A note from the District President regarding the two November ballot initiatives about abortion
Fellow pastors and all brothers and sisters in Christ,
God calls us in His Word to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to speak for the unborn, to protect life and not promote death. The ballot for the November 5th election will include two initiatives concerning life, both requiring our response. It is important to vote on both initiatives.
Initiative #434 has language consistent with the law passed in 2023 that prevents elective abortion after 12 weeks; though God calls us to protect all life, this initiative does not prevent future legislation from being enacted and is considered by Nebraska Right to Life as an incremental step toward the goal of protecting all life from conception to natural death. Vote YES on #434!
Initiative #439, on the other hand, is a pro-abortion initiative. This initiative would establish a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability “without interference from the state”, which would negate several pro-life laws currently in effect in Nebraska. This includes the 12-week protection law, the ban on dismemberment abortions and partial birth abortions, parental consent, informed consent, and other pro-life mandates. Vote NO on #439! Again, it is important to vote on both initiatives.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod believes that abortion is contrary to God’s Word and “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”. (Source: LCMS FAQ)
Some resources for you and your congregation include:
- A free Bible study from Concordia Publishing House, Called to Vote: Navigating through Political Extremes. Available at THIS LINK.
- In the Creator’s Hands: The Value of Human Life, an article from Rev. Scott Bruick, Nebraska District Fourth Vice-President. Available at THIS LINK.
- We have collected a number of resources about life issues and other parish health issues on our Life Resources page HERE.
- A number of resources are available from the Nebraska Family Alliance’s resource center, including:
- Clear guidance on how churches can and cannot engage in political issues
- Half-page comparisons of the two initiatives for use as bulletin inserts