LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 156

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156

destructive potential of modern weaponry and the
impersonality of contemporary techniques of warfare
lay upon the Christian citizen the special burden of
reminding himself and others that human life is a
sacred trust from man’s Creator and that the temptation
to rely on and resort to the kind of massive violence
made possible by these inventions has introduced into
the human situation a new factor of incalculable moral
magnitude. It is therefore imperative for him to work
together with all men of goodwill for the responsible
limitation of armaments, the eradication of sources of
conflict, and an aggressive interest in the preservation
and expansion of the conditions of peace”; and

WHEREAS, Responsible judgments about the global
complexities of foreign and defense policies require
exact information in fields in which church leaders
generally enjoy no special competence; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Directors and the President
of the Synod have requested that the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations and its Social Concerns
Committee review the whole matter of. church-state
relationships in the light of issues which have surfaced
in contemporary debate about tuition tax credits, prayer
in public schools, increased support in the voluntary
sector, and “peace” questions; therefore be it

Resolved, That we acknowledge the cause of all
human contention and war to be man’s sinful nature,
and that we therefore intensify our efforts to call all
people to repentance and to proclaim reconciliation in
Christ as the only means of achieving true and lasting
peace with fellow human beings; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod urge its congregations and
members

a. to study what the Scriptures and the Confessions
have to say about world peace and the respective
responsibilities of the state and its citizens, giving
special attention to Luther’s doctrine of the two king-
doms and the nature of just wars (AC XVI, XXVIII, Ap.
XVI);

b. to carry out their duty as Christian citizens by
becoming knowledgable about issues such as the arms
race, the nature and the results of the use of nuclear
weapons, and the state of world affairs and by working
within the framework of responsible participation
within the political process to effect those policies which
enhance the prospects for world peace;

c. to support the efforts of our duly elected and
appointed governmental authorities to carry out their
constitutional and God-given responsibility to provide
for the safety and welfare of the citizens of our country;

d. to pray, both as individual Christians and in our
congregations, that God in His mercy spare humankind
from the horrors of nuclear war and guide the rulers of
the nations to lead us in the way of world peace; and be it
further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod in principle oppose the adoption of conscience-
binding pronouncements which are not based on the
clear teachings of Holy Scripture; and be it finally

RESOLUTIONS

Resolved, That the Synod request the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations and its Social
Concerns Committee to carry out a basic study of the
various aspects of the relationship between church and
state, giving special attention to issues such as “who
speaks for the church,” “when,” and “on what basis.”

Action: Adopted (10).

(The committee substituted “knowledgable about” for
“familiar with” in subsection (b) of the second resolve. An
amendment which would have deleted the final two resolves
was ruled to be a substitute motion. The convention declined to
consider the substitute.)

To Pursue Creation of a New or
Restructured Inter-Lutheran Agency

RESOLUTION 3-07A

Reports 3-01, II, A, 3, a; 3-04; X-01 (CW, pp. 93, 99,
303—308); Overtures 3-81A—3-89 (CW, pp.
117—120)

WHEREAS, The formation of a new Lutheran Church
by three of the member churches of the Lutheran
Council in the U.S.A. is presently in progress and
affects the present structure of the Lutheran Council in
the U.S.A.; and

WHEREAS, By establishing a policy of Interim
Eucharistic Sharing with the Episcopal Church, the
three Lutheran bodies forming the new Lutheran
Church have demonstrated that they do not attach the
same priority as The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod to theological consensus (one of the objectives of
LCUSA); and

WHEREAS, Many existing LCUSA programs have
proved to be satisfactory for all member church bodies;
while other programs and activities of LCUSA makeit
difficult for the LCMS to maintain its present level of
involvement; and th

WHEREAS, The Board of Directors of the Syriod :
continues to monitor and direct the participation of the:
LCMS in programs of LCUSA; and mM

WHEREAS, A new inter-Lutheran agency in the US.
could possibly be structured in such a way that
Lutheran bodies in the U.S.A. could relate to it in
way; and

WHEREAS, “A Planning Process for Inter-Luth
Cooperation” (Jan. 21, 1983) has been initiated by!
presiding officers of the Lutheran bodies of LC
which indicates a time frame which would enalil
churches at their 1986 conventions to deal 4
proposal for inter-Lutheran cooperation, and
encourages the maintenance of LCUSA programs :
such time as they are relocated in a restrut
Lutheran Council or a new inter-Lutheran coop
structure or are lodged in one or several |
church bodies”; therefore be it

Resolved, That we encourage the Presiden
Synod to continue to work toward the formatio: