To Reject Practice of “Online or Virtual Communion”

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, some congregations of our Synod started a novel practice—“online or virtual Communion,” which is unknown to the Scriptures and heretofore not been practiced in the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) and the systematic theology departments of both seminaries have issued opinions that unequivocally and unanimously argued against the practice of “online or virtual Communion,” and the Council of Presidents has passed a motion for all members of Synod to “refrain from the practice of online Communion”; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR affirmed its 2006 opinion on DVD consecration and applied its rationale to “online or virtual Communion,” putting forward the arguments (among others) that this practice:

• severs the consecration of the Sacrament through the Words of Institution from the distribution and reception of the Sacrament;

• potentially and unnecessarily sows doubt in the minds of communicants as to whether the elements received arein fact the Sacrament of Christ’s body and blood;

• vitiates the instrumental role of pastoral care in the administration of the Sacrament through the lack of pastoral oversight, preparation of communicants, and the admission to the table; and

• detracts from the corporate assembly of God’speoplearound the Lord’s Supper as an expression of the common confession of Christ and unity in the faith; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration [FC SD] VII) indicate that the proper use of the Sacrament includes a unified consecration, distribution, and reception, none of which are to be severed from the other, yet the practice of “online or virtual Communion” would interject a spatial, temporal, and technological gap between the consecration and the distribution and reception; and

WHEREAS, The Sacrament of the Altar serves to strengthen faith against all doubts (Augsburg Confession [AC] XIII) and is “given for a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back in such battle, but become ever stronger and stronger” (Large Catechism V 24), while it is incumbent on all faithful ministers of the Gospel to remove all obstacles that create doubt regarding what Christ offers in this Sacrament or detracts from it (AC XXIV); and

WHEREAS, The pastoral office is responsible for oversight of the administration of the Sacrament in accordance with the keys conferred upon the pastor by virtue of his call (AC XIV; C.F.W. Walther’s Theses on the Ministry V and VII); and

WHEREAS, No theological justification for the novel practice of “online or virtual Communion” has existed within the Synod or the Lutheran tradition nor has been advanced in the circles advocating for it on the basis of the principally relevant texts (sedes doc tri nae) of Holy Scripture or the Lutheran Confessions; and

WHEREAS, The Sacrament of the Altar has been established by our Lord according to His words of institution, commanding literally,“This keep on doing”(Luke22:19;1Cor.11:24–25)which indicates that this use of the Sacrament should be kept according to His institution and that “nothing is a sacrament without the appointed use” as set forth by those same words of institution (FC SD VII 73); and

WHEREAS, The uniformity in practice has, from the foundation of the Synod, been considered desirable (1847 Constitution Articles I 3; II 4; IV 10; V 14) and remains an endeavor toward which congregations are encouraged to strive (Const. Art. II 7); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Indiana District reject the practice of “online or virtual Communion” as it is contrary to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions; and be it further

Resolved, That the Indiana District president, on behalf of the district, admonish congregations practicing “online or virtual Communion” to cease this divisive practice; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Indiana District memorialize the 2023 Synod convention to reject the practice of “online or virtual Communion.”