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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 417

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

CHURCH AND CULTURE
support the non-scriptural aspects of said world view in a positive
manner; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district in convention petition the Synod in its
2023 convention to direct the CTCR to address specifically the topic
of CRT as it relates to social, political, and religious institutions.
Nebraska District
Ov. 11-18

To Affirm Biblical Anthropology
and Denounce Racism as an Anti-Gospel Belief
WHEREAS, Biblical anthropology reveals that all people are
created in the same image of God, one human race no matter what
our outward distinctions might be (Gen. 1:26–27; 9:6; cf. Acts
17:25–26), giving every human inherent value (Psalm 139:13–14);
and
WHEREAS, In Jesus, God became man and so identifies fully with
every human (Matt. 1:1–17; Luke 3:23–38) and His mission of
redemption is for all of humankind (Heb. 2:17) and verifies the
value of every person in the eyes of God (John 3:16–17); and
WHEREAS, The apostle Peter said, “Truly I understand that God
shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and
does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34–35); and
WHEREAS, James 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, Contrary to biblical anthropology, there are
ideologies that determine a person’s worth or value by genetics,
biological characteristics, or cultural heritage; and
WHEREAS, Critical theory, a philosophical view derived from the
Enlightenment and Marxism, frames humanity’s existence and
outlook in terms of oppression and victimization, liberation and
unfettered libertinism as most lately manifest in Critical Race
Theory (CRT); and
WHEREAS, Racism has existed and still exists in many forms in
this sinful, broken world; and
WHEREAS, Christ’s Church is “from every nation, from all tribes
and peoples and languages” who celebrate around the throne of the
Lamb (Rev. 7:9); and
WHEREAS, The Church exists to call the world to repent of sin,
including racial and ethnic division and discrimination, and to
proclaim that Christ Himself is our peace and all are reconciled to
God and one another through the cross (Eph. 2:14–16); and
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has addressed racism in
many of its forms in the following resolutions:
• 1971 Resolution 9-32, “To Encourage Christian Action to
Combat Racism” (1971 Proceedings, 198);
• 1973 Res. 9-22, “To Continue Efforts to Combat Racism”
(1973 Proceedings, 206);
• 1977 Res 10-18A, “To Make Every Effort to Eliminate
Racism” (1977 Proceedings, 204);
• 1979 Res 4-11, “To Reaffirm Efforts to Combat Racism”
(1979 Proceedings, 129);
• 1981 Res 8-07, “To Oppose Racism and Violence” (1981
Proceedings, 204–5);

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417

1983 Res 3-09, “To Clarify Position on Anti-Semitism”
(1983 Proceedings, 157);
1992 Res. 3-03, “To Combat All Racism” (1992
Proceedings, 113–14); and
1995 Res 2-05A, “To Commend for Study the CTCR
Document Racism and the Church” (1995 Proceedings,
112);

and
WHEREAS, The 1992 Res. 3-03 states that racism is contrary to
God’s Word and a sin against Him (1992 Proceedings, 113–14) and
Bylaw 2.3.1 (a) states: “It shall be the policy of the Synod to decline
membership to congregations whose constitutions deny
membership or other congregational privileges to any Christian
because of race or ethnic origin” (Bylaw 2.3.1 [a]); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Missouri District affirm the biblical
anthropology of the God-given value and dignity of every person;
and be it further
Resolved, That the district encourage and assist the members of
our district congregations, pastors, teachers, professors,
congregations, and Synod to faithfully learn, witness, and teach the
Christian faith, especially the doctrine of biblical anthropology for
the sake of the Gospel; and be it further
Resolved, That we commend the schools, universities, and
seminaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) for
their faithful witness to God’s design and intent for human life, and
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) and the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) for providing teaching
materials; and be it further
Resolved, That the district continue to denounce every form of
racism, racial division, or separation as antithetical to the Gospel of
Jesus Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That the congregations of the district be watchful and
sober-minded regarding the idol of racism as a scheme of the devil
intended to bring further suffering and division to the world and to
hinder the Gospel; and be it further
Resolved, That we call on the CTCR and the two seminaries to
study critical theory, including CRT, and create content that
highlights the differences between biblical anthropology and
critical theory to help our people to be vigilant in the face of
pervasive cultural error; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage the schools,
universities, and seminaries of the Synod to be on guard against the
encroachment of any theories in their classrooms, curricula, and cocurricular activities that are contrary to biblical anthropology as
taught in the Scriptures and in the Lutheran Confessions; and be it
further
Resolved, That we earnestly pray, both for those who advocate
racist ideologies and those who are thereby deceived, that they may
see their error through the light of the Gospel, repent of this sin, and
come to know the peace and love of Christ through redeemed
fellowship in the one kingdom of God, established out of every
nation, from all tribes and peoples, and languages; and be it finally
Resolved, That we pray for the many victims of racism, both
within our Church and those in our world, and that the Church work
to bring the healing power of the Gospel into their lives, and so join
together in proclaiming Christ as the Savior for all.
Missouri District

2023 Convention Workbook