The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) has for many years been one of the forerunners of the Pro-Life movement in the United States. That Pro-Life conviction was upheld by the Synod's President, Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, in his testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Thursday February 16, 2012, in discussion of the threat to religious liberty that is posed by the recent contraception mandate from President Barack Obama's Health and Human Services Department. (Please see http://reporter.lcms.org/pages/rpage.asp?NavID=19663)
As implied, this stance is not new for the LCMS or for its pastors, teachers, and deaconesses. In fact, in 1984, only four years after its origin as an organization that provides personal, spiritual and professional growth opportunities for LCMS deaconesses, Concordia Deaconess Conference - Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (CDC) passed a resolution to ensure continued participation in Pro-Life support and education:
Resolution 1984S-1 – To Continue Pro-Life Studies
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod at its July 1983 Convention passed Resolution 3-04B “To Reaffirm and Implement the Synod’s Pro-Life Position;” and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ralph Bohlmann, President of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, has requested each organization affiliated with Synod to implement this resolution and report back to Synod; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that Concordia Deaconess Conference affirm Synod’s position that (a) the living but unborn are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception (Job 10:9-11; Ps. 51:5; 139:13-17; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41-44); (b) as persons the unborn stand under the full protection of God’s own prohibition against murder (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 20:13; Num. 35:33; Acts 7:19; I John 3:15); and (c) since abortion takes a human life, abortion is not a moral option, except as a tragically unavoidable byproduct of medical procedures necessary to prevent the death of another human being, viz., the mother (1979 Res. 3-02A); and be it further
RESOLVED, that Concordia Deaconess Conference encourage member deaconesses to take a pro-life approach in counseling opportunities and to be a referral source for members of their congregations and staff of their agencies; and be it further
RESOLVED, that Concordia Deaconess Conference continue pro-life studies.
Program organizers for the CDC annual conference have invited Maggie Karner, Director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care Life and Health Ministries, to serve as their 2012 banquet speaker. More information on the annual conference will soon be available on http://www.concordiadeaconessconference.org/news.htm
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