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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2026, Page 285

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

NATIONAL WITNESS
Whereas, Many Synod schools currently lack trained, armed
security personnel and thereby remain vulnerable to attack; and
Whereas, It is the responsibility of the Synod, in Christian love,
to safeguard the lives of those entrusted to our care in our
educational institutions; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the Board of
Directors and those working in LCMS School Ministry, in
consultation with Concordia Plan Services and legal experts, to
establish a synodwide standard encouraging all Synod educational
institutions to provide trained, armed security personnel during
school hours and at major school events; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage and assist congregations,
schools, and districts with securing the funding and the training
necessary to implement such armed security, recognizing the
diversity of school sizes and settings; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod commend congregations and schools
that have already taken measures to ensure armed protection of
students and staff; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God for those who serve
as law enforcement officers, security personnel, and guardians of
the innocent, and implore the Lord’s continued protection over our
schools, children, and teachers.
Circuit 6 (Merrill)
North Wisconsin District
Ov. 1-15

To Appeal to Lutheran Schools
to Use Only Biblically Sound Curricula and Books
WHEREAS, When the disciples asked Jesus Christ, “Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1), He called a little
child to Him and said,
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin,
it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his
neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the
world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to
that man by whom the offense comes! (Matt. 18:6–7 NKJV)
and Luke records the same warning from Jesus in Luke 17:1–2; and
WHEREAS, Luther’s Small Catechism (SC) is a tool for teaching
the Bible to children to make us “wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus,” (SC Preface 6) and to train us in holy
living:
From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:15–17
NKJV)
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he
will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6 NKJV)
and
WHEREAS, The 1973 Synod convention adopted Resolution 204, “To Declare Homophile Behavior Sinful” (Proceedings, 110),
recognizing homophile behavior as intrinsically sinful, and the
Synod adopted 2004 Res. 3-05A, “To Affirm Marriage as Union of
One Man and One Woman,” acknowledging that “Homosexual
behavior is prohibited in the Old and New Testaments … as

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contrary to the Creator’s design” (Proc., 130), and the Synod
adopted 2019 Res. 11-03A, “To Encourage Synod to Develop
Resources to Aid Congregations and Schools regarding Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity Issues,” affirming that “All sexual
corruption and confusion result from humanity’s fall into sin and
often lead to rebellious and sinful acts against God’s will (James
1:14–15)” and “Gender is now considered by many in our culture
as a social construct rather than a physical reality created by God”
(Proc., 215–16); and
WHEREAS, Article II of Synod’s Constitution confesses, “The
Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word
of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice” and “All
the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true
and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God, to
wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession,
the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the
Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and the
Formula of Concord”; and
WHEREAS, Events in 2025 have demonstrated that some
administrators, school boards, advisors, teachers, pastors, and
district presidents overseeing parochial schools of the Synod may
be confused about relations between men and women, equality
among God’s people, non-Christian religions, and harmful
philosophies; therefore be it
Resolved, That all daycares, parochial schools, and high schools
of the Synod use only the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions,
particularly Luther’s Small Catechism and Luther’s Large
Catechism, when teaching about relations between males and
females and God’s design for males and females; that progressive
social movements that have arisen during the past few years should
not be taught or advocated in Synod schools; that there should not
be any books in schools of the Synod promoting any of these
deviant movements; and that particularly harmful philosophies
include but are not limited to the following:
• “Wokeism”—A worldview that America’s institutions and
traditional moral and social values marginalize and oppress
minorities who oppose or live contrary to them (Adam S.
Francisco, “Awake or Woke,” The Lutheran Witness, May
11, 2023; witness.lcms.org/2023/awake-or-woke).
• Critical Race Theory (CRT)—An academic and
philosophical discipline that desires to fundamentally alter
the control of power between majority and minority groups
(Lucas V. Woodford, “Responding to Social Justice &
Critical Race Theory,” Seelsorger, Vol. 6 (2021): 12, 17, 24–
26;
doxology.us/wpcontent/uploads/2021/05/dox_2021_woodford_crt_final2.p
df). CRT holds to the view that white people must admit their
social privilege, their fragility in discussing issues of race,
and that the United States of America itself was created by
white supremacists who were intent on upholding white
supremacy. CRT must be rejected because it subverts
biblical views of justice by considering whole systems
(including the nation, churches, and schools) to be racist
(i.e., sinful) and in need of dismantling (See also Woodford
at 15–16; Micah 6:8; Gal 2:20; 3:26–28).
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—While in the
common biblical sense, the church includes diverse peoples
and talents (1 Cor. 12:12–14; Rev. 7:9), modern emphases
2026 Convention Workbook