2002-4
A Study/Action Project Concerning the Pan-Lutheran Composition of the Lutheran Student Movement in the United States of America (LSM-USA)
Purpose: To inform the discussions of the Legislative Assembly and National Council of LSM-USA in regard to the current Pan-Lutheran identity of the organization and the consideration of any possible changes to that identity.
WHEREAS, the LSM-USA can currently be considered Pan-Lutheran in the sense that the organization’s constitution states that the members are “Christian students following in the Lutheran tradition, recognizing our identity in the Christian faith as confessed by the Lutheran churches,”[1] and in the sense that LSM-USA is not affiliated with any single Lutheran denomination;
WHEREAS, there exists and has existed for a long period of time an ongoing discussion of the practical relevance of the Pan-Lutheran identity of LSM-USA and serious and prayerful considerations of changes to that identity;
WHEREAS, these discussions at all levels are hindered by the lack of information concerning the true statistical composition of LSM-USA membership in regard to members’ Lutheran or other denominational backgrounds and their knowledge of the Pan-Lutheran identity of LSM-USA;
WHEREAS, these discussions are deemed important to the future of LSM-USA;
Therefore, the Legislative Assembly of LSM-USA authorizes a Study/Action Project in accordance with the following directions:
1). The National Council of LSM-USA is called upon to arrange for the creation of survey instruments relating to the denominational or other religious affiliation of LSM-USA members and their knowledge of the Pan-Lutheran identity of LSM-USA,
2). The National Council of LSM-USA is further called upon to arrange for the implementation of the survey during the fall and winter of 2003 at events and meetings at the national, regional, and campus level, including but not limited to the National Gathering, fall regional retreats, other regional events, and meetings of individual LSM-USA chapters,
3). The survey will be anonymous and voluntary on the part of LSM-USA event participants, and will ask them to indicate their Lutheran or non-Lutheran denominational affiliation and their awareness of the pan-Lutheran identity of LSM-USA.
Sponsored by: Ray Ranker, University of Maryland—College Park;
Christine Myers, University of Pennsylvania;
Mark Parker, University of Maryland—College Park