To Reconsider Woman Suffrage in the Church

WHEREAS, The 1969 convention of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) passed Resolution 2-17, “To Grant Woman Suffrage and Board Membership,” permitting congregations to adopt women’s suffrage and stated that any such suffrage in the congregation must not conflict with the order of creation or infringe on the pastoral office (Proceedings, 88); and

WHEREAS, An important principle of our Lutheran Reformation was found in Martin Luther’s own confession at Leipzig in 1519 and at Worms in 1521 that councils can and do err; and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures clearly prohibit women from exercising authority over men as noted in 1 Tim.2:11–12 and1 Cor. 14:34–35; and

WHEREAS, The polity of many LCMS congregations grants members of the voters’ assembly authority over weighty matters including the calling of a pastor and the final excommunication of a sinner; and

WHEREAS, Voting is clearly an act of authority over men, in that voting in the congregation determines matters which affect both men and women; and

WHEREAS, Women’s suffrage permits women to vote against men, including one’s own husband, thus overturning the order of creation; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod strongly opposed the practice of women suffrage in the church for the first 122 years of its history on the basis of the Word of God, and many of its pastors and congregations continue to oppose the practice to the current day; and

WHEREAS, Scripture allots to women wonderful opportunities to serve God as wives, mothers, and in various capacities within the church (altar guilds, ladies’ groups, teachers, deaconesses, mercy work, etc.), which do not conflict with the divinely ordained principle that a woman must not exercise authority over a man; and

WHEREAS, The church should not beat all ashamed of God-given distinctions in the area of gender which ought to be increasingly apparent in a society that wishes to ignore and deny differences between the sexes; therefore be it

Resolved, That the congregations of the LCMS be encouraged to study the matter on the basis of the Word of God; and be it further

Resolved, That the congregations of the LCMS be encouraged to reconsider their current practice in light of Holy Scripture; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Commission on Theology and Church Relations reconsider the issue and its previous writings in light of Holy Scripture.