1 Marriage Policy from Synod Minnesota North District-LCMS

December 5, 201

M!M" #rom$ %e&' Don #ondo( )o$ Congregations and %ostered Ch*rch +or,ers of the Minnesota North District %e$ )(o Matters of -m.ortance Date$ December 5, 201 -nformation on Marriage Policies for Member Congregations is no( a&ailable on the Synod (ebsite$ ((('lcms'org and clic, on %eso*rces fo*nd at the to. and go to Ch*rch "ffice /dministration and clic, on 0ie( all reso*rces' -ncl*ded in this is a Sam.le Marriage Policy (hich .ro&ides a meas*re of legal .rotection for congregations to be able to maintain the LCMS1s firm 2iblical .osition on marriage' -t is best to ado.t a se.arate .olicy statement rather than incor.orating it into yo*r Constit*tion and 2yla(s' / .ro&ision in yo*r marriage .olicy limiting the *se of the congregation1s .ro.erty for marriages that are consistent (ith o*r beliefs and .olicies on marriage sho*ld also be incl*ded' -nformation regarding the "rder and ".inion iss*ed by a federal 3*dge stri,ing do(n the clergy ho*sing allo(ance$ "n No&ember 22, 201 , a #ederal District Co*rt in +isconsin held that the clergy ho*sing allo(ance is *nconstit*tional' S.ecifically, the 3*dge entered an "rder and ".inion declaring 24 5'S'C' Section 106728 *nenforceable beca*se it &iolates the #irst and #ifth /mendments to the 5nited States Constit*tion' )he 3*dge entered an order en3oining the -%S from enforcing the .ro&ision b*t .ro&ided that the in3*nction (ill not be effecti&e *ntil all a..eals ha&e been concl*ded or the deadline for filing an a..eal has e9.ired, (hiche&er comes later' )his "rder and ".inion most certainly (ill be a..ealed, and (e e9.ect &ol*mino*s amic*s briefs to be filed in s*..ort of a re&ersal of the decision' #or this reason the ".inion (ill ha&e no immediate im.act and (ill not be effecti&e *ntil all a..eals ha&e been e9ha*sted' Synod :eneral Co*nsel has been monitoring this case and earlier similar cases for many years and has been re.orting on the iss*e to the LCMS 2oard of Directors' :i&en the recent release of the co*rt1s r*ling, ch*rch bodies, religio*s organi;ations, and legal co*nsel are assessing the o.tions for res.onse and the .otential im.act of this r*ling' +e (ill .ro&ide *.dated information as it becomes a&ailable' %onald P' Sch*lt; Chief /dministrati&e "fficer )he L*theran Ch*rch-Misso*ri Synod 1 So*th <ir,(ood %oad St' Lo*is, Misso*ri 4 122 1=> ??4-1 50 office

Information on Marriage Policies for Member Congregations

)he @oly Scri.t*res teach that :od, in creating the (orld, ga&e marriage to be the lifelong *nion of one man and one (oman 7:en 2$2=8, a gift to be held in honor and ,e.t .*re 7@eb 1 $=A 1)h =$2-58' /s a man and (oman freely commit themsel&es to one another, :od himself 3oins them as one' Marriage is far more than a social contract or a mere inter.ersonal bond' -t is an act of :od the Creator' So o*r Lord Bes*s says in Matthe( 1? 7&erses =-48$ C@a&enDt yo* read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, E#or this reason a man shall lea&e his father and his mother and be *nited to his (ife and the t(o shall become one fleshDFG Marriage cannot be rightly *nderstood a.art from another gift$ the gift of children' /s he creates man and (oman, :od says, C2e fr*itf*l and m*lti.lyG 7:en 1$2H8' /s the t(o Cbecome one flesh,G the highest .ossible res*lt of this marriage *nion, (hen it is :odDs (ill, is the conce.tion and birth of a child' )he child is in e&ery sense the Cone fleshG of the mother and father and the li&ing sign of their *nion' )he o.timal setting for the care of children is the lo&ing marital *nity of a man and (oman' -n s*ch marriage children are n*rt*red (ithin the distincti&e *niI*eness and created differences of male and female ser&ing together in the family' )his biblical *nderstanding of the marriage *nion of man and (oman is both .*r.osef*l and bea*tif*l' -ts .*r.oses incl*de the .rocreation and n*rt*re of children, the m*t*al 3oy and the s*..ort and enco*ragement gi&en to one another by h*sband and (ife, and the restraint of selfishness and sin as each see,s to ser&e the otherDs needs' S*ch .*r.oses re&eal a bea*ty so great that !.hesians 5$21- connects marriage to the holy *nion of Christ and @is Cbride,G the ch*rch' )he a.ostle Pa*l (rites that e&en as Christ, the bridegroom, .o*rs forth sacrificial lo&e for his ch*rch, the bride, and she tr*stingly commits her life to him, so also h*sbands are called to sacrificial lo&e to(ard their (i&es and (i&es to a (illing res.ect for their h*sbands' )his, in brief, is the 2ibleDs teaching on marriageJand so it is also the doctrine of )he L*theran Ch*rchJMisso*ri Synod 7LCMS8' !&ery congregation and called (or,er of the LCMS acce.ts the Scri.t*res of the "ld and Ne( )estaments as the (ritten +ord of :od and the only r*le and norm of faith and of .ractice' Congregations and ch*rch (or,ers also gladly declare their *ns(er&ing con&iction that the confessions of the L*theran ch*rch, as fo*nd in )he 2oo, of Concord 715H08, are in f*ll agreement (ith the Scri.t*res' LCMS congregations, .astors, and other called ser&ants th*s agree to abide by the doctrine of the Synod' )o belie&e that marriage is a sacred *nion of one man and one (oman is not a .olitical o.inion or a c*lt*ral bias, it is the clear teaching of @oly Scri.t*re, something that the members of the Synod belie&e, teach, and confess as the &ery tr*th of :od' )his *nderstanding of marriage is not, ho(e&er, the &ie( of many .eo.le in North /merica and +estern !*ro.e 7the +est8' %ecent legislati&e and 3*dicial actions thro*gho*t the +est re&eal an *ndeniable fact$ marriage is no longer *nderstood to be the lifelong bond of one man and one (oman' Co*ntless millions no( belie&e that marriage is a lo&ing, legal commitment bet(een any t(o indi&id*al ad*lts'

