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2026 Convention Workbook

360 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9, 10, and involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim.

2:17–21.

and

WHEREAS, “Religious unionism consists in joint worship and work of those not united in doctrine. Its essence is an agreement to disagree. In effect, it denies the doctrine of the clearness of Scripture” (L. Fuerbringer, Th. Engelder, and P. E. Kretzmann, eds., The Concordia Cyclopedia [Concordia Publishing House, 1927], 774); and

WHEREAS, It is clear that an entity that purports to form pastors of mixed confessions with a faculty and students of mixed confessions is a heterodox tract and mission society within the meaning of Const. Art. VI 2; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod declare the Center for Missional and Pastoral Leadership, which operates in partnership with the ILT and its CST, to be a heterodox tract and mission society.

St. Paul Brookfield, IL

Ov. 5-40

To Address Release and Use of Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications

WHEREAS, 2013 Resolution 3-13A, “To Update the Synod’s Catechetical Materials,” asked the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR), in collaboration with the Office of the President and Concordia Publishing House (CPH), to produce a catechetical compendium that would be “more comprehensive and apologetic in scope”; and

WHEREAS, 2016 Res. 5 -12, “To Commend and Encourage Use of Luther’s Catechisms,” requested that the CTCR, in collaboration with the O ffice of the President and the faculties of Concordia Seminary and Concordia Theological Seminary , “explore the creation of an annotated and expanded edition of the Large Catechism for widespread use and study in the church”; and

WHEREAS, The volume underwent review by the CTCR and was certified by the Synod doctrinal review process; and

WHEREAS, The text of the Large Catechism to which we subscribe remains entirely unchanged in this volume while the essays attempt to engage contemporary questions concerning challenging and complex issues; and

WHEREAS, This volume is a significant and important project for one of the treasures of the Church and those who worked with faithfulness to produce it are to be commended; and

WHEREAS, President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, the author of the foreword to this volume, acknowledged in writing on February 2, 2023, that portions of the publication, which has caused controversy due to some of its authorship and content, “might have been expressed more clearly” (Matthew Harrison, “Update from President Harrison on Large Catechism,” Reporter Online, Feb. 2, 2023, reporter.lcms.org/2023/update-from-president-harrison-onlarge-catechism); and

WHEREAS, On February 25, 2023, President Harrison spoke at a circuit forum in Hamel, Ill., to the volume’s address of pedophilia and hidden sins of the flesh through the lens of Matthew 7:3–5 (John T. Pless and Larry M. Vogel, eds., Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications [Concordia Publishing House, 202 2], 242) required a careful reading , which was “unclear” and “could have been worded better,” and then went on to say “there were numerous ones of those cases”; and

WHEREAS, Currently active theologians from heterodox church bodies who have not unconditionally subscribed to the Lutheran Confessions contributed to the volume; and

WHEREAS, Bringing clarity to this matter will do much for the sake of unity amid significant discord surrounding this volume;

therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention be memorialized to instruct CPH to cease distribution of the volume Luther ’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications ; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct CPH to divide Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and Contemporary Applications into two volumes: the first volume to contain Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations and the second volume to contain the Essays on Contemporary Applications ; and to include with the second volume a statement to indicate the Synod or church body affiliation of each author and that not all authors are in doctrinal agreement with The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod;

and be it finally

Resolved, That pastors be encouraged to use the first volume containing Luther’s Large Catechism with Annotations for study and discussion; and pastors be encouraged to use the second volume containing Essays on Contemporary Applications as they see fit for study and discussion.

North Dakota District

Ov. 5-41

To Conclude Created Male and Female Task Force and Receive Its Recommendations

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture teaches the following truths concerning humanity: God created humanity to be male and female (Gen 1:27, Matt. 19:4); God instituted marriage between one man and one woman as a lifelong union for companionship and procreation (Gen 1:28; Gen. 2:18–24); and God commands chastity for those who are married and those who are single (Ex. 20:14;

Deut. 5:18; Num. 5:11–31; Matt. 5:27–30); and

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture prohibits adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and other forms of sexual immorality as sin and as deviations from this created order (Ex. 20:15; Deut. 5:18; Num.

5:11–31; Rom. 1:18–32; Rom. 13:13; 1 Cor. 6:9–11); and

WHEREAS, Cultural attitudes in recent decades have increasingly advocated for views of sexual orientation and gender identity that are at odds with Scriptural truth; and

WHEREAS, In fulfillment of 2019 Resolution 11- 03A, “To Encourage Synod to Develop Resources to Aid Congregations and Schools regarding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues,” the Office of National Mission (ONM) created the ad hoc “Created