Overture to Condemn the Conscription of Women

2016_SynodConvention-side2As you undoubtedly have heard in the news, the Department of Defense announced on Dec. 3rd that they will indeed be opening up all combat positions in our nation’s armed forces to women.

As exclusion from combat was the legal rationale for also excluding women from the selective service system, the possibility of women being required to participate in the selective service system, and thus potential drafts, is now coming down the tracks at full speed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/12/07/pentagon-opening-combat-jobs-to-women-alters-factual-backdrop-in-keeping-them-out-of-the-draft/

This issue is an important one that faces all of the congregations and families of our Synod and nation. The Missouri Synod ought to speak clearly against the conscription of women at the 2016 Convention.

Below is a suggested overture for congregations, circuit forum, District Board of Directors, and other bodies that may submit overtures to the Synod.

Included underneath this overture are the names of pastors of our Synod who have given this overture their support.

Additionally, several of the contributors to BJS have added their names in support.

[Note: As other pastors and laymen of the Missouri Synod have expressed their desire to record their support for this overture, please feel free to indicate so in the comments below.]

Please bring this before your own congregations and circuits to send to the synod. The deadline for overtures to be submitted is February 20th

Directions to submit overtures are here: https://www.lcms.org/convention/overtures

Even after the deadline, passing this overture offers an opportunity for congregations to publicly and officially record their objection to the conscription of women as they seek to support and safeguard their own daughters.

 

To Condemn the Conscription of Women (PDF)

 

To Condemn the Conscription of Women

Whereas, on January 24th, 2013, the U.S. Department of Defense announced its intent to lift the nation’s exclusion of women from all remaining combat positions from which they have been previously barred, an exclusion upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court; and

Whereas, The women of the LCMS may be subject to registering for selective service and a possible draft, as the rationale provided by the U.S. Supreme Court in prohibiting this practice was the Department of Defense’s ban on women in combat; and

Whereas, the conscription of women, especially in view of their imminent inclusion into all combat positions in the U.S. Armed Forces, is not in accordance with God’s order of creation (Gen. 1-2; 1 Cor. 11), in which men are to be the self-sacrificial heads and protectors of women, laying down their lives for them as Christ laid down His life for His Church (Ephesians 5:25), and showing honor to them (1 Peter 3:7), which is further confirmed and testified to by the exclusion of women from combat duty and conscription throughout the Scriptures (Num. 1, Joshua 1:14, Deut. 20, Deut. 22, etc.); and

Whereas, at the 2013 synodical convention, the Mercy floor committee intended to speak to the issue of the conscription of women in their original resolution, as was printed in Today’s Business for 7/23/2013, “Resolved, that the LCMS support those who have a religious and moral objection to women serving in ground combat positions and/or participating in the selective service system and being subject to a possible draft,” yet the committee did not present the above phrase, “and/or participating in the selective service system and being subject to a possible draft,” because “Mercy committee members saw no need to address that issue at this time”(Reporter Online); and

Whereas, since then, on December 3rd, 2015, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that all U.S. military combat positions are being opened up to women, and detailed legal analysis has already been undertaken by the Department of Defense, in consultation with the Department of Justice, concerning the legal implications of this change of policy in regards to the constitutionality of the application of the selective service system; and

Whereas, we would be negligent if we did not defend the women of the LCMS and prepare for the serious and imminent possibility of women being subjected to being required to participate in the selective service system and a possible draft; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS condemn the conscription of women, in particular, by means of participation in the selective service system and a possible draft, as it is a confusion of God’s order of creation; and be it finally

Resolved, That the LCMS support those who have a religious and moral objection to women participating in the selective service system and being subject to a possible draft.

 

Rev. Scott Adle, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Collinsville, IL

Rev. David R. Appold, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Paducah, KY

Rev. Eric Andersen, Zion Lutheran Church, Summit IL & Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hodgkins IL

Rev. Steven J. Anderson, Gloria Dei Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chicago, IL

Rev. Marcus Baikie, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, WY

Rev. Larry Beane, Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Rev. Benjamin Ball, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel, IL

Rev. Travis Berg, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Latimer, IA

Rev. Daniel Bishop, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Pekin, IL

Rev. Kenneth J. Bomberger, Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, Walker, MI

 

Rev. Jason Braaten, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tuscola, IL

Rev. Neil L. Carlson, Trinity, Sidney and Zion Lutheran Churches, Chappell, NE

Rev. Joshua P. H. Conradt, St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Waterford WI

Rev. Matthew T. Dent, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Standish, MI

