LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 242

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Resolved, That the LCMS in convention commend the work of
the “Free to Be Faithful” campaign and the LCRL; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage districts, congregations, and members to access and distribute information and
materials available at their website (www.lcms.org/freetobefaithful); and be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage districts, congregations, and members to provide financial resources to support
the LCRL.
Action: Adopted (3)
(Discussion continued until debate was closed and Res. 14-01
was adopted as presented [Yes: 976; No: 95].)

To Confess Sanctity of Marriage
RESOLUTION 14-02A
Overtures 14-02, 14-08, 14-16 (CW, pp. 465, 468, 472)
Whereas, Our triune God, before the fall, created and sanctified marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman
(Gen. 2:24); and
Whereas, Our Lord Jesus through his presence at the wedding
at Cana has affirmed God’s original design for marriage (John 2:1–
11), and through His teaching has made it clear that the tragedy of
divorce is not part of God’s original design or intent, but occurs
only because of “the hardness of your hearts” (Matt. 19:4–6); and
Whereas, The apostle Paul sees marriage as an icon or reflection of the union that the heavenly Bridegroom Jesus has with His
Church (Eph. 5:22–32); and
Whereas, God, not the state, has instituted marriage
• to provide fidelity within the lifelong union of one man
and one woman;
• to continue his procreative work of bringing children
into the world; and
• to enable a father and mother, in their household, to
“bring up their children in the fear and instruction of
the Lord so that they may offer Him their praise” (Lutheran Service Book [LSB], p. 275).
Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod, on the basis of Holy Scripture, joyfully
confess marriage to be an unalterable estate which God continues
to uphold and bless within the human community; and be it further
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
commend the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR) 1981 report, Human Sexuality: A Theological Perspective,
as a faithful explication of timeless truths of the Word of God; and
be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage its seminaries, universities, and schools to place a high priority on equipping
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U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

their students to articulate the biblical view of marriage and provide
resources for the church through continuing education, conferences on marriage, publications, and other resources; and be it
further
Resolved, That pastors be implored to provide responsible care
in this area through their preaching, teaching, counseling, and
administration of the Sacraments; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations and commissioned workers be
implored to provide care through teaching, counseling, and acts
of mercy; and be it further
Resolved, That we, as God’s baptized children living in this broken world, live out our vocation as people shaped by God’s Word
and His forgiving love to respond with mercy to those whose lives
have been wounded by sin; and be it finally
Resolved, That as a Synod we continue to speak prophetically
with gentleness and respect of God’s institution and preservation
of marriage as it is reflected in creation, even as we also give thanks
to God for His indescribable gift of the one-flesh union between
one man and one woman.
Action: Adopted (5)
(During brief discussion, two amendments were offered and
accepted as friendly amendments by the committee: (1) to add
the words “and schools” after “universities” in the third resolve;
and to add the words “with gentleness and respect” after the word
“prophetically” in the final resolve. When the chair asked and the
assembly indicated its readiness to vote, Res. 14-02A was adopted
as changed [Yes: 1,030; No: 15].)

To Respond Compassionately to Challenges to
Biblical View of Marriage and Human Sexuality
RESOLUTION 14-03A
Overtures 14-06–07, 14-11, 14-13, 14-17 (CW, pp. 466–468,
470–472)
Whereas, Before mankind’s fall into sin, God created the estate
of marriage (Gen. 1:27–28; Gen. 2:18–26) “for the mutual companionship, help, and support that each person ought to receive from
each other, that man and woman may find delight in one another
and for the procreation of children” (Lutheran Service Book [LSB],
p. 275); and
Whereas, After mankind’s fall into sin, Jesus affirms that in
the beginning God created marriage as the union of one man and
one woman (Matt. 19:3–9); and
Whereas, “In marriage we see a picture of the communion
between Christ and His bride, the church” (LSB, p. 275; Eph. 5:22–
33); and
Whereas, The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled
that marriages may be contracted between two persons of the same
sex; and

“14. Church and Culture”