LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 218

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11. CHURCH AND CULTURE
that it had intended to strike “science,” while retaining the rest
of the whereas, and this modification of the twelfth whereas
was received without objection. The chair put the close of debate
to a vote, which carried [Yes: 830; No: 121]. The resolution was
adopted unanimously as amended by a voice vote, “Yea, yea, it
shall be so.”

To Encourage Responsible Citizenship
and Compassion Toward Neighbors
Who Are Immigrants Among Us
RESOLUTION 11-05A
Reports R1.2, R9, R12, R59.5 (CW, 16–71, 92–94, 95–104,
245–47)

WHEREAS, God’s Word lifts up the stranger and
sojourner: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your
land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the
stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you,
and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in
the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 19:33–34),
“And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,
‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show
kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the
widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let
none of you devise evil against another in your heart’”
(Zech. 7:8–10); and
WHEREAS, Jesus taught us that the neighbor we are called
to serve is the person in need: “Jesus asked, ‘Which of these
three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who
fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him
mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise’”
(Luke 10:36–37); and
WHEREAS, Scripture instructs us: “Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist have been
instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the
authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who
resist will incur judgment” (Rom. 13:1–2) even as the Fourth
Commandment indicates; and
WHEREAS, Scripture enfolds our submission to the
governing authorities within the mandate of Christ: “You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than
these’” (Mark 12:30–31; cf. Rom. 13:8–10); and
WHEREAS, In Christ Jesus all the baptized are children of
God, through faith. “For as many of you as were baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26–28);
and
218 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) began as an immigrant church reaching
immigrants with the Gospel, and continues to confess that
we are sojourners here on earth: “Beloved, I urge you as
sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the
flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11);
therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention commend for
study and discussion the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations report, Immigrants Among Us: A Lutheran
Framework for Addressing Immigration Issues (2012), together
with the Bible study based on the report; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of the congregations of the
Synod, as part of the body of Christ, be encouraged to
recognize their calling to see the immigrant and the
stranger as their neighbor, to share the Gospel and make
disciples of all people, and to live as responsible citizens;
and be it further
Resolved, That the members of Synod give bold witness,
in keeping with the Scriptures and Confessions, against
inhumane treatment and attitudes toward immigrants,
war refugees, and minorities; and be it finally
Resolved, That the members of the Synod be encouraged
not to allow political divisions to become church divisions
and to heed Paul’s words from Ephesians chapter four: “Let
no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such
as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may
give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy
Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and
clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all
malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:29–32).
Action: Adopted as amended (5)
The chair and President Forke spoke briefly on the Lutheran “two
kingdoms” perspective on immigration issues, at the same time
loving our neighbors and respecting authorities. After brief
discussion by the assembly, the chair put to a vote the close of
debate, which failed [Yes: 600; No: 343]. After further
discussion, an amendment was offered and seconded to add a
resolve to read, “That the members of Synod give bold witness in
keeping with the Scriptures and Confessions against inhumane
treatment and attitudes toward immigrants and minorities.” It
was moved and seconded to amend the amendment by adding
“war refugees” after “immigrants;” this was adopted by general
consent. Noting the orders of the day, the chair put close of debate
on the amendment to a vote, which carried [Yes: 836; No: 71].
With consent of the body, the amendment was amended to insert
the new resolve as second-last. The amendment carried [Yes:
780; No: 175]. There being objection to the chair’s proposal to
close debate, it was put to a vote, which also carried [Yes: 758;
No: 211]; the resolution was adopted as amended [Yes: 891; No:
106].

Resolutions