To Appeal to Lutheran Schools to Use Only Biblically Sound Curricula and Books

WHEREAS, When the disciples asked Jesus Christ, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1), He called a little child to Him and said, Whoever causes oneof these little ones who believe in Meto sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! (Matt. 18:6–7 NKJV) and Luke records the same warning from Jesus in Luke 17:1–2; and

WHEREAS, Luther’s Small Catechism (SC) is a tool for teaching the Bible to children to make us “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus,” (SC Preface 6) and to train us in holy living: From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:15–17 NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6 NKJV) and

WHEREAS, The 1973 Synod convention adopted Resolution 2- 04, “To Declare Homophile Behavior Sinful” (Proceedings, 110), recognizing homophile behavior as intrinsically sinful, and the Synod adopted 2004 Res. 3-05A, “To Affirm Marriage as Union of One Man and One Woman,” acknowledging that “Homosexual behavior is prohibited in the Old and New Testaments … as contrary to the Creator’s design” (Proc., 130), and the Synod adopted 2019 Res. 11-03A, “To Encourage Synod to Develop Resources to Aid Congregations and Schools regarding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues,” affirming that “All sexual corruption and confusion result from humanity’s fall into sin and often lead to rebellious and sinful acts against God’s will (James 1:14–15)” and “Gender is now considered by many in our culture as a social construct rather than a physical reality created by God” (Proc., 215–16); and

WHEREAS, Article II of Synod’s Constitution confesses, “The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and normof faith and of practice” and “All the Symbolic al Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God, to wit: the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apologyof the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Large Catechism of Luther, the Small Catechism of Luther, and the Formula of Concord”; and

WHEREAS, Events in 2025 have demonstrated that some administrators, school boards, advisors, teachers, pastors, and district presidents overseeing parochial schools of the Synod may be confused about relations between men and women, equality among God’s people, non-Christian religions, and harmful philosophies; therefore be it

Resolved, That all daycares, parochial schools, and high schools of the Synod use only the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions, particularly Luther’s Small Catechism and Luther’s Large Catechism, when teaching about relations between males and females and God’s design for males and females; that progressive social movements that have arisen during the past few years should not be taught or advocated in Synod schools; that there should not be any books in schools of the Synod promoting any of these deviant movements; and that particularly harmful philosophies include but are not limited to the following:

• “Wokeism”—A worldview that America’s institutions and traditional moral and social values marginal ize and oppress minorities who oppose or live contrary to them (Adam S. Francisco, “Awake or Woke,” The Lutheran Witness, May 11, 2023; witness.lcms.org/2023/awake-or-woke).

• Critical Race Theory (CRT)—An academic and philosophical discipline that desires to fundamentally alter the control of power between majority and minority groups (Lucas V. Woodford, “Responding to Social Justice & Critical Race Theory,”Seel so rger, Vol.6(2021):12,17,24– 26; doxology.us/wp- content/uploads/2021/05/dox_2021_woodford_crt_final2.p df). CRTholdsto the view that white people must admit their social privilege, their fragility in discussing issues of race, and that the United States of America itself was created by white supremacists who were intent on upholding white supremacy. CRT must be rejected because it subverts biblical views of justice by considering whole systems (including the nation, churches, and schools) to be racist (i.e., sinful) and in need of dismantling (See also Woodford at 15–16; Micah 6:8; Gal 2:20; 3:26–28).

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)—While in the common biblical sense, the church includes diverse peoples and talents (1 Cor. 12:12–14; Rev. 7:9), modern emphases on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” emphasize the unrealistic equality of outcome over against equality of opportunity, and such emphases have been documented even in a Synod university (2023 Convention Report R64, “Ecclesiastical Visitation of Concordia University Texas,” Office of the President, Workbook, 177).

• Anything that promotes homosexuality or other sexual deviancies (LGBTQIA+). This includes questioning a person’s gender, teaching that there are more than two genders, or that a person’s gender can be changed. Further, Synod schools should not sponsor or participate in any events that advocate, teach or condone any of the above, nor should there be displays of any type that promote any of the above; and be it further

Resolved, That no Synod school teach non-Christian doctrine or precepts or participate in events sponsored by any non-Christian entity that promotes non-Christian doctrine or practices, nor should Synod-sponsored church or school libraries utilize books to advocate non-Christian philosophies, doctrine, or entities; and be it finally

Resolved, That due to the vulnerability of our children, if any of the above harmful philosophies and/or non-Christian religions are taught at any Synod daycare, parochial school, or high school, the appropriate Synod authorities should immediately stop the offensive teaching and/or remove the offensive library or textbooks; if appropriate, the authorities can then use the Synod dispute process, since beginning with the dispute process would drag things on ad infinitum while our children are being harmed.