LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 148

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

148 CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES

WHEREAS, Many non-LCMS publishers claim to have a supe-
rior process or product for Christian education and market heavily
to convince LCMS congregations to use their materials; and

Wuereas., Only curriculum materials published by Concordia
Publishing House are certified by our Synod’s doctrinal review
process to be “in agreement with the Holy Scriptures and the
Lutheran Confessions”; and

WHEREAS, Congregations that purchase curriculum materials
from other publishers not only ignore the Synod’s Bylaws but also
diminish the ability of our publishing house to invest financial re-
sources necessary to continue providing the best possible materi-
als; therefore be it

Resolved, That the congregations of our Synod be strongly
urged to continue “walking together” by using the resources pro-
vided by the Synod’s publishing arm, Concordia Publishing House,
rather than resources from other uncertified sources; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That Concordia Publishing House be cncouraged to
continue to produce the highest quality curriculum material possi-
ble by listening to the needs of our congregations, by responding to
the challenges of communicating the Gospel to people of the 21st
century, and by working with congregations to find ways to use
CPH materials successfully in various settings and programs.

Immanuel
Powell, WY

2-45

To Encourage CPH to Enter Broader Book Market

WHEREAS, Concordia Publishing House has been a blessing to
The Lutheran Church-—Missouri Synod throughout its history and
has served the Synod well; and

WHEREAS, The synodical Bylaws charge Concordia Publishing
House with the task of “developing, producing, marketing, and dis-
tributing products for use by members of the Synod, other Chris-
tians, and the public in general” (Bylaw 3.301, emphasis added);
and

WHEREAS, At present, the only way customers can buy books
from Concordia Publishing House is by ordering directly or
through select Christian (usually Lutheran) bookstores; and

WHEREAS, Large chains of super bookstores, such as Borders
Books and Barnes and Noble, have proliferated in the last twenty
years, offering customers a multitude of books on various subjects,
including religion; and

WuerEAS, A wide range of theological opinion, from funda-
mentalist to extreme modernist. from Roman Catholicism to Pen-
tecostalism. is represented by the books in these stores: and

WHEREAS, These stores contain no book from Concordia Pub-
lishing House, with the result that no customer would ever surmise
the existence of the 2.6 million(!) member Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod by examining the books available on the shelf; and

Wuereas, Much smaller denominations are represented quite
well at these stores; and

WHEREAS, Books from Augsburg Fortress, which support the
“Jesus Seminar” and other attacks on historic Christianity, are
abundant at these stores, giving readers a false impression of what
Lutherans believe; and

WHEREAS, Concordia Publishing House has published a num-
ber of books (such as Harold Senkbeil’s Dying to Live and Gene
Veith’s The Spirituality of the Cross) that would appeal to the gen-
cral reader browsing in the religion section; and

Wuereas, Most of the books in the Concordia Scholarship
Today series, as well as classics such as C. F. W. Walther’s Law
and Gospel, would also appeal to a broad audience; and

WHEREAS, Expanding the distribution of sound Lutheran books
may serve both as a means of outreach to the unchurched and as a
means of influencing the broader Christian culture; and

2001 Convention Workbook

WHEREAS, Concordia Publishing House is a synodwide corpo-
rate entity, and therefore “accountable to the Synod in convention
for the discharge of its assigned duties” (Bylaw 3.195 e) and is to
reply to the suggestions of the Synod’s Board of Directors (Bylaw
3.195 d); therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention direct the Board of Directors of Concordia Publishing
House to make expansion into the super bookstore market a top
priority during the 2001-2004 triennium; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board of Directors of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod periodically review the progress of Con-
cordia Publishing House in this task and make appropriate sugges-
tions to the Board of Directors of Concordia Publishing House.

First Bethlehem
Chicago. [L

2-46

To Direct CPH to Publish Special Edition
of Small Catechism

WHEREAS, Luther’s Small Catechism is a doctrinal and devo-
tional treasure of the Lutheran church; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther encouraged regular prayer and
meditation on the catechism; and

WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has reaffirmed Lutheran
catechetical instruction (1995 Res. 2-09A); and

WHEREAS, Current editions of the Small Catechism are avail-
able only in paperbound copies and in a textbook-style edition;
therefore be it

Resolved, That Concordia Publishing House be directed to pub-
lish a pocket-sized, hardcover, gift edition of Luther's Small Cate-
chism to serve as a prayer book in the Lutheran church; and be it
further

Resolved, That this edition include the 1986 translation of
Luther’s Small Catechism, Luther’s catechetical hymns, Luther's
Simple Instructions for Prayer (to Peter the Barber at Wittenberg),
and other materials deemed suitable for a pocket-sized prayer book
of this nature.

Faith, Spooner, WI; Salem, Barron, WI

2-47

To Urge CPH to Publish Revised Lutheran Cyclopedia

WHEREAS, CPH has commendably published the CD-ROM The
Concordia Electronic Library, containing a variety of basic
Lutheran sources: and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Cyclopedia (entitled Christian Cyclo-
pedia on the disc) is the only title in the CEL which has been newly
revised and updated for the project; and

WHEREAS, The last printed edition of the Lutheran Cyclopedia
dates from 1975; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Cyclopedia has long provided fugitive
information, difficult to find in other sources, e.g., biographical
sketches of significant Lutheran authors and servants of the church;
and

WHEREAS, There is a ready market for a handy printed resource
of both historic and current Lutheran information, therefore be it

Resolved, That Concordia Publishing House print a new edition,
including the revisions and updates available on the CD-ROM ver-
sion, of the Lutheran (Christian) Cyclopedia as a one- or two-vol-
ume set in an economical binding; and be it further

Resolved, That CPH establish a procedure to continue to gather
information and update entries, making such revisions available at
a Web site.

Concordia Seminary
St. Louis, MO