LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 54

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54

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

documents that set forth what the commission regards as a soundly
biblical and Lutheran exposition of a particular issue of importance
to the church. In certain cases (see I.B.2 below), these may involve
requested opinions that necessitate more explanation than a customary opinion and/or may be of broader relevance to the Synod
than to the single individual or entity requesting said opinion.

1. A Snapshot of Trending Tools: Christians and Social
Media (2016 Ov. 5-08)
Omnibus Res. A of 2016 assigned numerous overtures from the
convention to various entities of the Synod, including the CTCR
(see below, “Responses to Overtures”). One of the overtures was
“To Provide Suggested Guidelines/Policies for Implementing Social Media.” After due consideration, the CTCR determined that
this overture’s concerns could best be addressed by developing
a report that would address the general topic of social media and
its strengths, weaknesses, temptations, perils, and opportunities.
At the CTCR’s February 2019 meeting, the commission adopted
the report, A Snapshot of Trending Tools: Christians and Social
Media. As should be evident from the name, the report reflects an
awareness that the matter of social media is one marked by constant
changes and what is relevant to the topic this year may change in
the future. Nonetheless, the teachings of Scripture do not change,
and the report considers such aspects as how social media relates to
community, the risk of falsehoods becoming “viral,” an elevation
of opinion over fact, and other temptations. It closes with a focus
on how, within our vocations as royal priests, we might use social
media in godly ways. The report is intentionally designed in a way
that anticipates and can accommodate addressing additional topics
of concern in the future. Though this report was approved during
the 2016–2019 triennium, it was not printed in the 2019 Workbook,
so it is included in this triennium’s report and the 2023 Workbook
appendix.

2. Marriage between Church and State: A Report on
Clergy Serving as “Agents of State” (2016 Res. 14-04)
2016 Res. 14-04 asked the CTCR to consult with the seminaries and other relevant entities in order to “prepare materials to facilitate a biblical and confessional, theological and practical study
affirming the right of our clergy to continue conducting weddings
in accordance with our confession.” The commission had initially
planned to include guidance on this matter in its forthcoming report
on human sexuality, but, due to the timely nature of the topic and
to renewed requests for advice from various quarters of the Synod,
chose to issue this section of its report independently at an earlier
date. It was approved unanimously at the June 2021 meeting of the
commission. The report maintains that marriage is firstly rooted in
natural law rather than civil law or church custom, and thus has
always featured a delicate balance between civil regulation and
church practice. Despite the substantial changes that have occurred
legally and socially in the last decade, nothing would currently
prohibit clergy from performing civil marriages or laity from entering civil marriages in accordance with their biblically informed
consciences. It also maintains that clergy are not acting as agents
of state properly but only incidentally when signing civil marriage
licenses. Consequently, it urges laity to seek civil licensure and
clergy to sign such marriage licenses until such a time as the government actively prohibits them from doing so in good conscience.
The report is included in the Workbook appendix.

3. Order of Creation: Theology, History, Definition (1995
2023 Convention Workbook

Res. 3-10; 2010 Res. 3-06; 2016 Res. 5-14)
The 2010 LCMS convention commended the 2009 CTCR report
The Creator’s Tapestry (prepared in partial response to 1995 Res.
3-10) and asked the CTCR “to address additional questions and issues,” including the foundational issue of the “order of creation.” In
2016, Res. 5-14 reiterated the need for further study of the order of
creation, particularly its biblical, historical, and theological foundations, as well as its pertinent practical applications. After much
internal discussion, the commission unanimously adopted a report
entitled Order of Creation: Theology, History, Definition at its October 2022 meeting. The report first surveys the biblical sources,
historical development, and Lutheran interpretation of the concept.
It then details its incorporation by the Missouri Synod in 1956 and
its interpretation and application within circles in the subsequent
decades. It also seeks to clarify the definition of the order of creation in light of ambiguities and disagreements within the Synod’s
interpretation. The report argues that the order of creation is a theological concept derived from Scripture, supported by the Lutheran
tradition, and affirmed by the Synod, which sheds important light
on relationships in the Christian home and church, especially between men and women, but that it also requires more theological
precision. Ultimately, it concludes that the Synod has come to relative agreement on the important applications of the order of creation for church worship and leadership, yet greater theological
clarity can help the Synod more vigorously bear witness to God
as our creator, the goodness of His creation, and the intentionality
and design of man and woman, sexuality, marriage, and family. The
report is included in the Workbook appendix.

4. A Chaste and Decent Life: An Update to Human Sexuality (1981) (2016 Res. 14-03; 2019 Res. 11-01A)
In 1981, the CTCR issued a comprehensive report on the theological understanding of sexuality, entitled Human Sexuality. In
light of cultural changes on the question of marriage and sexuality
in the intervening decades, the 2016 LCMS convention directed
the commission to update its 1981 report. While in the process of
drafting that new report, the commission was urged by the 2019
convention to include special attention to chastity, the vocation
of singleness, the nature and significance of Christian marriage,
the theology of procreation, and the challenge of infertility. At its
December 2022 meeting, the commission reviewed and unanimously adopted a new report entitled A Chaste and Decent Life: An
Update to Human Sexuality (1981). After thorough study and reflection, the CTCR decided that this report need not replace Human
Sexuality (1981), which still serves as a helpful summary statement
of the Christian theology of marriage and sexuality. To that end,
the new report begins with a review of the important affirmations
made at the end of Human Sexuality (1981), then details how these
affirmations have come under attack due to changes in cultural attitudes and practices. Rather than simply responding to those cultural
attacks, however, it lays out a creedal, trinitarian basis for Christian
sexual ethics. Finally, it explores the theme of “a chaste and decent
life” (from Luther’s Small Catechism) as a practical guide to sexual
purity for the married and single alike. The report is included in the
Workbook appendix.
2023 Convention Workbook