Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2016 · 66th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 356
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 356

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

356

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

good design, and high and holy callings. We hereby declare our conscientious objection to any policy or practice that considers women
eligible for assignment into combat situations or conscription; and
be it finally
Resolved, That to all who defy God’s clearly expressed will in this
matter, we declare His warning (Ezekiel 33): Hear the Word of the
Lord and repent, lest you incur His condemnation, for on the final
days you will face His judgment.
Jacksonville Circuit
Central Illinois District
5-32

To Protect Consciences of Women
re Military Service
Whereas, On December 3, 2015, United States Secretary of
Defense Ashton Carter opened all military occupations and positions
to women, including those involving direct combat engagement; and
Whereas, On January 1, 2016, implementation of this policy
began; and
Whereas, This policy was implemented despite significant
division over the matter amongst the general American population,
lawmakers, and the military itself; and
Whereas, The Marine Corps’ request for a partial exemption
from the order was denied; and
Whereas, The implementation of this policy would seem to
require that women will eventually be required to register for selective service and a possible draft, as the primary rationale provided by
the US Supreme Court in allowing women to be excluded from the
draft was their ineligibility to serve in a combat capacity (Rostker v.
Goldberg); and
Whereas, Christians are to be subject to governing authorities
(Rom. 13; 1 Pet. 2) while remaining obedient to God whenever human
authority seeks to require us to act contrary to our conscience-bound
convictions regarding God’s Word and will; and
Whereas, Christians differ on whether having women serve in
combat is morally permissible, with some holding the opinion that
having women serve in a combat capacity is a matter for the “left-hand
kingdom” to address and therefore a matter in which they willingly
obey and honor such a decision by the governing authorities; and
Whereas, Biblical objections to women being required to serve
in the military in general or to serve in combat positions in particular have been voiced by many Christians, including members of the
LCMS, based on scriptural concerns about the complementary yet
ordered relationship between man and woman (Gen. 1–2); the requirement given to husbands, not wives, to love in a manner that emulates
the sacrifice of Christ for His Bride, the Church (Eph. 5); and the doctrine of vocation (Prov. 31:10–31; Titus 2:3–5); and
Whereas, Lutheran Christians have a high regard for God’s gifts
of human reason and natural law, and take very seriously the many
reason-based arguments that have been made (by both Christians and
non-Christians) against women serving in combat positions (e.g.,
physical strength comparisons between men and women in general;
other physical and biological differences between men and women;
data-based concerns about mixed-gender troop performance under
combat conditions, etc.); and
Whereas, Women of the LCMS, as well as other Christian women
who serve in the military, may be required to serve in combat units
even when they may conscientiously oppose such service; and

2016 Convention Workbook

Whereas, LCMS and other Christian women who seek to serve
their country in the military may similarly feel required to forego
such service because of conscientious objections to serving in a combat capacity; and
Whereas, In the 2013 convention, the Synod asked the CTCR to
study the issue of employing women in combat and to issue a statement on this matter for consideration at the 2016 convention (Res.
2-12A); and
Whereas, The CTCR has devoted considerable time, effort, and
discussion to this assignment in the past triennium, including the
preparation of a detailed draft outline which offers a framework for
addressing key facets of this issue; and
Whereas, The CTCR (partly due to the unforeseen need to identify a new drafter in early 2015) will not be able to bring its work on
this assignment to completion before the 2016 convention; therefore be it
Resolved, That as it continues its work on this assignment and
seeks to bring it to completion, the CTCR strongly supports the
responsibility and necessity for men and women to act according
to conscience in this matter while respecting the conscience of others (Rom. 14:2–3, 13–23; 1 Cor. 10:29; 1 Tim. 1:5; Heb. 13:18); and
be it further
Resolved, That there is biblical and theological warrant for a
woman in the LCMS to conscientiously object (1) to a woman’s service in the military in general or (2) to a woman in the military being
required to serve in a combat capacity or (3) to being required to register for military service; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage lawmakers to provide protection in this matter for Lutherans and other Christian women to
conscientiously object when they determine (1) that they cannot serve
in the military or (2) that they cannot serve in good conscience in a
combat capacity or (3) that they cannot in good conscience register for
military service (see also CTCR, Civil Obedience and Disobedience
[1966]); and be it finally
Resolved, That the CTCR continue its study of this question and
prepare a full report or study document for prayerful consideration
by the Synod as a whole.
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
5-33

To Reaffirm Six-Day Creation
Whereas, The Scriptures teach that God is the Creator of all that
exists and is therefore the author (Acts 3:15) and giver of life (Nicene
Creed, Third Article); and
Whereas, Genesis 1 details the creation of the world by God in
six days, each of which consists of 24 hours; and
Whereas, This interpretation is explicitly corroborated by other
passages of Scripture such as Exodus 20:8−11; and
Whereas, The Synod has previously and consistently taught and
affirmed this position; therefore be it
Resolved, That the English District in convention reaffirm the literal six-day creation as revealed in Genesis; and be it further
Resolved, That the English District memorialize the Synod to reaffirm her position during the 2016 convention concerning the literal
six-day creation as it is revealed in Genesis.
English District
Farmington, MI