A Declaration of Eucharistic Understanding and Practice

          As members of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod desiring to support the mission of the Synod and to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, we declare the following to be our Eucharistic understanding and practice:

         

          Christ instituted the Sacrament of His Body and Blood to nourish and sustain His people and to assure them of His grace.

 

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

 

          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).

 

          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, 61).

         

          A practice congruent with Scripture and the Confessions 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.

         

          Therefore we affirm the right of the Lutheran congregation and pastors to offer the Eucharist to all who share this biblical and confessional stance. We declare this to be our Eucharistic understanding and practice and commend it to others.

    
The Committee for A Declaration of Eucharistic Understanding and Practice: August Bernthal, Ronald Fink, John Frerking, John Glamann, Lloyd Goetz, William Hassold, John F. Johnson, Kevin Koenig, Roy Lidbom, George Loose, David G. Ludwig, Victor Mennicke, Gerhard Michael Jr, William Qualman, Edgar Trinklein.

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