LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 157

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 157

3-11

To Reject Resolution of Florida-Georgia
District on Open Communion

Wuereas, In its regular convention in May 1997, the Florida-
Georgia District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
(LCMS) encouraged use of the document “Celebrate!” (Pentecost
1996), which document advocated the ecclesial practice of open
Communion; and

WHEREAS, The same convention “affirmed the right of its pas-
tors and congregations to welcome to the Lord’s Table those who,
regardless of denominational affiliation, share our confession of
Christ and our conviction of what He freely offers in the Eu-
charist”; and

WHEREAS, These actions of the Florida-Georgia District are in
direct opposition to many recent synodical resolutions, including
1967 Res. 2-19; 1969 Res. 3-18; 1981 Res. 3-01; and 1995 Res. 3-
08; and

WHEREAS, The synodical practice of close(d) Communion is
based on Matt. 5:23-24; 1 Cor. 10:15-22; 11:26-34, end many
clear passages in the Lutheran Confessions (e.g., AC XXIV 36; Ap
XXIV 1, 49; Ap XXV 40-41; FC Ep VII 3; FC SD VII 33-34; FC
SD VII 123); and

WHEREAS, Martin Luther refused fellowship with the Reformed
Protestant Upper Germans until they became Lutheran by agreeing
that the unworthy receive the Lord’s body and blood orally to their
judgment (manducatio indignorum) (see Mark U. Edwards, Luther
and the False Brethren [1975], 127-55); and

WHEREAS, Open Communion is therefore a distinctly Reformed
Protestant practice, because it denies that the unworthy receive the
Lord’s body and blood to their judgment, or it changes the meaning
of the Lutheran definition of the “unworthy” into a Reformed def-
inition; and

WHEREAS, This means that those who advocate open Commu-
nion have in fact already adopted a Reformed Protestant view of
the Lord’s Supper; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Florida-Georgia District President, in con-
junction with the synodical President, is hereby directed to frater-
nally instruct the authors and supporters of “Celebrate!” (Pentecost
1996); and be it further

Resolved, That the Florida-Georgia District President will ad-
monish the authors and supporters of “Celebrate!” (Pentecost 1996)
to publish a retraction of their support for open Communion and a
confession that they fully support the Synod’s Communion prac-
tice as described in 1995 Res. 3-08, which retraction shall be pub-
lished in official notices by June 1, 1999; and be it further

Resolved, That synodical members of the Florida-Georgia Dis-
trict who refuse this instruction and admonition will be deemed to
have persisted in an offensive conduct and expelled by their Dis-
trict President according to the Constitution and Bylaws of the
Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That if the Florida-Georgia District President refuses
to carry out these duties within nine months of the end of this con-
vention the synodical President shall declare his office vacant and
will carry them out in his place; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Florida-Georgia District Board wil! then ap-
point a President to fulfill the unexpired term of the District Presi-
dent with the approval of the synodical President.

Our Redeemer, Forsyth, IL; Our Redeemer, Peekskill, NY;
Immanuel, Clovis, NM; Bethany, Fort Wayne, IN; Grace,
Paris, TX; Trinity, Denver, CO; Mount Zion, Castle Rock,
CO; St. Matthew, Lake Zurich, IL

3-12

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, Saint Paul defines worthy reception of the Body and
Blood in terms of self-examination and discernment of the Lord’s
Body (1 Corinthians 11:28, 29); and

WuereasS, 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

WuerEAS, Our Lutheran Confessions, in the words of the Large
Catechism, state clearly that only those should exclude themselves
from the Sacrament who desire no grace and absolution and have
no intention to amend their lives (LC V 5, 61); and

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

WHEREAS, Scripture imposes no denominational requirement on
baptized Christians who desire to receive the Body and Blood of
Christ offered in the Lord’s Supper; and

WHEREAS, The current policy of The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod outlined in Res. 3-08 of Synod’s 1995 convention can
become an obstacle to pastoral care for the spiritual nurture of the
members of the body of Christ; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod reeval-
uate its current policy and develop a policy which reflects a more
pastoral approach consistent with the above whereases.

St. John
Portland, OR

3-13

To Rescind 1986 Res. 3-08

WHEREAS, The administration of the Synod’s close(d) Commu-
nion practice continues to be a divisive matter within our church
body; and

WHEREAS, The Synod spoke on this topic once again in the
1995 convention in Res. 3-08:

Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm 1967 Res. 2-19 that “pas-
tors and congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod, except in situations of emergency and in special cases
of pastoral care, commune individuals of only those synods
which are now in fellowship with us”; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm 1986 Res. 3-08, “that the
pastors and congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod continue to abide by the practice of close communion,
which includes the necessity of exercising responsible pastoral
care in extraordinary situations and circumstances,” and beseech
one another in love to remember that “situations of emergency
and special cases of pastoral care” or “extraordinary situations
and circumstances” are, by their very nature, relatively rare; and
be it further
Resolved, That because we are eager to maintain the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3), any members of
the Synod who advocate a different practice of Holy Commu-
nion be fraternally reminded of the commitment all the mem-
bers of the Synod make to one another by subscribing to the
Constitution of the Synod to honor and uphold its doctrine and
practice and, where there is disagreement, to follow the proper
channels of dissent as outlined in synodical Bylaw 2.39 c; and
WHEREAS, The wording of 1986 Res. 3-08 quoted above is a
convention interpretation adding further meaning and limitations
to the 1967 Res. 2-19 words “in situations of emergency and in spe-
cial cases of pastoral care” by defining such situations as being “by
their very nature, relatively rare,” a definition beyond what is stated
in Synod’s Constitution, the Lutheran Confessions, and Scripture
itself; and

WHEREAS, This interpretation runs counter to the experience and
judgment of many of the Synod’s pastors who in their attempt to
responsibly administer Communion in service of the Gospel find
that cases of special pastoral care in today’s context are often nei-
ther extraordinary nor rare as they encounter numerous nonmember