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Social
Statements and Messages | Policies
and Procedures Index
Sphere 2: Encouraging Learning & Moral Discourse DescriptionThe second sphere of activity is that of encouraging learning and moral discourse among members of this church around social concerns of the times. This church’s moral deliberation does not always intend or result in Churchwide Assembly action. Therefore, this sphere of activity promotes open-ended deliberation on specific contemporary social concerns without the pressure of legislative decision or community consensus. Further, such routine practices of moral reflection and deliberation in congregations, homes, social ministry organizations, and other settings serve those occasions where this church discerns a need to draw corporate normative conclusions. Insofar as this activity provides common content and experience for this church’s intention to be a community of moral deliberation, it often precedes activity in sphere three and thereby also offers a basis for considered selection of those concerns that should be subject to legislative decision. Churchwide activity in this sphere primarily involves the development of resources that aim to encompass this church’s analysis of particular social concerns within the framework of basic Christian theology and morality. This sphere of activity includes the production of messages, study documents, and teaching materials, as well as the development of models and the preparation of resource persons for congregational deliberation. Approaches to study vary from issue to issue and group to group, but all approaches aim to encourage an inclusive, in-depth process of learning and deliberation about a consequential social concern. This sphere lends itself particularly well to periodic conversation experiences, such as listening posts, continuing education events, and conferences on specific social concerns. Messages are a particular means to encourage learning and moral discourse. They also draw out the implications of this church’s social policy (sphere four). Messages rely upon this church’s social statements and social policy resolutions and are adopted by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (see the Appendix). Resources in this sphere of activity should be regularly under development for widespread use throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Procedures
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