# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S401
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SOCIAL MINISTRY 401

President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South-West
Africa; and be it further
Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod be encouraged
to educate their members regarding the plight of their Namibian
brothers and sisters, to raise offerings for the relief of Namibian
needs, and to write Congressmen and U.S. Delegates to the
U.N. in support of Namibian freedom; and be it finally
Resolved. That the synodical Board of Social Ministry dis-
seminate information regarding the Namibian situation with
suggested action to congregations and Districts.
Cross Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, Wis.
Elzie Davis, President
Betty Miner, Secretary

8-15

To Create and Improve Housing

WHEREAS, The Lord gives us a new commandment to love
one another (John 13:34); and

WHEREAS, Christ calls us to minister to the whole man
(Matt. 25:40); and

WHEREAS, Housing in the cities is deteriorating rapidly; and

WHEREAS, There is not enough housing for families; and

WHEREAS, Much of the housing that exists is inadequate; and

WHEREAS, Support for the housing industry would stimulate
the U. S. economy; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Social Ministry inform Districts
and congregations on how to support efforts to stimulate the
U. S. government and private industry to build housing; and be
it further

Resolved. That the Synod encourage the U. S. government
to find ways of providing more money to people to rent or buy
adequate housing.

Cross Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, Wis.

Elzie Davis, President
Betty Miner, Secretary

8-16
To Support Amnesty

WHEREAS, The Commission on Social Concerns of The Lu-
theran Church— Missouri Synod in its document “The Issue of

Amnesty: A Framework for Christian Reflection” stated that
one of the explicit purposes of the document was to place the
topic on our Church’s agenda and thereby stressed the urgency
of the issue for Christians; and

WHEREAS, The Canadian government estimates that 70,000
draft evaders dwell within its borders, and the Pentagon esti-
mates that there are over 30,000 military deserters at large, so
that our own church body may be represented by several hun-
dred among the more than 70,000 young men involved; and

WHEREAS, The common understanding of amnesty as “for-
giveness” does not agree with the definition of the Supreme
Court in Knote v. U.S., in which the Supreme Court defines
amnesty as “the abolition and forgetfulness of the offense” and
defines pardon as “forgiveness”; and

WHEREAS, The act of amnesty therefore passes no judgment
as to the rightness or wrongness of those who dissented; and

WHEREAS, The government shares in the guilt of the situa-
tion and the anguish of the many men called up to fight in Viet-
nam in a futile and unjust war and for creating such a desperate
problem of conscience for so many that they felt their only
choice was prison or exile; and

WHEREAS, Those who are sufficiently sensitive in conscience
to resist the draft because they believe that the American
military involvement in the Vietnam war was immoral are likely
to be citizens concerned about public welfare and obedient to
all just laws; and

WHEREAS, President Ford has made a beginning step toward
amnesty by initiating a limited amnesty program; therefore be it

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod adopt
and support amnesty as a general act of Christian reconciliation,
that amnesty be regarded as a wise policy to heal the terrible
wounds inflicted by the Vietnam war on our national and church
life, and that amnesty be implemented as a way of reuniting
with our nation thousands of its younger citizens, people who
possess a more than usual moral sensitivity; and be it further

Resolved. That The Lutheran Church-— Missouri Synod call
upon the President to grant amnesty to the more than 70,000
young men of our nation who have chosen exile or jail to protest
a war which large elements of society have called immoral and
that these persons be permitted to seek employment and
their place in society without legal penalties.

Cross Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, Wis.

Elzie Davis, President
Betty Miner, Secretary