The Child as a Gift of God
This paper was written by Dr. Gilbert Meilaender at the request of the task force established at the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (2016) to study issues relating to procreation, fertility, and care for the unborn. It specifically cited as a need for this task force the advancements in science and technology that have taken place since various Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) documents and reports on life issues were published several decades ago. The task force’s resolution at the 2019 convention affirms “children are not something we choose for ourselves, but more correctly a heritage from the Lord, which God freely gives and takes away in his own grace and wisdom.” Their resolution also commends “The Child as a Gift of God” which challenges “whether our understanding of the meaning of the presence of children is being formed by basic Christian belief that a child is God’s gift to those who are married, or whether our attitudes and actions increasingly reflect a belief that what counts is satisfying the desire to have a child of one’s own (and, perhaps even, a particular sort of child).”
Communion Frequency in the Lutheran Confessions and in the Lutheran Church
Written by Pastor David Jay Webber of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, this paper explores the theology, history, and practice of the Lord’s Supper in the Lutheran Church. It is a wonderful resource to explain how the frequency of partaking in the Sacrament has evolved over time and what influences have impacted the frequency of its use.