/ccording to the Pe( %esearch Center, a significant shift of o.inion, largely generational in nat*re, has ta,en .lace in the 5nited States' -n 2001 only 5K of 5'S' ad*lts s*..orted same-se9 marriage and 56K o..osed it, belie&ing that marriage (as only bet(een a man and a (oman' -n 201 the n*mbers are radically different (ith 50K fa&oring same-se9 marriage and only = K o..osing it' )he 201 5nited States S*.reme Co*rt decisions stri,ing do(n CaliforniaDs same-se9 marriage ban and the federal Defense of Marriage /ct reflect this changed &ie( of marriage' #or the LCMS and its congregations these societal and legal trends .resent great challenges' Press*re on ch*rches to accommodate their teachings and .ractices to the changing societal &ie( of marriage is increasing' Some ch*rch bodies ha&e endorsed same-se9 marriage in contradiction to clear biblical teaching' +ill c*lt*ral attit*des or biblical tr*th g*ide o*r teaching and .racticeF +e cannot concede to CCaesarG (hat belongs only to :od 7Matt 22$218' @is +ord and @is alone m*st g*ide the ch*rch, not h*man o.inions' C+e destroy arg*ments and e&ery lofty o.inion raised against the ,no(ledge of :od, and ta,e e&ery tho*ght ca.ti&e to ChristG 72 Cor 10$58' )o do anything less is to sacrifice the bea*ty and .*r.oses of marriage as it has been gi&en by :od' LCMS beliefs, .ractices and .olicies regarding marriage are firmly established and ha&e long been doc*mented' )hey are set forth in any n*mber of doc*ments' /s e9am.les, .lease refer to the follo(ing materials concerning the SynodDs beliefs on marriage$ @*man Se9*ality$ / )heological Pers.ecti&e 7!nglish L S.anish8 71?H18 M / re.ort by the LCMS Commission on )heology and Ch*rch %elations' Plan for Ministry to @omose9*als and their #amilies 71???8 M / com.assionate disc*ssion of the s.irit*al needs of indi&id*als (ho e9.erience same-se9 attraction and their families, together (ith s*ggestions for ministering to them' "*r Lord deals (ith sin in one (ay, calling each of *s to re.entance that (e might recei&e @is forgi&eness' #/N on Same-Se9 Marriage and #/N on the LCMS %es.onse to @omose9*ality M -n other (ords, (hile (e re3ect same-se9 marriage, (e do not re3ect indi&id*als (ho str*ggle (ith same-se9 attraction, b*t (e see, to lo&e them and call them to re.entance and faith in ChristDs forgi&eness, 3*st as (e do for all sinners' +e cannot bless same-se9 marriage 73*st as (e cannot bless se9*al interco*rse o*tside of the marriage of one man and one (oman8 beca*se (e cannot bless (hat :od calls sin' )o do so (o*ld be to .lace those (ho engage in s*ch beha&ior o*tside the need for re.entance and forgi&eness, and th*s o*tside the need for redem.tion in Christ' "*r concerns are al(ays *ltimately .astoral, foc*sed on the care of so*ls in Christ' +e see, to be faithf*l to the +ord of :od beca*se (e care abo*t .eo.le' %es.onse to @*man Se9*ality$ :ift and )r*st 720128 M / Commission on )heology and Ch*rch %elations res.onse o..osing the !&angelical L*theran Ch*rch in /mericaDs decision to affirm same-se9 relationshi.s' Statement$ /n /ffirmation of Marriage 7201 8 M Boint statement by the /nglican Ch*rch in North /merica, L*theran Ch*rchJCanada, the LCMS, and the North /merican L*theran Ch*rch ".en letter M Marriage and %eligio*s #reedom$ #*ndamental :oods )hat Stand or #all )ogether M /n ".en Letter from %eligio*s Leaders in the 5nited States to /ll /mericans'

