LCC Responds to Current Issues

ONLINE – A letter was sent out to Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) congregations on December 2, 2020 from Synod President Timothy Teuscher highlighting a new theological document released by LCC’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) addressing contemporary issues.

The letter is as follows:

During this year of 2020 a number of issues have arisen here in our nation concerning what is commonly referred to as the relationship of Church and State – matters pertaining to the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Commandments.

As a result of the continued spread of the coronavirus, we have witnessed government regulations on the provincial, regional and municipal levels that have closed religious places of worship, restricted the number of people allowed in such gatherings, and mandated various protocols for churches such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and sanitizing of facilities (Third and Fourth Commandments). In addition, there is currently legislation before the House of Commons that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures in the areas of human sexuality (Sixth Commandment) and the sanctity of human life (Fifth Commandment). 

One of the duties of our Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) is to assist myself as President to provide guidance to our LCC family in addressing theological and social issues. In light of inquiries from some of our LCC members pertaining to the above matters, I have asked the CTCR to prepare a general response to these contemporary issues, which can be viewed online here: A Lutheran Response To Contemporary Issues. It is also available on LCC’s website here: Theological Documents. Some of these matters have been addressed in part at previous synodical conventions. These can be accessed on the website here: Social Issues.

In addition, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, of which LCC is a member, is an organization of a number of church bodies that seeks to address in the public square and the halls of government matters pertaining to religious freedom, sanctity of life, family and community, and other issues. Resources are available on their website for individuals who may want to personally address various government officials on these matters.

Heavy-handed government decrees. Marriage and family life disintegrating. A godless and immoral society. That probably sums up for many the current state of our nation. But let us not despair. After all, was such not also the general state of society when Christ was born in those days when Caesar Augustus issued a decree? Does not St. Paul even call those perilous days when God sent forth His Son “the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4)? And in spite of outward appearances to the contrary in our nation today, we still have the sure and certain promise that God the Father has “put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Ephesians 1:22-23).    

So the Advent hymn proclaims to us in these uncertain and difficult times: “God dwells with us in darkness And makes the night as day; Yet we resist the brightness And turn from God away. But grace does not forsake us, However far we run. God claims us still as children Through Mary’s infant Son” (LSB 337:5).

Rev. Timothy Teuscher, President

Lutheran Church–Canada 

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The full letter from President Teuscher can be downloaded as a PDF here: LCC Responds to Current Issues

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