Eckhardt's Homiletisches Reallexikon, 1907–1917

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Confessional registration. Treatises. On the right handling of confessional registration. Ma. 29, 251. The great blessing for congregational life of a proper registration for the Holy Supper. Cal. 94, 42–65. Past. 144–154. The same, L. W. 12, 289–297. 321–324. On confessional registration and its pastoral use. L. W. 24, 65. On the custom of also inviting to participate, at the celebration of the Lord's Supper, those persons who had not confessed. Luth. 4, 161. A testimony from Veit Dietrich. Luth. 5, 79. Mich. 85, 25–29. Syn. 75, 19. Theol. 9, 48–55. Wis. 85, 57–61. Luth. 6, 92. 5, 79. Outline. No one should go to the Lord's Supper unless he has first been examined. § 1. The necessity. § 2. Open communion. § 3. The benefit of confessional registration. § 4. Objections. § 5. How registration should be conducted. § 6. For those of rich understanding, personal registration is not always necessary. § 7. Introduction. 1. No one should be admitted to the Lord's Supper unless he has first been examined. Kon. 53, 213. 248. Testimony from Luther. Wis. 85, 59. 60. Cal. 94, 47. 50. Luth. 4, 163. Testimony from Calvin. Luth. 5, 38. Note a. The congregation already obligates itself to this in the pastor's call. One could not accept a call to a congregation that is altogether unwilling to submit to confessional registration. Note b. A pastor should rather give up his office than admit people to the sacrament unexamined. Note c. Confessional registration is especially necessary 1. where there is no private confession, Past. 150; 2. with strangers whom one does not know. Note d. The manner in which the examination is arranged — whether one registers in the church or comes to the parsonage several days beforehand — is not commanded by God but is a churchly ordinance. The latter manner is decidedly the best, though one cannot insist upon it. 2. The necessity of examining beforehand all who wish to go to the Lord's Supper arises a. from the doctrine of the Lord's Supper, which 1. is only for Christians, 2. does not work ex opere operato, 3. redounds to the judgment of the unworthy, 4. is a confession of faith, and therefore we cannot admit to the Lord's Supper anyone who is manifestly not a Christian and not our brother in the faith. Past. 148; b. from the doctrine of the pastor's office. He is 1. a watchman, shepherd, and pastor of souls, and must watch that no one partakes of the Lord's Supper to his own harm; 2. a steward over the mysteries of God. As such he must act according to his instructions and not cast the pearl before swine. If he is now to find out to whom he may administer the sacrament, he must ask and examine whether those concerned possess the necessary knowledge and prove their Christianity by their conduct. For this, confessional registration is the best opportunity. 3. Open communion. In most sectarian churches everyone is invited and admitted to the sacrament. — Even Jews can slip in unnoticed thereby. N. 75, 10. Luth. 44, 6.

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1. is against God's Word. Matt. 7:6: Ye shall not give that which is holy unto the dogs. — Preaching should go out to the multitude, but not the sacrament.

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2. loads guilt upon the pastor. He becomes a partaker of others' sins. He could hinder the sin and does not do so. — He is a faithless watchman and steward. He is to warn, and says nothing. Note a. How dreadful: he is to say, "Thou shalt surely die," and instead says, "Thou shalt live." Woe unto him! Note b. We cannot prevent people from partaking of the Lord's Supper to their own judgment, but it should not happen with our knowledge.

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3. is against love. One sees one's neighbor suffering harm and does not stop it; 1. it blurs the distinction between Christian and non-Christian. The thought takes root: everyone will be saved. Note a. Confessional registration is, it seems, customary almost only in the Lutheran church. Note b. How difficult it is in the German state church to turn away those who are manifestly unbelievers! Note c. Among the Reformed, where the Lord's Supper is only bread and wine, this matters less. 4. The benefit of confessional registration. a. For the pastor. 1. The pastor's conscience is spared. Through confessional registration, much unworthy reception of the Lord's Supper is prevented; hypocrites and the impenitent are often deterred; 2. pastoral fellowship between pastor and congregation is promoted. The pastor can give each person what is proper for him, as a physician selects the most fitting remedy. Note a. Confessional registration is the most fitting occasion for the exercise of pastoral care. Note b. How well the pastor can here admonish heads of households, wives, married couples, and the young; comfort the anxious and the frightened; restore those under spiritual attack! God's Word will not return empty. 3. The pastor comes to know his confessional children better. So much the better can he afterward administer his office through preaching and house calls. 4. The pastor knows how much bread and wine he needs for the Lord's Supper. b. For the members of the congregation. 1. Confessional registration is a means to proper guidance, to self-examination. 2. Members of the congregation can pour out their hearts, voice their distress, as the sick do to a physician, in order to learn what is now to be done. — Members of the congregation often long for this. 3. They learn to esteem and love their pastor more, when he deals with them in a truly pastoral way. The bond between them becomes closer. 4. They will often go to the Lord's Supper with much more eagerness. 5. The Word of God takes hold in them better, since they are more receptive to it at just such an hour. 6. In preaching, the word passes over the heads of the multitude; in registration it is directed at you personally. — A private gospel. c. For the young in particular. Here the pastor has a fine opportunity to admonish the young and to go over the catechism with them, which the young forget so quickly. Wis. 83, 64. Note a. The young should always register in person. Note b. It is often the pastor's own fault when the young come so reluctantly to registration.

