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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 293

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

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
Synods,” [Proceedings, 93] and 1986 Res. 3-08, “To Maintain
Practice of Close Communion” [Proceedings, 143]), as to its
validity: providing clarity as to legitimate examples of each, and of
such examples that shall not be considered so, and that such reevaluation be published for consideration by Synod’s members
within the year.
Trinity
Tryon, NC
Ov. 5-11

To Reject Practice of Internet Communion
WHEREAS, The Sacrament of the Altar is the true body and blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by
Christ himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink (Small
Catechism VI); and
WHEREAS, The Holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St.
Paul write:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took
bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to
His disciples and said: ‘Take, eat; this is my body, which is given
for you. This do in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way also
He took the cup, after supper, and when He had given thanks, He
gave it to them, saying: ‘Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the
new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me.’ (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24;
Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25)” (Lutheran Service
Book, Divine Service, Setting One, 162);
and
WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 lockdowns beginning in
March 2020, some LCMS pastors in a desire to faithfully commune
their members began a practice which has come to be known as
“internet Communion”; and
WHEREAS, The practice of “internet Communion” introduces a
spatial gap that severs the consecration of the elements from the
reception of the elements and therefore introduces doubt where
there should be clarity and confidence in the sacrament (Luke
22:19; 1 Cor. 11:26; Augsburg Confession XIII); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions teach, on the basis of
God’s Word, that valid Communion involves the proper
consecration, distribution, and reception of the elements, and that
nothing has the character of a Sacrament apart from its appointed
use, such “use” being defined by the Formula of Concord as “the
entire external, visible action of the Lord’s Supper instituted by
Christ” (Formula of Concord Solid Declaration VII:86); and
WHEREAS, The Council of Presidents in its unanimously adopted
statement of September 11, 2021, “To Encourage Advocating InPerson Communion,” rightly affirmed that “No theological
justification for the novel practice of online or virtual Communion
has existed within the Synod or in the Lutheran tradition nor has
been advanced in the circles advocating for it on the basis of the
principally relevant texts (sedes doctrinae) of Holy Scripture or of
the Lutheran Confessions”; and
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
has properly confessed, on the basis of God's Word, the true
doctrine and practice of the Lord’s Supper and has rejected the
practice of “internet Communion” in the documents titled

293

“Communion and Covid-19” and “One little Word Can Fell Him:
Addendum to Communion and Covid-19”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS Minnesota South District encourage
all pastors and congregations to reject the practice of “Internet
Communion”; and be it further
Resolved, That we commend the desires of faithful pastors to
care for their flocks in a time of pandemic, granting charity and
latitude to our brothers in the office due to the emergency nature of
the situation confronting us all; and be it further
Resolved, That the Minnesota South District memorialize the
2023 Convention to further study the practice of “internet
Communion” on the basis of God’s Word and the Lutheran
Confessions; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Minnesota South District encourage the
faithful practice of in-person Communion services in our public
worship services and in such cases of pastoral care where
Communion is desired.
Minnesota South District
Ov. 5-12

To Reject Practice
of So-Called “Internet Communion”
WHEREAS, The Sacrament of the Altar is “the true body and
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted
by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink” (Small
Catechism [SC] IV 1–2); and
WHEREAS, The Holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St.
Paul write:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took
bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to
the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given
for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also
He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He
gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the
New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me” (Matt. 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke
22:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–25). (Lutheran Service Book Divine
Service, Setting One, 162)
and
WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 lockdowns beginning in
March 2020, some pastors and congregations of the Synod chose to
introduce an innovation which they labeled “internet Communion”;
and
WHEREAS, The Synod holds to the biblical practice of closed
Communion (1 Cor. 11:28–30) for the benefit of all those who
receive Christ’s true body and blood in this Sacrament, and
“internet Communion” renders the pastor incapable of spiritual
oversight and knowing who might be following along or
participating in this unbiblical practice from a remote location (1
Cor. 4:1–2; Augsburg Confession [AC] XXIV 36); and
WHEREAS, Doubt should not be introduced where there should
be clarity and confidence in the Sacrament (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor.
11:26; AC XIII); and
WHEREAS, The practice of so-called “internet Communion”
disregards the necessity of the body of Christ gathering together
physically (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:33; Heb. 10:23–25); and
2023 Convention Workbook