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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 86

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

86 THEOLOGICAL MATTERS

permitted by the church to believe that “following or-
ders” of the Third Reich took precedence over Chris-
tian conscience; therefore be it

Resolved

1, That The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, in
convention assembled, rescind Resolution 2-35 of the
New York convention;

2. That the Synod reaffirm the teaching of the Augs-
burg Confession relative to these matters;

3. That the Synod direct its Commission on Theology
and Church Relations to study and report on the con-
cept of a “just” war (which pastors might share with
their concerned youth), and to study and report on a
middle course which respects Christian conscience and
avoids not only anarchy on one hand but also blind
obedience to laws which may be blind on the other.

Rev. Cart L. BoRNMANN
Wichita, Kans.

Rev. RONALD FRICKE
Kansas City, Kans,

Rev. THomas G,. VAN DER BLOEMEN
Wichita, Kans.

(2-39)

To Adopt Statement on Conscientious
Objection

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
accepts Scripture as the rule of faith and life and
acknowledges the Lutheran Confessions as a faithful
exposition of the doctrine of Scripture but is not bound
to ethical positions of traditions which neither Scripture
nor the Confessions command; and

Wuereas, We believe that many Christians in the
first three centuries, living under a hostile government
that often persecuted them, declined to participate in
war, giving some precedent in the church’s history for
reluctance to shed blood, a conviction which continues
to this day among some Christians and serves to ac-
knowledge the profound difficulties and conflicting
claims which surround the question of Christian par-
ticipation in war in every age; and

Wuereas, Over the centuries the potential for mass
destruction, inherent in modern weapons, has radically
altered the nature of warfare; death and suffering
among combatants and noncombatants is prompting
more Christians to reassess the personal application of
the commandment “Thou shalt not kill,’ and thus to
become conscientious objectors and to serve as non-
combatants. (This status is now recognized by both
The American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran
Church in America; cf. Reports and Actions, Third
General Convention, ALC, 1966, p. 500: Convention Re-
port, LCA, 1964, p. 145); therefore be it

Resolved, That the following statement concerning
the obligations of military service be adopted by the
English District:

Historically the teaching of the Lutheran Church,

based on its understanding of the Bible, has been that
a Christian as a citizen willingly should assume the
duties of citizenship, including the bearing of arms.

However, the church recognizes that on the basis
of their understanding of the total message of Scripture
and the traditions of the early church some of its mem-
bers arrive at the conviction that they cannot at any
time or selectively with good conscience bear arms.
The English District of The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod therefore will respect his conscience and
continue to minister to the individual who reaches this
conviction in the necessity of following the dictates of
his conscience.

We appreciate that government recognizes the de-
mands of conscience and provides alternate channels
by which he whose conscience forbids him to bear arms
may serve the needs of his country. We respect the
right of the government to apply the pertinent provi-
sions for alternate service for fulfilling the responsibility
of citizenship to those of our members who are con-
scientious objectors; and be it further

Resolved, That the English District petition the hon-
orable Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod to adopt
this or a similar resolution at its 1969 convention in

Denver. EncuisH District

Rosert L. Lanpecx, Secretary
(2-40)
To Affirm Theological Validity of

Selective Conscientious Objection

WuerEAS, In the precious treasure of Holy Scripture
we have graciously been given a clear Word from God
that “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts
4:29); and

Wuereas, As Lutherans we have always affirmed not
only the right but even the necessity of a Christian fol-
lowing the dictates of his conscience rather than the
commandments of men. when he is compelled to do so
by the working of the Spirit of the living God in him
and when he is convinced that not to do so would com-
promise his faith and cause him to be faithless to the
sacred teachings of the Scripture, as dramatically ex-
emplified by Blessed Dr. Martin Luther’s agonized con-
viction that he had to defy the powers of both church
and state assembled in Diet at Worms (1521) when he
said: “Unless I am convinced of error by the testimony
of Scripture or by clear reason... I cannot and will not
recant anything, for it is neither safe nor honest to act
against one’s conscience. God help me. Amen”; and

WHEREAS, Since the Niirnberg war trials no man dare
any more assert before the tribunals of world justice
that which he never could assert before the tribunal of
eternal justice: that he is not personally responsible for
his actions, because they were performed in obedience
to governmental authority; and

WHEREAS, Sincere, profoundly Christian young men.
even among us, are experiencing genuine ethical anguish
struggling with the responsibilities of a Christian in re-