LCMS responds to Thrivent’s ‘Financial Neutrality Policy’

For Immediate Release

Contact: Vicki Biggs, 314-996-1236, 314-556-3829 (cell), @theLCMS

ST. LOUIS, February 7, 2014—The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) released today an initial response to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ “Financial Neutrality Policy.”

According to a Feb. 6, 2014, statement on its website, Thrivent said that it will be making changes to its outreach programs following a comprehensive, organization-wide review.  The neutrality policy will be used to guide decisions for financial support of organizations Thrivent members support.

The LCMS statement says:

“The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, guided by the Word of God, is unabashedly and actively pro-life. Thus we are deeply concerned by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ decision, announced Feb. 6, 2014, to adopt a “Financial Neutrality Policy” effective immediately to guide its decisions for outreach funding of charitable organizations.

“Under this new policy, neither pro-abortion nor pro-life organizations are eligible to receive outreach support or funding from any of Thrivent’s charitable assistance funding programs. While we applaud the restrictions on funding pro-abortion organizations, this is not the outcome we had envisioned for the more than 50 pro-life charitable organizations that have received Thrivent assistance in the past to provide key support for women, children and families. Sadly, this leaves many Christian pro-life agencies providing these pivotal services in a position of unexpected financial shortfall.

“Synod leadership is keenly aware of these troubling events and is in the process of reviewing the details and implications of this new policy to determine a course of action in response to it.

“In the meantime, under the new policy, we understand that LCMS members may earmark their Thrivent Choice Dollars® for their local parish, and we encourage LCMS parishes receiving these funds to use them to fund pro-life organizations. We further encourage LCMS Thrivent members to contact Thrivent directly with any questions or concerns about its policy.”

To read the statement online, visit here: https://reporter.lcms.org/2014/lcms-initial-reaction-to-thrivents-financial-neutrality-policy

About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a biblical, confessional, witness-oriented Christian denomination with 2.3 million members – 600,000 households – in 6,200 congregations. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church carries out its mission worldwide to make known the love of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.lcms.org.

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