Rev. Dr. Burnell F. Eckardt Jr., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Kewanee, IL

Rev. Hans Fiene, River of Life Lutheran Church, Channahon, IL

Rev. A. Brian Flamme, Veteran, USMC, Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO

Rev. Brandon Froiland, Christ Lutheran Church, Platte Woods, MO

Rev. Micah Gaunt, Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church, Ravenna and North Shelton, NE

Rev. Andrew Gerike, Mt. Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Omaha, NE

 

Rev. Jacob Gilbert, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Racine, WI

Rev. Andrew Gray, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Marengo, IA

Rev. Peter F. Gregory, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Westminster, MA

Rev. Mike S. Grieve, Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, Golden, IL

Rev. Dr. Gifford A. Grobien, (Lieutenant, USN) Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN

Rev. Daniel A. Hinton, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, Cheyenne, WY

Rev. Josemon Hoem, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Murphysboro, IL

Rev. Benjamin Tyler Holt. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Golconda, IL

Rev. Dr. Joel G. Koepp, Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Wood Lake MN

Rev. Adam C. Koontz, Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lititz, PA

 

Rev. Michael Larson, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wittenberg, WI

Rev. Ryan L. Loeslie, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Merna, NE

Rev. Travis Loeslie, St. Peter Lutheran Church, Lester Prairie, MN

Rev. Mark Lovett, Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington, KS

Rev. Tyson Mastin, St John’s Lutheran Church, Plato, MN

Rev. Jordan McKinley, Trinity Lutheran Church, Vallonia, IN

Rev. Michael Scott Monterastelli, member of Pilgrim, Kilgore, Texas

Rev. Matthew V. Moss, St. Paul & Immanuel Lutheran Churches, Readlyn, IA

Rev. Christopher J. Neuendorf, Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA

Rev. Weslie Odom, Grace Lutheran Church, Burkburnett, TX

 

Rev. Jon C. Olson, Trinity Lutheran Church, Jasper, MN & Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Pipestone, MN

Rev. William J. Orr, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Willow Springs, IL & Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lyons, IL

Rev. Andrew Packer, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Pagosa Springs, CO

Rev. Robert W. Paul, Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, Roswell, NM

Rev. David H. Petersen, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Rev. Clint K. Poppe, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE

Rev. Andrew Preus, Trinity and St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Parish, Guttenberg and McGregor, IA

Rev. David Rolf Preus, Missionary, Dominican Republic, Mexico, South America

Rev. John Preus, Trinity Lutheran Church, Clinton, IA

Rev. Mark Preus, St. Andrews Lutheran Church and Campus Center Laramie, WY

 

Rev. Paul Preus, Zion Lutheran Church, Ellendale, ND

Rev. Rolf Preus, Trinity Lutheran Church, Sidney, MT & St. John Lutheran Church, Fairview, MT

Rev. David P. Ramirez, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Union Grove, WI

Rev. Jeffrey E. Ries, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tacoma, WA

Rev. James A. Roemke, Messiah Lutheran Church, Kenosha WI

Rev. Roberto E. Rojas, Jr. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Winter Garden, FL

Rev. Dr. Timothy A. Rossow, Bethany Lutheran Church and School, Naperville, IL

Rev. Joshua Scheer, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, WY

Rev. Michael Schuermann, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Sherman, IL

Rev. Wade Seaver, Hope Lutheran Church, Bellaire, MI

Rev. Clint Stark, Zion Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls, WI

Rev. Ronald A. Stephens, Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Garfield, NJ

Rev. Jacob R. Sutton, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Terre Haute, IN

Rev. Christopher I. Thoma, Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, Hartland, MI

Rev. Bruce Timm, Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Saint Cloud, MN

Rev. Aaron Uphoff, Sergeant, Veteran, ARNG, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Randolph, NJ

Rev. Matthew Uttenreither, St. John Lutheran Church Tigerton, WI

Rev. Sean A. Willman, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Pleasant Prairie, WI

Rev. Timothy Winterstein, Faith Lutheran Church, East Wenatchee, WA

Rev. C. Bryan Wolfmueller, Hope’s Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO

Rev. B. Andrew Wright, St. John Lutheran Church, Keystone, IA

 

Contributors to BJS who have also given their support to this resolution:

Dr. Scott Diekmann, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Milton, WA

Mr. Norm Fisher, St. John Lutheran, Champaign IL

Mr. Joseph D. Klotz, Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Brookfield, IL.

Mr. Nathan Redman, Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Saint Cloud, MN

Mr. Tim Wood, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Mr. Brian Yamabe, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, San Jose, CA

 

 

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