= -t is o*r *nderstanding, based on information from LCMS legal co*nsel, that c*rrently there is no federal or state la( (hich .rohibits ministers from ref*sing to officiate o&er same-se9 marriages or reI*ires ch*rches to allo( their sanct*aries or ch*rch facilities to be *sed for same-se9 marriage ceremonies, same-se9 ci&il *nions, or same-se9 marriage rece.tions' -ndeed, it is o*r *nderstanding that most, if not all, state la(s that recogni;e same-se9 *nions and>or same-se9 marriages ha&e e9.ress e9ce.tions .ro&iding that s*ch stat*tes do not reI*ire ministers to .artici.ate in s*ch ceremonies or reI*ire ch*rches to allo( them to ta,e .lace on their .ro.erty' @o(e&er, beca*se la(s relating to marriage, same-se9 *nions and anti-discrimination &ary from state to state, as do la(s go&erning certain ta9 e9em.tions, each congregation sho*ld cons*lt its local legal co*nsel regarding the a..licable state and local la(s to confirm this' :o&erning doc*ments of member congregations, s*ch as /rticles of -ncor.oration, Constit*tion, and 2yla(s, *s*ally incl*de a statement of adherence to the confessions and beliefs of the Synod as set forth in the Synod Constit*tion' S*ch a statement is of .artic*lar im.ortance at the .resent time in light of todayDs e&ol&ing la(s on same-se9 marriage and antidiscrimination' #or these reasons, it is recommended that congregations affirm their beliefs, .ractices and .olicies on marriage in a (ritten statement' S*ch .olicies co*ld be incl*ded as .art of yo*r congregationDs handboo, or .olicy man*al or sim.ly be .re.ared as a se.arate doc*ment' #*rther, d*e to some concern o&er at least one re.orted case of a non.rofit organi;ation losing a .artial real-estate ta9 e9em.tion for ref*sing to rent a seaside .a&ilion on its .ro.erty that (as o.en to the .*blic to a same-se9 co*.le for a ci&il *nion, it (o*ld be .r*dent to incl*de a .ro&ision in yo*r marriage .olicy limiting the *se of the congregationDs .ro.erty for marriages that are consistent (ith yo*r beliefs and .olicies on marriage' 2elo( is a sam.le .olicy that is consistent (ith the SynodDs beliefs on marriage' S/MPL! M/%%-/:! P"L-CO )he marriage .olicy of PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP, a member congregation of )he L*theran Ch*rchJMisso*ri Synod, is and al(ays has been consistent (ith the SynodDs beliefs on marriage' +e belie&e that marriage is a sacred *nion of one man and one (oman 7:en' 2$2=-258, and that :od ga&e marriage as a .ict*re of the relationshi. bet(een Christ and @is bride the Ch*rch 7!.h' 5$ 28' )he official .osition of )he L*theran Ch*rchJMisso*ri Synod, as set forth in 1??H %es' -21 7C)o /ffirm the Sanctity of Marriage and to %e3ect Same-Se9 5nionsG8, is that homose9*al *nions come *nder categorical .rohibition in the "ld and Ne( )estaments 7Le&' 1H$22, 2=A 20$1 A 1 Cor' 4$?-10A 1 )im' 1$?-108 as contrary to the CreatorDs design 7%om' 1$24-268' )hese .ositions and beliefs can be fo*nd on the LCMS (ebsite, along (ith other statements, .a.ers and re.orts on the s*b3ect of homose9*ality and same-se9 ci&il *nions and Cmarriage'G "*r .astors (ill not officiate o&er any marriages inconsistent (ith these beliefs, and o*r ch*rch .ro.erty may not be *sed for any marriage ceremony, rece.tion or other acti&ity that (o*ld be inconsistent (ith o*r beliefs and this .olicy' )he s*ggested .olicy statement .ro&ided abo&e (ill .ro&ide a meas*re of legal .rotection for o*r congregations to be able to maintain the LCMSDs firm biblical con&ictions abo*t marriage' +e sho*ld reali;e, ho(e&er, that gi&en the s.eed of change in o.inions abo*t marriage, other legal threats may (ell arise'

5 +e enco*rage o*r congregations to be .r*dent in decision-ma,ing and to share any I*estions or concerns (ith District and Synod officials' -t (o*ld be foolhardy to ignore the grim threats to biblical teaching and .ractice that (e are facing' Oet, it (o*ld be far more foolhardy to be o&ercome by fear beca*se of these challenges, Cfor he (ho is in yo* is greater than he (ho is in the (orldG 71 Bohn =$=8' C#or - am s*re that neither death nor life, nor angels nor r*lers, nor things .resent nor things to come, nor .o(ers, nor height nor de.th, nor anything else in all creation, (ill be able to se.arate *s from the lo&e of :od in Christ Bes*s o*r LordG 7%om H$ H- ?8' +e *rge all o*r congregations not to li&e in fear, b*t to engage o*r comm*nities (insomely, lo&ingly, and faithf*lly (ith the glorio*s tr*ths of :odDs +ord and, abo&e all, (ith the sa&ing :os.el of o*r Lord Bes*s Christ'