LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 152

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3. THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

3-01
To Declare Altar and Pulpit Fellowship
with Evangelical Lutheran Church
of Ingria in Russia
Preamble

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia traces its
roots back to the late 16th century when the Lutheran faith first es-
tablished itself in Scandinavia. The region of Ingria is located south
and east of the Gulf of Finland in the area around present-day St.
Petersburg, Russia. Finnish immigrants settled in this area in the
17th century, and before the 1917 revolution this church had a
membership of 147,000. During the atheistic Soviet regime its
churches were closed and countless Ingrians were shipped off to
prison camps or deported to Siberia and Central Russia. By the be-
ginning of World War II, virtually all Lutheran pastors had been
killed or were in prison. In the 1950s surviving Ingrians gradually
began to return to this area, and in 1992 the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Ingria reestablished itself as an independent church.
Today it has a membership of approximately 16,000 baptized
members in 40 congregations.

WuEerEAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
traces its origin to the work of Scandinavian immigrants of the
Lutheran faith going back to the late 16th century; and

WHEREAS, This once thriving church suffered greatly from per-
secution during the time of the Soviet atheistic regime; and

WueErEAS, The Evangelical Lutheran confession was neverthe-
less not able to be extinguished but was preserved by God's grace;
and

WHEREAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria was
reestablished as an independent Lutheran church in 1992; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has
enjoyed a working relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR) since 1992, providing teachers
and lecturers for the training of pastors and other workers in the
church; and

WuereEAS, Doctrinal discussions between official representa-
tives of the LCMS and the ELCIR have revealed that complete
agreement between our two churches in doctrine and practice ex-
ists; and

Wuereas, The Sixth General Synod of the ELCIR has declared
itself to be in full altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations
has reviewed the charter of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of In-
gria, and in accordance with Bylaw 13.03 a has recommended that
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod declare itself to be in altar
and pulpit fellowship with this church body; therefore be it

Resolved, That we acknowledge with gratitude the unity of con-
fession that has been given to our churches under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit; and be it further

Resolved, That we formally declare the LCMS to be in altar and
pulpit fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in
Russia: and be it further

Resolved, That we give thanks to God for the faithful witness
given by the members of this church body during difficult times of
persecution and suffering; and be it further

Resolved, That we pray for God’s blessings in the coming years
on the agreement in the confession of the Gospel which we enjoy;
and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod officially recognize the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia as a partner church and that
the President of the Synod be responsible for implementing this re-
lationship as soon as possible.

Commission on Theology and Church Relations

153

3-02

To Maintain Practice of Close Communion

WHEREAS, The Scriptures require both a knowledge of the
Lord's Supper sufficient for its proper reception and a contrite heart
that trusts Jesus’ Word (1 Cor. 11:27-29); and

WHEREAS, Fellowship at the Lord’s Table is an act of confes-
sion of faith (1 Cor. 10:17): and

Wuerea§, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has of-
ficially adopted the practice of full Communion between it and
three other Reformed church bodies in America; and

WHEREAS, A small fraction within our Synod has once again in
1996 issued and sent to the parishes in our Synod “A Declaration of
Eucharistic Understanding and Practice’’ which departs from the
biblical and confessionally correct understanding and practice
which our Synod has from its very beginning held to be the one
and only correct understanding and practice; and

WHEREAS, The clergy members of this liberal faction, at the
time of their joining The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, made
a vow to God that they agreed to, would abide with. and would up-
hold the true doctrine and practice of our Synod; and that they
would abide by its constitution; and

WuereaS, Our synodical President, Dr. A. L. Barry, and the en-
tire Praesidium (August 21, 1996) voiced their opposition to “A
Declaration of Eucharistic Understanding and Practice’’; and

WHEREAS, The entire Praesidium has asked each District Presi-
dent to continue to uphold the true biblical view of close(d) Com-
munion as The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has historically
held; and

WuerEas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in conven-
tion (Res. 3-08, 1995) addressed the document “A Declaration of
Eucharistic Understanding and Practice’* by adopting and reaf-
firming Res. 2-19 (1967), which thereby places the entire Synod
officially opposed to “A Declaration of Eucharistic Understanding
and Practice’; and

WHEREAS, The admission to Holy Communion without a regard
for confession of faith is neither faithful to God's Word nor an act
of love (Rom. 16:17); and

WHEREAS, The practice of close Communion was officially and
publicly taught and observed by the early church; and

WuerEAS, The practice of close communion is affirmed by our
Lutheran Confession: “For we do not intend to admit to the sacra-
ment and administer it to those who do not know what they seek or
why they come’’ (447:2; 575:32 ff; etc., Tappert); and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from its be-
ginning in 1847 practiced close Communion (see the explanation of
the Small Catechism, 1991, question 305); and

WHEREAS, The practice of close Communion seeks to prevent
both harmful reception of the Sacrament as well as a profession of
unity in confession of faith where this unity does not exist (1 Cor.
11:27-29; 1:10); and

WuerEAS, Disparity in the practice of the Lord’s Supper has
created confusion and controversy in the Synod; and

WHEREAS, It is desirable that uniform practice that is in har-
mony with the theology of the Lord’s Supper be followed in the
Synod; and

WueREFaS, The Commission on Theology and Church Rela-
tions’ 1983 report, Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper
reaffirmed the biblical practice of close Communion believed,
taught, and confessed by the orthodox Lutheran church for cen-
turies; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in its
1998 synodical convention reaffirm its position on fellowship and
practice of close(d) Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the implementation of the consistent practice
shall be a top priority of the District Presidents, who are responsible
for supervision of doctrine and practice of pastors and congrega-
tions in their Districts; and be it finally