LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 250

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Resolved, That LCMS people, congregations, schools, and other
entities be encouraged to visit, pray for, and provide financial support for The Wittenberg Project.
Action: Adopted (2)
(After the committee called on Wittenberg Society Chairman
Michael Kumm to provide a history of The Wittenberg Project and
after discussion, Res. 15-01 was adopted as presented [Yes: 973;
No: 37].)

To Encourage Use of Two-Hour
Luther Documentary
RESOLUTION 15-02A
President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
Whereas, A rare moment of history is upon the church, as she
marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in the year 2017,
providing an opportune time to publicize the Christian doctrine
of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ through Scripture alone as opposed to the doctrine of works, for only the pure
Gospel consoles guilty consciences; and
Whereas, Dr. Martin Luther on the very day he posted the
Ninety-Five Theses wrote: “The first and only duty of the bishops,
however, is to see that the people learn the gospel and the love of
Christ” (American Edition 48:46); and
Whereas, Dr. Martin Luther, commenting on Psalm 117:1,
“Praise the LORD, all you nations,” foresees God’s intent for the
conversion of the Gentiles, for how can the heathen praise God
unless they come to faith, and writes: “Wherever there are heathen—or a country or a city—there the Gospel will penetrate and
will convert some to the kingdom of Christ. Regardless of whether
all people believe it, still Christ rules wherever there are people; He
preserves His Word, His Baptism and Sacrament, despite all devils
and men. For the Gospel must come to the whole world … .” (American Edition 14:12–13); and
Whereas, Three church bodies—The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,
and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America—collaborated
with the help of funds from Thrivent Financial to fund the production of a two-hour documentary on Luther for Public Broadcasting
Service to be shown the fall of 2017 and for distribution through
DVDs; and
Whereas, The Luther documentary clearly confesses the “first
and chief article … [that] ‘All have sinned,’ and ‘they are now justified without merit by his grace, through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus … by his blood’” (Rom. 3[23–25]) (Smalcald Articles II, par. 1); therefore be it
Resolved, That the congregations of the LCMS take this unique
opportunity to publicize the ongoing significance of the Reformation by not only showing the Luther documentary for themselves
but to publicize it to their communities so that many might hear the
doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone
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U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

for the consolation of consciences when and where it pleases God
in those who hear the Gospel.
Action: Adopted (2)
(After discussion, Res. 15-02A was adopted as presented [Yes:
997; No: 23].)

To Commend Use of Resources Provided
for Reformation 2017 500th Anniversary
RESOLUTION 15-03
Reports R1, R11, R12, R14 (CW, pp. 4, 69, 74, 77); President’s
Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
Whereas, The year 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the
Reformation, when the triune God used an unlikely monk, Dr.
Martin Luther, who questioned how one is forgiven, whether God
moves toward the sinner and by His Word declares a sinner holy,
justified in Christ, or the sinner moves toward God and gradually
becomes transformed by works into a saint with the help of God’s
grace; and
Whereas, Core to Luther’s complaint was the pastoral care for
his parishioners to which he was obligated by his office to preach the
Word and to protect the glory that the Father reserves only to His
Son, Jesus Christ, to justify sinners in Christ alone (Rom. 4:5); and
Whereas, On the very day that he posted the Ninety-Five Theses, Martin Luther wrote to Cardinal Albert of Mainz, “The first
and only duty of bishops (pastors), however, is to see that the people learn the gospel and the love of Christ. For on no occasion
has Christ ordered that indulgences should be preached, but He
forcefully commanded the gospel to be preached” (Martin Luther,
Luther’s Works, American Edition, 48:47); and
Whereas, Luther himself decried the fact that the Lutheran
Church bore his name, to which he never counseled nor gave consent, for it was not about him but to give glory alone to Jesus Christ
and His Word; and
Whereas, The heart of the Reformation, then and now, is the
care of souls, namely, to bring consolation to troubled consciences
by declaration of God’s justifying Word to sinners; and
Whereas, Christ Himself currently is working to communicate the love of His Father through His Church to all those who
have ears to hear; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS),
Concordia Seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, Concordia
Publishing House, Concordia Historical Institute, and Lutheran
Hour Ministries, among others, are offering ample resources to
congregations to utilize in their efforts to celebrate and publish the
Gospel of Jesus Christ; and
Whereas, The LCMS has established a website that
can serve as an entry point for locating these resources, at
www.lutheranreformation.org; therefore be it

“15. Reformation”