LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 156

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156 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

has resulted from the cooperative efforts of the seminaries,
mission personnel and partner-church leaders.

During the past biennium four pastors and three professors
have been given scholarship assistance through the Exchange
Study Committee: Seth Addy, pastor from Ghana; Arno Bessel,
pastor from Brazil; Paulo Flor, professor from Brazil; Jose
Fuliga, pastor from the Philippines; Gregory Lockwood, pro-
fessor from New Guinea; William Stoll, professor from Aus-
tralia; Daijiro Yamanaka, pastor from Japan.

B. Bible Versions Committee

Since 1962 the Bible Versions Committee has functioned as
an auxiliary committee of the CTCR. In September 1975 the
commission distributed to the Synod the report of the Bible
Versions Committee on a ‘‘Comparative Study of Bible
Translations and Paraphrases,” which provided guidance in
evaluating 10 of the most widely used translations and para-
phrases of the Bible.

During 1979—81 the committee has met twice for the
purpose of developing ways in which it may provide materials
to assist the members of the Synod in the evaluation of the
numerous translations and paraphrases available today.
Proposals are being considered for the preparation of review
articles for the Lutheran Witness and a Bible study making use
of several Bible versions in a format useful for evaluating these
versions.

Serving on this committee during the past biennium were
Dr. Harold Buls, Dr. Erich Kiehl, and Dr. Walter Roehrs.

C. Social Concerns Committee

Asan auxiliary committee of the CTCR the Social Concerns
Committee has prepared in recent years a number of studies on
issues of current social concern. In the fall of 1980 the
commission reissued two of these reports for guidance to the
Synod, the 1976 reports on capital punishment and the Equal
Rights Amendment. The SCC’s report on euthanasia was
adopted by the CTCR in 1979 and sent to pastors and congre-
gations in the fall of that year. During this past biennium the
SCC continued work on its report on human sexuality, and
early in 1981 submitted this report to the CTCR for adoption.
As part of its ongoing responsibility to study contemporary
issues of social concern to the members of the Synod, the SCC is
presently addressing itself to studies on abortion, medical
ethics, Christian counseling and the role of women in church
and society. The commission wishes to call special attention to
the recommendation of the SCC “To Implement Pro-Life
Programs,” which is included at the end of the SCC’s report to
the convention. For this committee's report and recommenda-
tion see Appendix C of this report.

IV. CONFESSIONAL ANNIVERSARIES
A. Committee on Confessional Anniversaries

The Committee on Confessional Anniversaries was
appointed by the CTCR in May 1978 to provide resources to the
Synod for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Book
of Concord and the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg Confes-
sion. Under the theme ‘God Opens Doors: 400th Anni-
versary—Book of Concord,” this committee prepared a
resource packet for use by pastors and congregations in their
celebration of the 1980 anniversaries. This packet, which was
mailed to pastors and congregations in December 1979,
contained special congregational and Circuitarea worship
services with resource helps, a sermon booklet containing six
sermons with themes centering on the chief parts of Luther’s
Small Catechism, suggested bulletin inserts, a presentation in
comic-book form, ‘People With a Message,” and an aluminum
sample of an anniversary medallion. In addition to the alumi-
num medal contained in the packet, a small number of bronze
medallions were cast for limited distribution by the committee.
The committee also distributed to the District presidents of the
Synod a list of resource persons for convention essays and
other District/Circuit presentations.

In 1979 Res. 3-04 (“To Celebrate 400th Anniversary of Book
of Concord and 450th Anniversary of Augsburg Confession”)
the Synod encouraged its members at all levels ‘‘to give special
attention to the ongoing education of their members in the

content of the confessional writings, to their use as tools fora
Scriptural witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people
everywhere, and to their value as a resource for daily Christian
discipleship.” The commission has been informed that wide-
spread use was made of the resource packet and that members
of the Synod everywhere joined in praising God for the
confessional heritage which has been entrusted to the Lutheran
Church.

The commission wishes to extend its thanks to the Aid
Association for Lutherans, which gave a special grant to the
Synod of $10,000 for the celebration of the 1980 anniversaries.
It is the commission’s prayer that the Synod’s observance of
this milestone in the history of our church will continue to bear
abundant fruit in the life and ministry of our pastors and
congregations.

B. “The Augsburg Festival” in Germany

In response to an invitation from D. Dr. Johannes Hansel-
mann, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria.
Dr. Samuel Nafzger was asked by Dr. Preus to represent the
LCMS at “The Augsburg Festival’’ held in Augsburg,
Germany, June 24-29, 1980. In his report to the commission on
this event Dr. Nafzger indicated that 25,000 persons from 52
countries attended this festival and that the occasion provided
an opportunity for contact with leaders in the Lutheran World
Federation, representatives from the partner churches of the
Synod and other Lutherans throughout the world.

C. Anniversary Celebration in Hannover

At the request of President Preus, Dr. Nafzger attended a
special celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg
Confession, the 400th anniversary of the Book of Concord and
the 150th anniversary of the origin of the Independent Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church in Germany held at Hannover,
Germany, on June 21-22, 1980. Dr. Nafzger brought official
greetings to the Synod’s partner church in Germany, the
Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK).

D. Commemoration of the 500th Aniversary
of Luther’s Birth

Nov. 10, 1983, marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of
Dr. Martin Luther. In thanks to God for the gift which He has
given to the church in the person of Martin Luther the
commission recommends to the Synod:

That the Synod take appropriate action to develop plans for
the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Luther’s birth,
thereby giving the members of the Synod an opportunity to
thank God for His gift to the church in the person of Martin
Luther.

Concluding Word

The assignments that the commission has received particu-
larly during the last decade indicate that the members of the
Synod have placed a high priority on matters of pastoral care
and concern. It is evident that our people possess a deep love for
God’s Word and together with the church of all ages have
sought the guidance of their Lord as they seek to clarify the
principles that should inform the everyday decisions of their
Christian life. These decisions are oftentimes complex and
must be made with an earnest prayer for the help of God the
Holy Spirit.

The commission considers its responsibility to provide
guidance to the Synod in matters of theology and church
relations as ultimately an obligation to assist the congrega-
tions and pastors of the Synod in their ministry of pastoral
care. While it is not always possible for the church to address
the many and varied practical problems which arise, the
commission Offers its studies in the hope that they will provide
the Biblical and confessional] framework necessary to assist
the members of the Synod in making decisions which are
faithful to God’s Word and contribute to the upbuilding of their
fellow believers.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.
just as you are doing,” the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessa-
lonians (1 Thess. 5:11). The commission offers this report
to the Synod with the prayer that this apostolic mandate may