LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 143

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To Create Task Force for Study of Issues
Relating to Procreation, Fertility,
and Care for Unborn
RESOLUTION 3-04
Overtures 3-03–04, 3-06 (CW, pp. 325–327); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
Whereas, The triune God, the Author and Creator of life,
defines human life as being present from the moment of conception (Ps. 139:13–14; Matt. 1:20; Luke 2:21); and
Whereas, Children are a blessing from the Lord (Ps. 127:3,
5); and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is
committed to upholding the sanctity of human life from the time
of conception; and
Whereas, The LCMS, through LCMS Life Ministry, provides
resources to the church regarding the sanctity of human life; and
Whereas, There are a multiplicity of options regarding procreation, fertility, and care of the unborn (e.g., contraception,
procreative alternatives, reproductive assistance, and even abortion); and
Whereas, At the least, a partial causal factor of this multiplicity
of options has been continually new and rapidly emerging developments in science and technology; and
Whereas, Christians are seeking guidance from the church
based on the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions regarding the use of contraception, in vitro fertilization (IVF), other
reproductive technologies, and the use of aborted fetal tissue for
medical purposes; and
Whereas, Many of the Commission on Theology and Church
Relations (CTCR) documents and reports on life issues are now
decades old, and the applicable science and technologies addressed
therein have greatly, rapidly, and considerably changed, even as
other new science and technologies have emerged in the same intervening time period, even in the last few years; and
Whereas, LCMS Life Ministry has recently hosted a series of
meetings to discuss such issues among qualified theologians, ethicists, physicians, and lay persons; and
Whereas, Out of love for the neighbor, the church must ever
look afresh at such critical issues and responsibly address them on
the basis of God’s Word; therefore be it
Resolved, That the President of the Synod appoint a task force
within the Office of National Mission consisting of the Director of
LCMS Life and Health Ministries; representatives from Lutherans For Life, the CTCR, and each of the Synod’s seminaries; and
rostered LCMS church workers or lay members of LCMS congregations who are respected for their expertise in the fields of medicine,
procreative science, theology, ethics, and the like to study issues
surrounding fertility and procreation; and be it further

“3. Mercy”

Resolved, That this task force gather and arrange points for consideration, coordinate discussion, and identify actions leading to
the production of appropriate LCMS responses to these issues
(reports, study documents, essays, other media, and the like) with
the CTCR and/or other appropriate LCMS entities; and be it finally
Resolved, That this task force continue this aforementioned work
of leadership, facilitation, and coordination, and summarize its
activities in a report to be completed by December 31, 2018, along
with accompanying recommendations in the form of appropriate
overtures to the Synod’s 2019 national convention.
Action: Adopted (8)
(A delegate sought the attention of the chair and requested that
the convention address Res. 3-04, which had been bypassed earlier. The assembly voted to consider Res. 3-04 [Yes: 879; No: 79] and
the chair asked the assembly whether it was ready to vote. Hearing no objection, he called for the vote and Res. 3-04 was adopted
as printed [Yes: 924; No: 41].)

To Give Thanks to God and Encourage Support
for the Ministries of Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Services, Lutheran Services
in America, and Lutheran World Relief
RESOLUTION 3-05A
Report R1.2 (CW, p. 30); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp.
21–31)
Whereas, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS),
an inter-Lutheran organization based in Baltimore, Maryland,
partners with Lutheran congregations across the country working
to protect, embrace, and empower migrants and refugees through
the mercy work of resettlement and justice; and
Whereas, Lutheran Services in America (LSA), an interLutheran organization based in Washington DC, creates
opportunities to bring hope and healing to people in thousands
of communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean
through a network of 300 ministries of health care, senior services,
disability support, community development, housing, and child
and family strengthening; and is celebrating its 20th anniversary in
2017 of bringing together social ministries to answer actively God’s
call to love and serve our neighbor and provide works of mercy that
transform the lives of people and communities; and
Whereas, Lutheran World Relief (LWR), an inter-Lutheran
organization based in Baltimore, Maryland, provides focused
response to emergencies, relieves suffering and poverty by working
among the poorest in rural and remote regions of over 35 countries,
promotes mercy work around the world, and is working with our
Synod to strengthen the capacity of LCMS international mission
operations and LCMS partner churches in their mercy work; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has
a long history with these entities in mercy work, in what has historically been described as “cooperation in externals”; and
U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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