This is territory for the Church to remain distanced from.

These issues, from my perspective, lead only to an unhealthy relationship between Church and State, as clearly there are political implications and political motivations for "informing" us about these issues (i.e. the goal to inform, is, perhaps, a somewhat veiled goal to convert us to a political ideology that promotes war - and thereby involve us in State matters unrelated to Our Mission: Administrating Word and Sacrament, i.e. the Preaching of the Gospel of Grace).

These matters, from my perspective, are best handled by the Left Kingdom (i.e. Earthly Kingdom) as they are the Kingdom entrusted with the Power of the Sword.

We, as the Right Kingdom (i.e. Lord's Kingdom), would be prudent in leaving these matters to the State - and not the Seminary (or Congregations, for that matter).

This opinion, I believe, is thoroughly Biblical, and in keeping with our Confessions regarding the relationship and functions of the Two Kingdoms.

Let us also keep in mind the ever present reality that there are those who place Politics above the Church, and use the Church only as a means to political power.

It is furthermore true, that History has shown that "agents of the State" often infiltrate Churches, openly and privily (i.e. 'undercover'), to inform on, spy on, and encourage allegiance to State activity (i.e. further the State's agenda) e.g. Communist Russia.

Politics, in general, is best left to the left hand.

Only when it impedes such issues as the Right to Life (i.e. Nazi Germany/Abortion) and bans, or impedes, the Preaching of the Gospel are we to then, as stated in Acts, "obey God rather than man" - and disobey (perhaps even resist) the State.

That is the only, in my mind, "crossover point," where, We, as the Church, are to become politically involved (and the only time, I might add, where the Sword is allowable to be in the hands of the Church, that is, In Resistance to Tyranny.)