To Review Guidance on Admission to the Lord’s Supper

WHEREAS, 1967 Resolution 2-19, “To Take a Position with Reference to Communing Lutherans of Other Synods,” was adopted stating:

WHEREAS, Clarification regarding the administration and reception of Holy Communion has been requested, with particular reference to Lutherans of other synods not now in fellowship with us; and

WHEREAS, The principle of “close Communion” requires that only those who are in altar fellowship celebrate and partake of the Lord’s Supper with each other; and

WHEREAS, The celebration and reception of Holy Communion not only implies but is a confession of the unity of faith; therefore be it

Resolved, That pastors 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 Lutheran synods which are now in fellowship with us (1967 Proceedings, 93); and

WHEREAS, 1981 Res. 3-01, “To Declare LCMS Not in Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with ALC,” was adopted stating:

WHEREAS, The LCMS has long encouraged its congregations and pastors in extraordinary circumstances to provide responsible pastoral care, including the administration of Holy Communion to Christians who are members of denominations not in fellowship with the LCMS; therefore be it (1981 Proceedings, 154–55); and

WHEREAS, 1986 Res. 3-08, “To Maintain Practice of Close Communion,” was adopted stating:

Resolved, 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 be it further

Resolved, That the convention commend the CTCR’s report Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper to the pastors and congregations of the Synod for continued reference and guidance (1986 Proceedings, 143); and

WHEREAS, The 1983 Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) report Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper states: Since fellowship at the Lord’s Table is also confession of a common faith, it would not be truthful for those who affirm the Real Presence and those who deny it to join one another. Their common Communion would indicate to the non-Christian community that the last will and testament of Christ could be interpreted in contradictory ways. Indeed, the non-Christian might rightly ask whether it was Jesus’s word which determined the church’s position and practice or simply a human consensus (LCMS CTCR, Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper [adopted 1983], 21). … Close Communion seeks to prevent a profession of confessional unity in faith where there is, in fact, disunity and disagreement. It would be neither faithful to the Scriptural requirements for admission to Holy Communion (1 Cor. 11:27 ff.; cf. 10:16-17) nor helpful to fallen humanity if the Christian church welcomes to its altars those who deny or question clear Scriptural teachings (LCMS CTCR, Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper [adopted 1983], 22). … In keeping with the principle that the celebration and reception of the Lord’s Supper is a confession of the unity of faith, while at the same time recognizing that there will be instances when sensitive pastoral care needs to be exercised, the Synod has established an official practice requiring “that pastors 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. [28]” (LCMS CTCR, Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper [adopted 1983], 22–23). … [28] 1967 Res. 2-19. See also 1969 Res. 3-18 and 1981 Res. 3-01. Cf. Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, III, p. 381. Pieper begins his discussion concerning who is to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper by stating: “Christian congregations, and their public servants, are only the administrants and not lords of the Sacrament. … On the one hand, they are not permitted to introduce ‘Open Communion’: on the other hand, they must guard against denying the Sacrament to those Christians for whom Christ has appointed it.” To be sure, a heavy responsibility rests on pastors in making decisions as they evaluate those exceptional cases of pastoral care where persons who are members of denominations not in fellowship with the LCMS desire to receive the Lord’s Supper. However, part of the pastor’s responsibility in such situations involves informing individuals desiring Communion also of their responsibility regarding an action which identifies them with the confessional position of the church body to which the host congregation belongs and their willingness to place themselves under the spiritual care of the pastor in that place (LCMS CTCR, Theology and Practice of the Lord’s Supper [adopted 1983], 41); and

WHEREAS, 1995 Res. 3-08, “To Reaffirm the Practice of Close[d] Communion,” was adopted and reaffirmed 1967 Res. 2-19 and 1986 Res. 3-08 and stated:

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 Communion be fraternally reminded of the commitment all the members 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. (1995 Proceedings, 122); and

WHEREAS, 2007 Res. 3-09, “To Address Administration of the Lord’s Supper,” was adopted, commending the 1999 CTCR report, “Admission to the Lord’s Supper,” and reinforcing the LCMS position and practice regarding close(d) Communion; and

WHEREAS, 2013 Res. 4-10 “To Encourage Proper Oversight in the Administration of the Lord’s Supper by Visitation from Ecclesiastical Supervisors” was adopted and resolved; and

WHEREAS, 2016 Res. 5-15, “To Address Questions re the Sacrament of the Altar,” was adopted and resolved “That the LCMS reaffirm that its statements and resolutions with regard to close(d) Communion … are faithful to Scripture and the Confessions”; and

WHEREAS, 2019 Res. 4-11A, “To Encourage the Study of the Doctrine of Close(d) Communion and Faithful Practice in All Congregations,” was adopted and resolved “That Synod in convention encourage the study of God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions by all members of Synod with an eye to teaching and upholding our confession and practice regarding the administration of the Lord’s Supper,” and “That all pastors and members of the LCMS recognize the Scriptural and practical necessity of adhering publicly to both a professed and functional close(d) Communion practice” (2019 Proceedings, 145); and

WHEREAS, Eighty-three percent of the delegates in 2016 and 78 percent of the delegates in 2019 supported resolutions about close(d) Communion, thus revealing a lack of unanimity; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention recognize the scriptural necessity of adhering publicly to both the professed doctrine and practice of close(d) Communion (recognizing the terms “close” and “closed” as synonymous) as adopted by previous conventions of the LCMS; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod President and the Council of Presidents in consultation with our Synod’s seminary faculties re-evaluate the specific language of earlier Communion regarding extraordinary circumstances, providing case studies and examples for study and discussion to be shared within our districts