LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 154

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

154 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Resolved, That the District Presidents report annually to the syn-
odical President of their progress in the implementation of the
above, and that the synodical President prepare a summary by Dis-
trict at the synodical convention.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

3-03

To Respond to Florida-Georgia Communion Practice

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has on nu-
merous occasions addressed the issue of eucharistic practice; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has repeatedly affirmed the practice of
close/closed Communion through its study of the Scriptures and
the Lutheran Confessions; and

WHEREAS, The policy adopted by the Florida-Georgia District in
convention and by the editors of “Celebrate” initiates a practice
which is foreign to the Scriptures and Confessions of the Evangel-
ical Lutheran Church and thus divides the Synod, destroying the
proper understanding of “walking together”; and

WHEREAS, The policy and declaration mentioned above con-
fuses and disrupts congregations within the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The practice of offering the Eucharist with “no de-
nominational requirement” (i.e., no formal fellowship ties) destroys
the opportunity for proper oversight and trivializes the scriptural
understanding of oneness in the faith; therefore be it

Resolved, That the necessary discussion over Declaration of Eu-
charistic Understanding and Practice as desired by Florida-Geor-
gia Res. 2:97:04 take place in a meaningful way throughout the
Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That this discussion take place with the official and
reaffirmed stance of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on
close/closed Communion as the Synod’s official position in order
that those who would adhere to Declaration of Eucharistic Under-
standing and Practice might be examined according to the Synod’s
doctrine and practice ; and be it further

Resolved, That those who choose to retain a position contrary
to the Synod’s scriptural and confessional position be dealt with by
the synodical President in accordance with synodical procedures;
and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical President take pastoral action to
carry out the aforementioned resolves, with an updated report list-
ing the actions taken presented to the 2001 convention of the
Synod; and be it finally

Resolved, That this matter of scriptural unity concerning the
doctrine and practice of the Lord’s Supper be given top priority by
the office of the synodical President during the 1998-2001 trien-
nium for the sake of unity in the Synod.

Wyoming District Pastors Conference

3-04

To Reevaluate Holy Communion Practice

WHEREAS, Christ instituted the sacrament of His body and blood
to nourish and sustain His people and assure them of His grace;
and

WHEREAS, St. Paul defines worthy reception of the body and
blood in terms of self-examination and discernment of the Lord’s
body (1 Cor. 11:28-29); and

Wuereas, Our Lutheran Confessions, in the words of the Small
Catechism, state clearly that one is truly worthy and well prepared
who has faith in the words of Christ: “Given and shed for you for
the remission of sins” (SC VI 10); and

WHEREAS, A practice congruent with Scripture and the Confes-
sions calls for the Sacrament to be shared with baptized Christians
who repent of their sins, believe the real presence, and sincerely
intend to amend their lives; and

WuerEAS, The current policy of The Lutheran Church—-Mis-
souri Synod outlined in Res. 3-08 of Synod’s 1995 convention is
restrictive and can become an obstacle to pastoral care; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the Northwest District of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod submit an overture to the 1998 conven-
tion of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, requesting that the
current policy be reevaluated (by a task force appointed by the syn-
odical President, to consist of clergy and laity representing diver-
gent views on this issue) and a policy be developed which reflects
a more pastoral approach consistent with the above whereases.

Northwest District

3-05

To Reaffirm That Membership in Orthodox Church
Body Is Consideration in Admission to Lord’s
Supper in Our Churches

Wuereas, Christ intended the Sacrament of the Altar for all
who repent of their sins and wish to receive His forgiveness, as is
understood in Luther’s words, “He is truly worthy and well pre-
pared who has faith in these words, ‘Given and shed for you for
the remission of sins’; and

WHEREAS, Adherence to false doctrine is a sin which, after ad-
monition, ought to be repented (Rom. 16:17, 2 John 10-11); and

WHEREAS, Membership in a local congregation is a very public
expression of an individual’s doctrine and membership in a synod
or denomination is a very public expression of a congregation's
doctrine, and therefore an individual holding membership in a con-
gregation or church body which adheres to false doctrine is partic-
ipating in its sin; and

Wuereas, In this day of lax instruction and blurring denomina-
tional identity an individual may naively hold membership in a
congregation or church body which adheres to false doctrine, but,
after admonition, the individual ought no longer be considered
naive and rather should renounce membership in that erring body;
and

WHEREAS, When an individual has failed to repent of public sin
he or she ought not be admitted to the Lord’s Table lest the com-
muning congregation share in the sin (1 Cor, 5:1-8); and

WHEREAS, It has long been taught in our churches that the above
is self-evident from Holy Scripture in our practice of close(d) com-
munion, as Francis Pieper has written, “Furthermore, since Chris-
tians are forbidden to adhere to teachers who deviate from the
Apostolic doctrine (Rom. 16:17, ‘Avoid them’ ...), it is self-evident
that members of heterodox churches must have severed their con-
nection with the heterodox body and declared their acceptance of
the true doctrine before they may commune with the congregation.”
(vol. Ill, p. 385); and

WHEREAS, Such practice with regard to members of heterodox
yet Christian church bodies is not intended to cal] into question
their membership in the one invisible church; and

Wuereas, Our church has always recognized and continues to
recognize the possibility of pastoral exceptions in admission to the
Sacrament (such as for one who remains in a formerly orthodox
church body in order to help reform it); and

Wuereas, A sister District of our Synod in its recent convention
asserted “the right of its pastors and congregations to welcome to
the Lord’s Table those who, regardless of denominational affilia-
tion, share our confession of Christ and our conviction of what He
freely offers in the Eucharist” and also advocated a document
(“Celebrate, Pentecost 96") which denies that denominational or
synodical membership may be considered in admission to the
Sacrament (Florida-Georgia District resolution “Eucharistic Un-
derstanding and Practice,” May 1997), therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention reaffirm that membership in an orthodox church body is to
be a consideration in admission to the Lord’s Supper in our
churches and that individuals who continue to hold membership in