LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 185

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Theology and Church Relations
Whereas, Participation by our ministers in such services may
understandably cause offense to the people of our Synod; and
Whereas, In its 2004 report “Guidelines for Participation in Civic
Events,” the Commission on Theology and Church Relations could
not come to agreement on “the issue of so-called ‘serial’ or ‘seriatim’
prayers involving representatives of different religious (Christian and/
or non-Christian) groups or churches” (p. 19), thus rendering their
guidelines less than optimal and helpful; and
Whereas, The 2010 convention resolved “To Study Article VI
of Synod’s Constitution” (2010 Res. 8-30B), which would include
study of the meaning and application of “renunciation of unionism
and syncretism of every description”; and
Whereas, The Koinonia Project is likely to discuss this whole
matter and work toward a greater consensus among us; therefore be it
Resolved, That, unless and until the Synod decides otherwise, the
rostered ministers of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are not
to participate in interfaith services or joint services with clergy of religious bodies with which we are not in fellowship.
Farmington Circuit Forum, Missouri District;
St. Mathew, Bonne Terre, MO
4-49

To Recognize It Contrary to Scripture
and the Lutheran Confessions to Join in Public
Prayer with Those Who Deny Jesus Christ
as the Only Way to the True God
Whereas, The 2004 LCMS convention did resolve to “commend
the CTCR document Guidelines for Participation in Civic Events for
study to help pastors, teachers, and church workers make decisions
about participation in civic events” (2004 Res. 3-06A), and
Whereas, For the sake of our own consciences and for a testimony to future generations, we want to give clear testimony to
our faith in Jesus Christ as the only Way to the true God, as clearly
revealed in 1 John 2:23 and confessed in the Large Catechism (LC
II 66); therefore be it
Resolved, That no resolution, guideline, or program, whether it be
resolved, accepted, or promoted by the LCMS or any of its districts,
is understood by the 2013 LCMS convention to command, allow, or
encourage a member of the LCMS or delegate thereof to be a representative in a worship service, prayer service, or vigil with those with
whom the LCMS is not in altar and pulpit fellowship; and be it further
Resolved, That no resolution, guideline, or program, whether it be
resolved, accepted, or promoted by the LCMS or any of its districts,
is understood by the 2013 LCMS convention to command, allow, or
encourage a member of the LCMS or delegate thereof to be a representative in any public prayer situation with those who deny Jesus
Christ as the only Way to the true God.
Trinity, Clinton, MA; Holy Cross, Albany, OR;
Rocky Mountain District
4-50

To Proclaim Boldly Jesus to the World
Whereas, The December 14, 2012, shooting deaths of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,
CT, was an internationally broadcast news story; and
Whereas, The people of the world who greatly needed to hear the
comfort of God’s love proclaimed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ

185

were able to view and hear the community prayer vigil via television
and the Internet and to see and hear the Christian witness of Pastor
Rob Morris when he gave “a final blessing of the hope which is ours
through faith in Jesus Christ, using the words of St. John and St. Paul,”
read from Revelation 21, and gave the trinitarian benediction from
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (Morris Apology, Jan. 31, 2013); and
Whereas, The evidence is present that God prepared Pastor
Morris to serve in this crisis by educating him for ordination as an
LCMS pastor, and by Pastor Morris’ testimony that he “had already
spent hours with [his] own congregation, catechizing them as to the
differences between our Lutheran understanding of Scriptural teaching, the various other denominations’ teachings, and the teachings of
false religions such as Islam or B’Hai, [and by spending] time with
[his] fellow clergy in Newtown clarifying the ways [he] can and cannot engage in events like joint clergy dialogues [which are good to
engage in], joint caring efforts [only within limits], and joint worship
[not possible]” (Morris Apology, Jan. 31, 2013); and
Whereas, The prayer vigil began with a statement requested by
Pastor Morris that “participation did not mean endorsement of the
other religions represented” in the gathering (Morris Apology, Jan.
31, 2013); and
Whereas, In the midst of ministering to this community in crisis,
including the funerals of two of the children, the needs of those families, his congregation, his family, and himself, preparing and leading
all the regular and special worship services of Advent, Christmas,
and Epiphany, and all the other business of the congregation, Pastor
Morris had to deal with criticism, possible discipline matters, and
distraction from his ministry to complete the necessary personal
reflection that resulted in his apology letter dated January 31, 2013,
only seven weeks after the shooting deaths; and
Whereas, Pastor Morris’ apology letter, President Harrison’s
letter in response to Pastor Morris’ letter, President Harrison’s subsequent apology letter and video, and other letters related to this matter
were placed for public viewing by the Synod leadership on the LCMS
Web site, and the content of these letters has been broadcast by public news media in print, on television, and the Internet; therefore be it
Resolved, That the voters of Trinity Lutheran Church of Keene,
NH, commend Pastor Rob Morris of Christ the King Lutheran Church
in Newtown, CT, for his Christian witness in his community and the
world following this violent act; and be it further
Resolved, That we encourage all congregations to follow Pastor
Morris’ example of equipping his congregation in many ways including discussing the differences between religions, how to be a Christian
in our world, and how to not compromise our Christian witness in
a world that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith with the
understanding that all people are created in the image of God (Gen.
1: 26–27) and also to follow his example of dialoging and building
relationships with local community leaders so that in the face of a crisis the community leaders will know what to expect of one another,
knowing that all communities are in desperate need of the Gospel, and
that this facilitates the proclamation of that very Gospel to a world that
so desperately needs to hear it, for as our Lord says “I came that they
may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10); and be it further
Resolved, That when we face incredibly unique circumstances that
the Word of God does not directly address as was the case with Pastor
Morris, we encourage each other to approach such situations with
prayer, the study of God’s Word and the Book of Concord, the counsel of our sisters and brothers in Christ, and the desire to act boldly
and faithfully on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and be it further

2013 Convention Workbook