Using the Social Statement in Your Congregation
Session Three: Section 4

Aims for this Section
Through this session’s study, participants will:

1. Consider the Christian’s responsibility for their neighbor;
2. Deepen awareness of a Lutheran understanding of good citizenship;
3. Look at the role of governments in restraining conflict and promoting peace;
4. Consider some of the individual choices that confront us in war and peace.

Resources and Advance Preparation

• Bibles
• Newsprint and markers (or blackboard)
• Post sheet with concentric circles (from previous session) representing various levels of community
• Set up clipping display
• List aims for Session 3 on newsprint
• Make copies of Handout #2 -- "Case Study of a Conflict" and Handout #3-"Christian Approaches to War"

NOTE: You might choose between two options for considering the pros and cons of using military force in a particular situation.

Option 1 is to use the "Case Study of a Conflict" presented in Handout #2.
Option 2 is to pick a current conflict from among the clippings that have been brought in, and apply the "Questions for Consideration" on Handout #2 to that conflict.

Make a decision about which option you plan to use.

Opening Devotion
Read Romans 12: 9-21. Invite the group to pray together the prayer for the "Human Family" on page 44 of LBW.

Introducing the Aims of the Session
Call participants’ attention to the goals for Session 3 that you have listed on the newsprint.

Sharing
Invite people to share the content of any new clipping they have brought.

Acting as a Neighbor
1. Read Matthew 10: 25-37. Ask participants to share what the story tells them about being a neighbor.

2. Refer back to the concentric circles chart from the previous session. Discuss: How are people at each level our neighbor? Ask the participants to share their opinions and feelings.

• Share Martin Luther’s explanation of the Fifth Commandment. In the Large Catechism he states that the commandment is violated, "not only when a person actually does evil, but also when he fails to do good to his neighbor, or though he has the opportunity, fails to prevent, protect, and save him from bodily harm and injury." (Book of Concord, Fortress Press, 1959, p. 390)

3. To help the participants think about HOW we serve our neighbor, ask them to consider how they would respond if they had seen a neighbor physically abusing his wife on several occasions. Assume this is a neighbor they do not know personally. Break into groups of 3-4 to discuss possible responses, and the pros and cons of each kind of response.

4. Re-gather the larger group and get some quick feedback from each group. You may wish to record the responses on newsprint. Note how some responses involve only oneself; others the neighborhood; others the local government (law enforcement).

• Ask participants to think through any possible parallels to the dilemmas that nations face. What might be comparable types of responses by our government when there are massive violations of human rights within another country or between two countries?

The Role of Government
1. Read Section 4A paragraph 3--6.

2. Look at the collection of news clippings and identify one or two that are conflict situations that already involve or could potentially involve the U.S. government in some way. In relationship to each, discuss what the U.S. is doing and/or could be doing to promote peace and the common good. Do you agree/disagree with the current course of action (or inaction) and why?

3. Explain that in the next session, you will consider the U.S. response to one particular conflict in more depth, and go over the option that you have chosen, asking for volunteers as described below in "Preparation for Next Session."

• Distribute Handout #2, "Case Study of a Conflict" and Handout #3, "Christian Approaches to War." (If you have chosen option 1, you will use all of Handout #2. If you use option 2 and pick another conflict to consider, you will just use "Questions for Consideration.").

Preparation for Next Session
Encourage participants to do the following:

• Reread 4B and read Handout #3, "Christian Approaches to War".

• Using a conflict situation from the clippings where there is actual involvement of U.S. armed forces or potential for such involvement (Option 1) OR, using the case study included with the handout sheets (Option 2), ask for two volunteers to return to the next session prepared to make a two to three minutes case each for a particular course of action for the U.S. government and its citizens using the principles in the ELCA peace statement and the `lust war criteria" in Handout #3, "Christian Approaches to War." Ask other volunteers to come prepared to present what they think would be a pacifist course of action. Each of the volunteers should address the following "Questions for Consideration" related to the conflict: (These are included on Handout #2)

a. In a sentence or two, what is the conflict? (or use case study)

b. Who is the neighbor that we may be called to help?

c. What does it mean for us to "serve the neighbor" in this circumstance?

d. If peace cannot be achieved through nonviolent channels, do you advocate military intervention, either unilaterally or multilaterally?

e. How are the just war criteria in Handout #3 helpful or not helpful?

• Read Section 5 of the statement.

Closing Prayer

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