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LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 225

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

11. CHURCH AND CULTURE

To Oppose Mandatory Registration
of Women into the Draft
RESOLUTION 11-06A
Overtures 11-29–30 (CW, 423–24)
WHEREAS, God has created both male and female in His
image, yet made them individually to be complementary but
not identical to one another (Gen. 2); and
WHEREAS, The Word of God teaches that headship
belongs to man (1 Cor. 11:1–16); and
WHEREAS, God specifically commands husbands to love
their wives as Christ loved the Church and laid down His life
for her (Ephesians 5); and
WHEREAS, Both natural law and the vast majority of
human history testify that men, not women, are required at
times to enter combat and risk their lives in defense of their
wives, daughters, family, and country; and
WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 2016 adopted
Resolution 5-11A, “To Protect Christian Consciences and
Address Conscription of Women,” which “strongly oppose[d]
any legal action that forces the compulsory service of women
in the military, also called the conscription of women, by
mandatory participation in Selective Service registration, a
draft, or by any other mechanism” (2016 Proceedings, 160); and
WHEREAS, We recognize, honor, and appreciate the
talents and voluntary service of women who may choose to
enlist in the military; and
WHEREAS, In December of 2015 the United States
Secretary of Defense lifted the ban on women serving in
frontline combat; and

Resolutions

WHEREAS, Legislation such as United States Senate Bill
4543 has included language that would require women at the
age of 18 to register for the military draft (James M. Inhofe
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023,
Section 521 (d): Modernization of the Selective Service System,
Expanded Registration to All Americans, S.B. 4543, 117th
Congress [2022]); and
WHEREAS, Such entrance into the draft may mean that our
wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters would be forced to
fight in frontline combat; and
WHEREAS, Christian consciences are rightly burdened by
the requirement that women risk their lives in carrying out
duties of war; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
reassert and maintain its opposition to the compulsory service
of women in the military, by the draft or any other means; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Synod direct the President of the Synod
to communicate to the United States Congress, the United
States Secretary of Defense, and the President of the United
States our objection on religious grounds to the involuntary
service of women in the military; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod continue to support the right of
conscientious objection on religious grounds on the part of
individual women, in the event of a national military draft
which would include women.
Action: Adopted (7)

Upon immediate closure of debate, as suggested by the chair, the
resolution was adopted by voice and hand vote.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 225