LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 251

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Resolved, That the congregations of the LCMS be encouraged to
use these vast resources available in their own celebrations of the
Reformation for the consolation of troubled consciences outside
and inside the church; and be it further
Resolved, That clergy and church workers promote
www.lutheranreformation.org and its resources on their church
and school websites, social media, and other catechetical and evangelistic outlets.
Action: Adopted (2)
(Res. 15-03 was adopted as presented without discussion [Yes:
988; No: 20].)

To Honor 500th Anniversary of Reformation
by Growing in the Word and Showing
Christ to the World
RESOLUTION 15-04A
Report R1 (CW, pp. 5, 8–9); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp.
21–31)
Whereas, In the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017,
we are celebrating the triumph of the Gospel, not of Martin Luther
or any other individual or church body, and that the Lutheran Reformation is “still all about Jesus”; and
Whereas, The source of renewal and reformation is always in
the Word, as the Lord Jesus says, “If you abide in My word … you
will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–
32); and
Whereas, Luther’s Gospel discovery was because of his personal immersion in the Word; and
Whereas, As we celebrate the blessings of the Reformation, it
is not something that is ours alone but is for others as well, as Dr.
Francis Pieper said in his address to the Synod in 1908: “We must
not forget: God is present with His grace only among the humble. He who would be something in the Church only apparently
accomplishes something. And finally God casts him aside. God’s
power has the unique property that it is only powerful in the weak.
Let us be so minded by God’s grace that we are nothing, and that
God’s grace and God’s Word are everything. God grant that we
never advocate for something that is ours, but only and always for
God’s Word!”; and
Whereas, That witness could take such forms as witnessing in
our various vocations and supporting ministries of witness and
mercy in our congregations, circuits, districts, and the Synod;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod commit to growing in faith themselves, personally and corporately, by reading through the entire Scriptures in 2017; and be
it further

“15. Reformation”

Resolved, That as we grow in the Word ourselves, we would entreat
the Lord to make us humble and faithful witnesses to the power of
Christ’s forgiveness and mercy in a world that badly needs it.
Action: Adopted (2)
(After discussion, Res. 15-04A was adopted as presented [Yes:
996; No: 33].)

To Encourage Study of Augsburg Confession
in Commemoration of 500th Anniversary
of the Reformation
RESOLUTION 15-06
Overture 15-01 (TB, p. 186)
Whereas, Oct. 31, 2017, will commemorate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther posting the Ninety-Five Theses on the Castle
Church door in Wittenberg; and
Whereas, It was not Luther’s intent to create a new church but
to debate questions that arose from the selling of indulgences and
the theology supporting it; and
Whereas, The posting of the theses set off debates within Western Christianity over many biblical doctrines such as justification,
the Sacraments, and the Church and her authority, among others; and
Whereas, The teachings of Luther were outlawed by the Holy
Roman Empire in the May 1521 Edict of Worms; and
Whereas, Repeated efforts to enforce the Edict of Worms in
the following decade were suspended, allowing early Lutherans to
reform congregations, teach theology, publish their writings, and
correct misconceptions about their thought, while many came to
embrace their teachings; and
Whereas, At the behest of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V,
the Augsburg Confession was presented to the emperor as a clear
articulation of the teachings of the Wittenberg reformers, composed by Philip Melanchthon and approved by Luther himself; and
Whereas, The Augsburg Confession unequivocally affirmed
many doctrines that are fundamental to orthodox Christianity and
rejected others as contrary to the Scriptures; and
Whereas, In an age of religious pluralism and moral relativism, knowledge of Lutheran teachings as contained in the Augsburg
Confession and the biblical and historical basis for those teachings
has waned or has been deemed irrelevant to contemporary religious
concern within the broader culture; and
Whereas, The issues addressed by the Augsburg Confession are
as important today as they were then; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in convention recognize the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by
encouraging the study of the Augsburg Confession individually

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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