To Refrain from Practice of Online Communion

WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus, with words and actions spoken and carried out by him in the direct and physical presence of His disciples, instituted Holy Communion as a communal meal through which His body and blood are distributed under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Matt 26:26–28); and

WHEREAS, The conditions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 led many congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to suspend in-person worship gatherings for protracted periods, hindering them from the celebration of Holy Communion; and

WHEREAS, Some congregations considered turning to online Communion as a way to continue celebrating Holy Communion in the absence of in-person worship gatherings; and

WHEREAS,In speaking of Christian worship, Holy Scripture does not endorse a spiritual or virtual fellowship, but rather a physical, communal gathering as the apostle Paul describes when he writes to the church in Corinth, “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for your judgment” (1 Cor. 11:33–34a); and

WHEREAS, The Epistle to the Hebrews states, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24–25); and

WHEREAS, The Augsburg Confession describes the administration of the Lord’s Supper in the context of a physically gathered assembly (Augsburg Confession [AC] VII 1; XXIV 36– 39); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) responded by unanimously endorsing the opinion “Communion and Covid-19” (CC19), which warned against the practice of online Communion, in part by referencing an earlier “Whenever the actual words and actions of the celebrant in consecrating the elements are intentionally separated (by time, distance, or technological means) from the distribution and reception, no assurance can be given that our Lord’sinstructions are being heeded and that the body and blood of Christ are actually being given and received for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of faith” (LCMS CTCR, Communion and Covid-19 [adopted 2020], 2); and

WHEREAS, Some LCMS pastors and congregations nevertheless persisted in publicly arguing for and practicing online Communion, prompting a further response from the CTCR in an addendum to CC19 entitled, “One little word can fell him,” which affirmed and expanded upon the original position against online Communion; and

WHEREAS, The CTCR’s acknowledgment in the addendum to CC19 states that “It is indeed true that the CTCR opinion in this matter isnot binding”(LCMS CTCR, “One little word can fell him” [2020], 12) leaves open the possibility that pastors and congregations of the LCMS may continue to practice online Communion despite the admonition to cease due to the harm it may cause; and

WHEREAS, The practice of online Communion has, at the very least, the potential to sow discord among the brethren and doubt concerning whether such observance of Holy Communion is pleasing to God and in accordance with His Word; therefore be it

Resolved, Thatthe CTCRbecommended for its sound, scriptural guidance on the issue of online Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the Iowa East District memorialize the Synod to instruct our pastors and congregations on the basis of Holy Scripture’s exhortation to gather in person to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and on the basis of the examples of the Augsburg Confession Articles VII and XXIV, to refrain from the practice of online Communion, ensuring that those pastors and congregations who continue to practice online Communion after due fraternal admonition be subject to appropriate ecclesiastical counsel and instruction; and be it finally

Resolved, That those who are hindered for a time from bodily participation in Holy Communion be encouraged to content themselves with the exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “As great as the hardship is when we cannot receive Christ’s body and blood, the hardship ought not be ‘resolved’ in ways that promise an uncertain ‘sacrament’ without the absolute assurance that Christ intends. It is better humbly and repentant ly to ask the Lord for the regular administration of the Sacrament of the Altar to be restored to us, together with an end to the ‘deadly pestilence’ that is killing thousands of souls who are precious to God, their Creator (see Ps. 91; Jonah 4:11)” (CC19, 3–4).