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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 354

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

354 THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

10. Abortion in Perspective, A Report of the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod, as prepared by its Social Concerns Committee, May
1984, 33.

11. Leif Grane, The Augsburg Confession: A Commentary,
trans. John H. Rasmussen (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing
House, 1959), 87.

12. Helpful here by way of summary is Henry Hamann’s asser-
tion that “the most significant contribution of the church to the wel-
fare of society and the world is by way of its members, as each in
his own niche in life and in accordance with his own special capa-
bilities works for and serves his fellow-men, activity which in-
cludes also doing what is expected of conscientious citizens. The
church makes part of its task the training and education of its mem-
bers in just this attitude of responsibility for society. Theologically
speaking, we have here faith working by love, and the church’s task
of education here is its use of the Law in its role as rule and stan-
dard of a godly life.” Hamann goes on to say, with comments that
are pertinent to our discussion in this section: ‘Part of this life of
love and service of the neighbour is the collective activity of Chris-
tians through the church to do the work of the state vicariously
where society is too weak, too primitive, too lacking in organiza-
tion to be able to carry out its proper functions.” Henry Hamann,
“The Church’s Responsibility for the World: A Study in Law and
Gospel,” in Theologia Crucis: Studies in honour of Hermann
Sasse, ed. Henry P. Hamann (Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing
House, 1975), 86.

13. See pages 82-90 of Render Unto Caesar.

14. Charles Williams, Arthurian Torso: Containing the Posthu-
mous Figure of Arthur (London and New York: Oxford University
Press, 1948), 123.

15. In his “Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper” (1528),
Martin Luther writes: “The Father gives himself to us, with heaven
and earth and all the creatures, in order that they may serve us and
benefit us . . . the Son himself subsequently gave himself and be-
stowed all his works, sufferings, wisdom, and righteousness, and
reconciled us to the Father, in order that restored to life and right-
eousness, we might also know and have the Father and his gifts . . .
the Holy Spirit comes and gives himself to us also, wholly and com-
pletely” (LW 37:366). For the idea of the “great exchange,” see
Luther’s Lectures on Galatians 1535, where he comments on Gal.
3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having be-
come for us a curse” (LW 26:276ff).

2001 Convention Workbook

16. Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity (New York:
Atheneum, 1980), 75.

17. A good example of the social service of the early church is
the monastic practice influenced by Basil of Caesarea. Adopting
the communal ideals of Pachomius, Basil commonly constructed
near his monastic houses shelters for the sojourner, hospitals for
the sick, and hostels for the needy. See Epistle 94 where Basil men-
tions the places for the care of “strangers, both for those who are on
a journey and for those who require medical treatment on account
of sickness .. . .” Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series
(Peabody, MS: Hendrickson Publishers, reprint edition, June 1995),
8:180. Francis Young writes: “All things were to be held in com-
mon and to be used for the benefit of the sick and the needy. The
monastery was to be situated within reach of suffering humanity,
and provide a hospital and schools. The monk was to engage in
manual work for the maintenance of the community and its wel-
fare services.” From Nicaea to Chalcedon (Philadelphia: Fortress
Press, 1983).

18. Paul Johnson, History, 75.

19. “Trade and Usury” (1524), LW 45:281-82.

20. “Fraternal Agreement on the Common Chest of the Entire
Assembly at Leisnig” (1523), LW 45:189.

21. Robert Rosin and Charles P. Arand, eds., A Cup of Cold
Water: A Look at Biblical Charity (St. Louis: Concordia Seminary
Publications, 1996), 165.

22. Ibid., 195.

23. Ibid.

24. Ibid.

25. Cooperation with others in ways that would compromise
what the Scriptures teach regarding abortion, for example, could
not be done without also compromising the church’s confession
and proclamation of God’s Word. Render Unto Caesar notes that
the Synod has “concluded that the question of abortion is addressed
so clearly by Scripture, that it is such an extraordinary social prob-
lem, and that this problem is so fundamentally tied up with what
Scripture says about the God-given duty of the state, that failure to
speak and under certain circumstances to act would be tantamount
to the failure of the German church under Hitler” (87).

26. “Lectures on Galatians” (1535), LW 26:105.

27. The LCMS’ Board for Human Care Ministries oversees
LCMS participation in supporting a wide variety of organized
human care efforts and activities, often done in cooperation with
other entities and agencies.