To Task Commission on Theology and Church Relations to Write Report and Accompanying Study addressing Christian Nationalism in American Context

WHEREAS, Scripture does not, since the fall of ancient Israel, endorse or prescribe one form of government over another; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, a form of government known as Christian nationalism has been promoted by both good faith and bad faith actors, such as in the book The Case for Christian Nationalism by Stephen M. Wolfe (Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2022); and

WHEREAS, There is no set or agreed-upon form of what constitutes Christian nationalism, with some adherents advocating for basic the ono my and others arguing for a version in which only Christians would hold office and have rights; and

WHEREAS, There is much fear and misunderstanding over what is and is not Christian nationalism due to public discourse, and this causes much confusion within our Synod, as addressed by the 2023 Concordia Seminary Theological Symposium, “Living By Hope in a Secular Age: Church and Society”; and

WHEREAS, Martin Luther argues that since the role of government is to enforce laws and not preach the Gospel it cannot by definition be Christian, and states that “It is out of the question that there can be a common Christian government over the entire world, or for that matter, over one country or a great number of people…” (Martin Luther, What Luther Says [CPH, 1959] §1795; see also 1780 and 1781); and

WHEREAS, Pastors, other church workers, and laity have many questions on this topic as they seek to live out their faith in God- pleasing ways, especially in their vocations as citizens; and

WHEREAS, In the politically charged times in which we live, members of the Synod find themselves on all sides of this topic, leading to discord and disunity; therefore be it

Resolved, That the district request the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) to thoroughly study Christian nationalism, detailing various forms, working definitions, and how each does or does not follow the faith handed down from the apostles by mixing up the role of the two realms/kingdoms; and be it further

Resolved, That the district request the CTCR to write a report of their study; and be it further

Resolved, That the district request the CTCR to create a study of their report that is easily accessible and understandable not only by clergy and church workers, but by Synod laity and the church body as a whole; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention be memorialized to instruct the CTCR to accomplish the above requests if the CTCR has not already begun to do so.