LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 409

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

CHURCH AND CULTURE
yourself,’ you are doing well. But, if you show partiality, you are
committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors”
(James 2:8–9); and
WHEREAS, We still recognize that racism, misunderstanding, and
strife are and will continue to be present in the world and in the
Church; and
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has passed resolutions
repudiating all racism, for example, 1992 Res.3-03; and 2019 Res.
11-04A; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Minnesota South District in convention
reaffirm the Synod’s repudiation of racism in all its forms; and be it
further
Resolved, That the district call upon her members to love their
neighbors as themselves, and seek to live in peace and harmony
with all people by proclaiming that Jesus is Lord, and by bringing
forth the fruits of the faith in serving the neighbor; and be it further
Resolved, That the district reject the worldview of CRT, because
it is contrary to Scripture and counterproductive to true racial
conversation and reconciliation, since it pursues equality of
outcome (“equity”) between ethnic or cultural groups, while
cynically insisting that we treat individuals unequally based on skin
color, ethnicity, ancestry, or nationality; and be it further
Resolved, That the district reject any doctrine, such as that
proposed by CRT, that teaches that an individual or organization is
inherently racist, or oppressive, whether consciously or
unconsciously, solely on account of skin color, ethnicity, ancestry,
nationality, or history; and be it further
Resolved, That the district reject the teaching of all
organizations, movements, and petitions which attempt to advance
the language and/or concepts of Critical Theory including CRT; and
be it finally
Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to also reject the worldview,
language and concepts of CRT at its 2023 convention.
Minnesota South District
Ov. 11-05

To Affirm Biblical Doctrines of Creation, Original
Sin, and Redemption and to Reject Critical Theory
WHEREAS, God “… made from one man every nation of mankind
to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted
periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26),
and they are blood related going back to our mutual fathers, Adam
and Noah, and all are subject to the stain of original sin, but now
also have been equally redeemed by the blood of Christ in order to
be reconciled to God and to each other; and
WHEREAS, God’s Word says, “If you really fulfill the royal law
according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are
committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors”
(James 2:8–9); and
WHEREAS, The academic discipline of Critical Theory (see Paul
Dare, Christians in a Woke World, self-pub., 2021) and its progeny,
such as Critical Race Theory, “wokeism,” social justice, equity, et
al., undermine a biblical understanding of creation and original sin
by denying such divine institutions as family and government,
maliciously dividing rather than uniting Christians on the basis of

409

genealogical heritage, sexuality, socio-economic status,
interpretation of history, and other criteria, and thus seeking to
destroy the true unity Christ grants to the Church through His blood
(Eph. 2:11–16) and subvert the unity of the communion of saints in
the forgiveness of sins as expressed in the Third Article of the
Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; and
WHEREAS, Critical Theory is heretical, for example in the
following: striving for and promising heaven on earth (utopia),
frequently denying the sufficiency of Christ’s death, presenting the
teachings of Jesus as social gospel (i.e. merit-based salvation) and
the divine remedy for strife in human society, and confusing the
doctrine of two kingdoms; and
WHEREAS, The Mid-South District of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) in convention adopted Res. 03-04-21A,
“To Reject Racism and Advance the Gospel”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the district in convention affirm the biblical
doctrines of creation, original sin, and redemption, especially
concerning the universal need for and availability of God’s
redemption by grace through faith on account of Christ Jesus that
we may not make “shipwreck of the faith” delivered to us (1 Tim.
1:3, 19); and be it further
Resolved, That the district in convention encourage and assist the
members of our district congregations, pastors, and teachers to
faithfully learn, witness, and teach the Christian faith, especially the
doctrines of creation, original sin, and redemption, in truth and
purity, in the language of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
for the sake of the advance of the Gospel as revealed in Scripture
and nowhere else (Jude 3); and be it further
Resolved, That we commend the schools, universities, and
seminaries of the LCMS for their faithful witness to God’s design
and intent for human life and encourage each to strive to confess the
Christian faith in a hostile world and to promote excellence in place
of Critical Theory’s definition of diversity, inclusivity, and equity
outcomes, for they have no place in Christian education or
administrative policies, as they are diametrically opposed to the
Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That we reject Critical Theory since it denies Scripture
and sidelines the authority and usefulness of the Lutheran
Confessions, denouncing the sufficiency of Christ’s blessed
suffering and death for the forgiveness of all our sins; and be it
further
Resolved, That we look for opportunities to dialog with groups
who hold this philosophy in order to listen, confess, and bear
witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District join the Mid-South
District in rejecting racism and work toward advancing the Gospel;
and be it finally
Resolved, That the Minnesota North District in convention send
this resolution to serve the Synod in convention in 2023, according
to Bylaw 1.6.2 (b)(4).
Minnesota North District
Ov. 11-06

To Love Our Neighbor
by Rebuking False Doctrine
WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has all authority in
heaven and on earth, commands us to make disciples by baptizing
2023 Convention Workbook