Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2016 · 66th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 73
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 73

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

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
topics of discussion will include the service of women in the church
and the issue of “cooperation in externals.”
4. National Association of Evangelicals

The LCMS is not a member of the National Association of
Evangelicals (NAE). In recent years, however, the Associate Executive
Director of the CTCR has represented the LCMS in a number of meetings hosted by the NAE on various topics such as religious freedom,
changing views of marriage and sexuality in American culture, immigration, and racism.
5. Common Ground Christian Network

Common Ground Christian Network (CGCN) is an affiliation of
individuals representing theologically conservative groups and movements, who are typically from a “mainline” Christian church either
currently or in the recent past. CGCN meets once or twice each year
and invited the LCMS to send a representative. The executive staff
has represented the Synod at CGCN meetings on several occasions.
Topics for consideration have included religious freedom, heterodoxy
in the mainline churches, and ongoing challenges (both from secular
society and from many who claim Christian identity) to the biblical
view of marriage and sexual morality.
III. Religious Organizations and Movements
The CTCR is charged with assisting “congregations and ordained
and commissioned ministers of religion in fulfilling their commitment to witness publicly and privately to the one and only Gospel
set forth in the Holy Scriptures” (2013 Bylaw 3.9.5.4 “Fraternal and
Other Organizations”). This bylaw includes the Synod’s long-standing provisions for dealing with lodges as well as other organizations
which have “an unchristian or anti-Christian character.” In providing resources and information to the members of the Synod regarding
such organizations, philosophies, and religious movements, the CTCR
includes a section of its website designated “Evaluations” (see www.
lcms.org/ctcr). Evaluations fall into two general categories: Lodge
Organizations and Religious Organizations and Movements. The evaluations consider, from a Lutheran theological perspective, a broad
range of religious practices, organizations, movements, claims, and
individuals—both Christian and non-Christian. In addition to material previously available, during the past triennium the commission
has provided evaluations on the topics of Abrahamic religions, Beth
Moore, Buddhism, Christian Reconstructionism, Hinduism, near
death experiences, and Swedenborgianism (New Church). The entire
current listing of topics addressed by CTCR evaluations includes:
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Abrahamic Religions
Baha’i Faith
Beth Moore
Buddhism
Center for Progressive Christianity
Christian Identity Movement
Christian Reconstructionism
Christian Science
Church of Scientology
Churchless Christianity
Cults—An Overview (also available in Spanish)
Cursillo Movement
Elks Lodge
Emergent Church
Enneagram
Fraternal Order of Eagles
God’s Learning Channel
Hinduism
Human Potential Movement
International Churches of Christ (ICOC)

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Islam
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Judaism
Kabbalah
Latter-day Saints
The Lodge
Membership in Certain Fraternal Organizations: A Pastoral Approach
Moose International
Near Death Experiences
New Age Movement
The Occult
Rastafarians
Reiki
Restorationism
Salvation Army
Satanism
Seventh-day Adventism
Swedenborgianism (New Church)
Theophostic Prayer Ministry
Transhumanism
Unification Church
Unitarian-Universalist Association (UUA)
United Pentecostal Church International
Unity School of Christianity
Vineyard Ministries
Wicca
Word-Faith Movement
Yoga

The commission through its staff continues to respond to a large
number of inquiries, making use of resources accumulated in its
library and files and information available on the Internet.
Lawrence Rast, Chairman
Joel D. Lehenbauer, Executive Director
R12

Concordia Historical Institute
The beginnings of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) are found
in the first Constitution of the LCMS in 1847, which directed the
Secretary of the Synod to chronicle the denomination’s history and
also collect and preserve documents and artifacts of historic value.
Officially incorporated as a nonprofit institution in 1927, CHI continues to share with church and community the historical treasures
entrusted to its care, while serving as a resource for observing major
anniversaries of the Synod’s leaders, entities, congregations, and
events.
As the official Department of Archives and History of the LCMS
(see Synod Bylaw 3.6.2), CHI continues to search out and organize
historical records that not only chronicle the history of the Synod (its
congregations, institutions, leaders, and events), but document the history of a church body that has, under the mercy and grace of Christ
and His Word, grown and flourished.
The Lord of the Church has been gracious to Concordia Historical
Institute over these past three years. Striving to make CHI the premier
provider of Lutheran historical resources in North America, the CHI
staff, volunteers, and board are thankful for the prayers, encouragement, and support of LCMS districts, congregations, and individuals
as we continue to serve the advancement of the history of the LCMS.
As the Synod’s Department of Archives, Concordia Historical
Institute is charged with managing the largest Lutheran archival collection in North America— a collection that includes documents,
publications, rare books, photographs, audio/visual media, artifacts,
and fine art. CHI actively manages the following:
2016 Convention Workbook