# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1998_S122
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

122

RESOLUTIONS

To Affirm the Sanctity of Marriage
and to Reject Same-Sex Unions
RESOLUTION 3-21
Report R1-8, Part II (TB, pp. 14–18)
WHEREAS, The Sacred Scriptures teach that in the beginning the blessed Trinity instituted marriage to be the
life-long union of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt.
19:4–6), to be held in honor by all; and
WHEREAS, Homosexual unions come under categorical
prohibition in the Old and New Testaments (Lev. 18:22, 24;
20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9–20; 1 Tim. 19–10) as contrary to the Creator’s design (Rom. 1:26–27); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod declare that the same-sex
unions are, according to the Scriptures, contrary to the will
of the Creator and sin against the commandments of God;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage all its members to
give a public witness in word and deed to heterosexual marriage as an estate to be held in honor by all and kept inviolate (Heb. 13:4; 1 Thess. 4:2–5).
Action: Adopted as amended (9)
(By amendment, the word heterosexual was added in the second resolve.)

To Encourage Continuation
of Commission on Theology
and Church Relations’ Comprehensive
Study of Scriptural Relationship
of Man and Woman
RESOLUTION 3-22
Report R3-01, B, 1, b (CW, p. 50); Overtures 3-57–61,
3-70–71, 3-75–77, (CW, pp. 172–73, 175–76)
Preamble
So often the Holy Scriptures exalt the precious service
of women to God’s kingdom. Women were leaders in Israel
(Judges 4–5), caregivers to our Lord and His disciples
(Luke 8:1–3), witnesses of the resurrection (Matt. 28:1–10),
and, above all, godly wives and mothers (Judges 4:4; 5:7;
Ruth 4:11–17; 1 Sam. 1:1–2:10; Luke 1:24–63; 2 Tim. 1:5;
3:14–15; 1 Peter 3:1–6). Likewise, throughout the history
of the church, women have provided unique and invaluable
service. Therefore, it behooves our church today to honor
women for their service to the Kingdom and to encourage
them to continue their contributions in every God-pleasing
activity.
WHEREAS, The question of women’s service in the church
is a vitally important one to our congregations; and
WHEREAS, Our church eagerly seeks to involve women in
every role and activity which God in Holy Scripture allows,
but at the same time wishes to faithfully heed those limits
which God places upon women’s roles in the church; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations is progressing on an assigned comprehensive study
of the scriptural relationship of man and woman; and

WHEREAS, The study of the complex issues involved in
this assignment requires patient deliberation; therefore be
it
Resolved, That the CTCR be commended for examining
the appropriate texts thoroughly and foundationally so that
questions of women in the church may be answered in an
organized and unified fashion; and be it further
Resolved, That the CTCR be encouraged to continue and
complete its above-mentioned study in time for consideration prior to the 2001 convention; and be it finally
Resolved, That as they await the completion of this
study, congregations of the Synod abide by its position as
stated in the 1970 opinion of the Commission on Constitutional Matters that congregations may allow women to hold
congregational offices except those of chairman, vice-chairman, elder, and any other board or policy-making committee “whose chairmanship the congregation might wish to
restrict to men.”
Action: Adopted (10)
(An amendment to change women’s to believers in the first
whereas and women to believers in the second whereas, to delete
the remainder of the second whereas following allows, to substitute service for women in the first resolve, and to delete the words
following Synod in the third resolve, adding in their place continue to practice good stewardship with the gifts of God was defeated.)

To Commend to the Church the
Commission on Theology and Church
Relations Report, “Biblical Revelation
and Inclusive Language”
RESOLUTION 3-23
Overtures 3-80, 5-51 (CW, pp. 177, 223)
WHEREAS, Questions of inclusive language are lively issues in our world today; and
WHEREAS, These questions have given rise also to suggestions of inclusive language usage in the church (as, for
example, gender-neutral Bibles and liturgies); and
WHEREAS, God has revealed Himself to the world in
human language, and therefore we must be careful to
speak of Him precisely according to His revelation in Holy
Scripture; and
WHEREAS, The Synod in 1989 asked the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations to “study the theological
implication of utilizing inclusive versus exclusive language
in our teaching, worship, and printed materials” (1989 Res.
2-12); and
WHEREAS, In completing this assignment the CTCR has
taken into account the responses of a panel of six reactors
(which included five women); and
WHEREAS, The exegetical work in this study has been
foundational also for the CTCR’s “Comprehensive Study of
the Scriptural Relationship of Man and Woman” (1995 Res.
3-10), currently in progress; therefore be it
Resolved, That the CTCR report, “Biblical Revelation
and Inclusive Language,” be commended to the church for
study.
Action: Adopted (10)