1982-04 A Resolution on Lutheran World Federation

RESOLUTION

The following quote is the Status Confessionis of the Lutheran World Federation.

(54)

The Lutheran Churches are confessional churches. Their unity and mutual recognition are based upon the acknowledgement of the word of God and therefore of the fundamental Lutheran confessional writings, particularly the Augsburg Confession as normative.

(55)

Confessional subscription is more than a formal acknowledgement of doctrine. Church which have signed the confessions of the church thereby commit themselves to show through their daily witness and service that the gospel have empowered them to live as the people of God. They also commit themselves to accept in their worship and at the table of the Lord the brothers and sisters who belong to other churches that accept the same confessions. Confessional subscription should lead to concrete manifestations in unity in worship and in working together at the common tasks of the church.

(56)

Under normal circumstances Christians may have different opinions in political questions. However, political and social systems may become so perverted and oppressive that it is consistent with the confession to reject them and to work for changes. We especially appeal to our white member churches in Southern Africa to recognize that the situation on southern Africa constitutes a status confessionis. This means that, on the basis of faith and in order to manifest the unity of the church, churches would publicly and unequivocally reject the existing apartheid system.

WHEREAS As Christians we confess that as the Children of God we are one Church; one body of Christ, and worshipping God together; and

WHEREAS The doctrine of Apartheid proclaimed by South African government does not support this belief, since Apartheid attempts to justify the separation of God’s people in a community because of their race; and

WHEREAS The STATUS CONFESSIONIS, adopted by the Lutheran World Federation, implies our belief that no Christian can support Apartheid or any other form of racial discrimination, because it does not reflect obedience to God’s will for all Christians to live and worship together; and

WHEREAS We perceive the need for the Christian Church in America to recognize the importance of adopting the STATUS CONFESSIONIS to further discourage all forms of racism in all countries. The minority regime in South Africa and other people falsely interpret Biblical Statements to carry out varying degrees of racism; and

WHEREAS The STATUS CONFESSIONIS is an effort to get world Christians to become more aware of the injustices of certain political institutions toward the whole people of God through these false interpretations and to establish an ecumenical doctrine to finally expose the atrocities of the racist minority regime of South Africa and all others who practice racial discrimination in the name of God,

THERFORE Be it resolved that we, the Lutheran Student Movement-USA adopt the STATUS CONFESSIONI of the Lutheran World Federation in its full form, and recommend to all the Lutheran church bodies in the United States that they too adopt and declare their support for this important statement.