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5. Objections to confessional registration. 1. All of this can also be achieved through mere house calls. — At house calls, household business often hinders a proper pastoral conversation; the receptive mood is not present; the pastor often does not have the necessary time for house calls. 2. It cannot be done in this country. — For many, however, it has worked. 3. If the pastor shows in the confessional address who is worthy and unworthy, he has done his duty. 4. If someone goes unworthily to the Lord's Supper, that is his own affair. — His blood I will require at thy hand. 5. Let a man examine himself. — The pastor can help him do so.

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6. Confessional registration is Catholic. — What a difference between Lutheran confessional registration and Catholic auricular confession! 6. How should confessional registration be conducted? The pastor should make right use of confessional registration and turn it to good account. It should be a. not legalistic. This would be the case if one wished to drive Christians to diligent reception of the Lord's Supper as though to a meritorious work, or if one demanded too much knowledge of them, and so on. Note. This is not meant to say, however, that the commandments may not be applied: Thou art the man. — The right use of the Law; b. but rather evangelical, with enticement to repentance and faith. Note. The pastor should show himself a true steward and pastor of souls: warning the secure, strengthening the weak, comforting the sorrowful and those under spiritual attack; c. friendly, heartfelt, as a father deals with his children. Confessor. Ma. 29, 349. Note. It must be evident from every word that the pastor seeks only our good; d. not inquisitorial. The pastor should not search out secret sins and turn registration into an instrument of torture. Note a. If an evil report goes about concerning someone, the pastor must of course confront him with it, but the pastor should never compel anyone to reveal a still-hidden sin or to lie. Note b. If particular sins need to be corrected and set right, the pastor should, if possible, settle this beforehand and not wait until registration; e. brief. Cal. 94, 56. f. with consideration 1. for the individual's state of knowledge, 2. for differing ages. — With older people, more in the manner of conversation, as with the young. Do not rebuke an old man, 3. for the different walks of life, 4. for those under spiritual attack. Note. How such persons are to be treated who will not speak of the state of their souls, 5. for the pastor's own standing in the congregation. A newcomer cannot allow himself everything that another, who has already stood twenty years in the congregation, can do; an unmarried man not everything that a married man can, 6. for the congregation's attitude toward confessional registration, 7. for the language of the one registering. Those who cannot express themselves well in German should be allowed to speak English. Note a. As regards the subject of the conversation, note: 1. the pastor must know how to pass from earthly matters to spiritual ones. Points of connection can be family, business, and current events; 2. if nothing particular presents itself, the theme of the confessional address or sermon may be used; 3. a conversation about what the sacrament is, what benefit it brings, and how it is to be used, is always timely. Examples of confessional conversations: Luth. 3, 43. 44. 47—40. Note b. As regards the time of registration, it is best 1. that a definite time be set, so that everyone knows he does not come in vain, 2. that a time be set that is convenient for the congregation, 3. that as much time be taken for it as is needed. If one day is not enough, then two. Note c. Right conduct of confessional registration requires a certain competence, a theological bearing, and this competence comes from God. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves." "Who also hath made us able ministers." 2 Cor. 3:6. To attain such competence, the following serve: 1. prayer, whereby one asks God for wisdom. Ma. 29, 286; 2. meditation and study; 3. spiritual trial, and indeed precisely that which we have in common with other Christians. Note d. If a preacher is to administer his office rightly, he must himself be a Christian from the heart. Note e. If registration is practiced in the right way, the congregation will come to love it. Example: Pastor Wucherer's congregation. Luth. 38, 149. Note f. The congregation should be grateful for a pastor who administers his office in this way.

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7. Registering in person every single time, especially for people of rich understanding, is not always necessary. The shepherd knows his sheep. In such cases the pastor already knows what he needs to know. Luther says of such people that it is enough to register once a year. Note. Yet even those who have no need of instruction should, at least for the sake of good example and good order, register in person now and again.

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8. In introducing confessional registration in congregations where it is new, one must proceed with great caution. The pastor must a. clearly demonstrate and explain the necessity of this arrangement, and set forth what the Lord's Supper is and what the preacher is, b. clear prejudices out of the way, c. encourage it in an evangelical manner and not press it legalistically, d. seek to gain the trust of the congregation, for only then will people pour out their hearts to him. Note a. It can also be pointed out that everything revealed to the confessor remains confidential. The confessional secret. Note b. If someone resists registration, let the pastor go to him at home. Past. 151. Note c. Two quite different ways of introducing registration, with different results: Luth. 53, 63. Note d. The reasons why the introduction of confessional registration often meets with so much resistance are: 1. To many it is a wholly unfamiliar thing. Luth. 5, 79. 2. Hatred and slander are often added to it. 3. Many use their Christian liberty as a cloak for wickedness. Note e. If someone will not be reasoned with at all, he can finally be placed under church discipline.