# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1979_S117 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ea : : | RESOLUTIONS 117 Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old 431 Your Heart, O God, Is Grieved 96 Your Table I Approach 310 Your Word, O Lord, Is Gentle Dew 232 Yours Forever, God of Love 338 Action: Adopted (3). (The committee substituted “NIV” for “from LBW, some in revised form” in Point 15 and added the reference to the 1943 version in Point 18. Considerable discussion followed. An amendment to commend both the LBW and LW to congre- gations was declared out of order on the grounds that the Dallas convention had called for the adoption of an official hymnal. When the amendment was revised to call for two official hymnals, this was declared to be a substitute reso- lution, one which the delegates declined to consider. After 30 minutes of debate the automatic call of the question was decided affirmatively by the required 2/3 vote. The resolution was then adopted after it had been stated by way of infor- mation that the resolution did not refer to occasional services that might be published separately and that suggestions for the addition of hymns could still be received and considered by the commission.) To State Position on Abortion RESOLUTION 3-02A Overtures 3-20A—3-23 (CW, pp. 97—99) WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod throughout its history has opposed abortion and since 1971 has spoken in convention to condemn “willful abortion as contrary to the will of God”; and WHEREAS, We as members of Christian congrega- tions have the obligation to protest this heinous crime against the will of God legally sanctioned in the United States and other lands; and WHEREAS, The practice of abortion, its promotion, and legal acceptance are destructive of the moral con- sciousness and character of the people of any nation; therefore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in convention urgently call upon Christians— 1. To hold firmly to the clear Biblical truths that (a) the living but unborn are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception (J ob 10:9-11; Ps. 51:5; 139:13- 17; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41-44); (b) as persons the unborn stand under the full protection of God’s own prohibition against murder (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 20:13; Num. 35:33; Acts 7:19; 1 John 3:15); and (c) since abortion takes a human life, abortion is not a moral option, except as a tragically unavoidable byproduct of medical procedures neces- sary to prevent the death of another human being, viz., the mother; and 2. Tospeak and act as responsible citizens on behalf of the living but unborn in the civic and political arena to secure for these defenseless persons due protection under the law; and 3. To offer as an alternative to abortion supportive understanding, compassion, and help to the expectant parent(s) and family, and to foster concern for un- wanted babies, encouraging Lutheran agencies and families to open hearts and homes to their need for life in a family; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod earnestly encourage its pastors, teachers, officers, and boards— 1. To warn publicly and privately (Prov. 31:8-9) against the sin of abortion; 2. Toinstruct the community of God that abortion is not in the realm of Christian liberty, private choice, personal opinion, or political preference; 3. To nurture a deep reverence and gratitude for God’s gracious gift of human life; 4. To oppose in a responsible way attitudes and policies in congregations, schools, hospitals, Lutheran social service agencies, and other institutions within their sphere of influence and work which suggest that abortion is a matter of personal choice; 5. To support the efforts of responsible pro-life groups in their communities, e.g., “Lutherans for Life” (CTCR Report, CW, p. 74); 6. To promote clear instruction of Christian morality in homes, schools, and churches of the Synod, showing the blessings and safeguards inherent in God’s will for sexual chastity before marriage and faithfulness in marriage; 7. To teach within our Lutheran schools and churches the biological, social, and parental functions of childbearing; and 8. To support the efforts to secure the human life amendment to the United States Constitution. Action: Adopted as amended (3). (Three amendments were approved: the addition of the reference to Proverbs in Point 1 of the second resolve, and Points 7 and 8. The word “Lutheran” was inserted in Point 7 by common consent. In Session 7 the convention changed the order of words as given above in Point 7. An amendment referring to rape at the end of Point 1 of the first resolve was declined.) To Continue “Fellowship in Protest” with ALC RESOLUTION 3-03 Report 3-01, II; App. 3-01B, App. 3-01C (CW, pp. 75—77, 81—82, 84—87); Overtures 3-71A—3-89B, 3-94A—F (CW, pp. 109—117) Preamble It is the will of our God that the members of His church be one in faith and walk together in love, striving always to express the unity that is theirs in Christ while holding faithfully to the doctrine commit- ted to them. The apostle Paul has written: ‘““Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). In Ephesians he declares that God’s people should ‘“[endeavor] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (4:3). And elsewhere he exhorts Titus to “{hold] fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught” (Titus 1:9).