To State Religious Objection to Government Interference with Parents’ Duty

Official Workbook overture source text

1-24 
To State Religious Objection to Government 
Interference with Parents’ Duty 
WHEREAS, The Small Catechism confesses that God has created 
and given to each person “my body” (SC II, Second Article); and 
WHEREAS, The body of the baptized is the temple of the Holy 
Spirit and belongs not to government or its institutions (such as 
schools [public or private]), but to God (1 Cor. 6:19); and 
WHEREAS, The Fourth Commandment, as explained in the Large 
Catechism, places all authority over a child on the parents of that 
child, so that we confess, “For all authority flows and is born from 
the authority of parents. Where a father is unable alone to educate  
his … child, he uses a schoolmaster to teach the child . 
… So all 
whom we call ‘masters’ are in a place of parents and must get their 
power and authority to govern from them” (LC I  [Fourth 
Commandment] 141–142); and 
W
HEREAS, The Scriptures and the Catechism do not limit 
parental authority to a particular age, but state that God has given 
authority to parents over all children who live under their roof; and 
WHEREAS, The doctrine of the two kingdoms affirms 
prescriptively that while the government bears the sword for civil 
order (Rom. 13:4), it allows the kingdom of the left no jurisdiction 
relative to the responsibilities God has given to parents in the 
spiritual and moral upbringing of their children; and 
WHEREAS, Government in our society— at federal, state, and 
local levels—has attempted or may attempt to step between children 
and their parents (impeding the parents' duty to raise their children 
in the faith and life of the Christian confession) in various ways, 
including but not limited to: