R-6   passed as amended

Immigration Advocacy Resolution 

WHEREAS, a core mission strategy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is public advocacy; and

WHEREAS, Scripture compels us to live in the gift of God’s grace given to us in baptism by welcoming the stranger, loving our neighbors and showing mercy to those in need; and

WHEREAS, the Augsburg Confession states,

• "For civil government is concerned with other things than the Gospel. The state protects not souls but bodies and goods from manifest harm, and constrains men with the sword and physical penalties, while the Gospel protects souls from heresies, the devil, and eternal death."[1]

(AND)

• "Accordingly Christians are obliged to be subject to civil authority and obey its commands and laws in all that can be done without sin. But when commands of the civil authority cannot be obeyed without sin, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)” [2];

WHEREAS, current immigration policies of the United States and Mexico do not, in practice, protect undocumented immigrants from physical danger; and, some of the proposed reforms currently in Congress, in spirit, reject the responsibility of civil authority to protect human life by prosecuting the poor and the most vulnerable of our immigrants, while ignoring the root causes of undocumented immigration, and by potentially criminalizing those providing humanitarian aid to such immigrants; such a prohibition of living out a basic mission of the Church by helping those in need compels the Church to disobey such laws so as to obey God and not stumble into the sin; and

WHEREAS, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, fifty-three of our synodical bishops, and President Ralston H. Deffenbaugh, Jr. of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has sent a united statement to Congress entitled, “Evangelical Lutherans Call for Fair and Just Immigration Reform”, asking Congress to:

• oppose legislation that would further criminalize undocumented workers in the United States,

• oppose legislation that would make the Biblical mandate and mission of the Church to help our neighbors and those in need a crime, thus subjecting the ELCA, its congregations, clergy and members to criminal and civil penalties;

• support a path to permanence for undocumented people,

• ensure that the basic Constitutional rights of due process are followed, and that the enforcement of immigration laws are fair for all people; and

WHEREAS, the 2005 Churchwide Assembly approved a resolution entitled, “Recommendations: Recommitment to Multicultural Ministry Strategies”, part of which calls for the ELCA and its congregations to:

• “Confront the scandalous realities of racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, age, gender, familial, sexual, physical, personal, and class barriers that often manifest themselves in exclusion, poverty, hunger and violence”; and

• “Pursue ardently this church’s commitment to becoming more diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational in an ever-changing and increasingly pluralistic context, with special focus on full inclusion in this church of youth, young adults, and people of color and people whose primary language is other than English”; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the 2006 Northern Illinois Synod Assembly thanks our Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, Bishop Gary Wollersheim and other synodical bishops, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service for their public witness and advocacy on behalf of undocumented immigrants; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2006 Northern Illinois Synod Assembly encourages Bishop Gary Wollersheim and the Synod Council to adopt a policy whereby congregations, members and ministers will be supported in their ministry to undocumented immigrants within our communities, recognizing that ministry could violate laws that do not conform to the standards outlined in Scripture and the Augsburg Confession and to also pursue creative ways to provide ministry within the laws of the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2006 Northern Illinois Synod Assembly encourages Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, the 2007 Churchwide Assembly and the ELCA Council to adopt a similar policy of support of churches, members and ministers.

Submitted by:

Rev. Robert Lee Bennight – Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Durand

Rev. Kathryn A. Whitney – Associate Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Rockford

Rev. Kenneth R.  Storck – Pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Rockford

Rev. Richard A. Likeness – Pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Rockford

Rev. Christine Tinker – Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in East Dubuque

Rev. John A Cunningham – Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Rockford

Rev. Frank Moyer – Dean of the North Conference

Rev. Denver W. Bitner – Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Rockford

Rev. Jim Kragness – member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Rockford

Contact person: Pr. Robert Bennight

Date Submitted: May 16, 2006

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Action of the Resolution Committee

Date of Action:  May 16, 2006

Action Taken: Recommend the Resolution