Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2016 · 66th Convention, Milwaukee › Page 349
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 349

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
5-15

To Standardize Admission to the Lord’s Supper
Whereas, There is a wide diversity of practice in admission to the
Lord’s Supper in the Synod’s congregations; therefore be it
Resolved, That Constitution Article VI be amended to insert the
following point between present points 2 and 3 as a new point:
PROPOSED WORDING
Article VI Conditions of Membership
Conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod are
the following:
1. Acceptance of the confessional basis of Article II.
2. Renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description, such
as: …
3. Congregations and pastors shall admit to the Lord’s Supper only
persons who are communicant members in good standing of Synod
congregations or who are communicant members in good standing
of Lutheran congregations in altar fellowship with the Synod. Exceptions to this rule may be made by pastors or chaplains in cases
of (1) imminent death—or the possible threat of the same, (2) emergency, (3) war, (4) severe illness, (5) intense personal crisis, or (6)
individuals who are in a “state of confession”; but only for Lutherans who were at some time communicant members of a Lutheran
congregation. In such cases, the pastor or chaplain shall make an
examination of such person’s understanding of the Lord’s Supper
prior to communing him or her, if that is possible.
4. Regular call of pastors….

Trinity
Evansville, IN
5-16

To Commend the Practice of Holy Communion
to God’s Direction and Blessing
Whereas, Holy Communion is a gift to be joyfully received in
thanksgiving (Eucharist) and is a sacrament that offers forgiveness of
sins, life, and salvation for all who are “worthy and well prepared”;
and
Whereas, Luther states in the Small Catechism that “he is truly
worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, ‘Given and
shed for you for the remission of sins’ ”; and
Whereas, The Scriptures teach that the Sacrament is for all, and
a close Communion centered around the gift offered to all the baptized who
a. know Jesus Christ as their Savior;
b. recognize that the body and blood of Christ are truly present in the
bread and wine;
c. are able to examine themselves and repent of their sins; and
d. look to God’s Holy Spirit for help in living the Christian life; and

Whereas, Individual congregations and pastors are equipped to
share Holy Communion and administer this sacrament in a confessional and biblical manner; and
Whereas, Article VII of the LCMS Constitution states: “Synod
is not an ecclesiastical government exercising legislative or coercive
powers” and “no resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon the
individual congregation is of binding force if it is not in accordance
with the Word of God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far as a condition of a congregation is concerned”; and

349

Whereas, That congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod find that the practice of “closed Communion” is being advocated by some LCMS congregations and leadership as the doctrinally
pure and only acceptable position, even though this understanding of
doctrine is not taught in either the Scriptures or the Confessions; and
Whereas, Any sort of mandate or oversight and discipline that
would specify how Communion is to be enacted in local congregations is a violation of our Constitution; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage our congregations to continually review their practice of Holy Communion
(whether close or closed Communion) and to prayerfully seek God’s
direction and blessing in enacting sound pastoral care that is grounded
in the authority of Holy Scripture and the Confessions and does not
go beyond this source or norm.
Village
Bronxville, NY
5-17

To Request CTCR Study of “Orders of Creation”
Whereas, The doctrine of creation is being used by some to support a prohibition of women’s ordination; and
Whereas, The theology being used is “new” Lutheran theology;
for instance, Edward W. A. Koehler, in his “A Summary of Christian
Doctrine” published by Concordia Publishing House, does not even
mention this doctrine; and
Whereas, An article published in Concordia Theological Monthly
argues that the doctrine is not from the Lutheran tradition but is associated with the Reformed tradition (Edward H. Schroeder, Concordia
Theological Monthly 43, March (3), 1972, pp. 165−78); therefore be it
Resolved, That the timeline of use and appearance of the doctrine
of “orders of creation” be studied by the CTCR and the information
shared for comment from the congregations and rostered workers of
the church; and be it further
Resolved, That this study make precise notation of when and
where this doctrine came into use and specifically the occasions
(Reformation era, Walther era, Orthodoxy era) when this doctrine
was unknown and unused by confessional Lutheran theologians; and
be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS receive the CTCR report by the next
sequential convention following this convention.
Village
Bronxville, NY
5-18

To Call for Evaluation of Discretion
Used to Carry Out Closed Communion
and for Future Synodwide Visitations
Whereas, The practice of open Communion has, sadly, become
acceptable within the congregations of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod; and
Whereas, Such practice of open Communion undoubtedly puts
at risk our neighbor possibly to eat and drink judgement against himself as well as to profane the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
(see Holy Scripture below); and
Whereas, The practice of closed Communion is a salutary practice that the church is brought to carry out for the following three
scriptural reasons:
2016 Convention Workbook