Friends in Christ,

As we enter the final weeks before November 3, it has become exceedingly obvious that this will be an extremely consequential election. The list of public policy issues that are essentially “on the ballot” include all of those that the Church has spoken to. Regarding these issues, the contrast between the two candidates and the two parties could not be more sharply drawn. In fact, recent editions of One Voice for Public Policy have discussed each of them at length. From abortion and physician assisted suicide, to marriage and sexuality, to religious liberty and parental choice in education, we have outlined what the Scriptures and the Church have said and we have tried to apply those pronouncements to current happenings on State and Federal level politics. Consequently, there are probably very few of our pastors or our members who do not know what the counsel of the Church is on these matters.

As opposed to the perennial challenge of “understanding the issues,” it seems that the greater dilemma faced by our people this year is the challenge of deciding how to vote when the candidate they like the most (or dislike the least) is not the candidate who supports the public policies they support. During the past two election cycles, the Minnesota South and North Districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod have produced a “Lutheran Voter Information Guide” primarily to identify and clarify the issues in play in that election. In this year’s Lutheran Voter Information Guide, we again focus on these issues, but beyond them, we endeavor to set out a framework to help people resolve the more pressing dilemma outlined above.

As pastors and teachers of the Church, a part of our calling is to come alongside our congregational members and help them understand how best to apply their Christian faith to their day-to-day lives and especially how best to show love for their neighbors. This “helping” does not mean telling them how to act in every circumstance and certainly does not mean telling them whom to vote for. However, it most certainly does include giving them the counsel of Scripture in matters of public life. It is my hope and prayer that this year’s Lutheran Voter Information Guide will be helpful to you in carrying out this responsibility.

In Christ,

Rev. Hinz

Rev. Fredric Hinz
fred.hinz@mnsdistrict.org
LCMS Public Policy Advocate
Minnesota South and North Districts
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod