LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1992, Page 115

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 117

2. As Creator, God alone knows with certainty whether
a disease or an injury is incurable.

3. When the God-given powers of the body to sustain its _

own life can no longer function and doctors in their profes-
sional judgment conclude that there is no real hope for
recovery even with life-support instruments, a Christian
may in good conscience “let nature take its course.” :
4. Administering pain-killing medications, even at the
risk of shortening life, is permissible, since this does not
entail the choice of death as either a means or an end. |
5. It is good ethical procedure for the doctor to request
. and receive a statement signed by the patient, if competent
_to consent, or by the nearest of kin, agreeing to the use-
lessness of further “heroic efforts” and consenting to ter-
mination of treatmenis.

6. Each person, no matter how infirm and socially use-
less he or she may appear to be, deserves to be accepted as
a being created in the image of God. :

7. While suffering is an intrusion into life, it provides
the opportunity for Christian witness and service.

8. Often the time prior to death is so wrapped in mystery
that no one ought forcibly to interrupt the movement of
man’s spirit as it may be communicating through God's

Spirit with his Creator.and Redeemer by way of responding
in trust and inner yearning.
9. Death is not merely.a physical but a crucial spiritual
event for each person.
10. Any decisions made in this highly complex area, and
any actions taken that may later appear to have been wrong,
have been redeemed by that forgiveness which is available
to all who put their trust in the work and merits of man-
kind’s Savior and Redeemer.
11, The spiritual and moral questions raised by the issue

of euthanasia are of such a nature that their evaluation is
an enterprise touching on the very survival of the basic
principles which undergird the integrity of our Christian
faith and the survival of our cultural heritage. They con-
; stitute the primary spiritual and moral crucible of this age.

12. Christians are obligated to make their position

known, by whatever means possible, as a way of helping to-

shape public opinion on the question of euthanasia.
and be it finally
Resolved, That we encourage the members of The Lu-
theran Church—Missouri Synod to boldly address such
ethical questions as the following to the society in which
we live:
“What kind of people are we becoming if we cannot care
for the weak and helpless?”
“What does it-demonstrate about our character if we
think we have the right to end life?”

Action: Adopted (11).

(In session 10 an amendment and two additional points were
offered as additions to the original resolution. No action was taken
on these proposals. However, in session 11 the revised resolution
incorporated the proposed whereas as the second one in its 3-11A
and one of the point as the final resolve. The specific points could
not be changed since they were a direct quotation from a revious
document. The seen d point which would have stat , “Spiri-
tual care and support, however, must be provided for those who

struggle with the issues and burdens of caring for patients with :

such chronically debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s,” was,
in substance, included as a fifth whereas, the delegates adding
the words including material support, by common consent.)

To Develop Plan for Ministry
to Homosexuals and Their Families

RESOLUTION 3-12A
Overtures 3-86, 3-88A—C, 3-89A-B, 3-91 (CW, pp. 207-

08)

. Wuereas, Many voices in our society as well as in var-
ious church bodies are expressing the view today that ho-
mophile behavior is an acceptable alternative lifestyle; and

Wuereas, The Word of God clearly condemns homo-
phile behavior in Lev. 18:22, Rom. L 26-27, and 1 Cor. 6:9;
and

_Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in
convention in 1973 stated: “That the Synod recognize ho-
mophile behavior as intrinsically sinful”; and

Wuereas, The Commission on Theology and Church’
Relations document on Human Sexuality, A Theological
Perspective, states, “Whatever the causes of such a con-
dition may be, . . . homosexual orientation is profoundly
‘unnatural’ without implying that such a person’s sexual
orientation is a matter-of conscious, deliberate choice.
However, this fact cannot be used by the homosexual as
an excuse to justify homosexual behavior. As a sinful hu-
man being, the homosexual is accountable to God for ho-
mosexual thoughts, words, and deéds.” (Human Sexuality,
A Theological Perspective, p. 35); and

Wuereas, The redeeming love of Christ, which rescues
humanity from sin, death, and the power of Satan, is: of-
fered to all through repentance and faith in Christ, re-
gardless of the nature of their sinfulness; and

" Wuereas, The need exists to make available a carefully
developed Law/Gospel ministry plan to congregations and
other institutions in order to minister to those who are
troubled by their homosexuality; and °

_ Wuereas, It is necessary for the church to expose and
resist the sexual idolatry of our society; therefore be it’
' Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,

in convention, reaffirm the position it stated in 1973, “That

the Synod recognize homophile behavior as intrinsically
sinful”; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod direct the
appropriate boards and commissions to develop a plan for
ministry usable by congregations, campus ministries, in-
stitutions, and agencies in the Synod, for the purpose of
providing biblical and Gospel-oriented ministry to persons
troubled by being homophile in their sexual orientations
and to their families; and be it finally

Resolved, That the goals to be pursued by such a plan
for ministry be

“1. to offer to our world biblically alternative models of

sexual celibacy outside of a committed, permanent het-
erosexual marriage and same-gender social, but not gen-
itally sexual, deep friendships;

2. to confront the individual] with his/her sinfulness, and
call him/her to repentance;