down His life for her
(Ephesians 5); and
WHEREAS, All of Scripture and the vast majority of human
history testifies that men, not women, are to be required at times to
enter combat and risk their lives in defense of their family and
country; and
WHEREAS, The House Armed Services Committee in September
2021 voted to recommend that women be required to register for the
draft—although this wording did not appear in the final bill; and
WHEREAS, Such entrance into the draft may mean that our wives,
mothers, daughters, and sisters are forced to fight in defense of their
husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers; and
WHEREAS, Christian consciences are right to be burdened by the
thought of men requiring their daughters and wives to risk their lives
in carrying out duties of war given to men to reflect Christ’s love
for His Church; therefore be it
Resolved, That we as the Southern Illinois District object to the
mandatory registration of women into the draft of the United States
(U.S.) military; and be it further
Resolved, That we as the Southern Illinois District call on our
district president to communicate to Illinois’ U.S. senators and
2023 Convention Workbook