LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 171

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 171

WHEREAS, When St. Paul says that “we, though many, are one
body in Christ and individually members one of another” (Rom.
12:5), this means that, properly speaking, there is only one church;
and

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

WHEREAS, The Small Catechism states 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, The Large Catechism states 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 61); and

WHEREAS, Practice congruent with Scripture and the

Confessions calls for the Sacrament to be shared for the sake of

fellowship and unity in the body of Christ with those fellow
Christians who repent of their sins, believe in the real presence,
and sincerely intend to amend their lives; and

WHEREAS, Scripture imposes no denominational requirement
or standard of external church fellowship on baptized Christians
who desire to receive the body and blood of Christ offered in the
Lord’s Supper: therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations and pastors of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod may offer the Eucharist to all baptized
Christians who share this biblical and confessional stance.

Redeemer
Fresno, CA

3-47

To Work Toward Agreement re Communion Practice

WHEREAS, One of the blessings of the Lord’s Supper is to be a
Sacrament of unity (1 Cor. 10:17); and

WHEREAS, Practices of admission to the Lord’s Supper continue
to be a source of great concern and divisiveness among pastors and
congregations in the LCMS, either because some practices seem
too restrictive or others not restrictive enough; and

WHEREAS, In its November 1999 document on Admission to the
Lord’s Supper, the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
refocuses the issue with a distinction between a Christian partici-
pant as “an individual” and also as “a confessor” and notes that
some provision in practice needs to be made for discouraging par-
ticipation by those whose personal confession of beliefs places
them out of unity with the host congregation; and

WHEREAS, In this same document the CTCR recognizes that “A
simplistic use of ‘denominational membership’ as the sole criterion
for communion admission ... would be a caricature of biblical and
confessional teaching”; and

WHEREAS, Among the many reasons for choosing a local con-
gregation, denominational affiliation is becoming increasingly less
significant for large numbers of Christians, and therefore many do
not knowingly or deliberately confess all the doctrines associated
with or imputed to that denomination; therefore be it

Resolved, To commend the Commission on Theology and
Church Relations for its latest study of Admission to the Lord’s
Supper and to encourage discussion of the concerns it articulates
throughout the church body; and be it further

Resolved, To reaffirm 1986 Res. 3-08 that the historic practice
of close Communion also “includes the necessity of exercising re-
sponsible pastoral care in extraordinary situations and circum-
stances,” including “the administration of Holy Communion to
Christians who are members of denominations not in fellowship
with the LCMS”: and be it further

Resolved, That LCMS congregations avoid using denomina-
tional affiliation as the sole criterion for which individually wor-
thy Christians can or cannot be admitted to a congregation’s cele-
bration of the Lord’s Supper; and be it further

Resolved, That the pastor of an LCMS congregation, as stew-
ard of the sacramental mystery, be encouraged to act to exclude
from participation an individual who publicly, knowingly, and de-
liberately disagrees with the beliefs of that congregation; and be it
finally

Resolved, That congregational, District, and synodical leaders
keep working at developing acceptable practices of admission to
the Lord’s Supper that make this Sacrament of forgiveness and ac-
ceptance truly a God-pleasing celebration of unity for all involved
rather than a source of ongoing divisiveness in the mission and
ministry of LCMS congregations and their Synod.

Royal Redeemer, North Royalton, OH; King of Glory,
Williamsburg, VA; Our Savior, Newton, 1A; Holy Cross,
Mahwah, NJ; Christ Our Savior, Coppell, TX; Grace, El
Cerrito, CA; First, Paola, KS; Grace, Woodbridge. VA:
Salem, Orange, CA

3-48

To Respect Right of Local Congregation
re Communion Practice

Wuereas, One of the greatest blessings that Jesus Christ has
given His church is in the Lord’s Supper; and

WHEREAS, Admission to the Lord’s Supper is an important part
of the office of the keys that is given to each congregation; and

WHEREAS, The Lord’s Supper is reserved for those who have
been instructed in the Christian faith, who are repentant of their
sins and desire the gift of God's forgiveness, who believe that in
the Sacrament they receive the real presence of Jesus Christ, and
who are in basic unity with us in the Christian faith; and

WHEREAS, Using denominational affiliation as the sole criterion
on which to decide who does or does not receive the Lord’s Supper
is a legalistic approach; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention trust the congregations
to follow the historic practice of close Communion which also “in-
cludes the necessity of exercising responsible pastoral care in ex-
traordinary situations and circumstances,” including “the adminis-
tration of Holy Communion to Christians who are members of
denominations not in fellowship with the LCMS”; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod respect the local congregation as the
final authority on who is welcomed to receive the Lord’s Supper
in their local faith community.

Trinity
Memphis, TN

3-49

To Encourage Congregations to Make Decisions
re Communion Practice

Rationale

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is in mission to the
whole world. As it goes about that mission the Holy Spirit leads
people to faith in Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as
Savior long to receive the body and blood of their Savior in the
Sacrament of Holy Communion. Sometimes, people who have
come to faith in Jesus Christ long to take Communion immediately
after their Baptism, but without the benefit of detailed instruction in
other areas of the Christian faith. Also, there are times when the
preaching of the Gospel in our churches calls people to faith and a
relationship with Jesus Christ. Some of these converts request to
receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion before they have com-
pleted so-called catechetical instruction. From time to time fervent
believers in Jesus and His real presence in the Lord’s Supper have,
for reasons of geography or family concerns, joined churches other

2001 Convention Workbook