LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1986, Page 137

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRIES 137

make accreditation now available for all Lutheran schools
of all levels; and

Wuereas, District and National Lutheran School Ac-
creditation standards, instruments, and processes help a
school to evaluate and to improve on the basis of Christian—
decidedly Lutheran-standards; and

Wuereas, District and National Lutheran School Ac-
creditation facilitate school improvement in all parts of the
school program, but especially in the Lutheran Christian
nature of the school; therefore be it

Resolved, That all congregations which own and operate
a school be encouraged to seek district and National Lu-
theran School Accreditation.

Action: None.

To Support Concordia Publishing House
RESOLUTION 2-26
Overture 2-53 (CW, p. 92)

Wuereas, Concordia Publishing House has faithfully
aided the Synod in the communication of the faith since
1869; and

Wuereas, The primary mission of Concordia is to de-
velop materials for The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod and its members; and

Wuereas, The secondary mission of Concordia Publish-
ing House is to produce materials for purchase by con-
sumers other than members of the Synod in an effort to
spread the Christian Gospel; and

Wuereas, All materials produced by Concordia are ap-
proved by the doctrinal review process of the Synod (Bylaw
2.611 e) and are consistent with the doctrinal stance of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and

Wuereas, Congregational materials are planned, de-
veloped, and marketed in coordination with the various
program boards and commissions and the administration
of the Synod; and

Wuereas, The needs of the church are given foremost
consideration as new materials are planned and developed;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the laity and church professionals of the
congregations and districts of the Synod be encouraged to
suggest needed items for possible development by the staff
of the International Center and Concordia Publishing
House; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of the Synod be encouraged
to purchase Concordia-produced items for home, school,
and church use in order to help ensure continued devel-
opment of quality products for the members of The Lu-
theran Church—Missouri Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That the members of the Synod be encouraged
to utilize the doctrinally sound materials prepared jointly
by the staff of the International Center and Concordia Pub-
lishing House to more fully empower God’s people in their
worship, witness, nurture, fellowship, and service.

Action: None.

To Prepare Materials Portraying
Diversity of the Church

RESOLUTION 2-27A
Overture 2-56 (CW, pp. 92—93)

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
seeks to be obedient to the Great Commission of our Lord;
and

Wuereas, The commission refers to “all nations” so that
people of every racial, ethnic, and economic background
are included; and

Wuereas, The literature of the church, such as Sunday
school and day school materials, bulletin covers, bulletin
inserts, The Lutheran Witness, etc., are major sources by
which people gain impressions about Christianity and The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in particular; and

Wuereas, Synodical materials tend to portray contem-
porary Christians in most cases as being white and middle
class and to portray the Old Testament people of Israel
and New Testament Christians as being almost exclusively
Caucasian (usually with northern European features); and

Wuereas, This offends people of nonwhite, non-middle-
class backgrounds who are members of our Synod and
others whom we hope to evangelize; and

Wuereas, Such a tendency also promotes confusion
over the racial and ethnic character of both Israel and the
New Testament church, since Israel was not without peo-
ple of diverse background (e.g., Num. 12:1) and the early
church from its beginning was led to evangelize all peoples
(Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:26—40; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28); and

Wuereas, Such a tendency unknowingly aids those re-
ligious groups that teach the heresy that Christianity is
“the white man’s religion” (such as the Klan among whites
and Black Yahwism and branches of the Black Muslims
among blacks); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
continue to confess that it is called to proclaim the Gospel
and administer the Sacraments among all peoples; and be
it further

Resolved, That Concordia Publishing House and Board
for Communication Services and all other entities associ-
ated with the Synod be encouraged consistently, system-
atically, and aggressively to carry out their editorial policy
that the racial, ethnic, and economic diversity of the church
in all ages be portrayed; and be it further

Resolved, That boards and committees of the church
sending out inserts be urged that, if photos or art are in-
cluded, such visual aids portray the diversity of the church;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the Lutheran Witness and other publi-
cations of the Synod itself be urged to portray the same
diversity, particularly in cover photographs.

Action: None.