LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 157

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6. Human Care
To Commend President’s Commission
on Sanctity of Life and Establish
a Sanctity of Life Standing Committee
RESOLUTION 6-01
Report 1-08 , Part II (TB, pp. 14–21); Overture 6-01
(CW, p. 231)
WHEREAS, The President’s Commission on the Sanctity
of Life in its documents has stated: “Human life is not an
achievement. It is an endowment. It has measureless value,
because every individual, at every stage of development
and every state of consciousness is known and loved by
God. This is the source of human dignity and the basis for
human equality. It must therefore be asserted without exception or qualification: No one is worthless whom God has
created and for whom Christ died”; and
WHEREAS, The Commission further stated: “Uncompromising respect for human life is fundamental and the foundational principle for human community that enables individuals to live together in security and harmony”; and
WHEREAS, The Commission still further stated: “This
principle calls upon every individual and society to rightly
define the human community. Will all be counted as neighbors, or will some be regarded and treated as strangers and
cast beyond protection? In a democracy, men and women of
every walk and station of life have a role and responsibility
in answering these great and significant questions”; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
in convention thank the President’s Commission on the
Sanctity of Life for its work; and be it further
Resolved, That the President’s Commission on the Sanctity of Life be replaced by a standing committee on the
Sanctity of Life Ministry under the auspices of the Board
for Human Care Ministries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Sanctity of Life Ministry standing
committee be charged with responsibility for providing resources, programs, and encouragement to the members of
the Synod regarding all appropriate applications of the
principle of the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Sanctity of Life Ministry standing
committee be allowed to pursue and procure, according to
policies provided by the Board of Directors of the Synod,
such additional funding as may be necessary and available
to fulfill its responsibilities to the fullest extent possible.

Committee 6 Chairman William Diekelman

WHEREAS, Elective abortion is a sin, as it is a violation
of God’s command that “You shall not murder”; and
WHEREAS, The Christian church has historically stated
its stance regarding abortion dating back to the early
church fathers; and
WHEREAS, Martin Luther’s Small Catechism states that
Christians are not to “hurt nor harm our neighbor, but help
and support him in every need,” which includes the child
in the womb; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
historically voiced its strong support of defenseless human
life from conception and continues to speak out concerning
the sin of abortion; and
WHEREAS, The introduction of RU-486, along with other
drugs and procedures, has made it easier to take the life of
children in the womb while strengthening and perpetuating the myth in our culture that the unborn child is not
worthy of life or protection; and
WHEREAS, Too often pastors, church workers, parishioners, and those in the LCMS who are in positions of public responsibility have faltered in defense of the unborn;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention reaffirm its historic position on the sanctity of life; and be it further
Resolved, That the synodical President send a letter to
the President of the United States of America on behalf of
the Synod, requesting a thorough review and reversal of
the decision made by the Federal Food and Drug Administration regarding RU-486 and its use in the killing of unborn children; and be it further

Action: Adopted (3)
(After discussion, the resolution was adopted as presented
[yes: 1,042; no: 82].)

To Reiterate Synod’s Stance on Abortion
RESOLUTION 6-02A
Overtures 6-02–04 (CW, p. 231)
WHEREAS, The Bible clearly states that the child in the
mother’s womb is a living human being (Jer. 1:5; Ps.
139:16; Is. 49:1, 5; and Luke 1:41, 44); and
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