LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 157

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an inter-Lutheran agency by inviting all Lutheran
churches to participate; and be it further

, Resolved, That between now and the 1986 convention
ofthe Synod, the Board of Directors, upon recommenda-
. tion of the President of the Synod and the Commission
on Theology and Church Relations, and after consulta-
tion with the Council of Presidents, be granted interim
- authority to approve the creation of any new inter-
_ Lutheran agencies and the restructuring or withdrawal
from any current inter-Lutheran agencies, including
the Lutheran Council in the United States of America.

Action: Adopted (10).

(An amendment was offered to strike the last words of the
second resolve beginning with “and the restructuring of or
withdrawal . . .” and to add instead an additional resolve
stating “Resolved, That we withdraw from LCUSA as early as
possible.” The Chair ruled that this was a substitute motion.
The delegates declined to consider it. They also declined an
amendment which would have substituted the word “imposs-
ible” for the word “difficult” in the third whereas.)

To Commend Sending
of Observer to CNLC
RESOLUTION 3-08
Overtures 3-65, 3-100—3-102 (CW, pp. 115, 123)
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

has been invited to send an observer to the Commission
for a New Lutheran Church; and

WHEREAS, The President of the Synod has responded
positively to this invitation; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod commend this action by
the President to accept the invitation to send an official
observer to the CNLC.

Action: Adopted (5)

To Clarify Positon on Anti-Semitism
RESOLUTION 3-09

Report 3-01, I, C, 2 (CW, pp. 91—92); Overtures
3-36—3-37 (CW, p. 108)

WHEREAS, Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism
are a continuing problem in our world; and
WHEREAS, Some of Luther’s intemperate remarks
about the Jews are often cited in this connection; and
WHEREAS, It is widely but falsely assumed that
Luther’s personal writings and opinions have some
official status among us (thus, sometimes implying the
responsibility of contemporary Lutheranism for those
statements, if not complicity in them); but also
' WHEREAS, It is plain from Scripture that the Gospel
must be proclaimed to all people—that is, to Jews also,
no more and no less than to others (Matt. 28:18-20); and
WHEREAS, This Scriptural mandate is sometimes
confused with anti-Semitism; therefore be it

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 157

Resolved, That we condemn any and all discrimina-
tion against others on account of race or religion or any
coercion on that account and pledge ourselves to work
and witness against such sins; and be it further

Resolved, That we reaffirm that the bases of our
doctrine and practice are the Scriptures and the Luther-
an Confessions and not Luther, as such; and be it
further

Resolved, That while, on the one hand, we are deeply
indebted to Luther for his rediscovery and enunciation
of the Gospel, on the other hand, we deplore and
disassociate ourselves from Luther’s negative state-
ments about the Jewish people, and, by the same token,
we deplore the use today of such sentiments by Luther to
incite anti-Christian and/or anti-Lutheran sentiment;
and be it further

Resolved, That in our teaching and- preaching we
take care not to confuse the religion of the Old Testa-
ment (often labeled “Yahwism”) with the subsequent
Judaism, nor misleadingly speak about “Jews” in the
Old Testament (“Israelites” or “Hebrews” being much
more accurate terms), lest we obscure the basic claim of
the New Testament and of the Gospel to being in
substantial continuity with the Old Testament and that
the fulfillment of the ancient promises came in Jesus
Christ; and be it further

Resolved, That we avoid the recurring pitfall of
recrimination (as illustrated by the remarks of Luther
and many of the early church fathers) against those
who donot respond positively to our evangelistic efforts;
and be it finally :

Resolved, That, in that light, we personally and
individually adopt Luther’s final attitude toward the
Jewish people, as evidenced in his last sermon: “We
want to treat them with Christian love and to pray for
them, so that they might become converted and would
receive the Lord” (Weimar. edition, Vol. 51, p. 195).

Action: Adopted (10).

' (The delegates declined to insert the three resolves of
Overture 3-36 after the second resolve of the resolution.)

To Give Priority to Study
of Women’s Role in the Church

RESOLUTION 3-10
Report 3-01, I, B, 7 (CW, p. 91); Overtures 3-22,
3-24—3-30 (CW, pp. 103—106)
WHEREAS, Questions concerning various roles of
women in the church have been raised; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has stated its position on
woman suffrage in Denver Res. 2-17 (“To Grant
Woman’s Suffrage and Board Membership”); and

' WHEREAS, Overtures have asked for reconsideration
of both the extent and limitations of women’s rolein the
church; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has requested the Commission